Older Truck (11yrs) Buying Advice

[spacoli]

I've really never had a complaint about a GM Truck anybody in the family has owned or I have owned. Dad drove a 86 C10 for over 600k without the engine ever leaving the comforts of the motor mounts. Nothing except a water pump and the transmission was rebuilt when the reaction shell (sun shell) exploded.

 

My 99 has 196k on the odometer, doesn't burn or drip oil (I fill it to the top of the line on the dipstick, when I change the oil. Before I change it I usually pull the stick its and it is usually on the first X on the stick below the full line. Now I have the 3.42 gears in my 99, it is NOT A TOWING machine. And it will remind you quickly. A car hauler with a 75 Hurst/Olds will make it cry like a little baby on the mildest hill. For that fact a JD 202 diesel engine for a JD2020 tractor in the bed will you think its going to exploded the engine but it will handle it. Best mileage I ever got on the truck is when I just bought it and I was babying it a little and drove the speed limits and didn't pass in it. It got 20mpg. Now this is where I keep up with it at.

 

Then we have the 2001 2500 4x4 6.0, 3.73....... It main job is pulling a trailer. I've seen round bales of hay on a trailer behind that truck on a goose-neck trailer. 1500-2000lbs each. It will pull them, without fear. It will talk about it the RPM's will climb like crazy but it won't have a problem sucking the truck up to 80ish on the interstate. Hills aren't that big of a challenge either. (its in the 190's k club also, and nothing has left the frame). Now I expect this truck to burn oil. If you put something in this kinda of job ITS GOING TO BURN OIL. 2 or 3 quarts on an oil change if all the oil change mileage was towing, as they mostly are for us.

 

Jbo

 

 

How can I find out the gear ratio on my truck?

[KMGZ400]

i raced MANY 5.7 GMT400's in my 5.3 and beat them all.. thats just what i have seen.

 

 

congrats on the truck, throw up some pictures of it

[jblakeney]

I've really never had a complaint about a GM Truck anybody in the family has owned or I have owned. Dad drove a 86 C10 for over 600k without the engine ever leaving the comforts of the motor mounts. Nothing except a water pump and the transmission was rebuilt when the reaction shell (sun shell) exploded.

 

My 99 has 196k on the odometer, doesn't burn or drip oil (I fill it to the top of the line on the dipstick, when I change the oil. Before I change it I usually pull the stick its and it is usually on the first X on the stick below the full line. Now I have the 3.42 gears in my 99, it is NOT A TOWING machine. And it will remind you quickly. A car hauler with a 75 Hurst/Olds will make it cry like a little baby on the mildest hill. For that fact a JD 202 diesel engine for a JD2020 tractor in the bed will you think its going to exploded the engine but it will handle it. Best mileage I ever got on the truck is when I just bought it and I was babying it a little and drove the speed limits and didn't pass in it. It got 20mpg. Now this is where I keep up with it at.

 

Then we have the 2001 2500 4x4 6.0, 3.73....... It main job is pulling a trailer. I've seen round bales of hay on a trailer behind that truck on a goose-neck trailer. 1500-2000lbs each. It will pull them, without fear. It will talk about it the RPM's will climb like crazy but it won't have a problem sucking the truck up to 80ish on the interstate. Hills aren't that big of a challenge either. (its in the 190's k club also, and nothing has left the frame). Now I expect this truck to burn oil. If you put something in this kinda of job ITS GOING TO BURN OIL. 2 or 3 quarts on an oil change if all the oil change mileage was towing, as they mostly are for us.

 

Jbo

 

 

How can I find out the gear ratio on my truck?

 

 

Glove box RPO codes list..... Post your codes that start with a G.

 

Jbo

[1990ss]

The 400's are great trucks. I still own one with the 5.7, and it is a good engine, but I don't think it's anything compared to the 5.3 or 6.0, which I've owned both. Unless there was something really wrong with that 6.0, a 5.7 wouldn't out pull it. My dad had a 99 6.0 2500 and there's no way my 97 5.7 1500 would stand a chance in a pulling contest. I beat him in a race though, but that's probably just the weight difference between the two. I think the gmt800's are definitely a step up from the 400's. Just my opinion since I've owned the last three generations.

[spacoli]

How can I find out the gear ratio on my truck?

 

 

Glove box RPO codes list..... Post your codes that start with a G.

 

Jbo

 

 

I see GT4 on the glove box sticker.

 

My daughter ran off with the camera today. I will post up some pictures later. Looking over the truck more today it's really clean and seemed to be taken care of.

[ChevyTech77]

Ha ha what a joke. I'm sure the GMT400's 210HP 5.7L was just a rocket. I think someone is confusing the 5.7L found in the GMT400 and the 355HP crate engine that you can buy from GM performance. The 5.3L could walk away from every GMT400....

 

My family has owned pretty much every late generation of GM truck (300-900). I owned a GMT800 and now a GMT900.

 

Personally, best built/reliable truck to date: GMT800 with the 5.3L engine. Thing is bullet proof, and will net you amazing mileage and really good power. My '00 had 275HP out of the box, later models got a jump to 295HP. The 6.0L is a gas pig, and not worth the extra power it gains. Even the interior is really nice. When I bought mine in '00, it was the only one out there that had a "car" interior, instead of that "work truck" look inside.

 

The GMT-900 has the nicest interior/ride/powertrains, but personally, quality has taken a step back due to the previous generation (engines that knock when cold, engines that leak oil, rust, cheap materials, etc). Thanks recesion for forcing GM to restruture, tighten belts, and ruin what could have been the best truck they've ever made.

 

I never had an issue with my GMT-800. I sold it with 110,000 miles on the clock, and had a Magnason supercharger on it since 30,000 miles. It was definately a trusty steed....

110k on the clock when you sold it? Call me when you put REAL miles on a vehicle.

 

Your family owned? Sounding a little young with that statement.

 

FYI, the 5.7R engine was factory with 255hp/330tq. Research a bit before calling someones post b.s. jr.

[jblakeney]

I see GT4 on the glove box sticker.

 

My daughter ran off with the camera today. I will post up some pictures later. Looking over the truck more today it's really clean and seemed to be taken care of.

 

GT4 I think is 3.73.

 

Jbo

[spacoli]

Picture

[ChevyTech77]

GT4 = 3.73:1

[spacoli]

GT4 = 3.73:1

 

Is this good, bad or standard?

[ChevyTech77]

GT4 = 3.73:1

 

Is this good, bad or standard?

 

 

Good, imo. 3.42:1 was standard.

[jblakeney]

Its a good pulling gear. Worse on mpg's thou...... Most every half-ton GM I've had had 3.42's or 3.08's. But never had a GM half ton 4x4.

 

Jbo

[jhm]

GT4 = 3.73:1

 

Is this good, bad or standard?

 

 

Good, imo. 3.42:1 was standard.

 

I got 3.73 in my '01. it was a fleet sale to Enterprise. I wonder why it dosent have 3.42 if that is std?