First diesel, not my first 88-98 GM truck...

[greatwhite]

1998 6.5 TD k2500 SLE, ECLB, new to me last week. My first diesel but not first 88-98 chev truck. No rust, high kms (400,000). He was asking 7500, the wife (yes, the wife!) got him down to 5000. I told the wife what was wrong with it, but let her negotiate because I wanted the truck too badly to be objective. Heck, she got 2500 bucks off the price! I'm letting her buy all my vehicles from now on!

So, the list of what's been done so far:

Interior-
removed and shampooed front and rear seats
removed and shampooed carpet. Found the jute backing was soaking wet (used it as a duck hunting truck), let it dry for 2 days.
soap and water wash dash and door panels.
removed the 12 (yes, 12!) little green xmas tree air fresheners (smell was almost making me sick!). He was trying to cover up the wet Labrador Retriever smell (it was a duck hunting truck, remember?)
Fix faulty solder joints on 4x4 switch, works fine now.
Installed over head console with DIC and homelink.
Fixed cut release cable on rear bench seat
fixed front seat release on passenger side to access rear of cab

Body and chassis-
Driver side door pins and bushes
Replaced drivers door handle (broken)
replaced tailgate handle (seized), installed a "pop lock" on tailgate
Removed plastic "skidplate" and installed all aluminum skidplating (front, axle and transfer case)
removed front frame mounted 2" receiver hitch and installed lower bumper plastic valance
Full body wash, still have to compound, wax and buff.
Adjusted hood and body gaps

Engine-
complete wash and degrease
air fuel and oil filter. Oil change (Rotella T)
CDR valve
Dropped some Kleen flow additive in the fuel (quieted it down quite a bit)

To go-
new injectors
New windshield (cracked)
Power mirror remote switch
Front end alignment (pulls to the right)
replace steering wheel (400,000 kms of wear on it)
trans filter and oil change
Axle oil change
Stereo change
install tailgate hinge points (badly worn)
remove corroded tailgate cable and replace with earlier model "bars".

Misc info and bits-
Bought a factory service manual off ebay for 15 bucks. All four volumes!
Bought a second remote (only came with one)
Cut more keys (came with only one)
Bought 1998 sierra owners manual off ebay (anyone have a 1998 diesel supplement they want to part with?)

Eventually-
rebuild engine (300,000+ kms on it now and has some "smokey" blow-by, still runs well though!). Nothing special, maybe just a fresh stock longblock. NO REMANS!
remove body dings/damage
repaint
assorted other maintenance items/hard parts
replace rear seat belt (it's been cut halfway through somehow)
New door panels (few rips, discoloration)
New carpet (stained) new rear seat.
swap on my new BFG KO's (when the current ones wear out, about a year left on them)
Swap out the inner/outer tie rods and sleeves for new ones I have on the shelf (little slop in the steering. Ditto with the pitman arm.

That's about it, of the top of my head.....

Here's pics from the "for sale add" and how it was when I picked it up:

[crashz]

Nice ride! Lots of work, but sounds like you'll have a next-to-new truck in the end!

BTW - Welcome!

[greatwhite]

Pulled the remote mirror switch out today. Pulled it apart and found several of the circuit traces had either burn away or deteriorated.

Whipped out he ol' soldering iron, contact cleaner and a few bits of copper stands (for jumpers) and the switch is "okely dokely" again.

Then, lubed and cleaned the exterior mirror screw adjusters. Works like new.

Cost:

$0

[greatwhite]

Time to start on some audio stuff.

Ordered this today:



I'll have to unplug the factory CD player, but who really uses them anymore? Not me, it's all on ipod....

Next, I'm going to pull apart the factory radio and fix a few burnt out bulbs.

After that, my MB Quart 6.5 components will go into the doors.

Then I'll shop around for a good LOC, pop in my pioneer amps and find a place for my clarion shallow mount 10" (it's all left over stuff from other projects).

Biggest difference will be when I collect enough cash to dynamat (or whatever is the best price vs performance at the time) the cab.

finally, I'll look into adding steering wheel audio controls and that will be the end of the "audio build up".

There'll be nothing "big" or "expensive" going into this truck, but it should sound OK. As a side bonus, the dynamat should shut the diesel up a bit too.

On another note:

I gotta say, I'm really beginning to like the sound of the turbo as it spools up and down when I accelerate. I find myself looking for excuses to run 'er hard and hear that whine...