truck i'm considering; in Florida (it's whole life), '96, 2500, x-cab, 6.5l, 4x4, 3.73's, auto, 90k. told it runs/drives great, looks like new, 1 owner, service records, new IP, $7500. has a D-celerator and 3 gauges on column, don't know of any other mod's, had a fifth wheel. i would get a GM dealer pre sale inspection (pull diff cover to inspect for corrosion?). carfax (clean report) says it was traded 11/28/07 at a Ford dealer (and fully serviced at that time), sent to this dealer 4/3/08. i have a dozen pictures, paint&interior like new, he swears it drives like new, power it should have. why it has sat so long, i don't know. odometer reading is w/in several miles when comparing to carfax since 11/28/07. should i have any concerns of that? i bought a '04.5 Dodge w/cummins w/135k last Fall had it dealer inspected, they claimed "no blow by". w/in 500 miles i was down over a qt of oil, calculated to 350miles per qt. serious blow by from vent tube. previous owner had a chip on it (velcro pcs left on fuse box) w/o gauges, burned a cylinder. is there any concern here? or how to check for blow by, remove oil fill cap when idling? considering the truck as i stated, concerns w/engine or transmission, driveline components (i.e.; oil not being sloshed in the rear end can allow rust?), ect? granted, anything can happen @ mile 1 or mile 91k, ect. i ask, because, i hate to just go ahead w/o asking the opinion of others that have the same trucks.
i'm looking forward to getting back into my favorite truck ('95-'00 GM), the 12V Cummins in my '98 Dodge is great, but hate driving the truck - ergonomics - what's that? i will miss back doors.
any recommendations on a service manual? i have a haynes for the truck and a seperate one for the deisel.
any input is appreciated. i have been getting lot's of great info off this site and making lists of upgrades, thanks, jon

the '96 chev have back doors?

If so, buy it if you like it, if that's what you need. Blow-by (which at 90k will be none probably) can be observed with the oil fill cap off at idle.

dont think sitting will hurt it any.....my truck has sat for months on end then drove for a month of 2 then sat again for months on end again then drove for 2 months and now i over heated the stupid thing so it is sitting again while i repair it "yee haw for me!":( i dont think youll have any problem though with only that many miles its still brand new lol

Too late, I sniped it.:eek: :D

Sucks you got suckered on your other truck.

I am shopping for a truck these days too. From here at the site I learned in 97 the 6.5 cooling system was upgraded with a dual thermostat setup and a high volume and/or pressure water pump. So I'm shopping in the 97 - 2000 range. Many a truck owners spend the time and money swapping in the upgraded cooling options.

If its an F code in the vin the vacuum system for the the waste gate is simple, just 2 lines till you replace it with something better.

I paid for 60 days of unlimited title checks. I've found many a truck in Florida as 1 owner or local trucks that lived up north dying a slow salty death. Bring them south from an auto auction, add about 80% humidity and you got a fast dying truck. :o:

I have drove to look at a few that the sellers opinion of nice/new/excellent was not exactly what I called good. Do your homework before driving that far. Good luck on your search!

Beware of shiny black krylon painted chassis. Check the exhaust out good. If you have the VIN, run it through the VIN check here if your serious about the truck, you can see any service work done at the dealer.

i bought my truck in nov, of 07 had 89k on it .since then i have replaced motor, ip, pmd, twice turbo , and the next thing will probabley need a raidiator. it needs 2500$ worth of mods . i can drive my 98 international 4700 dt4666e for about the same cost per mile it gets about 6 mpg but i like my chevy

Check the radiator hose to make sure the cooling system isn't pressurized do this when engine is cold. Presurized cooling system, burned coolant out the exhaust, green color inside tail pipe or grimy antifreeze are probubly the only way to check for blown head gasket or cracked head. After the engine is warmed up and you have driven it pull the oil filler cap and check for visible blow by, there should be little to none.

what the heck happened to the '98 to require all the replacement parts? did it overheat, ect? did it seem well maintiained?

the biggest worry i have is - i currently have a '98 dodge 12vcummins, runs great, no real worries i can really imagine, it's a simple durable engine. i hate the ergonomics, the way it drives, the auto trans, the way it looks, ..... but the 6.5l (i had a new one in '95 for 30k miles) is a good engine for the most part. may be good for 200k w/o a problem OR may have a major problem at 60k - head gaskets, heads, cracked blocks, ..... most problems i understand seem to be related to cooling system issues- upgrade to dual 195F thermostats, be sure radiator isn't clogged (just flush it out w/water?). along w/the other upgrades i've read about - remote PMD, ect.
i'll add to my list to check - pressurized cooling lines as stated above and check for blow by.
then as long as it seems the truck is in good condition, i'll make the necessary mod's to keep it that way. is that enough?
granted, ANYTHING mechanical is subject to breakdown.
i hate to think i'm just driving a time bomb waiting to blow something.
jon

My truck sat for 2 years before I purchased it. It fired right up and died, the other owner installed the fuel filter wrong and it was not getting any fuel. I have done normal maint on the truck and it has been great. Just wish I could be the one driving it everyday!

i bought my truck in nov, of 07 had 89k on it .since then i have replaced motor, ip, pmd, twice turbo , and the next thing will probabley need a raidiator. it needs 2500$ worth of mods . i can drive my 98 international 4700 dt4666e for about the same cost per mile it gets about 6 mpg but i like my chevy

I bought my 1997 in JAN 08 TRUCK was very clean interior and paint,fell in love with the truck and neglected to do under hood inspections IP,lift pump,ops, power steering pump, many fluid leaks,fuel filter housing,rear brakes,AC compressor.Good thing is no blowby and vin report came back clear.Be careful when looking at trucks.My 97 was bought with 85,000 verified miles.I also over payed.But I really like the truck.

VIN history report states two warranty claims, one was IP @ 62K/in '03. now @ 90k, had it just replaced.
it is going to the local GMC dealer for a presale inspection (requested all basic info- oil leaks, all fluids condition, brakes, steering, tires, overall engine/trans, ect...., test drive), then before i commit, i'll do my own look over. good poit in earlier post - blowby w/oil cap off and check for pressurized rad. hose - is this the UPPER radiator hose that leads to the top of the radiator?
drove my boss's wife's '08 Tahoe LTZ today (from the body shop- back up camera and "sonar" and still backed into their Mercedes w/it, go figure), can't wait to get back into my own GM truck - they "just fit".
jon

i had the truck sent to the local GMC dealer. they noticed fuel and oil leaking under the truck. diagnosed as a blown head gasket. service manager said a gasoline engine would show as leaking coolant, diesel will show as leaking oil and fuel. new one to me, but that's what he said. truck has 90k, service manager said it looks real good and drives (and runs) very well, needs a front end alignment, but mechanically good besides that.
i could offer $1500 less than the $7500 asking price and do the gaskets (both) myself. i figure w/90k, the bottom end shouldn't be damaged, but just don't know. are there other concerns if it appears a a blown head gasket? other than possibly new heads.
or should i just walk away? there really isn't much for sale that i see of interest for a 8-13 year old truck.
jon

i don't think a blown headgasket would show as leaking fuel. a diesel will burn coolant just like a gasser will with a blown headgasket. i think that dealer just wants money out of you. if the headgasket was blown you'd either be burning coolant(white smoke when hot), getting exhaust pressure into the coolant system or have milky oil/oily coolant. a blown headgasket won't show as fuel leaking as far as i've ever heard. i'd say take it somewhere else and don't say a word to the second place about a possible headgasket issue and see what they tell you. sounds like the dealer wants your cash, and don't care how they get it.

sounds like you may have a rotten fuel line and an oil leak. not too surprising for trucks as old as they are. oil leaks are easy usually. change the CDR valve, make sure the valve cover bolts are tight, make sure your oil pan bolts are tight, and make sure you've got a new crush washer on the drain plug and you should be good.

as for fuel lines check the lines in the engine valley under the intake as they tend to go and fill the engine valley with fuel. if you've got fuel in the engine valley i'd say pull the upper plenum and the intake and replace the fuel lines. also check where the WIF and fuel heater are in the fuel filter housing as the o-rings can go bad over time.

Blown headgasket leaking fuel and oil?
Hmmm, I'm pretty sure that if my tranny is worn, it will start leaking engine coolant...
Oil leak should rather be caused by valve cover gaskett or something like that, fuel leak might be caused by rotten lines or seals (e.g the one in fuel filter housing).
- when cold, start engine and see if the upper rad hose gets hard. If it is, that could say you get a blown head gasket,
-check if you can see or hear bubbles in the recovery tank, or find water in oil (mayonnaise at the dipstick or oil filler),
- do you see white smoke smelling coolant?

those are the signs of a blown headgasket

I agree 100% with iamdave...

Hmmm, I'm pretty sure that if my tranny is worn, it will start leaking engine coolant...


*in scientific type voice* "well theres your problem" :p::D

all the input is appreciated. i am doing my best to make an educated decision on the truck. cosmetically it looks good, dealer said it runs/drives real good. if i can get it priced right, i wouldn't mind spending some time cleaning and replacing all the misc leaks under the hood - that doesn't bother me, as long as i feel confident in the structural integrity of the engine - bottom end, heads and head gaskets (the expensive stuff). i'll go thru the fuel lines, CDR, OPS, EGR, ........, gaskets, ect.
i never heard of a head gasket leak that would cause fuel or oil leaks. but, he must know, he's a GMC service manager! i have been scratching my head all evening, how the heck that would happen. BTW, he quoted me $1500 to replace the head gaskets (maybe a few hundred more to cover incidentals), however, because it is 12 years old, he won't touch it. too many chances that it could go further than just the gaskets.
i told the selling dealer what i was told, i said i'd sleep on it.
he has it listed for $7500, should i offer him $6000 as is and then just go thru it myself? like i said, i'd go thru all the potential problems and leaks. should i have any concerns of catastrophic problems? when i go to inspect and drive the truck, i'll check the pressure at the upper rad. hose - start the truck when cold (before it warms up), allow to idle, grab upper radiator hose. if it's fine, then no head gaskets. also, after warmed up, remove the oil cap - look for blow by. so, is the truck still is a possiblity. there just isn't much available for sale, that i like.
thanks for all the info.
jon

If it has a blown head gasket it does not run and drive great!!! I blew the headgasket in my 85 6.9 F250 and it DID NOT RUN GOOD at all. Start it and in 2 minutes the temp went crazy.....blown headgasket will not cause a fuel leak in my opinion. Sounds like a dealer wants some cash due to hard times for his mechanics! Buddy of mine had botrh his blow on his 05 F250 6.0 and he had to be towed........

trust us the headgaskets aren't blown on that truck. you'd be surprised how little the GM dealers know about these trucks. GM thinks everything on our trucks is either headgaskets or injection pump. high fuel prices oh you need a new injection pump. don't replace the headgaskets they aren't blown. if it ain't broke.....

if it ain't broke.....
don't fix it :D

i would offer them $5000.00. the dealers are having a hard time getting trucks sold at this time. you can always go up. bought my 94 two years ago for 2500.00 and just now started having minor problems. the typical thing that go wrong with age.

truck i'm considering; in Florida (it's whole life), '96, 2500, x-cab, 6.5l, 4x4, 3.73's, auto, 90k. told it runs/drives great, looks like new, 1 owner, service records, new IP, $7500. has a D-celerator and 3 gauges on column, don't know of any other mod's, had a fifth wheel. i would get a GM dealer pre sale inspection (pull diff cover to inspect for corrosion?). carfax (clean report) says it was traded 11/28/07 at a Ford dealer (and fully serviced at that time), sent to this dealer 4/3/08. i have a dozen pictures, paint&interior like new, he swears it drives like new, power it should have. why it has sat so long, i don't know. odometer reading is w/in several miles when comparing to carfax since 11/28/07. should i have any concerns of that? i bought a '04.5 Dodge w/cummins w/135k last Fall had it dealer inspected, they claimed "no blow by". w/in 500 miles i was down over a qt of oil, calculated to 350miles per qt. serious blow by from vent tube. previous owner had a chip on it (velcro pcs left on fuse box) w/o gauges, burned a cylinder. is there any concern here? or how to check for blow by, remove oil fill cap when idling? considering the truck as i stated, concerns w/engine or transmission, driveline components (i.e.; oil not being sloshed in the rear end can allow rust?), ect? granted, anything can happen @ mile 1 or mile 91k, ect. i ask, because, i hate to just go ahead w/o asking the opinion of others that have the same trucks.
i'm looking forward to getting back into my favorite truck ('95-'00 GM), the 12V Cummins in my '98 Dodge is great, but hate driving the truck - ergonomics - what's that? i will miss back doors.
any recommendations on a service manual? i have a haynes for the truck and a seperate one for the deisel.
any input is appreciated. i have been getting lot's of great info off this site and making lists of upgrades, thanks, jon

Where abouts in florida is it? When i was on vacation I looked at a truck very very similiar to that at small dealer that wholesaled it from a ford dealer around that time frame. I very much doubt its the same truck but damn that one owner traded in at ford dealer spiel just sounds familiar.

pensacola. seems like it has sat for quite a while, but looks good in the pic's. has some surfaces scratches in the paint but does have a good shine to the paint.
jon

salesman told me yesterday - they put around $1500 into it, had their mechanic call me to tell me what they did to it. bit of a language barrier -me from New England, him from Florida, i missed a few words.
they bought it not running - '96 w/90k, one owner, real clean. scan told them it was an IP. VIN history report shows an IP at 62k in '03 under warranty. had a lot of noise coming from one cylinder. pulled the head . found #3 cylinder scored, piston burned thru, bent rod. right now i got a big lump in my throat - "ok...". "gee, i wonder why it got traded in? or, at a Ford dealer - new Powerstroke?"
he says it is from pulling too much weight, or over fueling. said a few more things, just hard to understand his accent.
pulled the engine, stripped the block bare (pistons, rods, crank, cam, ect) and sent to an automotive machine shop - been in business a long time in town, known for good work. they bored and sleeved that one cylinder to keep stock size piston - he says there is a ridge on the top of the sleeve that locks it in place, can't slide up or down. everything else look as he said "like brand new" (i'll take his word on that), new cam bearings, new bearings (rod and/or main, can't remember). he re assembled it. says it runs fine.
still needs to look at it when it gets back to see what's leaking oil or fuel.
he said they can't spend the money for a reman short or long block, they have to repair what they can. that's my worry dealing w/a used car dealer.
i would have loved to have gotten that truck w/the blown engine cheap and put in a new crate engine.
i certainly wouldn't pay the $7500, but offer $5000, hold onto something for when the engine blows up again - certainly no where near $7500 they are asking.
he said everything looked good inside the engine, the sleeve just sounds like a "mickey mouse" repair.
there really isn't a lot available for trucks - autotrader and ebay.
jon

It sounds like the truck has been run hard and not maintained well. IMO i would continue to look around. I was looking in the "for sale" here and saw a few 6.5L that the sellers were looking for buyers. some of them look pretty good. you might have to make a road trip but what better way to learn your new truck.

P.S. they were listed around your price range