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Chevy C/K Pickups (1996 - 1999)
powerisfun
Member Posts: 358
I just wanted to start another topic devoted to
the C/K pickups with the Vortec engines. Our
original topic "'97 Chevy Silverado Complaints" was
killed because it had the word "Silverado" in it.
They grouped it with the "Chevy Silverado" topic
which is all about the new trucks.
Note to administrators: The C/K trucks had the
Silverado package as an interior option, but are
completely different than the new Silverado truck.
The engines available for the half-tons were the
5.7L, 5.0L, and 4.3L. The 7.4L and 5.7L are still
available, but only in the HD trucks.
Anyway, just to start converstation, I'll start
out by saying that I prefer the 5.7L over the 5.3L
because the latter has less horsepower at normal
driving rpms (< 3000). Real world gas mileage
appears to be about the same too. Plus, the 5.7L
seems to respond better to headers, and performance
exhaust.
the C/K pickups with the Vortec engines. Our
original topic "'97 Chevy Silverado Complaints" was
killed because it had the word "Silverado" in it.
They grouped it with the "Chevy Silverado" topic
which is all about the new trucks.
Note to administrators: The C/K trucks had the
Silverado package as an interior option, but are
completely different than the new Silverado truck.
The engines available for the half-tons were the
5.7L, 5.0L, and 4.3L. The 7.4L and 5.7L are still
available, but only in the HD trucks.
Anyway, just to start converstation, I'll start
out by saying that I prefer the 5.7L over the 5.3L
because the latter has less horsepower at normal
driving rpms (< 3000). Real world gas mileage
appears to be about the same too. Plus, the 5.7L
seems to respond better to headers, and performance
exhaust.
0
This discussion has been closed.
Comments
pleasing than the new ones. The GMC C/K's front end is particularly nice looking. In fact, in the
truck magazines, there are ads from companies that make a conversion from the normal Chevy C/K front
end look to the GMC look but with the Chevy Bowtie
instead of the GMC emblem. So I must not be the only one who likes the GMC looks better. Comments?
I totally disagree with you about the 5.3l and performance mods. GM has greatly bottled the capabilities of the 5.3l to meet emissions. It is a known fact that the 5.3l has just as much if not more capability than the outdated 350 engine.
Not to mention the fact that the 5.3l is built much more durable with 6 bolt mains, failsafe cooling system, much better oiling system, etc.
The 350 was a good engine, but it needs to move over for the new King of the mountain.
Don't believe everything you read about the torque curves. Not all the torque curve is revealed by one marketing stat. If you look at the facts, not pictures, the torque curve of the 5.3l is much flatter and is only 15 lbs less at every point up to the 350's peak at 3,200 rpm. Another thing you don't always see is that the 5.3l goes from 310 lbs torque at about 2,900 rpm to 325 lbs torque up to 5000 rpm before starting to drop. The 350's torque is less than the 5.3l peak torque and starts to drop around 4000 rpm. So if you look at the whole band, the 5.3l actually has the much more useful rpm band and it especially shows when towing at highway speeds.
In addition, I have never personally experienced nor heard of anyone that ever got better than 17 mpg combined city and highway. Most actually see about 15 combined. I continually get 18 combined city and highway, almost 20 on all highway trips.
LURD(tim) on the silverado page. i have a 2000
silverado but, you won't find me insulting
someone with previous year model. i've seen you
on other topics and i've just got to say that
you're the biggest IDIOT yet next to o'l LURDBOY.
maybe you are LURDBOY.
red
and you still only have one line.....how sad.
I think everyone in this chat room feels you get dumber and dumber with each post.
Let me guess.....I'm just a lurd..
get a new line...and maybe a new truck?...it would make all of us Silverado owners look a little bit better if you drove a dodge or something else other than what we drive.
Lighten up and get that load outa your shorts...or is it a Lurd...and not a load?
LOL
- Tim
You'll get no argument from me about the 5.3L being much better above 3200 rpm. But, how often does the average driver take his/her truck there.
When I'm climbing a hill, the truck downshifts out of overdrive and the rpm's go to ~2500-3000 rpm depending on my speed. That's exactly where the 350's torque peak is, and you really feel it.
Regarding fuel mileage, my truck is an ext-cab Z71 with 3.73 rearend 4-sp. auto, and of course the 5.7L engine and I consistantly get in the 19's with my daily commute to work. In fact, I take very careful records and I haven't gotten less than 19 since April of '99. In the summer I've gotten 21 mpg.
Looking at the "2000 Silverado MPG" topic, I'm seeing an awful lot of 14's and 15's. Granted, some of the trucks are not fully broken in yet, but the real problem is that you have to wind the engine out to get the power, and that kills mileage.
I like the new trucks, don't get me wrong, but I also like torque and the 5.7L has more useable torque. And also because it's not near it's peak potential like the 5.3L (which is to the 5.3L's
credit), the 5.7L responds better to headers, cat-backs, and intake mods. That is, the 5.7L has more hidden potential.
I just like the C/K's better for now.
But I always stuck with 350 or larger....so when the 350 was not available any more....It had to be 6.0 this time around.
Doesn't get 19MPG....but who cares?...we are young right?
The 5.3 did have a lot of pep....but it just ain't right for me...ya know?
- Tim
I agree, the 6.0L is great. Now if they would
just make it an option in the 1/2-tons....but that'll never happen because of the CAFE requirements.
I don't dislike the 5.3L, in fact, it's very fun
to drive with all that high-end HP, I just think the 350 has some advantages too.
-Tim
Everybody would get it....being in a 3/4..less people will get it...and the fact that an 8600GVW truck does not fall into that class anyway...makes it so they can get around the laws. Ever notice the MPG is not given for 3/4's?..they don't have to give it.
As mentioned before...it also turned me on to the whole 3/4 spectrum...and made me realize that for me...I had been buying the wrong truck all these years....but we have had this discussion already.
Good Luck
- Tim
but the C/K style Chevy for the Mexican market had the GMC front end with the bowtie in the middle.
Go to www.gm.com.mx and you'll see what I mean.
of the c/k trucks. It doesn't help that I don't read spanish. Every time I clicked on something that looked like a c/k link, the link didn't work.
But anyway, I've seen them converted in magazines and they look sharp. The bow-tie looks better than the GMC emblem.
1500 ex cab sh bed which is a real creampuff.
this thing is flawless. 350 runs peerrfect!
only problem is that when driving on freeway with
expansion joints(goota luv 'em) he says it
bounces like crazy. told him i knew who to talk
to about it and would let him know if anything
could be done to help make ride less bouncy.
right now he's trying some wieght in the bed,
4 25 lb. bags of sand.
any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
like this topic too, C/K series is far from
dead.
red
Anyway, glad you found the new topic.
i guess i might have to look to another forum for
the ride problem for my salesman, we sell Dupont
Corian and on occasion he carrys delicate samples
to our customers. that is why we're looking for a
solution for his problem.
anyway i'm sorry you could not help us and good
luck with this new forum. i hope it does die off
like the last one due to lack of interest.
thanx, red
My problems on the expansion joints were taken care of by switching to edelbrock shocks and changing tires...
had the 00 8 months now....it's got almost 14K miles..
Oh well....
- Tim
The Impala only has 17,600 miles on it. It's well worth the extra insurance cost (only liability) to keep the '89 around. My wife and I also work at the same place (different buildings, thank heavens!) so we're able to car pool, which also saves miles.
Thanks for the info. I must have been really
lucky, because my truck has been totally trouble-free (haven't even seen the dealer since I bought it, I do all the maintenance myself) and I have some light mods (headers, cat-back, K&N, ram-air). The hard tonneau cover really helps the mileage, and I'm pretty light on the pedal.
stevek:
Sorry to hear about your engine. That's a bit scary. How does the power feel. I imagine the knock sensor is retarding the timing so you're probably losing some power from that if nothing else. If it cruises great, are they sure it's a bearing? Wouldn't that be an "all the time" thing? Well, it sucks that it gave out, but $4K
for a new engine is a lot less than buying a new truck. Plus your truck's value will go up some to compensate for that (as long as you keep all the documentation and sell it yourself instead of trading it in when the time comes). I know I'd pay more for a truck with a newer engine.
Just dreaming out loud: At the end of the year, GM is putting a 325 hp 6.0L in the 2001 Denali/Escalade. That means it's fair game to swap it into a 1/2 ton truck. I wonder what the price differential would be (and can your truck wait that long?) to put it in. That 6.0L has considerably more torque/displacement than the 5.7L (which is already pretty impressive) AND more displacement. I imagine that would cost around 10-15K, though, because you'd need all the computer and emissions for the 6.0L (and maybe the HD tranny). But, you'd have a hot-rod, stump-pulling, one-of-a-kind, better-looking-than-new truck for that 10-15K.
mean you don't even have the decency to reply to
ones question. it wont't be long before this
topic is archived or tossed completly also. see
ya'
...RED
I thought about one of those...
around here they still bring damn near what they costed new!
Nice car....but it just wouldn't be a truck...
I already have a summer car...and 2 cars and one truck just doesn't make sense....plus 2 cars the wife has...4 is enough for 2 people..
I always said there are only two 4 doors I would ever buy....and Impala SS and a Suburban..
(4-door Silverado don't count.....real doors)
- Tim
When I first read your question, I didn't know the answer but I didn't have time to write. Then the next time I checked this topic, it didn't show your question so I forgot all about it. I didn't
mean to ignore you.
I'll work on my manners if you'll work on yours.
Your last reply was a bit rude.
The Impala is a very fun car. You're right.
They're going for very close to what they cost new. Brand new they cost $26,192 with every option including destination. There was no coming
down from MSRP. They were way too hot. Many people paid more than MSRP. Now, if you find one with less than 5K miles (they're out there) you'll pay about $26-29K. Finding a good one with around 30K miles is fairly easy, you'll pay about $22-23K.
I got mine about a month ago and got the deal of the century. It had 15K miles and lots of performance mods (headers, cat-back, 3.42 gears,
cold-air kit, hypertech,...) and I got it for $21K. Of course I had to travel 6 states away to get it, but it was worth it. The drive home was a lot of fun. It goes from 60 to 90 in an instant which makes passing, merging, etc. a breeze.
stevek:
"If I replace that engine the only place that truck goes from my house is the junk yard, I will get my money's worth."
Does the "If" mean you're considering other options? (i.e. getting a new truck?).
If you do get it replaced, let us know how it goes. I'm interested to see how smoothly something like that works. Good luck!
sorry about that, i tend to be impatient. i do
need to work on that.
thanks anyway for your reply. i guess i did'nt
give you much to go on. Obyone asked about tires
and shocks. i'm know that the shocks are stock
(original) and tires are firestone. still not
much to go on. other than the bouncing on freeway
exspansion joints the truck runs great.
thanx...RED
I will put in different shocks and report back.
Just bought a used '97 silverado 4WD loaded Leather, Z71, the works. 33500 miles. I'm wonder if anyone knows where i can find what the option codes mean? I got them out of the glove box, but the new (2000) codes don't seem the same.
Also wonder about a repair manual. Buy the GM one or go with a Chilton or Haynes?
did you try looking at the 2000 HD trucks options. They're still the C/K's (not the new body style, so some of the option codes may be the same). Another thing is that I still have my brochure from '98 (my truck is a GMC, but I have both the Chevy and the GMC brochures). I don't know if they'd have changed from '97 to '98, but if you list the option codes that you're curious about, I can look them up for you and see if they make sense.
Most Z71's are ordered with the 3.73 gear ratio and the locking differential, but not all of them.
To test if it's a locker you can raise the back end and see if both wheels turn when you put it in gear. There's probably a way to tell by looking at the differential, but I don't know it off hand.
Keep us informed on your performance, mileage, quality, etc.
I have only found one source (in LasVegas, I think) for the “Velvet ride” BFGoodrich devices that was mentioned earlier somewhere. Anyone else find a source? How much?
For the record, I have a 3/00 Silverado xcab 2wd 1500 loaner for the past two weeks. On the concrete freeway with those expansion joints, I get absolutely no bounce. And this is with those damn Tenneco stock shocks and 235/75R16 Goodyears. Only thing I can figure out is that this truck is made in Canada...
There IS supposed to be a low fuel indicator light according to the '98 owner's manual, but mine has never come on (it's also supposed to come on during the engine startup test and mine doesn't). I should have it fixed under warranty, but I never let my gas tank go much below a quarter anyway (otherwise the fuel-pump can become unsubmerged and burn up since the fuel is it's coolant) and I'd rather not have some lacky technician taking apart my dash to replace the bulb.
-Tim
P.S. The headers and cat-back exhaust really improved the power (especially the headers).
The '98 C/K that I got is a four volume set, each is about two inches thick. Much more detail, and specific to your model year.
I don't expect them to last long, but by the time they are done, I'll have a better idea what to replace them with. Cheap is sometimes OK. A same or similar shock is sold locally for close to $50 each.
This weekend, my wife and I will drive down to UCLA to collect our daughter and her "dorm stuff". There may be enough weight comming back home to indicate whether I should carry a couple sand bags in the back end to smooth things out.
http://www.velvet-ride.com/index.html
The www.helmc.com link doesn't weem to work? Got another address and is it the same as the book in the back of the manual from Chevy?
Where are you guys getting headers and cat-back exhaust? Any gas mileage changes?
www.helminc.com
The manuals are $120.00. The back of the owners manual has a shop manual for $90.00 Same, Better, worse?
FOR EXAMPLE:
G80 = locking differential
Z82 = factory tow package
V02 = HD radiator
Z71 = off-road suspension package
C60 = AC
AJ1 = factory deep tint windows
K34 = tilt/cruise control
KC4 = oil cooler
GT4 = standard axle ratio (usually 3:73's)
GT5 = optional axle ratio (usually 4:10's)
L05 = 5.7 V8
Think back to the 1960's muscle cars
Z28 wasn't just a name for the Camaro, it was the RPO ( regular production option ) for the performance model, just like L88 was to the Corvette 427 option and LS6 was to the 1970 Chevelle's 454 option.
Any dealer can explain those codes on your vehicle. If you want post your codes and I will decipher them for you.
http://www.wiu.edu/users/muwtj1/rpocodes.htm
http://www.princeton.edu/~patrickm/rpo.html
but it doesn't have all the codes, still missing:
BZY, KNP, K47, K60, NG1, OSG, RSA, R9L, SLL, VXS, V73, XBX, YBX, YD3, YD6, ZBX, 1SC, 1SZ, 55L, 6GG, and 7GG.
I've come up with 3 different colors for 43U, truck is dark green on top/ tan on thte bottom.
And K05 is the engine block heater, but I can't find an electrical plug? Anyone know where it should be?
I'm ordering the manuals form Helm. If dealers borrrow them I guess they're the ones to have.
From the looks of the times of responses, are all you guys on the west coast? I'm in upstate NY.
Thanks again to everyone.
David
On my '98 (and I assume it didn't change from
'97) the plug is on the driver side near the front
corner. I had trouble finding it too (I think the owner's manual describes the placement too, because that's how I found mine). As I recall, it was sort of camouflaged. I had to get in there with a flashlight several times before I found it.
-Tim
http://www.oddball.co.jp/vin/vin.html