1998 GMC K2500 ECLB Build

[PolarBear]

Recently traded a spare 1998 Silverado K2500 RCLB 454 Vortec truck for this 98 GMC. I paid $700 for the Silverado and drove it home.

Here's the $700 454 monstrosity!

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I did pick up some PYO's for $100

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Then, managed a SMOKING deal on some 265/75/16 Falken A/T Tires for $530 with tax.

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Fast forward, I had a kid offer me his 98 GMC K2500 with 191K, 5.7 Vortec / 4L80E, with every single option checked for 1998 but leather, big block / diesel.

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Naturally, I was on the way with the RCLB to trade! After trailering it 2 hours to his house, switching wheels and tires and working an even trade. The 98 GMC was mine.

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The GMC sat for nearly two months due to "electrical" gremlins. The truck suddenly quit while driving down the road. So the Previous owner did the following:
Brand new complete ignition system
Brand new heads & gaskets
Brand new CPI to MPFI Delphi injection swap
Brand new starter
EVERY sensor under the hood was BRAND NEW.
Brand new timing chain and gear set.
Brand new crank sensor pigtal

How the engine bay looked when I got it home...

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He replaced the ECM as well, because he thought the original was bad.

I put a brand new battery in the truck, tried to start it.... No start, ran codes. The only one that popped up was a crank sensor performance code.

I dug back into the motor, pulled the crank sensor, examined the pigtail. Found the pigtail was wired incorrectly, the 12V reference and the crank sensor output signal was reversed in the connector. Repinned the connector, tried to start. Still nothing.... Then I found this.....

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Uh.... hand me another beer dear.... Somethings not right here. The crank pulley is 1/4" out forward of the rest of the pulleys! WTF? At this point I decided to look up through the crank sensor hole in the timing cover, I found the crank reluctor wheel was 1/4" too far forward in the hole and the truck wasn't picking up the crank signal. Thus the no-fire issue.

I tore the entire frontend back apart, down to the timing set. Found the crank gear wasn't fully seated! After fully installing the gear, buttoning the frontend back up. Doing a security relearn on the new ecm..... THE TRUCK FIRED RIGHT UP! After sitting two months!

I tried to move it at that point to verify the condition of the transmission, it laid over right into a 3rd gear start! !

Back to pulling codes, the truck was throwing 3 4L60E related codes..... But.... this is a 4L80E truck??? I found the ECM was tuned for a 98-99 Suburban with a 5.7 / 4L60E. I replaced the factory ECM and all was well!

Since that point, i've driven it quite a bit. I love the fact that the factory keyless entry works.

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I've added LED tails, GMC center caps, Clear headlights, park lights and marker lights, done a 4HI mod, HID headlights. I have a few things left to do, such as replace the exhaust. (Previous owner cut it off after the cats because he thought it sounded "good") And install a new windshield.

I picked up a decent diesel bumper, which is going to be installed tomorrow. I still need to pickup a brand new front license plate bracket.

Before:

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After: (My AWESOME wife's polish job on the bumper!)

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I also have a brand new CD player to add to the truck, which won't happen this weekend. I need to source a nice pewter right front fender to replace the dented one.

I believe the only other things i'll do to this truck is a 3" body lift, window tint job and a clear LED third brake lamp.

I'll update with new shots of the bumper and headlights installed tomorrow!

 

[SixSpeedSS]

Definitely an upgrade. I like these trucks in pewter. I did a color change on my last K1500 ECLB to pewter.

I've done a bunch of work to my k2500 (including rebuilding the motor), but I'm still not happy with how it tows. I'd love to find a complete 7.4L swap. I've even been looking for an 8.1L/Allison swap. More a summertime swap for me, as I am too busy with other projects in the winter months. I was even thinking a single turbo on the 5.7 (since it is fresh).

 

[98chevyz71]

Looks good!!!

 

[PolarBear]

Definitely an upgrade. I like these trucks in pewter. I did a color change on my last K1500 ECLB to pewter.

I've done a bunch of work to my k2500 (including rebuilding the motor), but I'm still not happy with how it tows. I'd love to find a complete 7.4L swap. I've even been looking for an 8.1L/Allison swap. More a summertime swap for me, as I am too busy with other projects in the winter months. I was even thinking a single turbo on the 5.7 (since it is fresh).

I understand the feeling! With my 98 K2500 ECLB Silverado I had, the towing capacity wasn't very thrilling at all. I once had 7,000lbs of building materials on a 2,000lb 22' flat deck trailer and another 1,500lbs of materials and new appliances in the bed and I was very let down with the ability of the truck.

This GMC feel's a ton stronger, which i'm not sure of the difference, if any. The 98 Chevy had a brand new GM crate engine in it with 3500 miles when I bought it.

Is your K2500 optioned with 4.10 gears??

 

[PolarBear]

Looks good!!!

Thank you!

I don't know why, I could have ANY truck I want. But these ECLB's just strum my cords.

 

[twomanymontes]

Nice truck! Love the Pewter color on the larger trucks. Bumper polished up nicely too!

 

[thz71]

Lookin good man keep us updated

 

[PolarBear]

So, I tore the frontend off an hour ago and swapped in the new front bumper, also fixed the grille sag. Which definately made the grille to hood gap substantially smaller!

Also decided it was time for some updated pictures of the truck.

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It has become pretty apparent the truck needs an alignment, as the camber on the passenger front wheel is so negative. Which is odd, as the truck drives great down the road.

I'm also considering ditching the luverne brand step bars and welding up a set of n-fab style bars. Thoughts?

I'm also leaning towards a 3" body lift, which i've never owned a truck with a body lift. All of mine have had suspension lifts.

Left on the to-do list:
Replace front windshield
Get an alignment
Order factory replacement cat-back
Replace passenger side mirror (someone walked through my backyard on halloween and ran right into the housing and broke the housing free from the mirror mechanism.

 

[The Baron]

Wow this brings back deja vu, my dad's truck that I grew up with was just like this but Red on tan. Personally I like the look of the N fab steps, but I don't know how they'd look with the body lift(Do they attach to the frame? if so I wouldn't add them). I don't mind my body lift, just make sure you clean your frame, and get filler panels. Plus it gives you a gap which for me is nice because its easy to work on certain things. Also, that thing is begging for some Tow's.

 

[95C1500]

nfabs mount to the rockers so they aren't affected by body lifts