Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

On my way home from work today I pulled over to take this picture... 2003 Silverado Z71 4X4 5.3 engine... runs and drives like new...

That's incredible!!! just curious, what brand of oil do you use and do you use synthetic or conventional?

ROLAND wrote:That's incredible!!! just curious, what brand of oil do you use and do you use synthetic or conventional?

Conventional Pennzoil (yellow bottle)

In the past I used whatever was on sale... after opening up a few motors using Pennzoil I switched... it really does keep an engine clean...

My 2003 pickup only has 126K miles. At this pace, my 7.3 diesel is going to wear out when I'm 97 years old.

Congratulations on 278K miles on your truck. No matter how long it lasts, you've got your money's worth--and that's a great value.

What's so good about pickup trucks is that if kept properly maintained, you could go to a salvage yard and purchase a low mileage 5.3 motor to put in your truck--and go another 150K or more.

Now if Chevrolet can just figure out how to get those doggone electronic instrument panels to work right.

Bamaman wrote:My 2003 pickup only has 126K miles. At this pace, my 7.3 diesel is going to wear out when I'm 97 years old.

Congratulations on 278K miles on your truck. No matter how long it lasts, you've got your money's worth--and that's a great value.

What's so good about pickup trucks is that if kept properly maintained, you could go to a salvage yard and purchase a low mileage 5.3 motor to put in your truck--and go another 150K or more.

Now if Chevrolet can just figure out how to get those doggone electronic instrument panels to work right.

That's the beauty of the GM LS motors... they are completely rebuildable and cost effective to do so with virtually endless combination possibilities ... if this motor goes down... I'll go through it and put it right back in...

The instrument clusters did have a problem with the stepper motors that drive the gauges... I bought new ones on Amazon and rebuilt my cluster at home for about $20.00... disassemble, desoldered the old ones... soldered in the new ones... done...the stepper motors cost $15.00 on Amazon... then solder wick and solder probably another $5 at most... took about an hour to do...

GM initiated a recall for them... I never took mine in to have the instrument cluster replaced because it was still working... oh well... when it finally messed up it was an easy fix...

Don't have a picture, but over 340,000. 2003 F250 6.0 just now getting broken in.

Why does 90% of Chevy vehicles have only one parking light that works? Betty had 2 older body Cameros and both had signal light problems.

lakerunner wrote:Why does 90% of Chevy vehicles have only one parking light that works? Betty had 2 older body Cameros and both had signal light problems.

I've had two as well and never any problems with lights.... a 68 Camaro that I built from the ground up and a 94 Camaro... neither one had any electrical issues.

Sqlightnning wrote:Don't have a picture, but over 340,000. 2003 F250 6.0 just now getting broken in.

That is amazing.... I've heard nothing but bad things about Ford's 6.0 diesel... had any problems with yours? Most of the 6.0's have high pressure oil pump, head bolt, turbo and egr system issues.... the high pressure oil pumps are expensive by themselves... and that's after you take the entire cab off of the frame to get to it...

27,000 miles here. I'm not sure its broken in yet?

I have worked at a Ford dealer for a while so I have been around all of the diesels. 90% of the problems on the 6.0's come from lack of maintenance or putting tuners on them and turning up the boost. The biggest issue was egr & oil coolers going out. My theory on this is when the engine blocks were machined, they did not get all of the casting sand out and it would clog the egr coolers, which in turn would kill the oil coolers. On mine, I have deleted the egr cooler & valve and do not have any problems. The injector pumps are a problem on all diesels. I would take my 6.0 over any 6.4 any day of the week. The biggest thing to keeping them running is oil change every 6000 and fuel filters every 12k religiously and Motorcraft filters only.

Blessed wrote:

Sqlightnning wrote:Don't have a picture, but over 340,000. 2003 F250 6.0 just now getting broken in.

That is amazing.... I've heard nothing but bad things about Ford's 6.0 diesel... had any problems with yours? Most of the 6.0's have high pressure oil pump, head bolt, turbo and egr system issues.... the high pressure oil pumps are expensive by themselves... and that's after you take the entire cab off of the frame to get to it...

Needs gas!




Congratulations on having a good vehicle that serves you well.

My 03 F250 Has almost 170K an I had to put in the high pressure oil pump and oil cooler last winter, did not have to remove the cab. I hope it lasts me long enough I never have to buy another but the admiral disagrees. After next year I hope to retire so I will onjly use it for fun...should last many years.

lakerunner wrote:Why does 90% of Chevy vehicles have only one parking light that works? Betty had 2 older body Cameros and both had signal light problems.

Chinese made crap/ The HHR went through bulbs like Rosie O"Donnell through Twinkies. Ford F-150 has never popped a bulb in 17 years, other than the passenger air bag warning bulb.

No way he's on his original transmission. Highly doubtful original engine.

I want to see him drive it in the snow belt, the body will last 3 years.

I over 188000 and getting close to sending for my 200000 mile Cummins Badge, I didn't even send for the 100, they don't even break in fully till 300 thousand.

But with the new oil, they run for ever