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Question for Silverado/Sierra 5.3 owners


FourString

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I will likely be selling my Jeep this Spring to get a 99+ Silverado or Sierra. Are there any common problems to look out for? I have heard that the 5.3 is a great motor, however I am uneasy about the 4L60E. I have been warned by a few people that it is not a great transmission. The truck would be used primarily as a daily driver, and occasional tow rig for the Talon on track days. How does everyone seem to like these trucks? How is fuel mileage on them? I have heard everything from 16-24MPG.
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I had a 2000 silverado with a 5.3L and my dad currently has a 2001 Z71 with a 5.3L. Never had a problem with either truck. Both got 18 to 20 highway. His has deffinately gotten worked harder than mine did. I towed the Formula 500 miles round trip with it and averaged 13.5 MPG without a problem.

 

Working in a dealership for a while the only problem we ever really saw with the driveline was the transfer case actuator or solenoid or something (can't remember the actual name) and that was from people that never really used the 4wd.

 

Over all I'd give the 99+ silverados an 8.5 to 9 rating out of 10.

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I had a 2000 silverado with a 5.3L and my dad currently has a 2001 Z71 with a 5.3L. Never had a problem with either truck. Both got 18 to 20 highway. His has deffinately gotten worked harder than mine did. I towed the Formula 500 miles round trip with it and averaged 13.5 MPG without a problem.

 

Working in a dealership for a while the only problem we ever really saw with the driveline was the transfer case actuator or solenoid or something (can't remember the actual name) and that was from people that never really used the 4wd.

 

Over all I'd give the 99+ silverados an 8.5 to 9 rating out of 10.

 

Yeah I have heard 18-20MPG from MANY people. That is actually better than what my Jeep Wrangler gets. Sounds like they are pretty stout trucks. Thanks for the input.

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My Avalanche has the 5.3L. I get 15 MPG mixed, 18MPG freeway only. But the Avalanche is heavier than a Silverado (sits on a Suburban frame).

 

Motor wise, I had to replace the alternator due to the bearings starting to make noise. Otherwise, nothing. Tranny has been perfect; I did add a good external cooler when I got it. Up to 118k on the truck now; owned it since 68k. Had a cat converter's internals break loose @ 116k...I, ummm, "cleared out" that issue. :)

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I have 196,xxx on my 99 5.3 silverado z71. I have DD mine for the past 3 years and love it. Great truck, as far as I know it has the stock waterpump, engine, trans, rear. The only problem I have with it is a light clunk somewhere in the driveline.

 

take the rear drive shaft out and put a rubber bouncey ball out of the $.25 machines with some white lithium greese in the slip yoke (in the tub not the spray greese) and all will be right with the world. they have a new slip yoke to fix it for like $170 or you can do that for a few bucks.

 

i have had 2 1500's and my dad has a 1500 avalanch and we have had no problems. they are good long lasting trucks.

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Mine does that, lol.

 

AJ, I still need to do this tranny thing too on the blue car. Wanna do a bouncy ball as well?

 

what tranny thing?

 

i have a feeling that those people that sell those stupid little balls are going to love CR people.

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I had a 99+ Sierra with a 3" lift and 33"x12.50 Boggers when I was 15-17. Looooooved that truck. Wish I'd have never gotten rid of it, but, at the time I wanted a WS.6 trans am, and like an idiot, traded it in.

 

Things that went wrong with my truck that were mostly self induced:

-Exploded the rear diff

-truck drove all kinds of fucked up when in 4wd. Not sure what I screwed up there

-ABS booster went out. GM wanted $900 to replace. Said 'fuck that', ripped out the ABS fuse and pulled the MIL light. All better, but no ABS. No biggie.

 

I put about 60k miles on it in the short time I had it.

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Tranny has been perfect; I did add a good external cooler when I got it.

 

That will be the first thing I do to the truck when I get it.

 

Now I am starting to get impatient. A buddy of mine let me drive his RCSB 5.3 2WD truck the other day. Soooooooo comfortable. I need to get the Jeep sold.

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Ive never seen any problems with the transmissions. What type of problems were people saying?

 

Ive pulled the shit out of stuff with them and never had a problem. i dont mean real heavy. I mean pulled like i was running from the law. As if nothing were on the back of it.

 

 

3-4 clutch pack like to burn up. the sun shell brakes and you have no reverse. those are both common problems to the 4L60E not just the C/K trucks.

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