Chevy Silverado - Continued VI

majormorgy

i was told by the dealer that the auto manufacturers have to use the major tire brands equally. you also don't have a choice. you get whatever brand they give you because of that. i guess there was a law suit by one of the lesser bought brands.
oil. i was also told to wait till after 1000 miles to use mobil 1 or any other syn. oil. which to me means 3 oil changes. (every 3000). you have to allow the engine parts to seat to each other (break in). that's why they don't want you to take a trip to florida to break in the engine. they want you to vary your speed (r.p.m.s)follow your manual and you can't go wrong. after all, they do know more than you and i. you're also breaking in the break pads. you're not suppose to slam on the breaks during the breakin period. (unless you have to of course).you paid alot of money for that baby. it's only 500 miles. the slower speeds also give you a chance to get aquinted with your new wheels. learning how she handles, where all the buttons are, (radio, heater, windows, etc.) relax and enjoy it. it's part of the game! can't wait till it's my turn!

kanton

I just received the Granatelli MAF today. It was not what I was expecting. What did yours look like? The one I received looks like a stock MAF with the screen removed and the plastic shaved away. It looks like it was done with a Dremel tool. I could do this!! Is this how yours was? Seems kinda fishy to me. Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,
Kyle

doudis

I said it was hard to keep it under 55 because this truck is just so smooth and quiet I just don't notice until I'm already going 70. I love this truck. I now need to start researching the after market options I want. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
1. Tinted Windows (Got the deep tints for the rears,but need to do the fronts now living in AZ)
2. I need a Sportside rubber bed mat. I will eventually get a spray in but for now I just want to minimize sliding objects and scratches. Got one already this morning from my suitcase.
3. Chrome wheels. The GMC wheels are sooooo sad.
4. Fiberglass running boards that flow into color matched wheel flares.

storch

Actually GM already has wipers that automatically turn on in the rain. They are options on Cadillacs and will be available on the next Aurora. Just FYI...

Kevin

hopper1

Just took delivery of 2000 Ex cab 4x4 z71 4dr, 1/29. I ordered 265x75x16 BSW's. Truck came with Firestone Wilderness AT's BSW tires. I took truck from Dealer to tire store, traded the Firestone's for Goodrich All Terrain TA (KO's). Payed 300.00 + tax and Firestone's. The Goodrich tires are highly rated, redesigned. They Look Great!!

z71bill

I wish I had traded my Firestone tires (265 's) for BFG. I have 8,000 miles on them and the middle row of tread is already smooth. Tire PSI is 35 front & 32 rear so over inflation is not the problem, they are just crappy tires. I hope to get 30K out of them and then get BFG or Michelins. IMO a full size truck should have LT rated tires..

obyone

at Granatelli's homepage,

http://www.granatellimotorsports.com/

you will find a picture of the mass airflow sensor. It looks identical to your stock maf with the screens removed. I thought the same thing as you when I first saw it. Granatelli claims a 47% increase in airflow which is obvious with the screens removed. The electronic module is supposed to improve control of injector and ignition timing.

So.. I figured why not install it and see what happens since my truck had lost some low end torque with the cat back, headers, and airaid. Granatelli claims they will improve rear wheel hp by 10-15hp; also supposed to be good for towing.

After I had installed it, I started up the truck. It didn't sound much different. Took it out for a spin and rolling at about 5 mph, I floored it. The throttle response was way better than before, the acceleration pushed me back in the seat and chirped tires from 1st to 2nd which it never did before. On the freeway, downshifts are quicker and acceleration is awesome compared to prior setup. I'm not too familiar with mass airflow sensors therefore I didn't want to try the dremel route although I've heard some people trying it with mixed responses. I haven't done the PCM update for the trans so I still have the growl. With the maf, the driveline growl is still there, but not as obvious.

Did you install it? If so how were the results? BTW, the plastic is supposed to be better than the stock metal to reduce heat soak. For my application on my '00 Silverado LS xcab 2wd 5.3l 3.73 it really helped on the low end. (sorry for the long post)

cdean

mdw1000
this may sound bad, but i can't remember off hand, where i learned off the factory oil additives. It may have been my dealer service manager. I think when i bought a new truck 6 years ago, that was his advice to me. He knew GM products inside and out. If i remember different, i'll let you know.

doudis
not being rude, but DON'T WORRY about the metal shavings. Metal shavings CANNOT get to the rest of your motor without going thru the filter. And they WILL NOT make it thru your filter.

It is normal. We used to rebuild big diesel engines, and then run them for 4-10 hours on the dyno at light loads to break them in. We would always cut open the filter after the break in run, just for grins, and look at all the brass and metal shavings in the filter, and to make sure it wasn't excessive. they were usually lined with small metal particles. Then the engines went out the door, and never came back again.

rwagoner

The Corvette comes from the factory with Mobil One, as do numerous other high performance cars. You no longer have to wait to use it.

That being said, I'm changing to it at 10,000 miles. But that has more to do with using up all my old oil than anything else.

I DID make one mistake, though: Having the dealer change the oil at 8000 miles. I found out they use Pennzoil ... good thing its only going to be in 2000 miles. The only reason I had them do it was they sent me a $15 oil change coupon ... the first and only time I have not changed oil myself in my cars/trucks. Never again...

Richard

leavy

Chaniging the oil in your engine before the first 3k will only prohibit break in. The piston rings need to seat against the cylinder walls correctly, or the engine may develop "blow-by", which results in lost power and oil consumption.

Some aircraft piston-engine manufacurers use straight mineral oil in their new and remanufactured engines as the "first" oil for this reason. They also tell you not to baby the engine, at all.

Now whether this means you need to take it easy on your truck for the first 500 miles remains to be seen.

I've also heard they run 'em in at the factory, and, if the rings don't seat on the first run, they won't at all.

Food for thought.

vince4

GM finally released the service manuals for 2000 trucks. They call it the C/K Platform manual which includes Suburban and Blazer. I'm told this is the correct one for the Silverado even though they are loose with the names (Blazer is now an S10). That may just be the Helm site using old names. I ordered one so I'll post the answer.

You can order at www.helminc.com the number is GMT00CK and price is $120.

john104

Vince4,
That's what I thought when I got a postcard from Helm stating that the 2k manuals were in. When I called "Sharon" and grilled her on specifics, she said it was a Mistake and that the correct p/n is GMT00CK8, that the "8" denotes the Silverado P/U. She said they were due in soon and they will send me a another card in the mail when they arrive. ps: I can't wait to pour over the new manual.

John

mgdvhman

I waited until 978 miles to change oil on my 2k 2500 6.0. I went with Regular Mobil 10-30 until 4201...then went to Mobil 1 5-30...it's almost 10K now and I'm just about ready to change it again.
It uses no oil that I can tell and runs fine.

- Tim

z176

afs11,
I had a set of Prestigous (?sp) fiberglas boards installed on my '99 3dr and my '00 4dr Silverado. They are great. Sorry, but I do not know of anyone with the GM boards to compare them to.
Bc <</A>><

planejane

Does anyone have that great website about the different oils and oil filters? It says NOT to use Fram Filters and Pennzoil because they suck.
I suppose I could do a search.

Hey Tim,
How much did your drop-in liner cost?

Cindy

planejane

thanks budlightdude.......

Cindy

mgdvhman

BLD,
80%??
I think it would be more like 99.999% of the applications...and no....I don't want to waste everyones eyes again firing this discussion back up..

Cindy,
My Under the rail Duraliner dropin with the grit surface was about $300 I'd guess?
I am guessing due to the fact I got a favor for it.

- Tim

hogboy

Rob, you didn't say what vehicle you were ordering. I got the Silverado 1/2 ton 4x4, reg cab, longbed, cast aluminum wheels. Mine came with the Firestone AT Wilderness. Not my 1st choice. Tread is not aggressive at all, HOWEVER, no wheel vibrations(yet at 900 miles). Now if I can just stop the snowplow folks from hitting & denting my passenger door & rocker panel I'll be all set.

ryanbab

Anyones truck come with the P265 Goodyears? Firestones will probably come with mine (doesnt look agressive i agree totally) the day it comes in its going down the street to a goodyear dealer and am getting the Goodyear AT/S all terrain P265's put on. They are taking the firestones for trade (get some money not much) and ill have to pay them $230 The way i went about this was went to goodyear.com found a few tire dealers in the area of the chevy dealer, sent him a list of tire dealers with phone numbers and he did the rest and got the best deal which was right down the street. This is a suggestionif anyone wants to have thier tires switched to a specific brand. Hope it helps

Ryan

afs93

I might be wrong on this but, if you go to the vibration posts a lot of the trucks have the goodyears on them?

If that is the case, why would you want to put Wranglers on?
Ryanbab, may be you should check it out?

Afs

ryanbab

Thanks for the info ill check it out but i doubt itll change my mind

Ryan

mckeownsc

If i upgrade my 245's to 265's on my 99 ext cab silverado 5.3L, is there a fix or computer update that would correct the speedometer and odometer readings????

vince4

Thanks john104, you are exactly right. The Silverado manual is GMT00CK8 which is not available yet. I wish they had told me this originally. I'm glad I found out now so I could cancel the order.

payner

Does anyone know anything about the factory Tonneau Cover ? Is it any good?

mledtje

My truck came with Goodyear Wranglers and had a vibration. Switched to Firestone Steeltex ATs and I really like these tires.

24K and about 1/2 worn. These are LT tires and have held up well on some bad roads (Dalton Highway, off road in Death Valley, etc). They don't make noise on the highway. No problems.

My next tires will probably be Michelin AT or AS.

jerrykee

How do you Silverado owners deal with tight parking lots. I live in the NE and it seems that all of the lots around here are designed for compact cars only. I am going to be buying my first truck soon (Need to tow a horse trailer and haul hay bales etc.) and am worried about pulling into a parking lot and not be able to get back out! Is the Silverado's turning radius and visibility adequate enough for tight maneuvering?

dch0300

planejane,
Here is a web site on oil filter comparisons.

http://www.minimopar.simplenet.com/oilfilters.html

crossfire1

Thanks for the info on the headlights Werking, I'll print that and save it. I'll need it in the summer, when I get the new truck.
Since we are talking about tires, does anybody know what size I'd have to go to, if I want the same diameter as the 265's, but have them wider? I'd like to keep from making speedo recalibrations, because I might put the factory tires back on in the winter.

Chris

scoon8

I think it's matter of getting used to: I've been to Boston area during last Thanksgiving & did not have any maneuvering or turning radius problems there. In fact I've even been to NYC to meet my parents & didn't have any problem driving around the city. Only thing to deal with was being the only FULL SIZE truck wherever you go !!

Good Luck

rbrick

hogboy,
I have ordered a 00 ext cab ls z71 5.3 locker lt pewter. Should get it about mid-March.

I called Firestone (local dealer) and they said they would swap to white letters for about $85 (less than the GM option!). Now I just have to wait and see what tires I get.

Kyle,
If the MAF really looks like a stock unit just dremeled out I would check the local speed shops and see if they can do it for you (then send the Granatelli back!). Check the late model mustang and camaro crowd. Odds are they have already done it to those cars. I can't see paying $300+ for something that you can have done in a couple of hours for probably less than $100. Just be careful who you get to do it. I am stationed at Ft Meade, MD and there are some very good fuel injected performance shops here. I'll ask and see what they say.

Rob

obyone

You may have to get used to parking a little farther from your destination than you were used to with driving a car...or you could park in two stalls.

powerisfun

Even if it isn't a modified stock unit, I can't see what would be worth the $330 bucks. Based on what I've seen in the ads, there can't be more than $20 worth of parts there. The sensor is the most expensive thing and with volume I'm sure that's trivially priced relative to whole unit price. Someone's getting rich.
-powerisfun

quadrunner500

Several things to remember about aggressive tread patterns on your tires: The more aggressive the tread, the more your rocker panel gets pelted with rocks and debris. Ribbed tires are not as sexy, but have a smoother, quieter highway ride, and longer life too. Aggressive looking tread can't be noticed while you are driving, only stopped. Aggressive treads do offer advantages in mud or loose conditions, of course.

m1685

Question- Have you had goodyear tires before? I also thought the AT/S tires looked good and thought they would be good. I had 265s AT/S on my 95 z71 for almost a year before I sold it, and what i saw during that year I will not get them again. They wore wrong and werent that good offroad. Even the person who put the AT/Ss on my 95 told me to be sure to rotate them no longer than 3,000 because they will wear wrong. Plus they are load range d i believe, which is a worse ride. My opinion is Goodyear tires are not worth the money. I have had the 2 sets of Wrangler TDs on my 95( loud when half wore down, almost like a mud tire), Wrangler RT/Ss on my Tahoe( that wore wrong), and then the AT/Ss on my 95. I had BFGs in between the TDs and AT/Ss, and had no problems except a screw in one of them. My dad had michelin LTX M/Ss on his 95 Z71 and they lasted forever, no problems. I now have BFG AT KOs and no problems yet. Im not tryin to start anything, just thought I would warn you. I wish someone would have warned me before i spent $650 on them. If I were you I would try to get some more info on them before you even get your truck.

quadrunner500

I think the Wilderness A/T is the oem equivalent of Wrangler.

Agree big treads for mud, although not necessarily for snow, where sipes and rubber compounding for low temps have as much to do with performance.

But I don't consider Wrangler or Wilderness to be true off-road. They are a street radial, ribbed design, but resemble off-road tires, unlike those nylon re-treads they slap on your 2500!

jkania

Just got my 2000 LT. It had 9 mi on it. I checked the hour meter, and it had 25hrs on it. Gm must test run the trucks or at least have the key on for testing, unless someone really drove slow those 9mi.

mgdvhman

obyone....typo....should be 265...not 256..

Quad,
Nylon retreads?..GRRRRRRRR
No..They were not true off road...but tue off road tires don't last for [non-permissible content removed] and sound like crap on the road....soooo they were just fine.

http://www.teleweb.net/mgdvhman/2000lt4.jpg

They were more agressive than the ones above on my new truck...but both do the job for me.

Both were quiet also.

- Tim

ryanbab

Throwing stuff up thats why you get mud flaps and the fender flares they arent just all looks. Thanks for the info on the goodyears i am getting scared now. Its only going to cost $230 not $650 but i am gonna look into it trust me. I appreciate the info. Thanks

Ryan

ryanbab

Heated mirrors work. I didnt think they did and were useless but i washed our new blazer today to get the salt off and its kinda cold out 25 degrees maybe less and they truck got a sheet of ice on it used a torpedo heater in the garage to warm truck up but mirrors wouldnt deice. Put the defoggers on high and in 30 seconds maybe they were dripping with water. I guess in cold areas its a great option Just thought id share this.

Ryan

payner

Does anyone
know anything about the factory Tonneau Cover?

joelis

I think the new firestones on the Silverado work great in Snow. I also was skeptical about this tire after always having Wranglers on my trucks.

When I bought my 99 last year, I was originally intending to replace them after a year with Good-Years, but not any more. The Firestones are great on the highway, dry road and snow and ice. Can't beat em in my opinion.

The only problem is that they don't look mean, but I'll take that sacrifice in order to get a more comfortable ride now.

scottay

I feel my rear view mirror is too small. Maybe 'cause the truck is so big?

Also, the shift lever sits in the way of the center console controls when in drive.

How about that nifty speed sensor for the radio? And the auto-EQ?

Did anyone get that saddle type toolbox that mounts on the wheel hump in the bed?
-scott

mdw1000

My only complaints I have about mine is that they seem to be weak in the sidewalls. I guess that's what you get with P tires, though. Are the BFG A/Ts a good tire for multiple uses (ie on road with dry pavement, rain, or snow, and occasional off-road)

hogboy

Bob, my neighbor just got the factory cover for his 2000 about 1 mo ago. It looks good. Has the Chevy logo cut into top of cover near tailgate. I put the Sportsmaster on my truck. It cost me $250 + installation. This is my 2nd Sportsmaster cover & is fine. They have redesigned the top rail channels & bows since my last one. Not sure who makes the tonneau covers for GM. I also think they wanted another +100 or so for their cover. For that extra $$$ the Chevy logo wasn't that important to me, but just MPO. Get what you like best.

ryanbab

Does anyone have the P265 goodyear AT/s On their 99 or 2000 silverado? ALl i have been hearing is on the 97 and 95 trucks old body style. I really want to hear opinions but would rather hear them if you had em or have them on a 99 or 2000 silverado now. Thanks.

Ryan

werking

i got a '00 ls 1500 z71 with 265's. they're firestones, and don't look very mean. as far as how long they'll last, i can't say, i only have about 600 miles on them. but i'll tell you this. i really don't care how they look. they handled great in the mud and snow that i first drove around in after getting my truck. great traction, no complaints. ryan...i had a bad experience with goodyears on my last truck too. i got them for the same reason you want yours...cuz they look pretty good. but the bottom line is...they wore very poorly. i'm a freak when it comes to checking oil and tire pressure, etc...so i know it wasn't for improper use. i liked the way they looked (before they wore unevenly) but i don't think i'll ever buy them again. from what i've read on here it looks like bfg's or michelin's are the way to go. we'll see how well the firestones hold up and then go from there. my $0.02
kyle

ryanbab

Thanks i am gona look at the treads on goodyears whenever i see them do my own lil survey. THanks

RYan

mgdvhman

is nice....when set on the lower level....on full compensation...it gets annoying.

The auto EQ sux all around....That hasn't been used since I left the dealers lot the day I got it...tried it once...and said..don't think so..

And the cassette??....Beats me if it even works?...they still makes those?..anyone actually use them?
LOL

- Tim

jerobbins

Parking isn't a real problem as long as you are good as three (four, twelve?) point turns. I've parked my truck several times where I had to "shimmy" it out of a parking place.

By the way, usually the problem isn't when you are parking the truck. It's when you come back and the cars beside you have been replaced with vehicles that are MUCH closer than you originally dealt with.

The biggest suggestion I can offer is to get a good feel for the dimensions of your truck. You really want to know how close your bumper is to the side of the car next to you when you're turning into (or out of) a parking space.

jerobbins

Actually, the cassette player works pretty well. I don't use it for music but it's great for books-on-tape.

You can get books-on-CD, but they are usually more expensive. Also, the local libraries have a LOT of books on tapes but none on CDs.