What to look for 1998 suburban

[Burban1998]

My in-laws are selling their super clean 160k mile 98 k1500 Suburban and I'm seriously considering getting rid of my current daily and downsizing.

What do I need to watch out for? Aside from a drivers seat adjuster switch, this thing is mint. I drove it 300 miles the other weekend and it didn't have so much as a wind noise.

 

[someotherguy]

Welcome..

Sounds like you said it all already - if you've driven it 300 miles and not any indication of issues, cash up and own it.

If it were from an unknown source and less of a chance to test-drive it 300 miles.. I'd be looking at:

History of intake gaskets being done, at what mileage, and I'd be concerned about how far it had been driven with them leaking - was it overheated? Did it get coolant in the oil? You'll never know

Has the transmission ever been rebuilt? At 160K it could be due/overdue/or last another 50K easily, you never know with these

Rear differential for noise - you may or may not be able to hear it inside the vehicle, but on a Suburban you usually can. The 8.5" 10 bolt doesn't tend to hold up well under the full weight of a Suburban and start howling indicating a rebuild in the near future

Front suspension wear, particularly ball joints, which you can test for slop by supporting front of frame on jack stands, use a long lever (think: long rigid pipe, or long 4x4 wood, etc.) under the tire from the side, have a helper lift the tire with the lever while you observe the ball joints for movement

Passlock (factory antitheft system) which was new for 1998 - when it starts to go bad you'll get failure to start (technically, it will start for just a brief moment, then stall) and the only long-term solution is to have an aftermarket tuner remove this function from the PCM. All the other solutions are temporary band-aids.

Richard

 

[Burban1998]

Are you familiar with what tuning software can disable the passlock? I have access to HPtuners.

As far as the transmission goes, what can I do to give it a fighting chance? Install a bigger cooler? Stay out of overdrive in the hills?

I'm waiting on a buyer for the pickup, once it's sold I'll hop on this thing. Just want to go into it with my eyes wide open. I want to preserve the thing and do OEM + upgrades.

Are there any must-do mods to make these things more comfortable/reliable/better than they already are?

 

[Cadillac Bob]

What are you downsizing from?? A semi truck and trailer or a school bus? Lol but like said you already 300 mile test drive it buy the seat module and throw down ya dough to the in-laws!! You think you happy with 300 just think being happy for another 160k!!! That’s what should happen as long as you keep on maintenance!! Throw up some pics of it !!

 

[Burban1998]

Haha more so downsizing in the financial sense. I don’t need a truck payment.

Here’s the truck, it’s Titan swapped and pulls about 9 inches of travel in the front.

You must be registered for see images attach

And here’s the suburban, it was a little dirty from being on a dirt road for about 20 miles but the paint looks great underneath.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Pinger]

Inlet manifold gaskets as mentioned in post #2.
Oil analysis will tell you if coolant has reached the oil and they need changing.

 

[df2x4]

Are you familiar with what tuning software can disable the passlock? I have access to HPtuners.

HPTuners will do it for sure, the '98+ PCMs are supported. EFILive and JET DST are two other options.

 

[Burban1998]

Well there's one potential issue solved then. Now that I think of it, the only other issue I noticed was that the mirrors on this thing shake a decent bit. not the whole mirror but the glass inside the housing. Theyre the small non tow mirror ones

 

[Cadillac Bob]

Yeah those are regular stock side mirrors. And yeah makes sense if you had a payment vs none ! Having car payments just gets old it’s always nice to have a new vehicle but it does truly come at a cost! But getting the couple items sorted out you’ll be happy hopefully all goes smoothly! but really these 400’s have all that’s needed and only need very little to update them with features that come in newer models and really outside updates only be wheels and fog lights besides new housings for faded lenses but the lines on these are pretty darn close to being timeless and definitely rugged but classy at same time! Good to have another 400 owner taking the torch over and see why these are still top grade vehicles

 

[Moofus02]

I bought a 99 k1500 burb 8 or 9 years ago super clean from down south with 165k. I did a Delphi fuel pump 2 weeks later when it died. Brakes all the way around. 2 or 3 sets of tires in that time and just did a full duel exhaust system. Still got a really nice body. Pittman arm and idler arm are the next thing needed. I would pressure test the coolant system and look for leaks. Mine lost a plastic heater y that feeds the rear heat just after I bought it and I think the wife cracked both heads. That was 200k ago and it still runs and drives great and still has a nice body and frame. I figured it out a while back and since I've had it I've spent 1 1/2 to 2 cents a mile on maintenance in 200k miles counting tires not counting gas and oil. Mines needed driver door pins and bushings i just haven't done them. Great trucks and super comfy