200k Maintenance Checklist

[Joe8512]

Hello all, 

 

Long story short, my father acquired a 2011 Silverado 1500 with the V6, for free. 

 

It has 220k miles of which the vast majority are highway, and runs pretty well at the moment. According to the original owner, it has had 0 major mechanical problems. 

 

I am not familiar with Chevys, at all. I drive a 2000 Ford F-150 as my daily driver, and do all of the maintenance and 99% of the repairs myself. 

 

I would like to do a few things to this truck for my father who plans to drive it primarily on weekends around town with my mom. 

 

So far, things I can tell about it are as follows:

 

• The brakes need to be looked at. The brake light comes on intermittently while driving, and it tells me that the stabilizer is off.
• It has a slightly inconsistent/rough idle. 
• Belt squeaks, but the tensioner and pulleys look good. Likely just needs belt replacement. 
• I hear an occasional clank underneath when I start driving in drive. It doesn't seem to clunk in reverse much if at all. U joints? 
• Slight oil leak, likely not something I'm even going to worry about if it's too complicated. 

 

Since you all know this vehicle much better than I do, I was hoping you could give me a few tips on things I could replace at this stage since the majority of the truck is original. Brand recommendations for parts would be useful as well.

 

Thanks in advance. 

 

Joe 

 

[CamGTP]

The clank could be the motor mounts or transmission mount too, you'll need to inspect all that stuff.

 

If you have no history on plugs and wires, do those as they are cheap. Clean the MAF sensor with MAF cleaner, check how dirty the throttle body is and be careful not to push open the blade by hand so a throttle relearn doesn't have to be done.

 

Check the rear diff gear oil. That's a cheap things to replace if you can suck out most of the fluid and replace it.

 

Check the transmission fluid, if it's decently red/pink I'd just let it ride. Just make sure it's at the full mark when warm.

 

The 4.3 work trucks are pretty bare bones and they don't have a ton that goes wrong with them.

[Grumpy Bear]

This motor is as reliable as a stone axe. 200K is just getting warmed up. But yes. Cam GTP is on the money. Body look nice. How's the inside?

 

 

[Colossus]

Replace the belt(s) and tensionors.  They are due.  You'll be glad you did both.  At some auto parts places like NAPA they have tensioner kits you can get.  Well worth it. 

[sefiroxx]

Replace

Fluids, may have accumulated water or lost protective ability

pads, have to check them so might as well replace then

heater and radiator knownhoses (and their playoff connectors), known for getting brittle

plugs, wires tuneup rule

Clean throttle body and butterfly

[Joe8512]

16 hours ago, CamGTP said:

The clank could be the motor mounts or transmission mount too, you'll need to inspect all that stuff.

 

If you have no history on plugs and wires, do those as they are cheap. Clean the MAF sensor with MAF cleaner, check how dirty the throttle body is and be careful not to push open the blade by hand so a throttle relearn doesn't have to be done.

 

Check the rear diff gear oil. That's a cheap things to replace if you can suck out most of the fluid and replace it.

 

Check the transmission fluid, if it's decently red/pink I'd just let it ride. Just make sure it's at the full mark when warm.

 

The 4.3 work trucks are pretty bare bones and they don't have a ton that goes wrong with them.

That is great news! 

 

I will do a tune up for sure. I will likely do an oil change this weekend and clean the MAF sensor, maybe take a peek at the throttle body. 

 

I was thinking about taking the diff cover off to get all of the fluid out and making a gasket using black RTV. That's what I did with my truck because it's a little easier to get all of the fluid out that way and take a glancing look at the gears too. Do you guys generally buy gaskets or make them? 

 

 

[Joe8512]

16 hours ago, Grumpy Bear said:

This motor is as reliable as a stone axe. 200K is just getting warmed up. But yes. Cam GTP is on the money. Body look nice. How's the inside?

 

 

I would love it if it lasted them a bit. It's not a bad looking truck. It was a work truck in my dads company and they upgrade every so often so my dad's boss just let him keep one of the old work trucks. 

 

The inside has a tear on the drivers seat, but other than that it isn't trashed at all. No one really sat in the front seat ever and nothing is cracked on the dash or anything. 

[Joe8512]

14 hours ago, Colossus said:

Replace the belt(s) and tensionors.  They are due.  You'll be glad you did both.  At some auto parts places like NAPA they have tensioner kits you can get.  Well worth it. 

I'll look into this. I love that the engine bay has so much room to work. 

 

[Joe8512]

8 hours ago, sefiroxx said:

Replace

Fluids, may have accumulated water or lost protective ability

pads, have to check them so might as well replace then

heater and radiator knownhoses (and their playoff connectors), known for getting brittle

plugs, wires tuneup rule

Clean throttle body and butterfly

Sounds good. I can easily replace the radiator hoses within the next few weeks. What about updating the radiator in general? Do these come from the factor with a two core? 

 

 

[mookdoc6]

7 minutes ago, Joe8512 said:

I'll look into this. I love that the engine bay has so much room to work. 

 

Especially, with the V6!  I think you will find the whole maintenance/tune up thing on this here Chevy Far easier and cheaper than your FERD.  What do I know though...nice truck!

[sefiroxx]

Sounds good. I can easily replace the radiator hoses within the next few weeks. What about updating the radiator in general? Do these come from the factor with a two core? 
 
 

GM truck radiators last forever. Have a Sierra with 200k and a Suburban with 300k on the original radiators. Have had to replace hoses and pumps though.