davester

PS fluid level is correct? If so, I would say use a mechanics stethoscope to narrow down what specifically is making the noise...

Yeah, the oil/water probably mixed due to the busted radiator. Engine should still be fine if it's running good now. As a tip, if oil is in the coolant system, an easy/safe way to clean it (note: ONLY for the coolant system, don't do this for the engine oil or transmission fluid), is to drain the coolant out, fill with plain water, then add dishwasher power to the water (directly, not in the overflow tank), then run the engine so it gets hot enough to open up the thermostat and then another couple minutes), drain, perhaps repeat, then flush with plain water and then drain/refill with coolant. But it's important to use dishwasher powder (for a dishwasher machine), and NOT use hand dishwashing soap. Dishwasher soap is necessary because it's non-foaming. And you may also want to swap out the transmission fluid as well as the engine oil, as it also could have coolant in it (it also runs through the radiator).

I don't know the details of it. I would suggest getting an online subscription to the full-service manual for your truck, it's relatively cheap and has everything, like how to figure out this problem, pinouts on connectors, description of the wiring harness, how the steering column is assembled/disassembled.

That sounds like an issue with the cylinder/switch setup in the steering column, or possibly a wiring issue (two wires rubbed through, and it happens to make the computer think it's in the "start" position when it's in the first spot. But I would lean towards the first thing. But I would try testing the circuity prior to replacing it, to verify that it's the problem.

yeah, you probably want the flasher. If you go with resistors, they need to be in parallel with the led light, they are relatively large, and should be attached to something that acts as a heat sink. For my truck, I went with the resistors, but it's a cab&chassis, and my 6" oval led's are in a metal enclosure with extra space, so I could just mount them in the enclosure next to the light...

A negative amount. They should be slightly compressed against the LCA. They aren't only "bump stops", but are part of the suspension, and assist with how the front end works.

For me, when getting a new-to-me vehicle, I always -change all the fluids (engine oil and coolant/trans/transfer case/both diffs/brake) -lube all the joints -check brake pad thickness -check steering joints if anything needs to be replaced You might also want to take a pic of the RPO code sticker in the glove box, and then decode what all the RPO codes are and keep that list on your phone, as they are all the options your vehicle was built with, and it can be useful when buying parts to know what specific option is on your truck (for example, brakes and various oil lines can vary depending on what specific options your truck was built with).

depends on the options you have. my truck has a narrow, tall cooler on the driver's side, that's the PS cooler, more squarish oil cooler in the middle, a/c cooler behind these two, main radiator in back.

I recall a post somewhere about the plow itself being the problem, in that it blocks airflow while driving around. google "gm truck overheating with plow"

look through the RPO codes listed in the glovebox, and decode them. There should be one for the transmission (or maybe not). The right lines depends on what options your truck was built with. For my truck, it has RPO code "KNP", decoded to COOLING SYSTEM TRANS, HD, which indicated which were the proper lines to buy on rockauto.com for it.

Next I would: 1) run the engine up to temp (driving around for 15-20 minutes should do it) 2) use a IR gun on the engine block/hoses/etc and see how hot they are. Should be about 90C, 195F, or possibly higher, depending on ambient temp and driving conditions But I would think the next thing to look at would be the temperature sensor.

Did you mean "power steering gear box" by "the hub"? If so, sounds like you need another one...

Or disconnect the pitman arm from the center link, with the front wheels off the ground, and see how it feels moving the wheels left and right by hand? You should be able to feel any stiff spots that are bad enough to feel when driving.

Yeah, very common problem with all the lines (oil, transmission fluid, power steering fluid) that use those crimps. I've replaced all of them. It's a dirty job, but not particularly hard (worst are installing the transmission lines, as there a bunch of stuff to route the lines around). Don't forget to buy the little clips for holding the lines into the transmission & radiator, as you shouldn't re-use them.

I don't know about the wiring for the problem you are having, but I would highly suggest getting an online subscription to the full-service manual for your truck. It'll have the testing procedures for figuring this out, as well as wiring diagrams and connection diagrams so you can trace where you should be getting power. helminc.com alldatadiy.com or other web sites.