Trade 2003 F-150 for 2007 Silverado

[dave1251]

Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
The late 4L60E (07 is actually a 4L65E, IIRC) is fine...but be aware you will probably take a mileage hit going from a 4.2/5-speed to a 4.3/slushpump. What axle gears does it have?

Also, the GM interiors (especially the stripped W/T) is terrible...it looks like it was built by Playskool, with Revell Snaptite dashboard.

And make sure it has air conditioning!


Its a cheap work truck, new they are like $18k what do you expect? Dependability and carrying capacity are more important.


If you want a truck with a good interior get a G550 or a Range Rover. But you can't get those for $18k new either.


Really coming from a late 90's Jeep owner you really shouldn't be saying much about an 07 Silverado's interior. Chrysler was far from its peak in 99. Last Jeep I looked at of that vintage was owned by an old GF of mine. She complained about an oil leak so I went underneath to try to locate it for her. It was like a rain forest of oil...I'm used to British cars so I expect some oil leaks, but I have never seen a motor weep oil from every single seal that it has. It would have done an old MG or Jag proud!


I expect this.
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/trucks/112_0903_half_ton_work_trucks/photo_11.html#photo
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/trucks/112_0903_half_ton_work_trucks/photo_10.html#photo

or this

http://gtcarlot.com/data/Dodge/Ram+1500/2009/3051056/interior-38251151.html

not this

http://www.autobidmaster.com/carfinder-o...AIR_PHOENIX_AZ/

 

[SteveSRT8]

We own a few Silverados. All are V8 with 4L65E trans.

The 4L65E is bulletproof around here. HUGE improvement over the 4L60E. I can't see a 4.3 stressing it much. Note that this one came with DUAL trans coolers as part of a trailer towing pkg.

IMO the 4.3 may just about run forever. I've never killed one, even my son couldn't. Excellent if boring motor.

Our oldest Silverado is called the 'redneck cadillac' around here because it is loaded with options. It has 100k miles on it and is amazingly tight and rattle free. The stereo buttons are flaking off and the leather seats are a bit scratched but mechanically it has never needed anything except a dash module for the AC.

Lifetime average of almost 17 mpg is the best of any pickup I've ever had.

 

[hattaresguy]

Originally Posted By: dave1251
Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
The late 4L60E (07 is actually a 4L65E, IIRC) is fine...but be aware you will probably take a mileage hit going from a 4.2/5-speed to a 4.3/slushpump. What axle gears does it have?

Also, the GM interiors (especially the stripped W/T) is terrible...it looks like it was built by Playskool, with Revell Snaptite dashboard.

And make sure it has air conditioning!


Its a cheap work truck, new they are like $18k what do you expect? Dependability and carrying capacity are more important.


If you want a truck with a good interior get a G550 or a Range Rover. But you can't get those for $18k new either.


Really coming from a late 90's Jeep owner you really shouldn't be saying much about an 07 Silverado's interior. Chrysler was far from its peak in 99. Last Jeep I looked at of that vintage was owned by an old GF of mine. She complained about an oil leak so I went underneath to try to locate it for her. It was like a rain forest of oil...I'm used to British cars so I expect some oil leaks, but I have never seen a motor weep oil from every single seal that it has. It would have done an old MG or Jag proud!


I expect this.
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/trucks/112_0903_half_ton_work_trucks/photo_11.html#photo
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/trucks/112_0903_half_ton_work_trucks/photo_10.html#photo

or this

http://gtcarlot.com/data/Dodge/Ram+1500/2009/3051056/interior-38251151.html

not this

http://www.autobidmaster.com/carfinder-o...AIR_PHOENIX_AZ/

All the guys that work for me that drive Fords have a lot of neat problems.

My favorite is the 5.4 spitting plugs out, you would think after what 80 years of making V8's Ford would have figured out how to keep the plugs in the heads.

I can think of three 5.4's off the top of my head that didn't make it past 150k miles before being replaced. One broke a piston ring and lost a cylinder, the other lost something related to the cams and self destructed. The last one popped a plug and something must have broken off scoring a cylinder.

But yeah you can have a slightly nicer plastic interior, yippee. I don't think any truck interior is very pleasant, they are all various types of molded plastic. What I do care about is easy cleaning, so rubber floors and vinyl seats are a must.

 

[Chris142]

Originally Posted By: gfh77665
Hard to find parts? I am pretty sure the 4.3 Chevy V6 is the classic 350 less two cylinders. Can anyone confirm? I have NEVER had a part issue with my '97 Chevy with the 4.3.


ya the 4.3 is a 350 with 2 cylinders cut off. This makes the engine about 6 inches shorter than a V8. If someone with a 4.3 in a 1500 series truck needed say an upper or lower hose on a Sunday night they may have a problem finding one since the V6 hoses is much longer than the V8 hoses.

I know that the V6 has a different Radiator than the V8. It's much narrower. As I said those V6 trucks are very rare here. So rare that I don't keep a Radiator for one in stock. I think I've seen 2 of those trucks in the last 10 years.

How about a Distributer cap? Every store in town will have one for a 350. May not have one for a V6 though.

Motor mount? V8 will be easy to find. V6 special order I bet.

 

[01rangerxl]

Originally Posted By: hattaresguy


All the guys that work for me that drive Fords have a lot of neat problems.

My favorite is the 5.4 spitting plugs out, you would think after what 80 years of making V8's Ford would have figured out how to keep the plugs in the heads.


And there are also 5.4s with over a million miles on them, so they can't be too terrible. The spark plug spitting issue is an unfortunate design defect on an otherwise excellent engine. It's easy for the haters to run with it though since it's such a widely known issue (that also has a known fix).

Overall reliability between the F-Series and GMT800/900s is basically a draw. It depends on how the truck is equipped, used, and maintained. I've been in GMT800s that were falling apart and rotting out, and I've been in ones that were still solid and tight after 10 years. Same for the F-Series. I have seen both platforms hold up under outright abuse and misuse.

 

[Smokescreen]

I had better start saving up for repairs when my 4L60E breaks then....whenever that is. Maybe it's possible that I just am not working hard enough to break by towing 3500-5500lbs on a regular basis. Maybe I have to put on a few more miles on it...I guess. The lifetime average of over 16mpgUS keeps my interest though.

Around here there are a ton of old chevs 4x4 with the 4L60E running around, perhaps the colder climate -35 preserves them while the farmers beat on them all year round? Tons of S10s, Blazers running the 4.3L 4L60E. My brother has one in his Blazer..he has flipped it over in a creek ran all of the ATF out, refilled it and still will fire up and drive today.

Until I read the OP I didn't even know that Ford put out a 4.2 V-6...I have never seen one so I can't comment.

 

[01rangerxl]

A 5.7L Suburban may have the 4L80E, which is far more durable than the 4L60E.

 

[cchase]

Originally Posted By: Chris142
Originally Posted By: gfh77665
Hard to find parts? I am pretty sure the 4.3 Chevy V6 is the classic 350 less two cylinders. Can anyone confirm? I have NEVER had a part issue with my '97 Chevy with the 4.3.


ya the 4.3 is a 350 with 2 cylinders cut off. This makes the engine about 6 inches shorter than a V8. If someone with a 4.3 in a 1500 series truck needed say an upper or lower hose on a Sunday night they may have a problem finding one since the V6 hoses is much longer than the V8 hoses.

I know that the V6 has a different Radiator than the V8. It's much narrower. As I said those V6 trucks are very rare here. So rare that I don't keep a Radiator for one in stock. I think I've seen 2 of those trucks in the last 10 years.

How about a Distributer cap? Every store in town will have one for a 350. May not have one for a V6 though.

Motor mount? V8 will be easy to find. V6 special order I bet.


Honestly Chris, there are millions of 4.3 trucks out there. The engine hasn't particularly changed much since 1988 or whenever it went Vortec either, something that can't be said about the switch from 5.0/5.7 to 4.8/5.3/6.0. I sincerely doubt that ease of parts acquisition is substantially different between say, a 4.3 and 5.7.

 

[cchase]

Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
Originally Posted By: hattaresguy


All the guys that work for me that drive Fords have a lot of neat problems.

My favorite is the 5.4 spitting plugs out, you would think after what 80 years of making V8's Ford would have figured out how to keep the plugs in the heads.


And there are also 5.4s with over a million miles on them, so they can't be too terrible. The spark plug spitting issue is an unfortunate design defect on an otherwise excellent engine. It's easy for the haters to run with it though since it's such a widely known issue (that also has a known fix).

Overall reliability between the F-Series and GMT800/900s is basically a draw. It depends on how the truck is equipped, used, and maintained. I've been in GMT800s that were falling apart and rotting out, and I've been in ones that were still solid and tight after 10 years. Same for the F-Series. I have seen both platforms hold up under outright abuse and misuse.


I've got no dog in this fight, but from my perspective saying that 5.4's spitting plugs is "an unforunate design defect on an otherwise excellent engine" is a little like saying "the 3.1/3.4/3.8 or period of 4.3/5.0/5.7 GM engines chewing up OEM intake manifold gaskets is an unfortunate design defect on an otherwise excellent engine", a comment sure to draw heavy fire on the boards here.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: cchase
Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
Originally Posted By: hattaresguy


All the guys that work for me that drive Fords have a lot of neat problems.

My favorite is the 5.4 spitting plugs out, you would think after what 80 years of making V8's Ford would have figured out how to keep the plugs in the heads.


And there are also 5.4s with over a million miles on them, so they can't be too terrible. The spark plug spitting issue is an unfortunate design defect on an otherwise excellent engine. It's easy for the haters to run with it though since it's such a widely known issue (that also has a known fix).

Overall reliability between the F-Series and GMT800/900s is basically a draw. It depends on how the truck is equipped, used, and maintained. I've been in GMT800s that were falling apart and rotting out, and I've been in ones that were still solid and tight after 10 years. Same for the F-Series. I have seen both platforms hold up under outright abuse and misuse.


I've got no dog in this fight, but from my perspective saying that 5.4's spitting plugs is "an unforunate design defect on an otherwise excellent engine" is a little like saying "the 3.1/3.4/3.8 or period of 4.3/5.0/5.7 GM engines chewing up OEM intake manifold gaskets is an unfortunate design defect on an otherwise excellent engine", a comment sure to draw heavy fire on the boards here.


Certainly. But the plug threads are relatively cheap to fix and won't cause a baffed engine when one pops. Whilst a failing intake gasket can lead to hydrolock, bearing failure....etc, all kinds of ways to kill the engine.

 

[cchase]

Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
Certainly. But the plug threads are relatively cheap to fix and won't cause a baffed engine when one pops. Whilst a failing intake gasket can lead to hydrolock, bearing failure....etc, all kinds of ways to kill the engine.


Very true - but this wasn't about the consequences, just whether a good engine can have just one problem that might otherwise ruin a pleasant ownership experience. I'd also argue that losing compression in one or more cylinders for any length of time could cause some real engine issues (the symptom of an ejected plug). Similarly, owners of GM vehicles with leaky gaskets that ignore the plethora of idiot lights warning of the engine overheating, the coolant level being low might just deserve what they get.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: cchase
Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
Certainly. But the plug threads are relatively cheap to fix and won't cause a baffed engine when one pops. Whilst a failing intake gasket can lead to hydrolock, bearing failure....etc, all kinds of ways to kill the engine.


Very true - but this wasn't about the consequences, just whether a good engine can have just one problem that might otherwise ruin a pleasant ownership experience.


Yup, I certainly see your point. Mine blew out, I threaded a new one back in. Lasted a good month or two before it blew again, at which point I drove it up to Ford and had it fixed.

 

[01rangerxl]

Originally Posted By: cchase
Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
Originally Posted By: hattaresguy


All the guys that work for me that drive Fords have a lot of neat problems.

My favorite is the 5.4 spitting plugs out, you would think after what 80 years of making V8's Ford would have figured out how to keep the plugs in the heads.


And there are also 5.4s with over a million miles on them, so they can't be too terrible. The spark plug spitting issue is an unfortunate design defect on an otherwise excellent engine. It's easy for the haters to run with it though since it's such a widely known issue (that also has a known fix).

Overall reliability between the F-Series and GMT800/900s is basically a draw. It depends on how the truck is equipped, used, and maintained. I've been in GMT800s that were falling apart and rotting out, and I've been in ones that were still solid and tight after 10 years. Same for the F-Series. I have seen both platforms hold up under outright abuse and misuse.


I've got no dog in this fight, but from my perspective saying that 5.4's spitting plugs is "an unforunate design defect on an otherwise excellent engine" is a little like saying "the 3.1/3.4/3.8 or period of 4.3/5.0/5.7 GM engines chewing up OEM intake manifold gaskets is an unfortunate design defect on an otherwise excellent engine", a comment sure to draw heavy fire on the boards here.

Agreed, which is why I didn't bring up the LIM gaskets. Another case of great engines hindered by one stupid design flaw.

I also remember for years people made a stink over cold start knock on the LS engines, but to my knowledge the knock never led to a failed engine.

 

[cptbarkey]

unless you get an excellent deal, i doubt the value of an 2007 model is worth the asking price. instead consider a 2011 or 2012 f-150 with the new 3.7L v6.

 

[hattaresguy]

Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
Originally Posted By: cchase
Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
Originally Posted By: hattaresguy


All the guys that work for me that drive Fords have a lot of neat problems.

My favorite is the 5.4 spitting plugs out, you would think after what 80 years of making V8's Ford would have figured out how to keep the plugs in the heads.


And there are also 5.4s with over a million miles on them, so they can't be too terrible. The spark plug spitting issue is an unfortunate design defect on an otherwise excellent engine. It's easy for the haters to run with it though since it's such a widely known issue (that also has a known fix).

Overall reliability between the F-Series and GMT800/900s is basically a draw. It depends on how the truck is equipped, used, and maintained. I've been in GMT800s that were falling apart and rotting out, and I've been in ones that were still solid and tight after 10 years. Same for the F-Series. I have seen both platforms hold up under outright abuse and misuse.


I've got no dog in this fight, but from my perspective saying that 5.4's spitting plugs is "an unforunate design defect on an otherwise excellent engine" is a little like saying "the 3.1/3.4/3.8 or period of 4.3/5.0/5.7 GM engines chewing up OEM intake manifold gaskets is an unfortunate design defect on an otherwise excellent engine", a comment sure to draw heavy fire on the boards here.



Certainly. But the plug threads are relatively cheap to fix and won't cause a baffed engine when one pops. Whilst a failing intake gasket can lead to hydrolock, bearing failure....etc, all kinds of ways to kill the engine.


I don't give GM a pass on their [censored] intake manifold gaskets either, although they seem to have fixed it since the last failure I saw was on my moms 96 Olds and that was in 1999.

Both manufactures have been making motors to long for this stupid stuff to happen. Sure on a brand new motor maybe I can see a design defect. But the 5.4 was popping plugs for its entire production run. Ford just didn't care.

 

[yonyon]

Originally Posted By: Smokescreen

Until I read the OP I didn't even know that Ford put out a 4.2 V-6...I have never seen one so I can't comment.


Yet another tough little truck engine. It's got its own little design defects in the lower intake manifold developing rot holes and of course the cam sensor synchro that goes bad requiring replacement of the pipe at the top of the water pump.

 

[dave1251]

Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
All the guys that work for me that drive Fords have a lot of neat problems.

My favorite is the 5.4 spitting plugs out, you would think after what 80 years of making V8's Ford would have figured out how to keep the plugs in the heads.

I can think of three 5.4's off the top of my head that didn't make it past 150k miles before being replaced. One broke a piston ring and lost a cylinder, the other lost something related to the cams and self destructed. The last one popped a plug and something must have broken off scoring a cylinder.

But yeah you can have a slightly nicer plastic interior, yippee. I don't think any truck interior is very pleasant, they are all various types of molded plastic. What I do care about is easy cleaning, so rubber floors and vinyl seats are a must.


My favorite "new" problem with the LS series engine now is the build up of carbon on the cylinder causing oil consumption, new engines needing a cam and lifter replacement, scored pistons, and fouled plugs.

All the problems I mentioned are from 07-10 5.3's. Not to mentioned the earlier problems with piston slap and intake gasket leaks. So how long has GM been manufacturing V8's? But for the OP's 4.3 I believe after 27 years the problems have been solved for this engine there was not too many for the 4.3.