My Ford Truck Project (And Other Projects)
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Not until I finish eating these Tide pods!
What are year break downs for GM trucks for models and years? Guy I work with has a 08, got new or close to it. Kept it washed regularly, body is badly rusted. I am really hankering for a 88 to 98, prefer a 92 to 95 to do another Olds V8 swap. I like them a lot better than the square bodies. Man, I hate my Dakota. Good luck on your search.
88-98ish is the GMT400, 1995 was the first year for the newer interior and 1996 they went to the Vortec stuff. Engine options for the whole run were the 4.3L, the 5.0L the 5.7L, and the 7.4L, also the 6.5L diesel. I've owned two, a 96 K1500 heavy half (basically a half ton with a 14 bolt rear) and a '99 Suburban. The Suburbans (and maybe the Tahoes) didn't go to the GMT800 platform until 2000.
99-06 is the GMT800, my personal favorite. They were a big step up from the GMT400s in build quality and especially ride quality IMO. This is when they went to the LS, the 5.3L, the 6.0L and the 8.1L in limited quantities. Not sure if/what the V6 option was. I think 2006 was the last year for a stick shift. This is also when they went to the Duramax, I think 2005+ LBZs are the ones to have.
07-13 are the GMT900s. As I've previously expressed, I think they are a downgrade from the GMT800s. I blame mid-post bankruptcy GM.
2014-2019 are the K2xx trucks. I don't know enough about them to say anything educated but I can't imagine they are worse than the GMT900s.
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I personally like the GMT400 much better for looks. All their drive trains sucked till K2xx trucks, not a LS fan with no low end torque, the 4L60-70E suck and 6 SPD shift programming in trucks is awful. The Gen 5 5.3 8 SPD pulls like an animal with way better mileage and look good, just don't like the price. It will be interesting to see how they hold up when I can afford one.
The GMT400s are really good looking trucks but they have their issues too. They also use the 4L60E and both of mine needed the valve bodies rebuilt. The spider injectors can be problematic. They have IFS but they still ride like crap which kinda defeats the purpose of having IFS. The 6.5 diesel was a dog, the Powerstoke or Cummins from the same era put it to shame. They are still good trucks, I liked the two I had.
What year Dakota do you have?
None of my GMT400s have 4L60s and I swapped my 350 over to a marine intake with a real injectors. I don't like the lack of low end torque of the LS motors, impossible to tow in OD and the early Duramaxes have their share of injector issues which = $$$$. My dually is a big block with a Whipple. I could nuke a motor or trans and be back on the road for less than a set of Dmax injectors. I like the GMT400s myself. They're refined enough and cheap to keep alive. Ironically, my crew cab dually rides better than my 1500. I attribute this to the frame being twice as thick. It's like comparing the ride quality of 2 different generations of truck.
Plot twist- I'm just egging you all into shittingg on Chevys.
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Me- 2
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Yeah, the 4L60E is junk especially towing and the aluminum front diff is weak, no posi or locker available. Still my 94 Z71 would push snow over the front bumper with just a Gov bomb in the 8.6 rear. I have a 2000 Dodge Dakota. I did the 3.9 to 5.9 swap. I went through the injector wiring three times and tried two different computers, still no #7 and #8 injector firing. So I piggy backed off the two injectors in the firing order, works sort of OK. Shakes in gear in reverse and bucks at low speeds. I had a head crack badly so I put on the Ram EQ heads. I should have glued the head gaskets in place, moved around, damaged a bit when putting iron heads on in the truck. Now a head gasket is leaking a few years later. Also no locker for the Dodge 205mm front diff, decently strong and even in 1/2 tons but no locker or posi, open is the only option. It has a 8.25" with a Track Lock. It is to heavy to float on top of snow and not heavy enough to dig down in the snow. When I do the head gaskets I am going to probe the harness to see if I somehow put the injector wires in the wrong spot. With the better first gear in the 42RE and 3.91 gears, this truck should haul *ss, like low 15's, not terrible as is , just not as good as it should be for power.
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