Chevy Silverado - Continued XVIII

seelig

>using my harbormaster voice, very stern!<

hmmmm, somehow i just can't imagine it......hehe

LOL

ryanbab

haha

i can only picture a

"ALL ABOARD"

hehe

mgdvhman

- Tim

seelig

mgdvhman

LOL

- Tim

mikeb31

Now I know what you were talking about, Obyone gives great advice and he knows what he's talking about. Told me about the Kenwood KDC-X859, $499, saw and listened to one, great stereo. Started adding everything up and I'll be happy if I don't spend $1500 by the time I'm through. I guess I'm going to end up with a Hawaiian stereo too, not so bad since my parents are from Hawaii too.

rayt2

Matt........Not to beat this to death but the one time I took her out in the truck we were approaching the end of a road which had a island type divider (no not Hawaiin) and right hand uphill sweep which emptied out onto a 6 lane divided. As we approached I'm telling her to slow down and transition into the curve. She's heading right for the island and not slowing down, I reach over to start the transition for her and she hits the gas, blows the stop sign while screaming "Dad I'm doing fine and you scared the hell out of me" Next thing ya know where in the middle lane of the 3. Thank god there was nothing comin. I asked what were you thinking????? she said if I had'nt touched the steering wheel it would have been fine. I said so your reaction to a distraction is to hit the Gas??? not the brake??? Last time I took her out! Now Grandpa does it with his New Odyssey..yikes!

Problem is it was so much easier when I was learning because farrrrrrr less traffic, nowadays everybodies in a hurry & each man for himself! If your doing the speed limit you must be old. LOL

Back to the truck, printed out some of those flyers from the GM Piston Slap sight and will be getting them out this weekend to unsuspecting GM owners, time to help rattle the GM Monsters bed a little. A lot of helpful info on that sight.

http://www.gmpistonslap.cjb.net

Strength in numbers they say! Ryan, go back and read some of this stuff and you might rethink what you said to me about the truck engine lasting 10 years, I think I'll have a better shot at winning NY Lottery then the engine going ten years the way it sounds.

Ray T.

obyone

warranty letter isn't worth the paper it's written on?

ryanbab

I havent heard the "knock" in quite awhile now

I still say itll last 10 yrs easy

rayt2

Won't know what it's worth till it's time to use it! Maybe by then the Attorney Generals of the states will have enough evidence/complaints and pressure from the media will force GM to fix the problem!

Like I said "strength in numbers" The more of us who use the forms from the website to contact our state AG"s the better to "rage against the machine"(GM)

We can talk about it or you can act against it, are you part of the problem (by not following thru and complaining, writing letters, or are you part of the solution to corporate fraud???? Choice is ours!

Good Luck on this one now!

http://www.gmpistonslap.cjb.net

Ray T.

emthouston

Thanks for the info on tires and wheels. It amazes me that with that cavern of a wheel well that any tire would rub. My factory tires look so small.

emthouston

Thanks for the pic of the Chevy towing a Ford. I have an ongoing "discussion" with my step-sons's father. He has a 1 ton Ford diesel. I am sending him the pic and just saying that it's just another day with Chevy taking a Ford back home. No wonder they get such good gas mileage! lol Have a great one!

danog

We took a short trip up to Memphis this weekend and since gas prices were going up due to the Spring Gouge, oops I mean Spring Break I decided to try 89 octane. I had already filled the day before so I thought maybe a few gallons wouldn't make to big of a difference. Wrong! I am not sure if it "pinged" on the way up because I wasn't listening for it. Ran the tank down close to empty and refilled with Unocal 76 93 octane for the drive home. That's when I noticed it, under heavy acceleration. This is not the same as the cold knock, which thankfully has not raised its ugly head on this truck, yet. No big deal anyway I just thought I'd bring up this topic again since it is about time.

Dano

mpalombo

I would like to throw my .02 in about pinging and also raise a question.

Prior to buying my wifes '99 blazer I had always used 93 octane. Every time I put gas in it was super unleaded and I never had a major problem with pinging. I say major because sometimes under certain conditions I would hear a faint pinging but it was never a big problem and it was not all the time. When we bought the blazer I continued the tradition, well about 2 weeks after having the blazer it started running like crap, the check engine light came on, it was hard to start. A trip to the dealer showed nothing abnormal, he asked what kind of gas I was using and I said mobil 93 octane. He said that the vortec engines were designed to be run on lower octane gas and that I should be using 87. I said well it will start pinging like crazy and he said that if it did then that was an indication of something else was wrong. Well this did not make sense to me but I decided to try it. We have been running mobil 87 octane ever since then and it does not ping. I continued using mobil 87 octance when I bought my '00 Rado and it has never pinged, it knocks but thats another story :-)

So All these references to mobil bring up the question.... Do you think gas is different between retailers? I think it is, my friend thinks I'm nuts, we argue about this every so often. He says that mobil is the same gas the you can buy at haffners (I'm not sure if you have haffners in your areas but if not then insert your cheapest gas station here). What do you guys think about this....and don't be afraid to say I am nuts I've heard it many times on this subject.

-Mark

ryanbab

I use mobil gas (87 octane) no pings

Moms 00 blazer and dads 92 truck run amoco (BP now) 87 octane no pinging

punjab

When I lived in the midwest, it was exclusively Amoco, but at the time, they were the only brand that wasn't mixing ethanol into the tanks. That has since changed...

I agree that the raw GAS is the same (and their additives are useless) at most major retailers. After all, how often do you see a tanker going down the highway that says Mobil or Texaco. What differs is the maintenance on the facilties...how often are the pump filters changed, how much de-watering chemicals are dumped into the underground tanks, etc... Major national chains are more likely to have greater control over their franchises than the super discounters like Racetrac and Fastlane...

cowboyjohn1

Several years ago, I got my airplane certified for use with auto fuel. As a part of that certification, the only fuel that could legally be used had to meet a certain specification. Several of us went to various major national chain stations to determine if they met that spec. Only one brand - Chevron- sent us a letter and stated their gas delivered to the stations met the spec. I would have to read the label at the fuel cap to tell you what spec. However, I called Chevron Company about a year ago and asked if they still met the spec. They said they did, and also met the new specs that replaced the old spec. By the way, I am rather cautious about what fuel goes into the plane. Cowboyjohn

markbuck

Just got back from the tire store. Mt'd up 8 new tires for my 2500HD. Went with Cooper Discover LT tires in LT255/85-16 for summer and studded Cooper S/T in same size for winter. 8% taller, fit great on OEM rims, no clearance problems. Drops my effective rear end ratio from 4.10 to 3.80. More ground clearance.

Very happy with my Made in USA tires by an American company located in Findley Ohio.

Will report back in a while with wear and off road performance info.

black_silver

I must be doing something wrong, because I can't get mine to ping.

Have a 2001 LT 5.3L 3.73 locking rear (27K miles) and burn 87 octane (except an occasional tank of 89 when the other pump is 86 octane). Even pulling a 6400# RV in hilly country I have yet to hear the first ping from this engine.

Hans

markbuck

you're not hard of hearing, are you?

Now that I took my studded tires off, I hear ping on 87 frequently at 7,000' elevation running empty with my 6.0L manual tranny.

markbuck

I pretty much run Chevron exclusively.

mpalombo

Turn up the radio

Just kidding

-Mark

whatsachevy

My '01 Chevy 2500HD 4X4 EC 6.0/4.10 started pinging under acceleration at about 6,000 miles (if I remember right). I tried 89 octane and it helped slightly, but still pinged. I had it into the dealer for the other engine knock (the cold start knock) and mentioned the pinging to the service manager. We went for a ride and he agreed it wasn't right. He reprogrammed the computer, told me to use nothing but 87 octane and it has not pinged even the slightest bit since (even under load up hills). If your engine has this pinging under acceleration, you might try asking the service manager about reprogramming the computer.

hillrw

I have a 2000 LS extended cab 2wd truck (3dr). It seems as though the wind noise around the drivers side door (on the hinge side about where the top of the window is located) has recently increased. I cannot see anything obvious wrong with the seal, however I can recall under a couple of driving rains there was a little water that came inside while driving.

Has anyone else experienced any wind noise associated with the driver's side door while driving (yes the door is shut)?

danog

Aside from the tank of 76 over the weekend, I've used Chevron for the past five years.

If I am correct, to completely test another grade of fuel I'd have to run several tanks to allow the computer to adjust, right? Or I could buy the Hypertech programmer, nah, I'd rather spend the $200+ on something I'd use more than once.

Dano

blackmax200

would it help if you kept the revs up in the power band... seriously, not trying to incite a riot here Mark. With your manual trans you can keep the revs right at optimum and make use of the power band at the point which torque is highest. At 7000' the computer is setting the mixture is so lean that it will detonate (ping) like crazy if the revs fall much below the point at which power is the greatest. Detonation is usually caused by heat that irrupts suddenly. Leaner mixture is going to generate more heat.

2 ways to get leaner mixture, take away fuel for a given amount of air, or add more air for a given amount of fuel. I'm speaking of air density here, which I suspect is the problem you are experiencing.

When we were running the dragster, as air density was less, (indicative of higher altitudes or warmer temps), lean the mixture, and back down timing. When air density was greater, (lower altitude or colder temps), pour the fuel to her and advance the timing. Cowboyjohn may be of some further help here as a pilot should calculate air density prior to take-off to set the flap angles for maximum lift with minimal drag.

I know I have trouble breathing in Denver, I can only imagine what another 1500' must do. The long term fuel trim numbers in your truck's computer must be way low.

Hope this helps and I intend no insult if this is already information you have... just my .02 @ sealevel

matthew

minikin

living in Denver is I don't have a problem breathing much of anywhere else. Neither does my truck; but to get some of the power back here at home, I use 91 oct (hi alt premium) with an HYP III program. On vacations in the flatlands I reprogram and go back to 87 oct. Funny thing is, when I do that it seems to seems to lose its crispness off-idle.
-- Don

txyank1

always pinged on hard acceleration or when I kick it down to pass. I too tried 89 octane and didn't see much diff. Never tried 93 'cause I figure I shouldn't have to run 93.

danog...look at this way, you're buying the program too and once you load it you use it every time you drive.

mgdvhman

..no ping any conditions.....

..Michigan altitudes though

Good Luck on this one now!

- Tim

mledtje

My 6.0 rarely pings on 87. But, I have more power and get 10% better milage with 91 octane. With 87 octane some hills require a downshift (manual trans) while I can pull the same hill in 5th with 91 octane. I know the computer will pull back the timing when it detects pinging (long before I can hear it) and that will reduce power and fuel economy.

With computer controlled timing, you should not hear pinging on a regular basis, only when the computer has pulled the timing all the way back and it is still pinging.

I have a popup camper in the bed of my 2500 and run at 7450lbs and have averaged 15.0mpg since new. My average with regular is under 14mpg.

Mike L
00 Silverado 2500 4x4 6.0L 5spd 3.73
Deadhorse, Alaska 6-6-99

mpalombo

I just got a phone call from GM customer service. They offered me the extended warranty on my engine (again). They originally told me a week ago that I was going to be getting it but today she said that they would like to offer me a GM MajorGuard(?) warrany on the engine for a period of 5 years or 100,000 miles ... and this is the interesting part... "while GM tries to get a fix for this problem" That is exactly what she said.
Then she asked if that would be something that I would be intersted in and I of course said yes. I guess I should have the letter in a few days.

-Mark

cowboyjohn1

Blackmax. You are correct in your analysis of air and fuel. The difference between autos and airplanes - at least the many models I have flown over the years - is that the fuel/air mixture is controlled by the pilot. I burn auto fuel - 87 octane, aircraft fuel 80/87 octane (red gas), and aircraft 100 octane low lead (blue gas). There typically is very few cents difference between the cost of 80/87 and 100 octane low lead - $2.75 per gallon. Air density is extremely important when flying off of strips in the mountains with a low horsepower non-turbocharged reciprocating engine. Two things happen: (1) As you have read in here, horsepower drops as a result of less dense air. It has been a while since I studied this, but as I recall HP drops to about 75% at 8,500 and down to 50% at around 18,000, and (2) because of the less dense air, the airfoil does not provide the lift that it does at lower altitudes which means you have to have more airspeed to provide the same lift.. At 9,000 feet density altitude, very flat (and sometime scary) takeoffs are to be expected - ie. you had better do some preplanning, both before you land and before takeoff. One of the tricks is to take off very early in the morning to take advantage of the denser (colder) air. To calculate density altitude, I use an E6B computer - same as they used in WWII. Today there are electronic versions, but I can't say they give any better information than the E6B. The air/fuel mixture is adjusted by a vernier lever in the cockpit. If you have an Exhaust Gas Temperature gauge, best power is about 50 degrees below max. temp. If you do not have an EGT, then air/fuel ratio is adjusted using the tachometer. It is adjusted for max rpm both on the ground and in the air. In the air, the pilot can adjust power to say 65%, then adjust the mixture to get the max rpm, or temperature reading, which provides the least gallons per hour. Ram induction also makes a difference. The air/fuel ratio is slightly lower at the beginning of the takeoff run than at liftoff (90 mph). After some experience the pilot can make a small adjustment for this which could be critical on a tight takeoff. From past experience, I don't do tight takeoffs any more. Well, this is much longer than I expected, but hope it is informative. cowboyjohn

dustyone

My '00 Silverado, 4dr ext cab, 4x4 developed the wind noise at about 2K miles. I pulled the upper door body seal down and added some 3M rubber cement to the entire length. No more noise. Apparently GM saved $.0.03 by using a minimum amount of glue on the weatherstripping.

NO pinging on the 5.3 liter engine at 21K, using only 87 octane from wherever it is the cheapest. Not brand loyal since it all comes to Atlanta through the same pipeline.

Have the sticking accelator pedal, truck was made 02/10/00 so it may qualify for the throttle body replacement. They want to charge for a cleaning before performing warranty work.

markbuck

agree with most of yawl's comments, but I think timing needs advanced (engine will tolerate more) as you reduce atmospheric pressure....

We're down 20% partial pressure of oxygen here at 7,000', so fuel required is also down 20%....

rayt2

Your truck was right behind mine on the assembly line, mine built 2/9/00. I don't have the sticky throttle though (yet?)
Have you tried telling them you performed the BG cleaning yourself, it would be hard for them to dispute that would'nt it? I love how they try to soak people for needless service when they know what the problem is and the TSB says NOT to try the cleaning. Let me know the julian date on your TB if they do change it out.

Ray T.

blackmax200

Mark, I think, if I remember correctly, that a leaner mixture is harder to "light-off" so it requires more advanced timing, so you may be correct... It has been about 15 years since I played with that stuff, and for the past 10 years I have concentrated on friction materials and braking systems.

So let me try to see if I can straighten myself out... the PCM runs the advance up due to the lean mixture until it "hears" ping then retards itself. It also leans the fuel for the given air density at your altitude. So therefore it is advancing for lean mixture and retarding for the ping at the same time. When the engine load is below the power band (max torque), this increases the tendency to detonate (ping). If the revs are higher (closer to max torque) there is less load against the engine, and should be less tendancy to detonate for the given calculated A/F ratio and timing curve.

Seems to me I read somewhere that in the "olden days" when the racers went up Pikes Peak, the cars were so lean at the start they would barely run, and by the time they got to the top the exhaust was rolling out the pipes black as coal and they were chugging across the finish line. Tough tuning carburators for a 3000' assent without stopping to make adjustments...hehe

Sorry about the confusion..

matthew

minikin

From a long lapsed commercial pilot -- what kind of engine are you burning auto gas in?
-- Don

seelig

the thing about "Hans" (black-silver) is that he has the only "perfect" truck out there. for the last year he has told us how "perfect" it is. even when no one asks, he'll post how "perfect" it is.
i agree with you that timing has something to do with it, but after a long talk with a mechanic that use to work for chevy told me, you can move the crank senser, but the computer will compensate for the new posistion, and it will still ping. it's all in the putor, or prom. my '00 doesn't ping, but the wife's '01 does. the wife's '01 will also outrun my '00, and gets worse fuel mileage. something is wrong, but what can a guy do about it?

perhaps this is a question for "Hans" with the "perfect" truck, but i doubt he knows much about trucks.

rayt2

Your staying up to late at night your getting cranky. LOL
Y2K w/5.3 no pinging to date 27k on the ticker, have had computer recalibrated for the surge & transmission for delayed start & lag shift problem. We won't discuss the knock, other than that I have a perfect truck. LOL

Ray T.

seelig

ryanbab

I bet the reason is because he hasnt hit the links in a few days

Take the day off and go golfing

My truck is "perfect" except for i cant keep the darn thing clean. Snowed again the past two days and they loaded up on the salt. And two wks prior i put a coat of zaino on

seelig

it's just that when people come here and discuss their trucks problems, and what solutions are to be taken, there's no need for someone to come in and say "gee, my truck is PERFECT", and not offer some viable advice or solution. there's a lot of "perfect" trucks out there, and that's just "suuuper terrific", but how about offering a possible solution to those who need it.

rayt2

you'll be fine did'nt you know the first day of spring was when winter actually started for us, hell the most snow we've gotten from the last few storms you thru towards NY was 1", of course Syracuse got a 1' 1/2, but that's snow belt country up thar, ey!

Golfing .......... now there to me is a boring sport! I can take the minature golf or a driving range but I'll be damned if I'm gonna chase that little white ball all over the country side LOL. My sport has this little black rubber disc contained within a 85 x 200' arena and we have a local rink that stays frozen year round. Besides it's easier to keep the beer cold and we avoid gooning it up cuz we all know we gotta go to work the next day.

Ray T.

ryanbab

Mini golf now thats a sport hehe

seelig

http://www.people.fas.harvard.edu/-pyang/flash/miniputt.swf

good luck on this one now!

ryanbab

I just placed my order for seat covers from http://www.seatsavers.com

I got the Z71 logo embroidered. Total cost was $99 after a $10 mention this ad from their website. Should have em in 12 days

black_silver

The left DRL bulb burned out last week. Guess I'd better start pouting and whining and sniffling and maybe GM will give me an extended warranty. :-)

Hans

cowboyjohn1

A Lycoming 0320--E2B - 150HP. I also burned it in a Continental 0-200 in a Cessna 150. Both were STC'd by Peterson in Minden Nebr. I also got stuck in a mountain strip where there was no av gas available and used auto fuel in a Lycoming 0-235 in a Grumman TR-2. It worked fine.
cowboyjohn

obyone

Shot a 38 first time out...got anything harder?

blackmax200

Thought that is a gun, Oby...hehe guess I'll practice a little more

matthew