Jsdirt

I'll have to try towing 9k with that ...

High levels of brass/copper and iron in oil analysis - given the history of the 5.3's of this vintage, it's pretty much a slam dunk.

Mine is also long, long out of warranty. Only 91k on mine though. Cam bearings are going, plus started burning oil at 50k when pushed. I'm sure AFM issues are just around the corner ... If I can nurse that engine along for another 5 years it'll be exempt - then I can drop a carbureted 502 in there. $6k for a new long block LS ... or $6k for a 502 - a no brainer for me. Problems solved! (EDIT: Had to change AMF [bowling company that owned Harley, lol] to AFM - Active Fuel Management )

Was just informing Chris of his options - that's all. The comment was for him.

Can do it with any bi-directional scan tool. Doesn't have to be a Tech-II. My Autel will do it. Don't need anything from GM.

Both still lookin' good!

Congrats! I think you'll be much happier. I know my brother, dad, & one of my best friends are - all 3 owned Chevy trucks prior. My brother had a couple issues with his at around 11k miles, but FCA took care of it all under warranty, quickly, with no BS, unlike mine and my dad's GM truck experiences - they didn't try to weasel out of paying up for their engineering screwups. I guess problems with new vehicles are just par for the course in the 21st Century. They're alot easier to deal with when the company doesn't try to lie and cheat it's way out of owning up to them.

Welcome to my world. Rear suspension squawks and rattles, and my interior squeaks and rattles. Anyone that's ridden in my truck now drives a Ram.

Went to get a sticker today for the truck and the Marquis. Guess which one failed? Stupid incomplete monitors ... AGAIN. Gotta love OBD-II! My only vehicle that's a constant headache come inspection time ... Either way, $70 donation to the state today for the 2 vehicles.

Seems like people purposely aim for new cars these days. I can take our 940 out and park right up front at a store, and never find any damage. Take the Silverado out & do the same, and I'll find new scratches and dings ... The Silverado ain't new, but it looks alot younger than it is.

Nice. I was surprised when they said it could possibly be under $100 for the repair. I haven't seen a body repair done for under $500 in years!

My mom got a similar ding in her new Subaru. People in MA have ZERO respect in parking lots ... One of my buddies referred her to a mobile dent repair guy - sounds like the same thing you did there.

Guess there are people out there that could afford such a thing ...

Yikes - that thing screams, "INCOMPATIBLE WITH MA ROADWAYS". People would be breaking things up here in that, including parts of their own bodies ... What a great car to have in CA, AZ, or FL though!

NEfisher, I'd start at 55 psi (Load Range E), and see how they wear. If you're empty, that's more than enough. Was going to haul an old metal cement mixer to my parent's tomorrow ... but then I realized my sticker expired in July. That was easy to get out of! I've donated enough of my money to the state this year - not even taking the chance.

The Range just plugs into your data link connector under the steering column - anyone can handle that. The oil burning in and of itself says the engine isn't right. Really not worth the diagnostic time ($$$) to find out the exact reason why. My guess is GM cheaped out on piston ring material, and it has worn out LONG before it should have ... or the piston/cylinder clearance is too large, also due to bad QC & manufacturing practices. GM's priority these days is saving money. They could care less about the customer (or their own techs ... but that's a story for another day).

The Range is great - I've had one for over a year now. Doesn't cure the oil burning, unfortunately. At least not in my case.

When I have a new vehicle that burns oil, the last thing I'd want to do is trade it in on ANOTHER vehicle by the same manufacturer. If they can't get it right the first time, what makes you think a '14 or newer will be any better? I'd strongly suggest looking at Ram, or even Ford. Ram seems to have their crap together more than the other 2 ... There's alot of options - none of them even remotely cheap, unfortunately. Could rebuild what you've got, drop a new crate motor in, tear it down and only repair the problem (which could be alot of things), drop in a used junkyard engine, buy a parts truck and do a swap, etc.. What you can afford will dictate which of those you choose. Junkyard engines are the cheapest route ... but that engine could be EXACTLY the same problem child as what you just yanked out ... only with more miles on it. Crate is the way to go, but HOLY CRAP wait until you see the cost of THAT ... then if you're paying someone to do the job, plan on another grand or more on top of all that. I HATE the LS engine ...

Yeah he's got a point - I forgot about nails and screws! Thicker is better on any job site. I finally started clearing out the back section of my barn in preparation for an addition (and eventually a LIFT!). Got a long road ahead of me there. Lots of stuff back there that needs to be stuffed into the already bursting-at-the-seams front section. Moved a pile of lumber 6' tall. Got a long way to go, but it's a start.

I've been towing between 1,500-12,000 lbs. (mostly around 5,500-6,000) for 10 years on P-rated tires. I make sure to juice up the rears before I head out. Depends on the load - anywhere from just 40 psi to 50 (max on the summer tires). Running Blizzaks in winter (on 18" stockers), and Hankook Ventus ST RH06 for summer (20" off a '10 LTZ). Those Hankooks are an extra load carrying tire - think it was 2,800 and change @ 50 psi. 117 load rating, V speed rated.

Oh, that was from me ranting about my POS.

Same here. I'm running an Odyssey battery, but I don't think this thing draws that much extra to make a huge difference. I just filled my tank the other day - last time I filled it was the first week of May, so that tells you how much it sits. I throw my charger on it at least once a month, or sooner if I remember. Had the Range for over a year now, and never a dead, or even weak, battery.

Top-line diesel pickups bumped the 'Vette out of the $70-$80 Grand slot, lol. Crazy the prices on everything now. For the same exact thing I bought 10 years ago, it's $15k more ... Ridiculous. On the truck front, I've got her severely OVER her payload. A 2,400 lb. pallet of coal in back. I had the air bags pumped up to 100 psi ... and then tried to get into the barn - you can see the fresh chunk of rotted wood I knocked off that header trim piece there, lol. Had to air them down to 10 psi to fit inside! Last week I hauled an old trailer back on my flatbed trailer. We found it in the overgrown edge of the yard at my brother's new house. Thing is built like a TANK. Used my dad's Arctic Cat 400 to yank it out of there. Looks like it's been parked well over 20 years. Vines and all kinds of crap were attached to it. Surprisingly, the wheels rolled! I attempted to air up the tires, but it promptly leaked out of the rims. tires actually held pressure for a bit! Going to use the truck 2 days, exactly a week apart. That's a record! I think this tank of gas is from May ...

I feel your pain just about on a daily basis, Chris. A magnet and a claw are 2 requirements when working on any modern vehicle. Stuff just warps into another dimension once it's dropped anywhere around the engine bay or doors. I can't tell you how many of my sockets and extensions are riding around inside GM doors (the little hole behind the mirror has NO exit!), completely unretrievable.