bought a used plow truck
 

The 88 Blazer plow truck is too much of a rust bucket.

Today, I bought a 99 GMC Sierra 1500 SLE 4WD with 66,000 miles on it. I'm hoping things go better with this truck!

Also, I can use it to teach my son how to drive a standard.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...C-Sierra/1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...C-Sierra/3.jpg

4.3L V6
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...-Sierra/12.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...-Sierra/14.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...-Sierra/18.jpg

Nice work truck. I heard those years are extremely reliable. Love the stick shift :)

Nice. Didn't you just put the th400 etc in the other?

Yep. Now the transfer case is leaking.....a lot. It also has other problems like draining the batteries. Whenever I really need it, it doesn't work.

Gotcha that sucks though.

It does suck.

I'm not sure if I should keep fixing the Blazer in the Spring.....or get rid of it. It's had a hard life.

It might depend on how much I like plowing with the Sierra.

I would part out the blazer to recoup what monies you put in for the trans and such?

The only thing of value is the trans. I would definitely take that off if I end up scrapping it.

Looks like you purchased it just in time.... Hope this weekend's "Test Run" went well, you're gunna need it all for the next storm!:sFi_snowfight:

The "Test Run" went great! I turned the key and it actually started. What a difference!

The plowing went smooth too.....it didn't even break down. lol.

Wed is the real test!

Love my 99 Sierra ;)
Nice truck, sticks are rare in that body style

So far, I'm really liking it a lot. An automatic would be easier to plow with, but I wanted a want to start teaching the kid how to drive a standard.

The only real issue with the truck is rust eating out the rocker panels. I think it is a common problem on these trucks in the North East. I ordered outer rocker panels on Amazon for $50. You can see them here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

But the inside of the rocker panels are rusted out too so I'm not really sure about how to fix them. I guess I'll figure it out in the spring.

Look into Fluid Film for that rust. I bought a 2002 GMC recently and it was sprayed with this stuff every year. The truck is rust free with the exception of a few surface areas. I bought a gallon for like $50, did my whole truck, wife's Subaru, another car, and still have some left.

Great idea. Thanks!!!

I was looking to see if there is complete rocker molding/cover, but I couldn't find anything. I would like to just cut the rust parts out, seal it, and then cover the mess.

Some companies have what they call a stainless "rocker" molding, but it looks like it only covers the bottom of the door.

There is a cheap aluminum cover on EBay that might work. Both the inner and outer rockers are both rusted, so this solution might not work out that great but it would hide the outer rocker.

EBay Seller ID: rustrepairpanel
http://www.ebay.com/itm/SILVERADO-SI...16614a&vxp=mtr

Buddies truck a while back had rocker rust... Easiest was to cut a line and just weld in new rocker - then paint it right up to the weld line with POR15 - keeps the rust at bay and looked good to with a bottom stripe.....

Did he weld in slip on rockers? What did he do for the inner rocker panel?

On Youtube, this odd guy (in the comments section) wrote "on the back side i usually weld tabs from solid metal to the new rocker skin to keep it rigid.."

I think he did the slip on type and as suggested added some stiffening to it from behind - I don't think he did the inside - I don't think there that much rust.

I'll probably end up doing exactly the same thing.

Another issue with the truck is the fuel gauge. It keeps going between empty and full. It can be reading empty and then I'll close the driver side door and it will jump to full. I'm guessing it's the sending unit and I'll have to replace it in the spring. The truck might be near empty.

The other issue that might be related is 1/2 way through plowing today, the "Service Engine Soon" light came on. The code is P0300 multiple misfire detected.

I reset the code. I'll have to put more gas in and see if the error comes back.

those have bad grounds under the drivers door. well closer to the bed. its a small bolt on top of the frame rail with a black wire coming from it. usually the problem with the bad gauges. or you are right and its the sender. if you are doing pump yourself pull the bed. easier then dropping tank and dealing with evap hoses that are brittle and 15 years old.

OK, great! I'll check in the morning, and hopefully it's a ground problem.

Good idea on pulling the bed. I can hit the frame with rust prevention/encapsulation paint at the same time.

Thanks!!!

I took a look this morning and could not find the ground.

Online, I found a guy with a 94 GMC 1500. Like you said, he found his ground connected on top of the frame. It was under a electrical connector. I'll probably have to wait until I get the bed off to check this ground.
http://www.gmforum.com/attachments/g...ump-ground.jpg


http://www.gmforum.com/attachments/g...ound-frame.jpg

It's still throwing the code P0300 "multiple misfire detected".

I ordered new plugs and wires. Hopefully that will work.

Don't forget to check for a clogged injector also.

OK Ron. Will do. Thanks!!!

Frank also suggested checking the distributor cap and rotor.

Ooops. Thought it was v8. The v6 doesn't really have injector problems like the 8's do. They have a spider type tbi injection which has it's own problems.

I think you're right Ron. It looks like lots of people change it to this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I don't really understand this, but a lot of comments on it are like this one:

dave plow truck still alive lol.

Plowin like a champ Frank!

I plowed 3 times and no codes.

Then on the last time, I went to get out and like a moron, forgot I had a standard and stalled it. Then it threw a multiple misfire code.

I got spark plugs, a dist cap, rotor and amazon injectors ready for temps above 40. One of these friggin things will hopefully fix it.

my 99 used to do the misfire thing. found I have bad plug wires.
start in the dark and see if the wires glow.

Good idea Dawg. Thanks!

spark plugs, dist cap, rotor, injectors, and plug wires are in and no misfires and no stumbling at low rpms.

I took the bed off today and have to replace the fuel sending unit and figure out what the heck to do with the rusty frame.

I'm not looking for pretty, just something to stop the cancer known as rust. I have read so much crap on POR...pros and cons...that I'm not sure what to do.

I just want something fairly easy that will stop the rust. If anybody has any suggestions....I'm listening.

taking the bed off
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...P1030446-r.jpg

a forklift really helps...lol.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...P1030451-r.jpg

i hate rust...go with por15?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...P1030456-r.jpg

I like por but since it is a plow truck i would get the brush on bed liner shit and do the metal with that nothing will get theough thar shit lol

Good idea!!! I'll wire wheel the heavy stuff off, then rust reformer, then bed liner.

Rust reformer
http://www.amazon.com/Rust-Oleum-783...=Rust+Reformer
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...eL._SY355_.jpg

bed liner:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...k_ql_qh_dp_hza
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...LL._SX522_.jpg

The gas gauge problem is definitely the sender. :gripe:

I put an ohmmeter directly across the two wires where there is the moving contact along the resistor. When the float moves, the resistance just jumps around between a real high resistance and 0 ohms.

Oh well....it's been replaced and is working good now.

Today sucked.

Herculiner does not stick to rust. Had to go the POR-15 route. Over the past few days, I read the instructions and did all the steps. Degreaser, then Metal Prep and then let it dry out for 24 hours.

This morning was POR-15 paint day with the truck outside. I had on grungy pants, a long shirt, face mask and long gloves. About 1/2 way through painting, my glasses started sliding off and I reached under the mask and pushed them up and then kept on painting.

I looked in the mirror about an hour later and I had POR-15 all over my nose.

There is no good way to take this crap off. I read everything online and gas, kerosene, lacquer thinner, etc do not work. I scraped my nose until it was red, raw and bleeding.

Going into work with a weird shaving accident (lol) >> than going into work with a black nose. :fuckoff:

Yep. Today sucked.