Maintenance Check List

[lts1ow]

Kinda a dumb question but wanna make sure I am not forgetting anything.

So far, truck has had...

Engine Oil/Filter every 3k
Gets a new air filter often
Trans Fluid at 100k and filter every 10k
Fuel filter is a CAT
Front/Rear Diff fluid changed
Tcase fluid changed
Brake fluid flushed
Hydroboost/PS fluid flushed
Both idler pulleys replaced and a new belt

Now, truck is at 136k, when should I change out the coolant,and what should I use, just Dex again? And then is there any thing else I should start focusing on as far as parts getting old and replace before break? It needs some suspension and brake line work for sure.

 

[btfarm]

Coolant should be done from 150-200k. I just went with Shell's version of Dexcool after a drain and 2x fill and drain with distilled water.

Sent from my SCH-I535

 

[andy-stevenson]

Grease the front end parts? Do you use any kind of fuel additive?

 

[lts1ow]

Coolant should be done from 150-200k. I just went with Shell's version of Dexcool after a drain and 2x fill and drain with distilled water.

Sent from my SCH-I535

Any thoughts on going to a cat fluid for coolant? Friend may use it for his old PSD and may go halves.

Grease the front end parts? Do you use any kind of fuel additive?

Grease it every oil change, and occasionally will toss some additive in. Balance rates stay well within range if I am good with additives and filter changes.

 

[btfarm]

Any thoughts on going to a cat fluid for coolant? Friend may use it for his old PSD and may go halves.

I've heard good things about the Cat alternative and wouldn't hesitate to go that direction but I would be REAL sure I did enough distilled water rinse/flush because of possible chemical incompatibility. Maybe it's nothing to be worried about.

 

[Hot COCOAL]

Other things I might check out

Wheel bearings, brake pads and rotors, u-joints, lube the door guides, maybe check the rear of the t-case for pump rub, both UCA and LCA bushings and possibly upgrade to poly, ball joints and steering components like the idler and pitman arms and tie rods, swaybar endlink bushings, leaf spring bushings, make sure the spare tire is inflated properly (cuz there's nothing worse than putting on a flat spare!) serpentine and accy belts and all the pulleys, charge the A/C system....

Iirc the coolant needs to be changed every 5yrs (dex cool only, 2yrs on others) or every 100k
If you switch out the dex cool, you can never go back to it and retain the long life expectancy.

 

[Ne-max]

I would not suggest cat coolant. Not many places sell it so if you have a issue on the road your screwed.

 

[lts1ow]

I talked some more with my buddy and came to the conclusion that the risk of a potential issue from mixing stuff with old dex isn't worth it. So gonna flush it and toss in new dex/distilled.

Brake pads/rotors look really good, steering is tight, it has new outers. Really the next big purchase will be shocks/struts, which I plan on doing OE replacements so nothing fancy.

Thanks for the ideas, keep em coming :thumb:

 

[PhilsLB7]

Might as well change both t-stats while you're changing the coolant if it hasn't already been done. Pretty easy to do.

 

[lts1ow]

Might as well change both t-stats while you're changing the coolant if it hasn't already been done. Pretty easy to do.

Whats their service life span and what are symptoms of when they go bad?

 

[yellowchevy]

Whats their service life span and what are symptoms of when they go bad?

I have nothing to back me up but I would say 100k miles.

What I noticed with mine was it would take a long time for it to warm up when around 40 F outside, which I felt wasn't cold enough to need a cold front but it should still warm up fine. After I swapped them out it comes up to temperature quicker and seems to stay at operating temperature better.
There maybe other symptoms but that's what I noticed.

When I swapped turbo's I replaced both thermostats and coolant. I used detroit diesel power cool plus diluted 50/50 extended service. It's red in color and not the cheapest but from my reading people really like it and it had good reviews. I want to say it was $50 a gallon but I did the work about 1 1/2hrs ago.

I would strongly suggest that if you're going to replace the thermostats and coolant that you get the forward facing van thermostat housing to clean up the engine bay. Just saying

Yellowchevy

 

[Dozerboy]

Tstats ain't a service idem. I wouldn't change them unless your truck doesn't warm up as well as you would like.


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[OregonDMAX]

Tstats ain't a service idem. I wouldn't change them unless your truck doesn't warm up as well as you would like.


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Its not if they fail but when. Might as well do them if you are flushing coolant.

 

[lts1ow]

Its not if they fail but when. Might as well do them if you are flushing coolant.

Ok, 185* front and 180* rear?

 

[btfarm]

Its not if they fail but when. Might as well do them if you are flushing coolant.

I guess my LBZ 'stats didn't get that memo...

 

[OregonDMAX]

I guess my LBZ 'stats didn't get that memo...

Some last longer then others that is true. Mine made it to 120k

 

[Dozerboy]

Mine have never been right... I just haven't bothered to do them. It not the end of the world truck just runs a bit cooler.



I sure wouldn't do them just cause. By that rational lb7 guys should change there injectors every few years just cause.


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[Chevy1925]

Most will stay open when bad which is a good safety net and when replaced, they should be done with comparable ones, not the cheapys that don't have that fail safe.

They are by no means a interval replacement item. Mine went 170k till I decided to change them for a little cooler setup for summer time towing. I still have them as spares should one stick closed for some reason

 

[IronDX]

Iv read on forums to change the coolant every 5 years or 100,000 miles. Using Dexcool.