Hi Everyone,
I'm not a mechanic, but starting to do some very basic things on the truck to fix some random issues.
I'm the original owner and have kept up generally on all maintenance. The last major maintenance took place around 120K miles where I had the GM dealer do their typical 100K mile service.
The only major issue I've run into over the past 5 years is the electrical issue that's all over the internet and this forum with gauges acting up, no start, under powered engine, etc. I've gone through and replaced the battery, battery cables, cleaned up/replaced the ground wires, and fuse block under the hood and now am about 800 miles in with no issues!
I have a few concerns:
1. I believe there is an engine oil leak (I have to top off oil to get to my next oil change - about a half bottle) and there is definitely evidence of it in the engine compartment
2. Someone mentioned years ago that I have a differential leak (have not done anything with this).
3. I can feel at idle that the car isn't fully smooth - I can feel a little bit of "shake" during idle (sorry, not sure how to describe it)
4. When I hit the gas, the truck hesitates for a split second where it feelslike it hits gear a little hard (gear is a complete assumption). If I'm gentle on the accelerator going from stop, it's perfectly smooth - but even knowing this, sometimes I forget.
Other than these issues (which up until now when I'm planning a long trip), I'd considered nuisance items. The vehicle itself runs great and I'm often traveling between a couple of states - think 2 hour drives each way a couple times a month and it's always an awesome drive and I'm never worried about it.
So, what should I address before I hit the road? I'm also afraid to do too much (like a trans flush) and run into issues on the way?
What stuff should I pack with me like extra fuses, jumper cables, etc to solve an issue in a pinch?
Thanks for all of your help. I really appreciate it!
Bobby
I'm not a mechanic, but starting to do some very basic things on the truck to fix some random issues.
I'm the original owner and have kept up generally on all maintenance. The last major maintenance took place around 120K miles where I had the GM dealer do their typical 100K mile service.
The only major issue I've run into over the past 5 years is the electrical issue that's all over the internet and this forum with gauges acting up, no start, under powered engine, etc. I've gone through and replaced the battery, battery cables, cleaned up/replaced the ground wires, and fuse block under the hood and now am about 800 miles in with no issues!
I have a few concerns:
1. I believe there is an engine oil leak (I have to top off oil to get to my next oil change - about a half bottle) and there is definitely evidence of it in the engine compartment
2. Someone mentioned years ago that I have a differential leak (have not done anything with this).
3. I can feel at idle that the car isn't fully smooth - I can feel a little bit of "shake" during idle (sorry, not sure how to describe it)
4. When I hit the gas, the truck hesitates for a split second where it feelslike it hits gear a little hard (gear is a complete assumption). If I'm gentle on the accelerator going from stop, it's perfectly smooth - but even knowing this, sometimes I forget.
Other than these issues (which up until now when I'm planning a long trip), I'd considered nuisance items. The vehicle itself runs great and I'm often traveling between a couple of states - think 2 hour drives each way a couple times a month and it's always an awesome drive and I'm never worried about it.
So, what should I address before I hit the road? I'm also afraid to do too much (like a trans flush) and run into issues on the way?
What stuff should I pack with me like extra fuses, jumper cables, etc to solve an issue in a pinch?
Thanks for all of your help. I really appreciate it!
Bobby
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