V6 full-sized pickup as DD?

In reply to Ranger50:

Where's the new requirement? What actual change happened that made 2004 a special transition year for GM?

I'm pretty sure this was about speeding the production line up by making the filter part of the pump assembly to drop into tanks on the line.

In reply to pres589:

http://www.epa.gov/oms/standards/light-duty/tier1evap.htm

Make sure to drive them even in reg cab 2wd trim the v6s can be seriously underpowered and the fuel economy isn't really any better. In GMT900 trucks (07-13) the 4.3 and 5.3 2wd trucks get identical city figures while the 5.3 is slightly better on the highway. My 04 5.3 2wd extended cab with giant wheels and all the options gets right around 18mpg avg according to the trip computer.

pres589 wrote: In reply to Ranger50: Where's the new requirement? What actual change happened that made 2004 a special transition year for GM? I'm pretty sure this was about speeding the production line up by making the filter part of the pump assembly to drop into tanks on the line.

It's for evap emissions. Every O-ring is a source of some leakage. So were the test ports, which is why cars don't come with them anymore. It's just like how you don't see rubber fuel lines anymore, and the new car smell is way different. (You're smelling plastic and paint, which is hydrocarbons, which is tested...)

Some new cars are coming through with nonservicable tank assemblies, one less O-ring to seep vapors. Pump goes bad, replace the tank.

Knurled wrote:

pres589 wrote: In reply to Ranger50: Where's the new requirement? What actual change happened that made 2004 a special transition year for GM? I'm pretty sure this was about speeding the production line up by making the filter part of the pump assembly to drop into tanks on the line.

It's for evap emissions. Every O-ring is a source of some leakage. So were the test ports, which is why cars don't come with them anymore. Some new cars are coming through with nonservicable tank assemblies, one less O-ring to seep vapors. Pump goes bad, replace the tank.

Honda's not had a serviceable filter in 15 years on a majority of their vehicles. Yet no one bitches about those.

Damn GM, doin' what the gov't wants and what every other manufacturer has bee doing for a decade and a half. HOW DARE THEY!?!?!

foxtrapper wrote: Ford has my interest with the Ecoboost, just wish it was in a 4x4 model.

??

It is.

It's also available as 4x2.

I'd avoid the 3.7L like the plague. The early ('97-'98) 4.2L Fords had issues if they weren't maintained, but the '99 up 4.2L engines seem a bit more robust. The 4.3L chevys are pretty decent trucks, but the 4L60E is not the greatest trans. Not terrible, but not great. Personally, I'd drive the Ford and the Chevy and see which you like best.

That being said, I've towed my Challenge car to Florida and back four or five times with my dad's '97 F150 4.2L 5 speed truck without issue. One year a friend of mine followed me down in his '02 GMC Sierra 4.3L auto truck, and I could out accelerate him in the F150 while towing my Rabbit. That truck was SLOW.

Bobzilla wrote: Honda's not had a serviceable filter in 15 years on a majority of their vehicles. Yet no one bitches about those.

A very large percent of cars don't have serviceable fuel filters anymore. That's just how it is.

Most people don't get the fuel filter changed until after the fuel pump dies, anyway.

I had a 97 F150 extended cab with the 4.2L and 5 speed. It was my DD for 4 years and I had no problems. Gas mileage was decent but nothing spectacular. Besides being a show truck I used it to haul dirt, mulch, lumber and anything else I needed to.

Oh, the 90s...

That poor truck didnt have an ounce of dignity did it

I went back and "researched" my choices a bit more....and the Ford is out, no A/C. Dodge? I wasn't crazy about it because of the big wheels and because it had the "old" 3.7 instead of the "newer" 3.6, but I doubt you can get a 3.6 Dodge witth the manual transmission. That SHOULD sort of leave the Chevy, accept a look at Edmunds.com would have you believe that the nearly identical '04 Silverado is/was flawless, while the '05 is a pile of doggy doo.

and because it had the "old" 3.7 instead of the "newer" 3.6, but I doubt you can get a 3.6 Dodge witth the manual transmission.

Or for much less than $20,000.