454. Vortec max miles you would go?

[dhunt]

I'm looking at buying a crew cab 454. So many of them on Craig's list have 200k +. I can't imagine buying something over 150k knowing the miles will go up after I start driving it. Also what is the reliability of the 4l80 trans. Finally what does everyone think about buying a high mile 454 4l80 truck then getting a long block and having the trans rebuilt? $ of said truck + $ of long block and rebuild? Thanks guys.


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[beardeddummy]

No experience with the 454 but 97 350 has 260k maintenance is done regularly I have cracked the heads when I got it hot my fault. other than that I haven't done anything to it and it regularly sees 5500rpm. I guess what I'm saying is it wouldn't worry so much about miles as I would maintenance. that being said 300-400k it's gonna happen

 

[90halfton]

Starts, runs good, dosent use obscene amount of oil or use coolant, just run it. F the miles

 

[Christian Steffen]

I have ~230k on my 4L80e and it shows no signs of issues, just changed the fluid and filter a few weeks ago and everything looked great. I think staying cool and regular fluid changes will keep them running for quite awhile.

My engine started getting low oil pressure due to worn main bearings at about 180k which isn't great, but my family got the truck with about 100k on it and then used it for towing almost exclusively. And I also don't know how well it was treated for the first 100k of its life.

I know there are people around here with well over 200k on their 454's, like it has been said maintenance and how it was used will really determine what is left in it. A truck highway driven unloaded for 200k is much different than a truck that saw all city driving or towing for 200k.

Either way, as long as the rest of the truck is in good shape and the price is right I wouldn't shy away from it. You can drive it till it needs an overhaul, or overhaul it right away and do some upgrades while you're there. I'd leave the transmission alone unless the fluid looks/smells bad.

 

[88GMCtruck]

Between me and my friends, we have a few higher mile 454 rigs...

My 98 CCLB K3500 454/NV4500 has over 165k on it, bought it at 135k.

I recently bought a 98 Suburban K2500 454/4L80E that has 285k on it.

Devin (@83GMCK2500 on the forums) has a 96 ECLB K3500 454/NV4500 with over 300k miles on it.

Friend Jason has a ECLB 98 K2500 454/4L80E with over 200k on it, he bought it at 180k.

Friend Ted has a ECLB 97 K2500 454/NV4500 with 166k.

 

[dhunt]

Thank you everyone for the great info. That does ease my mind. I have noticed the difference between a clean 200k truck vs a dented smoking ran into the ground 200k. Maintenance records maybe be the ticket when buying high mile trucks.


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[SlowZ71]

As far as the 4L80e goes, it's all about how it was treated and if the trans temps were kept in check. Those trannies are strong. There are guys on performancetrucks.net with 700 horsepower goin through them with little more then a transgo shift kit. 290 hp and 400 ft-lbs will be just fine, as long as it wasn't abused.


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[my name is alex]

My 454 has ~70k on it and still runs strong some how!

I've read that the 454 is a pretty good engine and can go well over 300k when treated nicely. You just need to buy stock in a gas station when you get one.

Good luck!

 

[LMB1500]

It's a GM, if you take care of it, it'll run longer than you will.

My dad had an 89 (not a BBC but still a GMT400) that was one of the farm trucks, when it got parked, it had over 750K on it, only reason they parked was due to it hitting a cow.

They ran it to the ground, which ended up meaning a rebuild on the engine about every 250K, but she was still going

 

[Kacy]

Between me and my friends, we have a few higher mile 454 rigs...

My 98 CCLB K3500 454/NV4500 has over 165k on it, bought it at 135k.

I recently bought a 98 Suburban K2500 454/4L80E that has 285k on it.

Devin (@83GMCK2500 on the forums) has a 96 ECLB K3500 454/NV4500 with over 300k miles on it.

Friend Jason has a ECLB 98 K2500 454/4L80E with over 200k on it, he bought it at 180k.

Friend Ted has a ECLB 97 K2500 454/NV4500 with 166k.

i know this is an older post but look a newby used the search feature, any special maintenance for engines with those mileages? I bought a 454 Vortec from a truck that supposedly had 180k when the roof was damaged and the guy used parts for another truck. just wondering if there is anything I should do before swapping into a truck?