77Conours's 2003 Duramax ECSB Build Thread

[77Concours]

Little update:

I received my AutoMeter triple pillar from Jegs a week ago and the fitment is awesome. Unfortunately, it came in black so I needed to color match it to my "very dark pewter" interior. I did some research on the internet and found that SEM carried it in the color I needed. The cheapest I could find it was at R&E Paint Supply at $10.99 a can I was a little apprehensive due to the price but today I finally painted my pillar and the covers for the screws. This spray paint is an excellent product! No smell, even spray pattern. I may have to put a 2nd or 3rd coat on but its the exact match. I highly recommend them and I've seen SEM mentioned around the forums. A must have if you have OCD like myself lol.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[77Concours]

The fall Carlisle swap meet was good to both myself and my truck but not my wallet. Plus I took a girl from work on a date that evening to the tune of $42 but here's a list of things I got:

-S&B cold air intake with a free t-shirt thrown in
-Recon LED smoked 3rd brake light AND smoked LED cab lights for only $165! I saved about $35
-Traded in my 95's sales brochure for a 2003 Chevrolet Trucks brochure
-Traded the paint to match grill originally planned for my '95 for a carbon fiber grill for my '03 and I got a painted black bowtie for a total of $80
-A bill at Chili's that night for $26 AND 2 movie tickets for $16.....totally worth it

Intake is going in Thursday.

 

[Gopedxr]

If its got skirts or wheels it will cost you! Haha ive learned the hard way. Cool truck cant wait to see more pics!

 

[77Concours]

If its got skirts or wheels it will cost you! Haha ive learned the hard way. Cool truck cant wait to see more pics!

Let me tell ya, she's a great girl. Smart, cute, and understands how much I like cars. But this weekend she wants to go to some haunted hayride/attraction place that's 40 minutes away and costs $96 for both of us. I've been trying to find cheaper alternatives....

 

[77Concours]

Added some parts on Tuesday!

Got my smoked cab lights on and the LEDs look sweet at night and are much brighter than the factory units, probably my favorite modification of my truck so far. The picture doesn't do them justice at all.

You must be registered for see images attach

Also had my neighbor help me out with my S&B CAI. Fit quality was great until it came to the Lexan that covered the air box where the filter goes. A little time on the drill press and the screws fit better than originally. The acceleration isn't tremendous but it is noticeable. I can also here the turbo whistle a tad more

You must be registered for see images attach

Last but not least my Glowshift gauges arrived today. I've heard a lot of people complain about the quality of them and the gauges seem decently built I can't speak for the pods because I heard so many bad things about fitment that I ordered a pillar from Autometer. I got the tinted 7 series and I can seem them just fine without them even plugged in. Set them in my pillar pod which required a dremel tool to get them to fit (no big deal) and mocked them up in my truck. My iPhone decided to delete the picture so we'll just wait until they're installed.

That's it for now until I get my Air Dog lift pump then gauges and pump will be going in!

 

[77Concours]

Wow its been awhile! Not too much has happened to my truck, just driving it to school and work. Winter has finally set in here in central PA and I really didn't expect a diesel to be this much work. I plug it in every night and put fuel additive in every fill up.

I installed some smoked LED tail lights from eBay and so far they're awesome! I also installed my CB whips because my mom was complaining about them being in the basement, now I just look like a poser with them on and no coax cable.

I ordered a Kicker 4 gauge amp wiring kit as I am now trying to get my stereo build going. Also headed my way is a PPE boost increase valve and billet fuel filter bleeder screw since the factory one is plastic (yet another quality GM idea) and tends to break.

The truck has also developed a starting problem in the past week, unsure on what it is. Could be the fuel filter, batteries, alternator, or......injectors. To those who aren't aware the LB7 is the first run of Duramax motors and their weakness is the injectors. An injector kit runs about $3,000 not including money for labor. Mix that in with a full time college student, with truck payments, with a girlfriend, with a minimum wage job. Its not possible to do. BUT the truck is showing no signs of injector failure (white smoke from tail pipe, poor performance) and I'm pretty sure they were replaced before I got the truck at some point.

Also, as per tradition:

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[77Concours]

Truck was in the shop earlier this week for a diagnosis of the hard starting. It ended up not needing a FICM but a fuel filter housing. Of course not a single parts store around me had it except for the GM dealers who wanted $668 for everything (housing, sensors, filter) and I already had a filter. So the mechanic put JB Weld as a Band-Aid until I got another housing. I found one on eBay shipped for $122 that includes everything and it should be here next week. But now the truck is leaking a little coolant. Nothing as bad as my old truck but I'm going to have that checked out too. Other than that the truck has been awesome so far!

Today, I ordered my Kicker speakers for my doors (KS series just like my 400 had), Xtreme Dynamat, and a front firing sub box by the same company that made the one for my 400. That should all be installed right before Christmas. It'll be nice to ditch my crappy Pioneer headunit and cheapo auxiliary iPod cord.

 

[volunteerff21]

That Blue

 

[LoudnLifted88]

Wow its been awhile! Not too much has happened to my truck, just driving it to school and work. Winter has finally set in here in central PA and I really didn't expect a diesel to be this much work. I plug it in every night and put fuel additive in every fill up.

I installed some smoked LED tail lights from eBay and so far they're awesome! I also installed my CB whips because my mom was complaining about them being in the basement, now I just look like a poser with them on and no coax cable.

I ordered a Kicker 4 gauge amp wiring kit as I am now trying to get my stereo build going. Also headed my way is a PPE boost increase valve and billet fuel filter bleeder screw since the factory one is plastic (yet another quality GM idea) and tends to break.

The truck has also developed a starting problem in the past week, unsure on what it is. Could be the fuel filter, batteries, alternator, or......injectors. To those who aren't aware the LB7 is the first run of Duramax motors and their weakness is the injectors. An injector kit runs about $3,000 not including money for labor. Mix that in with a full time college student, with truck payments, with a girlfriend, with a minimum wage job. Its not possible to do. BUT the truck is showing no signs of injector failure (white smoke from tail pipe, poor performance) and I'm pretty sure they were replaced before I got the truck at some point.

Also, as per tradition:

that is one of the reasons I didn't get a diesel was worried about injectors or other major problems that could occur and not being able to afford to fix it having to pay payment and what not

 

[great white]

that is one of the reasons I didn't get a diesel was worried about injectors or other major problems that could occur and not being able to afford to fix it having to pay payment and what not

Nah, they're not that bad.

The big thing on the LB7 is the injectors and the seals on the injector cups. the Injector cups are usually installer error.

The injectors can be replaced at home and they can be bought separately if one fails. The truck even tells you which one to replace.

The problem is buying a high mileage one. You're in for some maintenance unless the PO did it.

Most guys get rid of the Duramax trucks right before the big maintenance items crop up.

Like injectors.

If it's been "hot rodded" maintenance items come up even quicker or, gawd help you, things like a collapsed or cracked piston crown...