Time (finally) for an update. Truck has been sitting in KY for the better part of the past year, with the occasional startup and shuffle around the yard. Got busy with life/work stuff, so it fell way behind on the priority list. Just before coming up for the holidays, I finally transferred the title and registered it. Probably should have done that sooner, as roughly $120 of the cost was due to 'late fees'.
12.09.2023
LA Title TX, Tax, Registration + 'late fees' [$748.94]
12.20.2023
Did a thorough check of the fluids and ran it a bit. Noticed the oil level was a bit high and had a very slight milky appearance. Couldn't remember if it was like that last year or not, so I decided to do an immediate oil change. I'll monitor it a bit as I drive it over the next few weeks to see if that issue returns. The coolant reservoir was low as well, so there is definitely a coolant leak somewhere and that problematic plastic lower intake gasket is definitely on the suspect list. I added a bit of UV dye [$9.52] to the coolant system, as the previous owner had already (unfortunately) switched the truck to the standard green antifreeze. He also claimed to have replaces the hoses, thermostat, radiator, and flushed the system. Now I'm wondering if that was actually needed, or he was just throwing parts at a leak he couldn't find. Might need to clean the engine a bit to make sure anything I find is new and not remnants of a previous problem.
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12.21.2023
Picked up a 5qt bottle of the cheapest oil I could find at Wallyword. SuperTech Synthetic HiMileage 5W30 [$20.12]. No sense wasting a bunch of money on what will essentially be a 'flush' oil. Only 71K, but having the extra additives might be beneficial to those elderly seals. Originally picked up a SuperTech ST3387 oil filter [$4.07] there as well, as they were out of the AC Delco PF52. However once I started to take the old one off, I noticed a significant difference in the size. Decided the smaller (shorter) WallyWorld oil filter wasn't something I want to use, so I picked up a Carquest Red oil filter (either a rebranded Wixx or Purolator) R85036 [$5.82] from Advance Auto.
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Whomever installed the previous filter was a bit happy with the tightening. Barely managed to get it off, after about half an hour of trying and a trip to the big orange box store for a new strap wrench. Collapsed the old NAPA gold filter while removing it. [[SIDENOTE: the GM engineers who thought up that filter placement/setup should be launched into space on a rocket without any heat and only fruitcakes and prune juice for supplies...]]
That'll do it until next year.
RUNNING TOTAL: $5487.79