hows it going? at the moment i don't have a truck but I'm looking for a 2nd gen 1500 for my first car. i want one with the 5.2L 318 cu 4X4. i have a few questions on the engine, is it reliable at high miles? what mpg does it get (city and highway i will be doing both)? does it have good high and low end torque (may have to pull trailers every now and again). i am also concerned about the transmission. i read that 2nd gen's had the worst in class for full size pickups for that year. is this true? and if i lift it and put bigger wheels and tiers on it will the transmission be able to handle it (not to much 3" body lie wit 33" tiers at the most)? my cousin had tad me to read around on the forum to get some opinions (he has one with a 5.9, can't afford gas in that) on the 318. i'd really appreciate any responses thank you for reading.

 

Very little difference in fuel economy between the two engines. The 5.2 isn't any better than the 5.9.

Plenum gasket will need to be fixed. Heads are weak, and prone to cracking, bottom end is pretty much bullet proof.

Yes, the transmissions in these trucks suck, right out loud. They are the most worthless piece of trash ever to be laughingly called a transmission. Mileage before failure varies quite a bit though.... I have 170K+ on mine, and still the original trans.... others get 60-100k miles before they give up the ghost. If you are going to be towing, might just as well figger on a rebuild within a year. Two at most. If you put bigger tires on it, and then tow as well... well, that will just eat it up that much faster. Re-gearing the diffs for the larger tires will offset that some, but, not exactly a cheap undertaking.

If you want something that isn't going to eat you out of house and home, don't buy one. If you are handy with a wrench, don't mind getting dirty, and have a pretty good tool collection...... doing the work yourself saves you fat piles of cash, teaches you valuable skills, and also teaches you about the truck you are driving.

I have had mine for about a year and a half now. I have done:

plenum.
spark plugs (twice...)
cap and rotor.
timing chain and gears.
water pump. (it wasn't bad, but, it had to come off for the timing set, so, I just replaced it.)
Oil pump. (due to an unmentionable dropping a rag into my motor while it was sitting with the intake off. Long story.)
Battery........ Ooops.
Rear brakes.

and an assortment of bolts/fasterners/hoses/fluids. Basically, I bought the truck, dumped another 500 or so into it, and it has been reliable, always started, always gotten me where I am going, kept me warm when required... (A/C doesn't work, haven't chased that one yet.) and only left me stranded once. (battery......) It runs great, drives pretty good for a 3/4 ton truck..... rides like there is NO suspension. But, that doesn't surprise me either.

Would I do it again, knowing what I do now? Probably, but, I would have offered the guy I bought it from about a grand less than what I paid for it.

 

@HeyYou thank you for the reply i really appreciate it. i don't mind working on the truck either i have a hole arsenal of tools lol and i know a little bit about cars and truck (most of my experience is in quads and dirt bikes) but I'm a fast learner and my dad has been doing auto body and engine mechanics for 20 + years and he knows what he's coin ( he has a 3rd gen 1500) but any way i really appreciate the reply thank