So am I nuts, or does this make sense to anyone else as well? (long)

Edit: SWMBO landed a job In WV, we're presently living apart due to the inability to rent with 7 dogs. Need something besides a 2wd truck as a vehicle, for winters, and outdoorsy adventures. Can't sell the 2wd truck. Said 2wd truck is possessed and unreliable, wwgrm do?.

Basically we inherited this step side, standard cab, 2.2, auto, GMC Sonoma from SWMBO brother when he passed a few years back. Very beginning of the summer it popped the head gasket, and I fixed it. It popped again, I fixed it. It dropped a valve, I fixed it. Last week it shut off on me on the way to work. Diagnosis... Popped head gasket. Though I found out where I was getting a coolant leak this time, though I still don't trust it.

Yeah that thing right there is a mother berkeleying piece of E36 M3, that can go.... See that long pipe coming off the aluminum chunk of a housing? Yeah that's pretty much the high point in the cooling system. The temp sensor screws in there. on not ONE of these blown head gaskets did I see a high temp reading on the gauge, and I've put two in. (broke the old one accidentally the first HG)That pipe is also, just pressed into the aluminum, not threaded, not o-ringed, just pushed in. My coolant leak is where the pipe presses into the aluminum.

Internally, the crank, bearings, rings, rods, pistons,and cam are all that are OE. EVERYTHING else has been replaced on this damn thing. WP, AC compressor, PS pump, crank pulley, seals, gaskets, etc etc etc. I can literally take this damn thing apart in my sleep. But I'm sick of messing with it. Seriously, sick of it. This thing has cost me close to 4-5k this summer. I should have bought a car instead of fixing it. Oh wait, I did. I HAD to buy a car for SWMBO to take up to WV when she started her new job. The time I was going to put into getting our house ready to move out of this summer went into fixing this thing.

I've order the parts, and I'm putting it back together, but as I've stated before I don't trust it. I'm hoping that by Halloween I'm in WV with SWMBO, but putting a trailer and myself, and 7 dogs in the hands of this thing scares the crap out of me. I want to replace it, it's 2wd, it's a ZQ8(?) truck (lowered, sport suspension from the factory) that SWMBO is kind of attached to. I don't want to see rust eat it, if I've got to look at it till she's sick of looking at it.

Looking at stuff locally on CL, and being kind of broke from dealing with this damn truck I'm trying to keep it under 2400 and off of my credit report due to trying to buy a house. (so new car payment is a no no right now) Everything in my price range is either 2wd, beat to crap, 200k + miles, 20+ years old, rusty as hell, or blown up. Or some combination thereof.

Which brings us to this... GRM'r selling a truck 200$ plane ticket, and as long as it get's close to it's 19mpg epa rating on the highway, should cost less than 300$ to get home.

Ticks a LOT of boxes, 4wd, sub 200k miles, cheap(big box here). It's rusty, but the seller has disclosed this, and is offering parts to help remedy the situation, the seller is a fellow forumite (this carries it's own clout when it comes to taking a vehicle off someone). While it's not extended cab, or an SUV, he's offering a cap, which with a sliding rear window is great for traveling with dogs)

I am already taking time at the end of the month to go to WV for my anniversary. SO, short flight and short 20 hour drive from ^ to my destination. Or beg a vehicle from my parents and drive 12 hours each way, and keep looking for something here.

What's the hive say?

That thing is cursed. My 2200 experience was flogging the hell out of it every damn day for 3 years and all it took beyond consumables was a timing chain set, radiator and a bottle of bars leaks after I got it hot from not burping the rad good enough and the head gasket started leaking externally on the bellhousing end. Keep in mind you're talking to the guy who blew the engine in both a 5S-FE Camry AND a 3800 S2 Bonneville (after doing the requisite top end job on it).

maybe time for a new engine? the Block may be warped or somehow out of spec to make you wipe out that many HGs. Did you ever true and deck the head?

Needs more lsx.

Off topic: wth do you vacay in wv????

mad_machine wrote: maybe time for a new engine? the Block may be warped or somehow out of spec to make you wipe out that many HGs. Did you ever true and deck the head?

Reman head, checked out true last install. Was hoping it would be the last time it woukd be apart, at least under my watch.

Ranger50 wrote: Needs more lsx. Off topic: wth do you vacay in wv????

At this rate that is the plan, with a harness the stock computer controls everything. Just no $$ nor time with a move coming for that level of a project.

Lots to do in WV if you like being outdoors. But not vacationing, MOVING, SWMBO landed a job there, and I can telecommute.

I hate posting from my phone....

Lower cost of living + public sector job that gets her student loans forgiven, tuition reimbursement that pays for her further schooling. (Second masters or phd/doctorate) Masters program at the local university that I want. It makes sense, even with buying a house we should be out of debt in 2.5-3 years. (Minus her loans, which will be at the 5 year mark)

Seemed like a no brainer, that and gets me away from the heat here.

300Hp and 300 ft lbs would just be plain silly in that thing. Sounds like a great plan!

seven dogs?

I've only been getting 15-17 mpg out of it with our 80 mph speed limits. Driving around northern MN at my inlaws cabin with 55 mph roads I've been over 22 but not recently.

What year is the Sonoma? I've got a spare '97-ish 2.2/auto package and the 2.2/5-speed in my '02 S10 needs to come out for an LSx swap. (It popped a head gasket too.) If any of those parts help you out you're welcome to them. If you want to rip the 2.2 in my S10 apart and toss a gasket at it for me, to get the truck drivable again I'd knock some more off the truck price and put you up while you did it. It's so low a priority I can't seem to get to it, but it sure would be nice to be able to use the truck again. I'd offer to trade, but I just ordered 30 yards of concrete and you would have to drive the Sonoma out, which it sounds like you don't want to do.

Not sure about 7-dogs, but we traveled with our Scotties in a cowboy sleeper on the back. I have two of them, one just the front third of a topper and the other a whole camper assembly that has a pair of jump seats and a regular door to the bed. Either of those would be available as well. Pretty much like you we made due with the standard cab but when we bought the next truck we got it with the extended cab.

If you are up for an adventure, I have a '75 Dodge extended cab short box 4WD that needs it's replacement engine installed. It's the ultimate snow and off road machine, as long as you keep the Sonoma for gas mileage the rest of the year.

In reply to NOHOME:

Rescues. Almost every one of them is a rescue pup. A few of them have been trained for therapy work and just need testing. The others are just our band of misfits. 4 Rat terriers, 2 chihuahuas and a Boston. The Boston was our wedding present from some friends who used to breed them.

In reply to oldopelguy:

Ours is an 01. If I end up going this route I'll probably take an extra day off and take you up on the offer of doing a HG for you. As long as it doesn't need machine work it is a 1 day or less job. If you have the work space to lay everything out it goes even faster.

As for the old dodge, I'm going to pass for now. I've had enough of 20+ year old vehicles for a bit. Though, I may come back to you at a later date about it.

Oh and 80 mph speed limits...

You get that you are making the choice to not live with your wife for the sake of some pets-which also cost money and time?

Kenny_McCormic wrote: and a bottle of bars leaks after I got it hot from not burping the rad good enough and the head gasket started leaking externally on the bellhousing end.

Aw heck, on a 2.2, a leak there is normal. They always stain, sometimes they look wet, we wouldn't bother to say it needed done until it was actually leaking enough to drip.

Jcamper wrote: You get that you are making the choice to not live with your wife for the sake of some pets-which also cost money and time?

I think you'd need to know spinout007 a bit better.

It's more like his wife and he have TOGETHER made a difficult decision for the interim that enables them to begin making a transition while taking care of their kids. Those dogs are important to them, in a way you can't understand.

With all due respect, don't be a shiny happy person.

What part of wv?

Theres a bit of family influence as well. Spinout007 has always been integral in the care and maintenance of his sister and parents property, fleet of vehicles, and their general way of life. Besides the dogs he is trying to wrap up some fairly major projects for his clan to make life without him 1/4 mile away less painful. Plus hes got to help us with the Mumpkin.

In reply to wvumtnbkr:

McDowell county. SWMBO is the new librarian/technology/distance learning teacher at Mount View High.

SVReX and MrJoshua, you guys are going to make me all sappy. Yes, our dogs are our kids. Due to medical issues, my wife cannot have them. Adoption has been discussed, but our financial and housing situation say it's not the right time. As Mrjoshua stated, my family leans on me quite a bit, sadly this move takes me away from close proximity from them. Hopefully the phone doesn't blow up with all the drama I'm expecting after im gone.

All of the above has been discussed quite thoroughly between my wife and I. After nearly 9 years of marriage I'm finally putting my life and marriage in front of my family for a bit. I'm sure they'll survive.

Now back to the discussion of, am I nuts to go get a rusty truck from 1600 miles away to help make the move?

Id say not nuts but you need to factor the real cost including missed work, time, etc... Id be surprised if its less than $500 and not surprised if it pushed $1k. Cross shop it with trucks that much more expensive and if it compares well go for it.