OR VietVet Is Still Throwing $$$ at 2005 Z71

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Joseph Garcia

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Agreed on having a BBP tune in your near future. Then, on those occasions where you do get out on the road with the truck, it will definitely be more fun. And the tune can be modified easily, if/when you change to 3.73 gears.
 

Dantheman1540

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My plan is to go to BBP no matter what. I will be driving from Oregon to Idaho to their main office for the work. Looking forward to the trip there and back to compare.

That would be awesome I've never had anything tuned in person by a pro. I think you will be more excited about the seat of the pants upgrade with the tune than you were with the sway bars.
 

Matthew Jeschke

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Now let's talk about the mechanical and maintenance items. This is a complete list of what has been done so far:

1. ALL fluids changed. Brake fluid, trans fluid and filter, coolant, power steering, front axle, rear axle, transfer case, oil and filter....etc.

2. New brake rotors, front and rear and new pads front and rear. New parking brake shoes and all adjusting assembly.

3. All 4 oxygen sensors.

4. Trans Corvette servo.

5. All 4 KYB shocks for Auto Ride Suspension.

6. All cooling system hoses and new tees at the firewall and new reservoir and cap.

7. Both belts and tensioners and idler.

8. New MAF and MAP sensor.

9. New Cam and Crank sensors.

10. New plugs, wires, air filter and clean throttle bore.

11. New rear upper and lower control arms.

12. New high mounted third brake light.

13. New transmission cooling lines.

14. New thermostat.

Just discovered your post now. PNW VietVet, I'm rebuilding a 2001. People throw away a lot of good parts. The oxygen sensors are likely just fine... If ambitious you can double check with a wideband O2. If really wanting to replace them replace the front two. Forget the rear ones as all they do is make sure the Catalytic converters are in optimal shape.

I'd also look at Bilstein 5100 (and if using off road the ones with remove revivors).

8,9 Not really any need to replace sensors. Especially the cam sensor or crank sensor, they are Hall Effect sensors and not much of anything to wear. Your harness will wear out before they do. You can clean the MAFS if you really feel necessary. If / when you tune you can validate their accuracy to make you feel more comfortable, but if you have any issue with the cam or crank sensors you'll have some really funky stuff going on with timing, so you'd know immediately if there's any issue.

11 you can put new bushings on your controls arms... But if there's no squeaking, no play, why bother messing with them?

13 Transmission controls lines are very durable, I'd not bother. I'd replace the coolant lines on the motor first.

14 Does the thermostat stick? Just replace it when you do the hoses... Do a coolant flush kit before you drain the fluids out. I built a kit to hook a garden hose to the heater core and pumped water through the entire cooling system after I drove a couple hundred miles with the flush in there.

Another note, you can pull all your seats, remove the rug, hang it up and clean it more aggressively. You can get them to look new this way by REALLY flushin the dirt out. I'd put the rubber floor in the back section though. There's some Youtube videos on making your own carpet cleaning solution. I used OxyClean, laundry soap, a concoction of things. Then sprayed scotch guard over it before I put it back in the truck.
 
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OR VietVet

OR VietVet

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@Matthew Jeschke, I have already done all 4 oxygen sensors. I have done the cooling lines. I have swapped out the shocks already. I have already done the cam and crank sensors. I have already purchased and will be replacing the complete upper and lower control arms. All Genuine GM parts. The thermostat was done when the coolant was all changed. The hoses have all been replaced, including at the rear.

Remember, the thread title says I am throwing money at this rig and that is exactly what I am doing. Needs 1 oxygen sensor, gets all 4 sensors. Has 135k miles on the upper and lower control arms, they all get replaced. Hell, even the non wear center link is being replaced. Trying to make sure my tech friend gets a great deal when he buys it from me for $25k.
 

iamdub

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Yep, agree. I will do the tune. Should I assume that if I do the gears later that the tune will have to be redone? I do have the Corvette servo installed already as well.

Now for that casual commute. I am a resident manager at a self storage facility. I live where I work. I am lucky to put 100 miles a week on my rig and when I do, I drive it pretty hard. Thanks for the recommendation though.

Yes, it'll need a re-tune after the gear change. You'll either have to "rent" an AutoCal or make the trip to BBP again. Or, get your gears before you get the tune.

I'm quite aware of your living/working situation and limited driving. My "casual commute", in referring to yours, was sarcastic. Otherwise, why would you have bothered with the Helwig bars? :cool:
 
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OR VietVet

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Yes, it'll need a re-tune after the gear change. You'll either have to "rent" an AutoCal or make the trip to BBP again. Or, get your gears before you get the tune.

I'm quite aware of your living/working situation and limited driving. My "casual commute", in referring to yours, was sarcastic. Otherwise, why would you have bothered with the Helwig bars? :cool:

Exactly.
 

Matthew Jeschke

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@Matthew Jeschke, I have already done all 4 oxygen sensors. I have done the cooling lines. I have swapped out the shocks already. I have already done the cam and crank sensors. I have already purchased and will be replacing the complete upper and lower control arms. All Genuine GM parts. The thermostat was done when the coolant was all changed. The hoses have all been replaced, including at the rear.

Remember, the thread title says I am throwing money at this rig and that is exactly what I am doing. Needs 1 oxygen sensor, gets all 4 sensors. Has 135k miles on the upper and lower control arms, they all get replaced. Hell, even the non wear center link is being replaced. Trying to make sure my tech friend gets a great deal when he buys it from me for $25k.

No doubt will be a great vehicle. If you plan on doing another hold onto your old stuff, might be of use :) I have a friend who built a Tahoe up and did polyurethane bushings, on the control arms, would be a a cinch if you had an extra set to monkey around with that on :)
 
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No doubt will be a great vehicle. If you plan on doing another hold onto your old stuff, might be of use :) I have a friend who built a Tahoe up and did polyurethane bushings, on the control arms, would be a a cinch if you had an extra set to monkey around with that on :)

Because I live where I work, I have storage for my tools but I just have a car port for one rig. Like you said, "If you plan on doing another", I thought of that but at 68 years old, I feel like I am all in on this rig and will just continue to make it as bullet proof as I can. I have almost ran out of those things to do. I think the thing that will do the most for me, moving forward, is the trip to Idaho and BBP for a tune. I advertised all the used parts just in case someone in the PNW area wants them or even someone from AZ like you. My plan is to put the old parts right back in the GM boxes the new parts came in. By this time next week, my current work on the rig will be done and will be driven hard to set everything in.

I do also plan on posting on here about the trip to BBP in Idaho to see if anyone else wants to make the trip.
 

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