98 3500 dually 454 mods????

[Sasquatch98]

Recently bought a 98 454 dually getting painted soon so looking for some good mods and reliability adders…. Trucks awesome no rust and seems to do great but looking ahead to what I can do now days where most parts are discontinued???

 

[letitsnow]

I don't know much about mods for that motor, but if you need parts - Rock Auto has had most of what I have needed.

 

[Supercharged111]

Boost! ! !

 

[Jermaine Smith]

Just curious to what color you go paint it?

 

[Schurkey]

Recently bought a 98 454 dually... ...looking for some good mods and reliability adders.

The FIRST thing to do is to assure you have at least as much power, safety, and stability as GM intended.

Verify all the "tune-up" items--cranking compression, spark plugs, plug wires, cap 'n' rotor, PCV valve, charcoal canister, fuel filter, air filter, fuel pressure.

Connect a scan tool, look for codes, but especially look at the data stream. Assure that the O2 sensors are working properly and switch rich/lean quickly. Make sure the knock sensors are working right. Verify all the other sensors and outputs.

Reliability adders:
Send off an oil sample for lab analysis. Typically under $25. Consider sending a trans fluid sample also.

Drop the trans pan, change filter. Dump in fresh fluid. Drop a cooler tube, flush trans fluid (typically about 15 quarts, maybe more.)

Change axle grease, transfer case fluid, PS fluid and perhaps add a PS filter.

FLUSH BRAKE FLUID! Inspect brake hoses, consider pulling the calipers apart for cleaning and inspection; or just replace with "rebuilt" calipers. Assure the ABS is bled properly using a scan tool.

(Essentially, change all fluids and filters, including coolant.)

Verify brake linings and rotor/drum condition, and no hydraulic leaks. Assure park brake works and cables release properly.

Verify steering/suspension: ball joints (4), tie rod ends (4), control arm bushings (8), idler arm, Pitman arm, steering box rag joint (ultra-common problem on the vehicles that use a rag joint) steering damper (if used), shock absorbers (4) sway bar mount bushings and sway bar links. Check tire pressure including the spare, and make sure the spare tire winch and all the emergency jack tools actually work.

EVERYTHING made of rubber is suspect--tires, coolant hoses, brake hoses, PS hoses, trans cooler hoses (if used), accessory drive belt, control arm bushings, body-to-frame bushings, Air Conditioning O-rings, etc.

Clean mud, dust, debris, sparrows, crickets, etc. from the radiator, A/C condenser, PS cooler, external trans cooler, etc.

Put a flashlight with fresh batteries in the glove box, or behind the seat.

AFTER you have the basic "go, stop, steer" and other safety items inspected, you can think about "modifications" to improve performance

 

[454cid]

The very first thing I'd do, even before Schurkey's advice is go after it with a pressure washer.....engine compartment, wheel wells/brakes, and as much of the undercarriage as you can.

It's easier to see and work on things when it's clean. Then go after his list.

What is your intended usage for the truck? That's going to determine what kind of modifications you may want to do. Why paint?

 

[Sasquatch98]

The very first thing I'd do, even before Schurkey's advice is go after it with a pressure washer.....engine compartment, wheel wells/brakes, and as much of the undercarriage as you can.

It's easier to see and work on things when it's clean. Then go after his list.

What is your intended usage for the truck? That's going to determine what kind of modifications you may want to do. Why paint?

we ride utvs a lot and love the 90s Chevys my favorite body and just overall truck.
we are buying a toy hauler and bought it to haul it and have the bed for fire wood and everything. I've owned hundreds of the 1500s but never the 3500 454 vortec. it has the cam and crank correlation code so I'm doing a distributor and full tune up as soon as parts come in. truck has 169,000 miles so should just be getting broke in to me lolol.

 

[Sasquatch98]

Just curious to what color you go paint it?

going back with original color. maybe color match grill and bumpers I doubt it tho this grey goes with the chrome good lolol!

 

[Sasquatch98]

The FIRST thing to do is to assure you have at least as much power, safety, and stability as GM intended.

Verify all the "tune-up" items--cranking compression, spark plugs, plug wires, cap 'n' rotor, PCV valve, charcoal canister, fuel filter, air filter, fuel pressure.

Connect a scan tool, look for codes, but especially look at the data stream. Assure that the O2 sensors are working properly and switch rich/lean quickly. Make sure the knock sensors are working right. Verify all the other sensors and outputs.

Reliability adders:
Send off an oil sample for lab analysis. Typically under $25. Consider sending a trans fluid sample also.

Drop the trans pan, change filter. Dump in fresh fluid. Drop a cooler tube, flush trans fluid (typically about 15 quarts, maybe more.)

Change axle grease, transfer case fluid, PS fluid and perhaps add a PS filter.

FLUSH BRAKE FLUID! Inspect brake hoses, consider pulling the calipers apart for cleaning and inspection; or just replace with "rebuilt" calipers. Assure the ABS is bled properly using a scan tool.

(Essentially, change all fluids and filters, including coolant.)

Verify brake linings and rotor/drum condition, and no hydraulic leaks. Assure park brake works and cables release properly.

Verify steering/suspension: ball joints (4), tie rod ends (4), control arm bushings (8), idler arm, Pitman arm, steering box rag joint (ultra-common problem on the vehicles that use a rag joint) steering damper (if used), shock absorbers (4) sway bar mount bushings and sway bar links. Check tire pressure including the spare, and make sure the spare tire winch and all the emergency jack tools actually work.

EVERYTHING made of rubber is suspect--tires, coolant hoses, brake hoses, PS hoses, trans cooler hoses (if used), accessory drive belt, control arm bushings, body-to-frame bushings, Air Conditioning O-rings, etc.

Clean mud, dust, debris, sparrows, crickets, etc. from the radiator, A/C condenser, PS cooler, external trans cooler, etc.

Put a flashlight with fresh batteries in the glove box, or behind the seat.

AFTER you have the basic "go, stop, steer" and other safety items inspected, you can think about "modifications" to improve performance

also do I have to pull the top intake manifold off to pull the distributor or can you pull it without touching the intake.

 

[454cid]

also do I have to pull the top intake manifold off to pull the distributor or can you pull it without touching the intake.

I don't know..... I have almost 300K miles and have never pulled it. I would start by just adjusting it and/or checking it for slop, not replacing it. It is reccomended that you buy an AC Delco cap/rotor, as the cheapys tend to go bad quickly.