New winter beater

[vogie01]

You need to address those license plate lights. It looks weird with the nice LED tails and super dim license plate lights.

[sandrock]

Post the vender name and the part number for those tails please. Those are exactly what I want for the Tahoe.

[CMNTMXR57]

The license plate lights are plenty bright. I actually had cleaned out the lenses a little while ago. I think the issue is the camera, trying to compensate for the red in the tails, reduces other areas of light.

Here is the lights and where I bought them from. They also happen to have the couple of other styles (in varying combinations), I was looking at if you browse. I went with the red clear as there is also a smoked version.
http://www.xtralights.com/88-99chevycks ... rpair.aspx

They still have the sale going too.

[CMNTMXR57]

Took some day pics as requested;

[Hotwheels]

Oooh...me likey. Very tasteful and not ricey, like you say.

[00Beast]

Those tails look great. I had some similar LED tails on my Tahoe, loved how bright they were. No one could miss those!

[SSEiMan01]

I love them! They don't look gaudy like some of the others available. These look classy. I love the brightness too.

[CMNTMXR57]

Thanks, I'm loving them so far.

Did oil change #2 on it since I have had it, a little sooner than normal (which is already short for some of you, but I live by the old adage that a little PM is cheaper now than paying a lot later...), anyway, as I'm there underneath this thing, I still think I should be up for grand theft auto. This thing underneath is spectacularly clean and in great shape for 14 years and 125k old. The only fluid leaking on it was on the oil pan around the old stripped drain bolt (which I replaced), and a small power steering seep it looks like, that is just greasy under the pump.

[nos4blood70]

Lookin' good! Those LED tails came out much better than expected. Looks classy.

[CMNTMXR57]

You stay classy San Deigo...

[MattStrike]

Do they make those for a '84 K2500 pickup? I hope they do.

[sandrock]

You stay classy San Deigo...

San-day-ee-go?

[CMNTMXR57]

They only have back to '88 on their site, which would've been the first year of those style lights. '84 was the older model. So I'm not sure.

Anchorman 2, coming soon...

[00Beast]

I'm Ron Burgundy?

Matt: They make LED inserts that go inside your factory tails, or into aftermarket housings. Gonna be looking at places like Brother's Truck Parts or LMC Truck.

[nubuilder]

Nice! Another fellow GMT400!!

Amazing (and lucky) find. If I ever have an SUV, I like the tailgate much better than barn doors.

Those tails look pretty good. I got a set off eBay that another member on another forum had that recommended them.



I went with some TYC Elegante headlights and love them. Granted, they were probably more than your eBay ones though, but this it my project/toy.


And nice choice on tires too! I have the same. When I drove it in the winter (2 winters), I was happy with the performance of them, especially for the price.

If it helps at all, I've replaced inner & outer tie rods, tie rod links, sway bar bushings & links, idler arm, pitman arm, and upper & lower balljoints....and the wheel is still loose. I'm use to it and don't really mind it. Supposedly the slop is in the rag joint going to the steering box. There's a fix for it.

[SSEiMan01]

I don't normally like green, but that Silverado is beautiful!

[CMNTMXR57]

Those tails almost look identical. Are they SONAR/SPYDER or something like that?

Yea, I'm not a huge Firestone fan, but of all the tires available, this Destination A/T was the cheapest and best performing of all of them, by a significant margin too on both perspectives. I won't lie, I've always been a fan of BFG A/T's as I've generally put them on every truck/SUV I've had, but I refuse to pay BFG's floor pricing on them anymore. Per tire, they were almost $70 more a tire and underperformed by comparison. After a couple significant snows we've had lately, I have to say, I'm VERY pleased with these tires...

I was happy when I found those cheap NEW OEM style headlights, but when I got them, I quickly found out why they were so cheap! So in the future, I may do something to upgrade them. Lighting performance with the HIR bulb conversion I did, is outstanding though. It's just the quality if the housings that cheapen them.

[nubuilder]

I don't normally like green, but that Silverado is beautiful!

Thanks! I take a lot of pride in it.
It's not perfect (rust on bottoms of the doors; typical), but someday I hope it to be. I am lucky to not have any large dents or scratches.

Those tails almost look identical. Are they SONAR/SPYDER or something like that? I have no idea. I got them off eBay from a seller gt_racers.

Yea, I'm not a huge Firestone fan, but of all the tires available, this Destination A/T was the cheapest and best performing of all of them, by a significant margin too on both perspectives. I won't lie, I've always been a fan of BFG A/T's as I've generally put them on every truck/SUV I've had, but I refuse to pay BFG's floor pricing on them anymore. Per tire, they were almost $70 more a tire and underperformed by comparison. After a couple significant snows we've had lately, I have to say, I'm VERY pleased with these tires... I only drove mine for 2 winters, but I was happy with their performance. They came almost new on the truck when I bought it.

I was happy when I found those cheap NEW OEM style headlights, but when I got them, I quickly found out why they were so cheap! So in the future, I may do something to upgrade them. Lighting performance with the HIR bulb conversion I did, is outstanding though. It's just the quality if the housings that cheapen them. If it helps you at all, the TYC headlights do have a glare cap on the low beam (which is why I bought them and wanted a reputable brand)

[CMNTMXR57]

So, kinda got some bad news back from Blackstone labs.

It has high levels of potassium and sodium in the oil. I.E. coolant. Even though it doesn't show up on the dipstick and I haven't noted any coolant loss. Otherwise wear is low.

So I will be monitoring it more and doing another analysis at the next oil change. However if the inevitable comes, and it is a head gasket, I'm playing through a couple options.

1) Simply replace the head gaskets
2) Replace with another L31 longblock
3) Replace with an HT383 drop in, add another 85hp and 100lb/ft of torque...

Problem is, #2 is about $2,500 and #3 pushes close to $5k.

[1oldman]

So, kinda got some bad news back from Blackstone labs.

It has high levels of potassium and sodium in the oil. I.E. coolant. Even though it doesn't show up on the dipstick and I haven't noted any coolant loss. Otherwise wear is low.

My very limited experience with GM small block V8's is that it's probably the LIM. That would be the cheapest and easiest - BC