$2000 truck in 2022

[GR_CoB]

Thanks for the info! Can you just order the spacers on Amazon or Summit? Thanks, Tom

Yes. Make sure to use a torque wrench. If you overtighten the aluminum spacers - they will crack. I do 100ft/lbs on all lug nuts for years, on many vehicles, never an issue. But I know knuckleheads who use pneumatic impact guns on those lug nuts, and complain that aluminum spacers crack, bend, and not reliable. Don't make a user error, and use torque wrench on every lug nut. Takes a couple extra minutes, but provides years of trouble-free service.
These are the spacers I have:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2821391695...3iaJrrgTiW&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

[addyguy]

I used to work with a guy who bought pretty well that exact truck new in 1996.
Sold it for the body in 1999 with 110k miles on it, almost all foot to the floor high speed highway running. The poor valvetrain on the. 4.3 just gave up!

 

[Chris142]

Looks like my (departed) ‘93 C3500 Sierra, minus the annoying & expensive to feed 6.2 diesel. Weird that it has a Turbo 400, in a half ton, with a 4.3? Had to have been ordered that way, I would have expected a 700R4/4L60.

I was going to mention that. I didn't think the the 400 was factory installed in 1990 behind anything that was not a big block

 

[Dinoburner]

Interesting gas mileage for anything with a 400 transmission, could not expect the OD trans would be better. The 95 in my sig gets 12 to 14 mpg which hurts at this time. Will keep mine till the end tho.

 

[GR_CoB]

Interesting gas mileage for anything with a 400 transmission, could not expect the OD trans would be better. The 95 in my sig gets 12 to 14 mpg which hurts at this time. Will keep mine till the end tho.

Don't worry, the end is near.

I think gas mileage is best attributed to the 4.3L TBI. Last tank was lots of hauling around town and idling, and I got the worst yet 14.8MPG.

Back when I had 1995 Chevrolet Tahoe 5.7L TBI 4x4 - it basically lived at 12MPG. Sometimes even lower in the winter. Once or twice touched 13-14MPG in ideal weather conditions and some effort at hypermiling. Wasn't worth it, so I just drove like normal and lived with 12MPG.

 

[GR_CoB]

I was going to mention that. I didn't think the the 400 was factory installed in 1990 behind anything that was not a big block

Must've been a special order by the school district.

 

[clinebarger]

I was going to mention that. I didn't think the the 400 was factory installed in 1990 behind anything that was not a big block

He has the RPO to prove it came factory with a TH400, It was rare but not unheard of in a base model truck.

 

[wtd]

Nice truck, especially with that drivetrain. I've had a truck of one type or another since 1993 and couldn't imagine living without one.

 

[Cruisin'n5thgear]

You got a steal. $2K today usually gets something rusted beyond repair or needing expensive major mechanical work. Good find.

Agreed!!

 

[Barkleymut]

maybe throw on a cool 2 tone paint job.

And mess with the solid Gold paint she has?????

 

[GR_CoB]

Changed the coolant. See this thread:
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/g13-coolant-in-old-gm.356655/#post-6160416

And as a first stress test - rode up to Boone this morning.

An older gentleman left his new Subaru Forester to come over, complement this old truck, and share a couple stories of the 1995 Silverado he had, and how this is his favorite body style of GM trucks. Good times.

As far as cooling ability - idk what got cleaned up, but improvements are there. Before the coolant swap my temps were in the red range on pic below and varied greatly based on speed. Anything over 65MPH caused the temp gauge to sit 1/4"-1/2" towards the Hot zone.

But now, after flush and with new coolant, it sits at 210 mark and doesn't move much. I went 20MPH, 60MPH, and 90MPH, and through it all the gauge was "glued" to 210 mark. Once I started to climb up HWY-421 - it did move a bit. Uphills moved it to hotter side, downhills cooled it off considerably. Like I said - on the highway temp does not fluctuate anymore. But climbing mountains did play with the gauge a little, yet still much tighter range than before. Here is where the new temp range floats in mountains:

Overall pretty happy with results. I guess it may have had a sticky thermostat maybe? And cleaning+flush cleaned it up a bit? Idk... Do plan to replace the thermostat eventually, but should be good for now.
Heading back to Charlotte now, hopefully the ride back is just as trouble free.

 

[dishdude]

Changed the coolant. See this thread:
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/g13-coolant-in-old-gm.356655/#post-6160416

And as a first stress test - rode up to Boone this morning.
View attachment 105920
An older gentleman left his new Subaru Forester to come over, complement this old truck, and share a couple stories of the 1995 Silverado he had, and how this is his favorite body style of GM trucks. Good times.

As far as cooling ability - idk what got cleaned up, but improvements are there. Before the coolant swap my temps were in the red range on pic below and varied greatly based on speed. Anything over 65MPH caused the temp gauge to sit 1/4"-1/2" towards the Hot zone.

But now, after flush and with new coolant, it sits at 210 mark and doesn't move much. I went 20MPH, 60MPH, and 90MPH, and through it all the gauge was "glued" to 210 mark. Once I started to climb up HWY-421 - it did move a bit. Uphills moved it to hotter side, downhills cooled it off considerably. Like I said - on the highway temp does not fluctuate anymore. But climbing mountains did play with the gauge a little, yet still much tighter range than before. Here is where the new temp range floats in mountains:

Overall pretty happy with results. I guess it may have had a sticky thermostat maybe? And cleaning+flush cleaned it up a bit? Idk... Do plan to replace the thermostat eventually, but should be good for now.
Heading back to Charlotte now, hopefully the ride back is just as trouble free.

LOVE the digital climate controls under an analog AM only radio

 

[GR_CoB]

LOVE the digital climate controls under an analog AM only radio

Nothing screams 80s like that combo!

 

[Duffyjr]

Nothing screams 80s like that combo!

Not sure what the guy was smoking when he designed the way the HVAC controls work but it must of been some pretty good stuff.

 

[wlk]

Changed the coolant. See this thread:
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/g13-coolant-in-old-gm.356655/#post-6160416

And as a first stress test - rode up to Boone this morning.
View attachment 105920
An older gentleman left his new Subaru Forester to come over, complement this old truck, and share a couple stories of the 1995 Silverado he had, and how this is his favorite body style of GM trucks. Good times.
View attachment 105921View attachment 105922
As far as cooling ability - idk what got cleaned up, but improvements are there. Before the coolant swap my temps were in the red range on pic below and varied greatly based on speed. Anything over 65MPH caused the temp gauge to sit 1/4"-1/2" towards the Hot zone.
View attachment 105923
But now, after flush and with new coolant, it sits at 210 mark and doesn't move much. I went 20MPH, 60MPH, and 90MPH, and through it all the gauge was "glued" to 210 mark. Once I started to climb up HWY-421 - it did move a bit. Uphills moved it to hotter side, downhills cooled it off considerably. Like I said - on the highway temp does not fluctuate anymore. But climbing mountains did play with the gauge a little, yet still much tighter range than before. Here is where the new temp range floats in mountains:
View attachment 105924
Overall pretty happy with results. I guess it may have had a sticky thermostat maybe? And cleaning+flush cleaned it up a bit? Idk... Do plan to replace the thermostat eventually, but should be good for now.
Heading back to Charlotte now, hopefully the ride back is just as trouble free.

I would change that thermostat sooner than later. My 93 C1500 5.7l never gets close to 210° even when towing my 23' camper.
Love the truck and great find.
I have had 3 90's C1500's (2 GMC's and 1 Chevy) over the last 17 years and love them. So easy to work on, very reliable, cheap parts and run forever. My current one is the 93 Chevy 5.7l, auto, single cab, 8' bed and crappy peeling factory paint. So I rattle canned it w flat white paint 2 years ago and when more factory paint peels over the winter, I sand the area and hit it w more white out of the can. She gets used to haul stone, firewood, furniture and if anything scratches it oh well it's a truck.

 

[Andrew1972]

Nice find .

I recently sold my parents 2000 Tundra 4x4 extracab 130k for in near perfect running condition/interior $5000. It had severe rust in a few spots on body panels and rotten bumper making it not pass NH inspection. It also was full of acorns in AC system.

People were frustrated however condition was revealed and got the right buyer.

 

[GR_CoB]

I would change that thermostat sooner than later. My 93 C1500 5.7l never gets close to 210° even when towing my 23' camper.
Love the truck and great find.
I have had 3 90's C1500's (2 GMC's and 1 Chevy) over the last 17 years and love them. So easy to work on, very reliable, cheap parts and run forever. My current one is the 93 Chevy 5.7l, auto, single cab, 8' bed and crappy peeling factory paint. So I rattle canned it w flat white paint 2 years ago and when more factory paint peels over the winter, I sand the area and hit it w more white out of the can. She gets used to haul stone, firewood, furniture and if anything scratches it oh well it's a truck.

There seems to be three options. 160, 180, and 195 degree thermostats. Seeing how my temp gauge acts, I think it's fair to say that I have 195 degree thermostat installed. I plan to replace it with 160 degree unit. Probably later today, if I have time.

 

[Tdbo]

Not sure what the guy was smoking when he designed the way the HVAC controls work but it must of been some pretty good stuff.

Probably the same guy that designed the gnarly looking dash and dash cluster that they were mounted on.
The dash and cluster on the '95 refresh was a great improvement.

 

[GR_CoB]

Probably the same guy that designed the gnarly looking dash and dash cluster that they were mounted on.
The dash and cluster on the '95 refresh was a great improvement.

I could be in minority here, but I actually prefer this dash over the one I had in my 1995 Tahoe.

 

[Duffyjr]

Probably the same guy that designed the gnarly looking dash and dash cluster that they were mounted on.
The dash and cluster on the '95 refresh was a great improvement.

It was a little hard to get used too, in fact when I first took ownership of the truck I looked into replacing the cluster but for $800 I decided I could live with the half moon gauges. The worst thing about it is doesn't light up very good.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/nvu-89101-01?rrec=true