Hey Guys; After much looking and homework I just bought what I thought was a good truck. I got a 2004 2500 2wd LB7 with 99,000 miles for 14,700. Bought it in Albequrque, NM, flew out and drove it home to Ann Arbor, MI (1560 miles) It drove great got 20 MPG @ 73 mph, but it developed a small fuel leak on the way home. I read posts on here and thought I had an injector issue so in conjunction with the dealer I bought it from, put it into the Chevy dealer to look at the injectors. Not an injector problem just a damaged fuel filter housing. (350.00)
BuTTTTTT the tech found out while examining the truck that it has a 2001 engine in it!!!!!
I am negotiating with the dealer that I bought it from to either take the truck back (fraud issues) or to give me back some money.
I have some questions
1. Is there any way to tell how many miles there is on the 2001 engine?
2. Is there any way (like a leak down test in a gasser) to tell what shape the rings and cylinders are in?
3. Is there any way to identify if the Injectors have been changed?
4. Is there any way to tell if the transmission is origional or not?

The truck body is in pristine condition no rust underneath on the frame, the engine compartment is spotless. One minor glitch with the outside temperature sensor (reading"OC" all the time) other than the engine issue, it is everthing I hoped for.
I am a capable mechanic, I have a Ford 7.3 turbo diesel in my work E-350 cube van and have torn it down on the top end to replace the oil lines. So I can do the injector repairs if needed and I could rebuild or change the engine if needed.
Should I keep the truck or just take a loss and return it? I need some uninvoled opinion/thoughts to help me make up my mind. They are offering 2000.00 to keep the truck. Thanks for listening to my ramblings.

I see I can get a vin check can anyone check it please? 1GCHC23124F129564

That sucks! I think I would ask for a lot more that 2K.

Post you VIN check in the VIN request forum as a new thread.

Wow am I to understand a stealership got wool pulled over there eyes on a trade in. It would be nice to know how many mi. are on the engine. I looked at what was supposed to be a 97 3500 hd dumping flat bed $8,900. When I got to the dealer I noticed from half way across the lot the bed was bolted down. "not quite a dump bed" Got the truck for $5,000 out the door. I would think they could come off another 1K.

Wow am I to understand a stealership got wool pulled over there eyes on a trade in. It would be nice to know how many mi. are on the engine. I looked at what was supposed to be a 97 3500 hd dumping flat bed $8,900. When I got to the dealer I noticed from half way across the lot the bed was bolted down. "not quite a dump bed" Got the truck for $5,000 out the door. I would think they could come off another 1K.

Agreed!

I thought there were major electrical differences between 2001 and 2004? So the body is 04 and the engine is totally 01 or an 01 block......

lots of questions there, you need major portions of your money back....who knows the quality of the work involved with that swap....could be a time bomb.

You can check piston/ring health with a compression test...it's a standard diagnostic, dealer should be able to do it.

make sure whatever tests you run are on the stealerships dime

make sure you factor in your travelling time, mileage etc in the compensation, if youre not going to return it

yet another shining example of a dealership having no scruples

I grew up in Albuquerque. Just curious...what dealership was it?

Injectors were replaced at 79089 in Florida per special policy. no engine was replaced that I can see. Its got the Lb7 engine there is not alot of difference between the engine except the intake baffle. Fuel system is all the same till the second generation in 04. Are you sure the tech. knows what he is talkin about?

I bought my truck from the dealer with 102k on it. I recently had the vin checked and found out the entire engine was replaced by a Chevy Dealership in South Dakota at 70k miles. Would have been nice to know ahead if time but hey I figure I have an engine with 60k miles on it rather than 130k.

Yours however was obviously replaced with a less than new motor and if it wasn't on the vin check likelyhood is it wasn't done by a dealership which makes it kinda scary

Yours however was obviously replaced with a less than new motor and if it wasn't on the vin check likelyhood is it wasn't done by a dealership which makes it kinda scary
not necessarily....the truck i bought used from a stealership had body damage, and they repainted it on the side, didnt report it to GM or Carfax...the fuggers sell carfax too....and I didnt find out until the low quality paint that was used to repaint the damaged area started hazing.....
and those bastards denied that on a warranty claim, telling me someone painted my truck (derrrrr)

The engine's are essentially the same, but keep in mind the '01 had head gasket issues and you really dont know the condition of the internals. If you want to keep it they better give you a bit more than $2000. and '04 still has a year left on the injector special policy. I don't think GM is going to cover the '01 for injector replacement...

How would you do a compression check on a diesel? I'm pretty sure it is a 2001- block at least, because it has the covering on the oil pan.

You can use this compression gauge http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93644
You can access by removing the glowplugs. Be very very careful undo-ing anything related to the G/Ps
Typical LB7 compression is around 400psi.


---or---

Call Eric Merchant and Merchant Automotive in Holland and set up an appointment. (see supporting vendor section)

Ok, you drove it 1500 miles and it ran great and got good mileage. Odds are the engine and tranny are fine. Get as much money back as you can and keep the truck. Having to return it to the dealership would be a PITA.

On 01's and head gaskets, everyone says they have problems but how many posts do you see of people changing HG's in 01's. It doesn't seem any more or less common than the other year LB7's.

Later,
Stephen

Yes it ran without a hickup except for the fuel leak and it developed a terrible smell which I found out was the batterys cooking. I have replaced both the batterys and I am going to check all ground connections on the engine to make sure they are there and tight. I had the alternator voltage checked and it was within the right range. The engine oil is crystal clear, which I never found on my Ford deisel, and the engine oil does not smell of fuel.

Thanks for the link to the gauge probably won't get it right now. Still negotiating with the dealer.
Have any of you heard of the problem I have with the temperature gauge reading"OC"?

Thanks for the link to the gauge probably won't get it right now. Still negotiating with the dealer.
Have any of you heard of the problem I have with the temperature gauge reading"OC"?

"OC" means open circuit. In other words the, the display in the rearview mirror is seeing an open circuit between the display and the outside temperature sensor.

Thanks, I will check it out.
This is why I worry about the engine change, what electrical components did they mess up or not tighten when they did the engine!

Thanks, I will check it out.
This is why I worry about the engine change, what electrical components did they mess up or not tighten when they did the engine!

Quick and easy check would be to just make sure it's plugged in.

The sensor should be in front of the condensor on a tie bar I believe.

Well here's how it turned out; After much discusion and argueing They have agreed to repay me for the repairs at the dealership and they bought me a 12 month 12,000 mile warrenty that covers the entire truck. I guess we will see how it turns out in a year. Thanks.

Quick and easy check would be to just make sure it's plugged in.

The sensor should be in front of the condensor on a tie bar I believe.


Thanks looked behind the grill and low and behold the wire was just hanging there.

12 month, 12,000 mi is not a bad deal for an 04.

Final post I hope. Put ultraviolet dye in the gas tank today and used a blacklight. No gas in the oil!!!!!!!! Found a leak at the front high pressure oil line. Tightened up the fitting and the leak appears to have stopped. Thanks to those who posted stuff about testing for leaks.

Not taking up for the dealer,but the 01-04 lb7 differences are very minor..they probably had no clue

How sure is the tech that its a 2001? What baffle is different? I would live to change out something on mine if it will improve anything.

glad to see i wasnt the only one crazy enough to fly to get a truck. I bought mine in Phoenix AZ and I live in Harrington DE. 2500 miles. Did it in 2 1/2 days. Truck ran great 70-75, 20.7 MPG. 215,000 miles. NO RUST

The truck got all new injectors while in Florida on GM's dime running great right now

Forgot to mention that the flexplate broke but it was covered under the extended warranty, good thing I got it from them.

Update on the flexplate problem. I am driving home from florida right now and the truck is running great. My flexplate had broken complety loose from the center ring. Nothing!!!!! mechanical was connecting the torque converter to the engine. Because the torque converter was jammed in tight by the transmission the bolts jammed up against the flywheel and I was able to drive 230 miles like that. Sounded terrible at a idle, torque converter was bouncing back and forth between two high spots on the flywheel, under load not so bad just some vibration. Fixed up good now.

well it looks like the truck is doiing a good job. I was retruning home Friday and was amazed at all of the Michigan plates I seen in Florida and they were all heading north.

Yep we were all hiding from the cold. Michigan is beautiful in the spring and summer. Truck made it all the way home with no issues. I hope nothing else appears.