Bought a '03 Tahoe LT with 235k miles for $2k, time to fix it up!

[SRQYukon]

Wish I could find a deal like that in Sarasota. It's hard to find a parts truck for under 4K. Three Tahoes online right now and the cheapest one with 200K is $4500. The other two have 235+ miles and the dealers want $7500-8000. I scan the ads weekly, and rarely see one for under $5000. There were two listed last week with 300K for over $8000. I hope yours has no hidden problems. But even if it did need some major work, it's probably worth fixing up.

 

[MassHoe04]

Wish I could find a deal like that in Sarasota. It's hard to find a parts truck for under 4K. Three Tahoes online right now and the cheapest one with 200K is $4500. The other two have 235+ miles and the dealers want $7500-8000. I scan the ads weekly, and rarely see one for under $5000. There were two listed last week with 300K for over $8000. I hope yours has no hidden problems. But even if it did need some major work, it's probably worth fixing up.

Enjoy your new 03! For $2k? Looks like you did OK for yourself.

I just bought my 04 Tahoe Z71, here in MA, back in October. Had about 192k miles. I was the first to see it on the first day it was listed and had to jump on it. It was $6,500. It has some rocker issues, but the frame and body are solid. Interior was probably the best I have seen on any Tahoe. How many do you find with almost 200k miles and still have the leather and side bolster padding still like new? Almost all have the lower edge of the driver's seat completely gone by then. Carpet, dash headliner all in excellent condition. What sold me right away, was how well it ran. So incredible smooth! Love the lub-lub-lub of a healthy good ole American V-8! Topper to all of that, included: PO had already replaced all brake lines with stainless! One less major headache to worry about.

Rocker rust is limited to the outer rockers and only below the corner where the plastic trim comes to meet it. Two years ago, this truck may not have gone for $6,500. We are in different times and demand is ridiculous now!!

I feel, with the current market, I actually did pretty well for $6,500. I got a solid running 04 with mint interior. I did replace a left front ABS sensor and now I get an evap issue that comes up once in a while, but a minor fix that can wait until warm weather returns.

Before anyone gets excited... I traded ($0) the 20 inch rims, in the photo below with 305/50 R20 slick sport tread tires, for some free beater 16" Silverado stock rims with skinnier tires and better tread to get me through the winter.
I didn't want to lock into 20 inch tires when I get replacements, because they are way more expensive than tires for 16/17/18 inch rims.
I want to get 265 series tires on nothing bigger than 18 with a 70% or 75% sidewall aspect ratio.

 

[Kaz26]

It's been a while, and had to take some time off working on this beast, but I'm back at it now. The only things left that I want to take care of are:

1. Evap system code P0446 (thinking it could be a bad fuel tank pressure sensor)
2. Air Conditioning doesn't work
3. Suspension work: Ball joints, tie-rods, etc.

Now, with regard to troubleshooting the P0446, I have already bench tested the purge valve and vent valve and the system is holding vacuum, so I want to check the fuel tank pressure sensor. I am not able to check the values from it with my Bluedriver scan tool and want to know what the cheapest possible tool is for accessing the GMLAN modules. I am looking at a setup using ELM327 with Torque Pro.

Does anyone know if this will work?

 

[MassHoe04]

This thread might be a good read for you. There are also some pretty detailed diagnostic notes on page 2 of this thread.

Maybe it will help...

P0446 Evap Code

I recently got the check engine light on my 06 Tahoe Z71 and I scanned it and got the P0446 evap system code. A few months ago I replaced the evap canister and purge valve for having the same code since I was also experiencing where the pump would click off a bunch of times while trying to fill...

www.tahoeyukonforum.com

Some things to look into at least.

Good luck! Keep us posted on what you discover along the way.

Looked like your starter was soaked with oil before. Hopefully, your valve cover gasket was the source of that and is fixed now.

 

[Fless]

It's been a while, and had to take some time off working on this beast, but I'm back at it now. The only things left that I want to take care of are:

1. Evap system code P0446 (thinking it could be a bad fuel tank pressure sensor)
2. Air Conditioning doesn't work
3. Suspension work: Ball joints, tie-rods, etc.

Now, with regard to troubleshooting the P0446, I have already bench tested the purge valve and vent valve and the system is holding vacuum, so I want to check the fuel tank pressure sensor. I am not able to check the values from it with my Bluedriver scan tool and want to know what the cheapest possible tool is for accessing the GMLAN modules. I am looking at a setup using ELM327 with Torque Pro.

Does anyone know if this will work?

The extended (I think they're called that) GM PIDs that can be downloaded within Torque Pro include a fuel tank pressure PID. I'm not sure if it actually reports for your model year, but if you have Torque Pro just add those and give it a try.

[GM]Fuel tank pressure

FTPres

0x22f432

((A*256)+B)*0.00003

 

[Kaz26]

This thread might be a good read for you. There are also some pretty detailed diagnostic notes on page 2 of this thread.

Maybe it will help...

P0446 Evap Code

I recently got the check engine light on my 06 Tahoe Z71 and I scanned it and got the P0446 evap system code. A few months ago I replaced the evap canister and purge valve for having the same code since I was also experiencing where the pump would click off a bunch of times while trying to fill...

www.tahoeyukonforum.com

Some things to look into at least.

Good luck! Keep us posted on what you discover along the way.

Looked like your starter was soaked with oil before. Hopefully, your valve cover gasket was the source of that and is fixed now.

Thank you for the link. I started troubleshooting the P0446. I tested everything except for the fuel tank pressure sensor.
To test the fuel tank pressure sensor I am using an ELM327 OBD2 adapter with Torque Pro. I got the app working properly with the GM PIDs loaded, but... the fuel tank pressure sensor is showing "NO DATA", so my question now is whether or not this means the fuel pressure sensor is bad. I like to diagnose things before throwing parts at the problem. Though, if I'm able to reach it without dropping the tank, I might just go for it. So far I have had to replace the oil pressure sensor, and the AC pressure sensor, along with the high pressure valve for the AC. On a positive note, the AC system is holding a charge now and running very well, nice and cold!

Thank you to everyone who has helped with this, there has been alot of helpful advice and I sincerely appreciate it. This is definitely one of the better car forums I have been in.

 

[Kaz26]

The extended (I think they're called that) GM PIDs that can be downloaded within Torque Pro include a fuel tank pressure PID. I'm not sure if it actually reports for your model year, but if you have Torque Pro just add those and give it a try.

[GM]Fuel tank pressure

FTPres

0x22f432

((A*256)+B)*0.00003

I did exactly this, and appreciate your help pointing me in this direction. However, it is showing "NO DATA" when I open this specific PID.

 

[MassHoe04]

Thank you for the link. I started troubleshooting the P0446. I tested everything except for the fuel tank pressure sensor.
To test the fuel tank pressure sensor I am using an ELM327 OBD2 adapter with Torque Pro. I got the app working properly with the GM PIDs loaded, but... the fuel tank pressure sensor is showing "NO DATA", so my question now is whether or not this means the fuel pressure sensor is bad. I like to diagnose things before throwing parts at the problem. Though, if I'm able to reach it without dropping the tank, I might just go for it. So far I have had to replace the oil pressure sensor, and the AC pressure sensor, along with the high pressure valve for the AC. On a positive note, the AC system is holding a charge now and running very well, nice and cold!

Thank you to everyone who has helped with this, there has been alot of helpful advice and I sincerely appreciate it. This is definitely one of the better car forums I have been in.

No data could be bad sensor... Could also be damaged connector or wire, corrosion or s short. I don't know what data that sensor is supposed to transmit (volts or ohms), but maybe someone here can tell you what connections/wires to check with a multi-meter.

You may still find out there is nothing coming out of the sensor, but if it is sending any kind of signal... You'll know the issue might lie between the sensor and the computer at least.

 

[Kaz26]

Well, I replaced the fuel tank pressure sensor, and checked the wiring to make sure it is getting proper voltage, and it is. However, the Torque Pro app is still showing "No Data". I cleared the codes and just need to drive it now to get the monitors ready, but considering that even the new fuel tank pressure sensor still shows no data, I don't have much hope that the problem is resolved.
I opened a new thread for this specific problem to try and get more exposure.
Thank you again to everyone here, I appreciate your advice very much.

 

[houstontaylor]

When you say replaced? Did you have new engine trans installed?

Sorry I responded so late. I think 2020 for the engine and 2021 for the transmission.