This is for all you motor heads and grease monkeys out there.
My oldest is hoping to get a parking spot next year down at CofC. Not having transportation has really cramped his fishing abilities so he is hoping to have a vehicle down there next year. I am willing to let him take his truck down but, I want to do as much as I can to eliminate as many potential problems as I can. This is a 1999 S10 w/4.3L V-6 with 64,000 actual miles.
What I have done already:
-replaced front shocks (seals were leaking)
-replaced front brakes
-installed new battery
-change oil/filter every 5,000 miles
-AC system has been serviced
Bearing in mind I am trying to avert as many potential issues as I can, am I overlooking anything? Anything else I should do? I know even doing all of this doesn’t completely eliminate something happening but, just trying to cover all my bases so I don’t get that call that something has broken. It isn’t the mileage that concerns me, it’s the age.
All that is good to cover, but not likely things that will leave him stranded. It’s things like a sensor that doesn’t allow the engine to get fuel because of some emissions sensor failure. A bad fuel pump. A corroded battery wire. An alternator failing, a starter failing. a water pump leak.
You could do a search on the most common potential failures of a 16 year old 4.3, and start replacing ahead of time. Or teach him to wrench, and how to get parts from pep boys to fix those easy repairs himself. Or get a good reputable GM tech down south. I think I remember a good one out on James Island that would pick it up and really new his GM motors for reasonable cost.
That’s a solid engine, but like all other GMs, the acc. parts and sensors all have a shelf life.
Dang DF! Have you heard of Helicopter Parenting? He’ll figure it out as he goes! You going on his Honeymoon, to make sure he gets it right:stuck_out_tongue:
The only thing I could think of besides what you stated, is maybe flushing the brake fluid.
You can never have a crystal ball. I’ve seen that same engine run 200,000 + with no replaced parts. Then I’ve seen starter/alt/water pumps fail @ 30,000 miles.
Sounds like you have your bases covered!! Maybe along with the belt put on a new tensioner.
Sometimes you just have some faith in em! @ 64,000 miles and your above average service practices it should give your son many more miles!
“If Bruce Jenner can keep his wiener and be called a woman, I can keep my firearms and be considered disarmed.”
Have you ever heard of No Money Parenting? He does a lot for himself believe me. As for his truck, what I am trying to avert is getting a call that something is broken and worrying about finding a reliable mechanic and paying for it. I’m trying to get as much out of it as I can because HE is buying his next car. Being proactive ain’t being a helicopter. Now go have your surgery and get well!
“Apathy is the Glove into Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”, but really, who cares?
There is no such thing as, NO Money Parenting! You will have to shell out, even after he is out of school and moved away! Believe me! They get married and divorced and have to moved back home again! S**t happens and there you go again. Even if you think they are on their feet, Mom, will be slipping them money! But You pretend you don’t know[:0]
No Money Parenting mean I have NO MONEY! Come on Easy your slipping.
CRM, yes, that is the original engine. I am not a Chevy fan but, I found this truck 4 years ago with 47,000 miles on it. A friend who was a professional mechanic all his life said the 4.3L V-6 in it was one of the best Chevy ever made and that he got over 200,000 on the same motor. When he said he would buy the truck if I did not, I knew it was worth buying.
“Apathy is the Glove into Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”, but really, who cares?
The Chevy Vortec engines are probably the best overall engine block ever invented. Simple, powerful, reliable. The decade stretch of the 4.3, 5.7, and 6.0 are some of the highest mileage gas engines on the road today, that can still get the job done towing/hauling. 200k is easy before a rebuild, and the 6.0 Vortec can go 350k-400k easy. It’s just the acc. that go out, and also poor auto transmissions. I predict you will have a fuel pump issue, or starter/alt issue as well as trans problems before you have to worry about the engine block.
This is for all you motor heads and grease monkeys out there.
My oldest is hoping to get a parking spot next year down at CofC. Not having transportation has really cramped his fishing abilities so he is hoping to have a vehicle down there next year. I am willing to let him take his truck down but, I want to do as much as I can to eliminate as many potential problems as I can. This is a 1999 S10 w/4.3L V-6 with 64,000 actual miles.
What I have done already:
-replaced front shocks (seals were leaking)
-replaced front brakes
-installed new battery
-change oil/filter every 5,000 miles
-AC system has been serviced
Bearing in mind I am trying to avert as many potential issues as I can, am I overlooking anything? Anything else I should do? I know even doing all of this doesn’t completely eliminate something happening but, just trying to cover all my bases so I don’t get that call that something has broken. It isn’t the mileage that concerns me, it’s the age.
Thanks!
“Apathy is the Glove into Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”, but really, who cares?
I have always heard that if there is not a problem with the transmission, don’t change the fluid. Speaking from experience, I have at least two vehicles that the dealership talked me into changing the transmission fluid and then shortly after I started having problems. I have since had severa
Ok, here is the biggest issue with those. If it has TBI, it’ll run forever. If it has that new “spider” quasi direct injection, you’d better keep some fuel injector cleaner run through it regularly. That system has little lines running over to an injector on each cylinder that will clog and will leave you stranded one day.
I’m not sure when they started with those, but my MIL has a 2000 blazer with it, so its pretty close.
GM took one of the best running almost bulletproof designs and really screwed it up when they did that.
Running the fuel these days with ethanol takes care of cleaning fuel injectors. Not sure when your MILs blazer had trouble. But I talked to the largest fuel injector cleaner company, and the owner told me if you runs some ethanol fuel through them periodically, they will be clean as a whistle. No need to waste money of fancy additives and FI cleaning services. Not sure how accurate that is, but it came first hand from a guy making money cleaning injectors. The injectors he was cleaning for me were off a TPI Camaro that hadn’t been run in 15 years.
With that said. If the spider injectors do get clogged, you can just upgrade to the newer MPFI setup for about $300 and a few hours of wrenching. Brings it up to 2007 specs.
Thanks folks! Funny, since posting, I have read a couple of forums about transmissions and problems after changing filters. May just leave that alone and do the other stuff.
“Apathy is the Glove into Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”, but really, who cares?
They get married and divorced and have to moved back home again! S**t happens and there you go again. Even if you think they are on their feet, Mom, will be slipping them money! But You pretend you don’t know[:0]