1998 Silverado 1500 Z71 ECSB Daily

[OutlawDrifter]

well after many hours of searching, and 4 long drives to find rusted out pickups, or issues that they forgot to tell me about, i have come home with my newest dd.

the pickup came from lake of the ozarks, by way of vegas, and orginated in california.

it has zero rust, let me repeat that, ZERO rust. the exhaust is still shiny, the frame looks brand new, and luckily enough it doesn't have any sun damage. it rolled over 200k on my trip home with it, but drives like a top and pulled off 15mpg running 75mph into a strong 30-40mph headwind.

the last 80k it was owned by a pilot who drove it twice a week between vegas and l.a. it's loaded up with captains chairs, cd player, overhead console, compass mirror, 3rd door, and push button 4wd(i would rather have a floor shift).

immediate needs include; timing cover(seal) or front main, fuel sender(gauge is wonky), oil sender(also wonky), 195 or 200* t-stat(has a 180), splash gaurds, nerf bars, manifold to headpipe donut, and a better exhaust(can't hear it running...)

eventually it will get two-toned like my last rcsb, some different wheels and tires, smoked or crystal headlights, and maybe some color matched street flares.

pictures in a day or two.

[54 jimmy]

lets see them. sounds like a sweet ride.

[OutlawDrifter]

as promised

[54 jimmy]

very nice even a third door truck. z71 option too. very clean.

[OutlawDrifter]

well the first round of parts are in, now to see if i can get it knocked out this weekend:

fuel sender/pump
fuel filter
driver's outside door handle
tailgate handle bezel
husky splash guards
195* thermostat
pcv valve
oil pressure sender(i have a feeling this may not be needed once the fuel sender is put in)
also need to get the head pipe to manifold donuts put in.

after driving for a week, i'm really enjoying it. might just end up putting wheels on it, tinting the windows, and calling it a day! definitely needs some exhaust work though, it's wayyyyy to quiet. killed my budget with the first round of parts, so i may have to chop the muffler off and dig in my scrap exhaust pile to put something together for the time being. i think i still have the 10 series flowmaster off the rcsb pickup.

[OutlawDrifter]

got all of the parts put in but the oil pressure sender. my fuel gauge works below half a tank now, but the fuel gauge and oil pressure gauge still bounce/wiggle occasionally.

when i went to take the return line off the sender the nipple broke off in the hose...that was frustrating. took me about 30 minutes to get it all dug out. gotta love that west coast fuel!

working out a plan for the exhaust right now, trying to decide if a muffler and tailpipe/tailpipes is/are the end game, or if i change out the little 1 7/8" head pipes also. still thinking a single 3" is the route i will go. when the snow is done here, i'll get some pictures to update the exterior look.

[jokerz71]

Originally Posted by OutlawDrifter

well the first round of parts are in, now to see if i can get it knocked out this weekend:

fuel sender/pump
fuel filter
driver's outside door handle
tailgate handle bezel
husky splash guards
195* thermostat
pcv valve
oil pressure sender(i have a feeling this may not be needed once the fuel sender is put in)
also need to get the head pipe to manifold donuts put in.

after driving for a week, i'm really enjoying it. might just end up putting wheels on it, tinting the windows, and calling it a day! definitely needs some exhaust work though, it's wayyyyy to quiet. killed my budget with the first round of parts, so i may have to chop the muffler off and dig in my scrap exhaust pile to put something together for the time being. i think i still have the 10 series flowmaster off the rcsb pickup.

I don't think you'll find donuts in the exhaust joint.If it's leaking there,most likely damaged,or,rotted out.
FWIW,if you can find an exhaust system from a 2500 3/4 ton,it would be a bolt in upgrade to the 1 7/8" system you have now.

[OutlawDrifter]

Originally Posted by jokerz71

I don't think you'll find donuts in the exhaust joint.If it's leaking there,most likely damaged,or,rotted out.
FWIW,if you can find an exhaust system from a 2500 3/4 ton,it would be a bolt in upgrade to the 1 7/8" system you have now.

yes, they have metal "donuts" in the joints, that is how they seal. i replaced the driver's side and fixed the leak. this exhaust is about as clean as i have ever seen. i know about the 2500's, but 2500's around my area generally see farm/ranch use, the exhaust is long gone by the time they are retired. i've been keeping an eye out, but haven't ran across one yet.

[jokerz71]

OK.Didn't know you knew about the better exhaust.It is a big difference between 2,if you can get your hands on a decent set.

[OutlawDrifter]

fixed the washer issue i was having with the pickup. first off, it was froze up being washer fluid from NV. so cranked the heater in the garage and left the pickup in there all day sunday, finally got it thawed out, but still no fluid. turns out the main hose was disconnected from the y-connection under the cowl. by the time i was done i pretty much had the whole plastic cowl out so i could clean the "nozzles". works muy bueno now!

decided to just do a muffler and single 3" tailpipe for now, i'll deal with the front half later. this pickup is so quiet it's almost eerie. i'll run a dynomax 17228, thought about a magnaflow, but unless you get the really long ones they sound like a glasspack to me. the dynomax ultraflow's have the nice deep sound and no drone!

[OutlawDrifter]

finally had a chance to get the pickup washed. nice to get all of the road grime/salt off from our last snow storm.

also shows the husky splash guards i installed. this is my second set on a gmt400, i really like the fit and durability.

[Palf70Step]

Super nice looking re[placement for the regular cab. Should work great as the family hauler

[OutlawDrifter]

Thanks Bill!

[83GMCK2500]

Good God they look so like that, like they just rolled out of Flint or Arlington Assembly (or wherever)...I'm a huge fan of the original saw blade wheels. That truck is very clean, beautiful find. I spy an upgraded alternator there as well, very nice, that's an AD244 series.

[OutlawDrifter]

Originally Posted by 83GMCK2500

Good God they look so like that, like they just rolled out of Flint or Arlington Assembly (or wherever)...I'm a huge fan of the original saw blade wheels. That truck is very clean, beautiful find. I spy an upgraded alternator there as well, very nice, that's an AD244 series.

thanks for the kind words and the tip on the alternator. one less thing to do later!

it's going to be a hard decision how far to take this pickup. i really like it as is, but want to do the headlights/turns/corners, the wheels, audio, tint, and the exhaust for sure. might just do a pinstripe after that and call it a day. the more i look at it, the more i like it the way it is.

[83GMCK2500]

Originally Posted by OutlawDrifter

thanks for the kind words and the tip on the alternator. one less thing to do later!

it's going to be a hard decision how far to take this pickup. i really like it as is, but want to do the headlights/turns/corners, the wheels, audio, tint, and the exhaust for sure. might just do a pinstripe after that and call it a day. the more i look at it, the more i like it the way it is.

Oh, a pinstripe would be nice as would tint. My cousin has a '97 GMC ECSB (also white) and we installed a Magnaflow kit on it, included the direct fit cat pipes and then everything cat back, it sounds so good.

With your mileage it may have already been done but if it hasn't I would HIGHLY recommend the upgraded fuel injection spider. Also installed on the afore mentioned '97 and he noticed better throttle response and better economy. I've done a few now between 4.3Ls and 5.7Ls and the reviews are consistently positive.

[OutlawDrifter]

yeah the spider will get done later this spring if it hasn't been done yet. i haven't pulled the top yet to look.

i'm not a magnaflow fan, i'll be running a dynomax ultraflow for muffler choice. still trying to decide if i'm going to do headers or not, so i'm up in the air on the tiny headpipes right now. i'm going to have some tuning done by aknovaman, so getting rid of the egr and rear o2 sensors won't be a huge issue. i think i'll still run cats on this pickup just so i don't have to smell like gas all the time.

[83GMCK2500]

Originally Posted by OutlawDrifter

yeah the spider will get done later this spring if it hasn't been done yet. i haven't pulled the top yet to look.

i'm not a magnaflow fan, i'll be running a dynomax ultraflow for muffler choice. still trying to decide if i'm going to do headers or not, so i'm up in the air on the tiny headpipes right now. i'm going to have some tuning done by aknovaman, so getting rid of the egr and rear o2 sensors won't be a huge issue. i think i'll still run cats on this pickup just so i don't have to smell like gas all the time.

Sounds good. Know of any decent videos or sound clips of the dynomax ultraflow? I don't know that I've heard one. This all sounds REALLY familiar right now, I've got a broken baffle in the muffler on my '96 and it sounds awful, need to put some money into my own exhaust. Can't decide if I want headers or not...

[OutlawDrifter]

the best video i found was this one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjjqV6mXtmc

skip to about 2:10 in the video. this gives you a good idea, and this is with 2 1/4" pipes not 2.5 or 3"

the ultraflow is nice and deep, yet it has none of that glasspack pop and crackle that you get with the magnaflows. it has an amazing tone, i wish i would have gotten a clip of my 95' RCSB. it sounded sweet, best i've heard for a stock cam tbi 350. my setup on the RCSB had mid length headers, custom y pipe, no cats, and a 3" in out ultraflow to a single 3" tailpipe. no drone whatsoever.

[OutlawDrifter]

Did a quick paint job on the emblem to see if I liked it. I was thinking about doing the red and black sport emblem, but this done right and some clear should fit the bill.

[Palf70Step]

[OutlawDrifter]

exhaust is ordered!

lawson stainless y-merge, dynomax 17233 ultraflow, and a magnaflow 15044 3.5" stainless tailpipe. the tailpipe is overkill, but for $59 shipped to my door for a stainless tailpipe, i'll give up a little velocity.

this will take care of the back half of the exhaust all in stainless and give me some time to decide what to do on the front side. this 17233 is the 20" case, so it should be a nice deep mellow tone until you stand on it. i was going to use the 17221, but i want this pickup to be quieter than the last one inside.

[Palf70Step]

I just put that muffler and dual exhaust on my 07 with a 4.8. You should like it alot. Very unobtrusive in the cab unless you give it some go. Sounds real good outside though!

http://vidmg.photobucket.com/albums/...p/NewPipes.mp4

[OutlawDrifter]

good to know! i figured it should work out pretty well.

[OutlawDrifter]

gratuitous parts picture! still waiting on the tailpipe, trying to decide if i should just knock the front half out while i'm at it....might just order the jeg's off-road pipe and call it a day. exhaust shops around here really drag their feet when you want "custom" work. someday i'm going to find an old hydraulic pipe bender with the dies and i won't have to worry about it anymore.