Question for you guys. On the intake manifold gaskets. Is it the upper or lower set that needs changed. Although for the price I could not help but do both. Any specific recommendations of brake parts. Was thinking trying the power stop brake and rotor package. Using the towing spec pads. Does Bosch still make good o2 sensors?
Bought a New old Suburban
- Thread starter panther427
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I went a little different route, buying a (relatively) low mile 2007 Tahoe last August. I had to put a couple grand in it (tires, shocks and fixing CELs) but bottom line, I absolutely love this vehicle. Drove it to FL this spring-it is a great, comfortable highway storm trooper. Made my Camaro a garage queen.
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For $1900 and a great condition Suburban, I'd just throw a new fuel pump at it, budget for a transmission replacement (though, everyone I know with a 700R4 got at least 300K out of it) and throw all of the silly maintenance items at it that would get ignored otherwise.
Gas mileage is not a concern when you have all the vehicle you want and need, and you pay $2000 for it,
12,000 miles at 10 mpg and $4 a gallon is $4800/year. Sounds like a lot.
But 12,000 miles at 30 mpg and $4 a gallon is $1800/year. So you save $3000/year by buying a new truck that gets 30mpg at $20,000+ (price of truck). Would take you 7 years to break even, assuming you could get such a truck for that price, which you can't (yet). And you would be driving a 7 year old truck, of course.
Drop the price per gallon to $3, drive less than 12,000 miles, or get better than 10 mpg, and the economics go way off scale. I say you are doing OK.
12,000 miles at 10 mpg and $4 a gallon is $4800/year. Sounds like a lot.
But 12,000 miles at 30 mpg and $4 a gallon is $1800/year. So you save $3000/year by buying a new truck that gets 30mpg at $20,000+ (price of truck). Would take you 7 years to break even, assuming you could get such a truck for that price, which you can't (yet). And you would be driving a 7 year old truck, of course.
Drop the price per gallon to $3, drive less than 12,000 miles, or get better than 10 mpg, and the economics go way off scale. I say you are doing OK.
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Originally Posted By: panther427
Question for you guys. On the intake manifold gaskets. Is it the upper or lower set that needs changed. Although for the price I could not help but do both. Any specific recommendations of brake parts. Was thinking trying the power stop brake and rotor package. Using the towing spec pads. Does Bosch still make good o2 sensors?
Check out the 2500/3500 series front callipers for the suburban. They may be a bolt-in and are dual-piston (vs single piston) with a larger swept area than what *might* be OE on the 1500 GM's. I know on the 90's RAMs it is an easy swap, and I also know Dodge 2500/3500's use the same callipers as the GM Heavy Duty trucks. So worth some investigating.
I personally would not bother with replacing rear drums with disks ... drums work fine on heavy vehicles and save wear + tear on front pads since they slow (rather than stop) better than disks.
Doing this swap works as good as or better than aftermarket "big brake" kits and is much cheaper (RockAuto kind of prices, or the junkyard).
Bosch makes a good wideband O2 sensor, not sure about the OEM (narrowband) units.
I would install a transmission temperature gauge.
Question for you guys. On the intake manifold gaskets. Is it the upper or lower set that needs changed. Although for the price I could not help but do both. Any specific recommendations of brake parts. Was thinking trying the power stop brake and rotor package. Using the towing spec pads. Does Bosch still make good o2 sensors?
Check out the 2500/3500 series front callipers for the suburban. They may be a bolt-in and are dual-piston (vs single piston) with a larger swept area than what *might* be OE on the 1500 GM's. I know on the 90's RAMs it is an easy swap, and I also know Dodge 2500/3500's use the same callipers as the GM Heavy Duty trucks. So worth some investigating.
I personally would not bother with replacing rear drums with disks ... drums work fine on heavy vehicles and save wear + tear on front pads since they slow (rather than stop) better than disks.
Doing this swap works as good as or better than aftermarket "big brake" kits and is much cheaper (RockAuto kind of prices, or the junkyard).
Bosch makes a good wideband O2 sensor, not sure about the OEM (narrowband) units.
I would install a transmission temperature gauge.
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Thanks for all the reply's. I did a few things today. Got an old radio installed so i have some tunes. SO that was 12 dollars for a wire harness and butt connectors. Went to the junk yard and picked up some missing bolts, a drivers side visor and door handle. And looked for other issues on the beast. Also it got a bottle of Techron in the tank.
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