VIA Motors shows electric drive system for retrofit to trucks, vans, SUVs

VIA Motors turning big trucks and SUVs into electrics | AutoMinded

Intake manifold gaskets almost all gas engines from GM/Chevy. Brake rotors on pre 1999 trucks and SUV's which are poor quality cast units and undersized. Problem was in part fixed in 1999 with changing of rear brakes from drum to disc.

I had a tailgate latch issue on my '95. It would barely latch because the handle as well as the linkage inside the tailgate were stuck tight and it seemed like nobody lubed a thing at the factory. I removed the handle, lubed the heck out of everything I could get at and spent 45 minutes loosening up and lubricating the handle. That was 6-7 years ago and it's worked perfectly ever since.

Surprised that nobody mentioned that the gaskets by the catalytic converter tend to blow out. I've heard a lot of Chevy/GMC trucks of 1988-1998 vintage like this including my own right now. It's LOUD!

Mine has the sticky hood latch issue. I have to beat the you-know-what out of the hood to get it to pop up, even unintentionally put a small dent in it doing so. I lubricate the latch, but it only works for a short time.

I've noticed the stretched out elastic on my sun visor too...I'm ready to just cut it off.

The engine knocks briefly when started after sitting for a while. I've heard others do it, too. It's not the piston slap issue (doesn't have a newer Vortec engine, it's got the old 350). It just seems to take a little bit to build up oil pressure. I used to worry about it, but it's been doing that for the 8+ years I've owned it and it's still going.

I've had the usual assortment of issues that typically seem to affect older Chevy small blocks: minor oil leak here and there, replaced the water pump once, starter twice, alternator once, etc. Plus some sensor issues including one that's acting screwy right now.

And of course the bottom rear corners of the cab are rusting through, a very common issue it seems.

Issues with the 4L80E transmission have been referred to several times here. I'm curious about what the issues are and what years were affected. I'm not ready to replace my '95 yet, but I like to stay informed for when that time finally comes.

no one ever said a thing about the fact it has a bowtie on it.
pains me to say this but after 3 months of owning a 2012 silverado 1500 i will never buy Chevy again! i had a 02 that was a junk pile i bought new. then a new 07 that went through two motors. now my 12 has been in and out of the shop sense i bought it. it's starting to all add up to why we had to bail them out! it's a dam shame but i am looking at 2012 f150 with the twin turbo v6 thats got way more get up and go than my 5.3!

The Chevy 8.1 Liter engines burning a little oil.

On my 91 Chevy I've had most of the small problems listed. I love the truck though and wouldn't trade it for anything! Parts are cheap and the truck is just plain easy to work on and the body style looks awesome!

My dad has a 06 Silverado Z71 and so far these are the problems we've had:
door speakers
ext. cab rear door handle
mass air flow sensor
hub bearing
cluster lights
radio/AC lights

2002 Silverado Z71
Transmission ( can't remember what it had)
Push button 4x4. Clutches burned up quick which made my dad trade it in for his 06 which has manual 4x4 now.

4.3 Sierra Power steering line cost twice as much as the pressure line for the 5.0
 

Hi just bought my first Sierra its a 1997 regular cab short box 4.3 2x4 with a 5 speed. I noticed it needed a power steering pressure line so I went to my local parts store ( Canadian Tire). They never asked me what size of motor I had and brought me out a pressure line for a 5.0 I took it out of the box and had a good look at it. Then told the guy that I had a 4.3 he entered that into the computer and had a different part # for the 4.3. So he brought that part out I looked at both. They were almost exactly the same. The one for the 5.0 is 1 1/2 inches longer and half the price so I bought it and it bolted right on no problem, no leaks. Im not sure If I have posted this on the right spot that this info will help someone else in the same situation but thats my intention, hope this trick helps someone save some money. My next project is e brake lines all three sections are siezed wish me luck.

There are places where you can get away with that. The guy at my local NAPA is really good about offering suggestions about things like that.

'88 Full Size Headlight Switch
 

My 88 K1500 had a screw hole-post broken off of the back of the headlight switch. Even if I had bought a new one it would have had the same design problem, so I used a hot paperclip to drill two tiny holes stuck a couple of small screws from my R/C airplane stuff.

The drivers side door pull broke. I made my own out of aluminum ad it will never break again.

My intake manifold gasket had sucked in to the ports for #2 and #4, which knocked a couple grand off the price when I bought it. Gasket was @ $20. Next time I do this job I will stick a Holly intake on while I am in there. They make them for TBI and I say "why not?"

I did have to replace the tranny, which for my year is a 700R4, altough a caouple years later they changed the name to 4L60 same thing. If you have an (e), that came later. The trannys are supposed to be good for up to 8600 lbs, but next time I'll pony up the extra and get a 4L70, which is for heavier trucks. If you have 1st & 2nd but not 3rd & 4th, that's a 4L60! The upper gear clutch packs tend to go out together. That's just how it works.

The digital heater panel is a pain in the buns when I am up hunting and it gets around freezing. I don't care if I can change the control, I just want the darn thing to work when I start it up; instead the panel flashes randomly and the blower makes a lot of noise but no air is moving until the cabin warms up enough for the panel to calm down.

The most annoying thing about my Silverado is the gear indicator on the left side of the cluster operated by....what??? A flipping string and spring? I got tired of it and just marked the column with tiny white spots.
It works.

I like my 88 because it is a much better machine than my '69 or '75 were, but with the same 350 I have known for 35 years. The TBI isn't that big a deal if ya spend enough time reading up on the subject and talk to the experts. The small shops have guys that are totally into the subject and are usually pretty helpful.