If your engine is high mileage, and it hasn't been done yet, replace the timing gears and chain as well. (go with a good double roller set, don't bother with the Morse style "silent" chain set up.)

OPS gets air bubbles in it, or something stupid like that, and they quit working properly. GM had real issues with that back a decade or so ago. Got to the point where we changed OPS with almost every oil change......

 

I will add that to my list of things to do. For now (with a limited budget) I have to focus on keeping it going. Cooling and misfires and torque converter groaning trans. And I just found out I have to change the water pump too. I will deff remember all this next time I go for a used vehicle. This truck is ending uo being a money pit. Fml

 

If you are going to do the water pump, do the timing cover/gears etc at the same time. it's six more bolts, 20 bucks worth of gaskets, and around 50 for the timing set. The mere act of removing the water pump pretty much assures that if you DON'T also do the timing cover...... you will be doing this job again within the month, when you start leaking coolant from between the timing cover and engine block.

Most of the stuff you are doing is pretty standard on a high-mileage used vehicle of any description.

 

Yeah... ummm about that. Like I said earlier, limited budget. I really dont have that much left Iin that budget either.

 

My truck has a bad idle but on take off and driving its fine. I replaced everything all sensors cap rotor Pickup coil wires plugs Crank sensor map sensor etc.... It's a 2001 2500 5.9 L Gas with 145,000 My next step after reading the forum is the Plenum gasket. My garage said it was my fuel rails or my PCM? Two high price items....Should I take my Carb off and look down to see oil? Thanks for info...

 

Do you have the money to redo this job in a week or two?

 

No but I also dont have it now. I will just have to hope it holds up and I can do it in a week or two. Besides you dont know that I will be doing it in a week or 2. But thanks for the heads up. I will keep my eyes and ears open..

 

Good Luck. You *might* get lucky..... but, I never bet on that. (my luck sucks. )

 

i will be the first to admit, this is not a fun repair. Yesterday, replaced plenum pan, gasket, thermostat n gasket, intake gasket, timing chain, gasket and the rubber piece at the bottom of the cover, bypass hose, upper and lower rad hoses, fan clutch, water pump / gasket, and of course oil/filter, and coolant. Used copper ultra permatex where needed. Followed instructions from forum, Hughes, All Data and Haynes manual cross checking. Still have to replace rear seal (figured that out when we finished) and trans fluid/filter/gasket change. Found a snapped vac line and spliced it.

Changes:
No oil sucked into intake.
Idles smooth instead if revving in neutral
Heat will cook you out of cab instead of just blowing moderately warm air
Temp gauge on dash works
Increased acceleration
No ticking sound (I now think my chain was slapping the cover...it was stretched so far I'm surprised it didn't come off)

Now my serp belt squeaks. Other than using ivory soap, is there anything I can do to shut it up? I didn't replace it bc its just over a yr old.

Still have smoke from pipe but it will take a while to blow all that crap out of my system. Glad I listened to forum and went ahead to do all at once. It took a while to gather parts and info, but completed it in approx 8 hours even with snags.

Thanks to everyone who helped me out.

 

You managed that in 8? Wow. Pretty good. Took me 15. (but, I am just slow.)

Check your belt tensioner, make sure it moves freely, and is STIFF.

Probably need to do valve seals to completely get rid of the smoking. (provided the rings are still ok.)