Stutaeng's 1999 Silverado

[stutaeng]

Alrighty. I'm starting my own thread on my 99 Silverado.

Background: I bought the truck back college in 2008 from the original owner, an older gentleman. It's an LS trim and had the 4.3 engine with 87k miles. Everything original and really good condition. 4.3/4L60e/3.42/G80 2wd ECSB.

Drove it to California, New Orleans, Colorado and south Mexico in 2009. I did a lot of travel to Houston and RGV for hurricane assessment job in 2009-2013 and racked up miles.

Fast forward to 2019, I needed larger vehicle to drop off my kids at school, so I bought my 06 Suburban. By then the engine had developed low oil, had a crank-no-fire condition in the damp weather and had a transmission code. I retired it and was pretty close to listing on Craigslist for like $1000 or something cheap.

As I had more time and money, I decided bring it back to life in 2020-2021, and swapped a junkyard 5.3 and 4L80e. I've been slowly fixing little things on it as time goes on, mostly wear items and things that break. Since I know some of you guys are also from the GMT400 forum (where I started the "build" thread), I will share it here: https://www.gmt400.com/threads/99-silverado-4-3-to-5-3-swap-with-4l80e-bonus.51060/

And another thread I started when I was swapping the engine: https://www.performancetrucks.net/f...onics-wiring-161/04-l59-into-99-4-3-a-558143/

I'll be redoing the headliner soon and have considered doing a complete repaint job, as I've been learning a bit of that and clearcoat has started to peel. Also, I've got a 2kxx axle I regeared I had planned to swap into it. Hydroboost upgrade, and maybe the 2021 front brake upgrades, not sure yet? I think eventually I'll pass it on to my son. He's 13 now and has helped me wrench on it sometimes and I try teaching him basic things.

Thread is document and to motivate myself. Thanks for reading along.

 

[ORVietVet]

Hopefully we will see some current pics as it progresses.

 

[Cadillacmak]

Thanks for sharing! We will enjoy watching this build.

 

[stutaeng]

The transmission extension housing seal has been leaking since I swapped the transmission. Yesterday I was supposed to replace my wife's 2013 T&C minivan harmonic balancer because it's wobbly and causing belt squal. I got the balancer and holder on Friday and it showed USPS was supposed to deliver on Saturday... of course, they didn't and now says delivery on Monday! Damnit!

So I decided to paint the Silverado D.S. since it was out to kill time. I just reinstalled everything. I also noticed my compression fittings on the transmission (rear lube 4L80e swap required an extension), so I'll have to probably replace that with a new one.

 

[DateNight]

Very cool. Did you run into anything funky when doing the swap that I should know of, mine is a 2000.

I have a harness, ecm and the engine from a 99-02 DBC truck, fittings and AN line for the fuel lines. I still need motor mounts, prop get them
From atomic fab.

My daughter will be 13 in aug, she is showing a little interest into the project as well.

 

[stutaeng]

Very cool. Did you run into anything funky when doing the swap that I should know of, mine is a 2000.

I have a harness, ecm and the engine from a 99-02 DBC truck, fittings and AN line for the fuel lines. I still need motor mounts, prop get them
From atomic fab.

My daughter will be 13 in aug, she is showing a little interest into the project as well.

No, everything was basically plug-and-play. I did make a mistake when I powered it, because I left my V6 fuseblock. I damaged my cluster and BCM.

I swapped to the V8 fuseblock and everything worked. I replaced the cluster (found one with the transmission temperature gauge) and a BCM from the junkyard. Everything worked again. The only thing that doesn't work is the cruise control indicator light on the cluster, although the pedal still works. I think there was a single wire on the fuse block that needs repining when they changed from 99 to 00 IIRC.

On the motor mounts, I believe the driver's side you'll need one from a 99-02 RWD. My engine came from an 04 Yukon XL and that side motor mount was different. I think it has to do with the torsion bar front suspension on those vehicles.

If your ECU is the metal-looking 0411 style, you can just get that reflashed. I had the old "black box" older carryover ECU so I had to replace it.

I got a new AC compressor and dryer, etc. kit from RA and my mechanic installed it and charged it, and AC works like it should.

Basically, I'm super happy with the truck...

 

[stutaeng]

So I've had this seldomly intermittent "tapping" sound I finally determined a few weeks ago will do it sometimes when I set the temperature dial to the very last step on the coldest setting. Only does it every now and then, but it's annoying...

So I ordered a new actuator, and of course I got the blend door actuator, so gotta return it now. I replaced that at some point and I know that's not the problem. I ordered another part from Dorman. Today I installed it and the thing didn't work for $hit. I would turn the dial, and absolutely no response from the actuator.

I reinstalled the original one, and everything worked. Wasted like an hour messing with that. Doh?

 

[ORVietVet]

Sorry, but have never been a fan of Dorman, especially electrical.

 

[Cadillacmak]

Sorry, but have never been a fan of Dorman, especially electrical.

Nothing Dorman I have bought was any good at all, the aftermarket SUCKS!!!

 

[ORVietVet]

I bought a Dorman rear wiper arm for my Tahoe. Has been fine. Electrical, it is OE parts or after much research, it is next best choice.

 

[stutaeng]

Yeah, I'm "usually" not buying Dorman products. Do you guys know what the GM Genuine part is for this actuator?

I say "usually" because I had also placed an order for the new Doorman heater core quick connect metal tees for the SUVs. I actually got an extra one in the mail directly from Dorman (ordered thru RA.)

Yesterday I was looking at them. One has something that looks like casting flash, but they otherwise look decent.

On my 99 I just have the rubber hoses slipped directly over the aluminum tubing with hose clamps (no quick connects.) But you can't do that on the SUVs because of the extra hoses that tee off. :-(

 

[ORVietVet]

I have not heard of any problems with those. If the extra one is a duplicate then no worries. If is the single one and you can wait, just ask Dorman for another one. I do not trust the one in the 2nd pic.

 

[stutaeng]

I was looking at my roof the other day and it's looking pretty bad. I'm thinking of buying enough base coat to do the whole truck, and start with the roof.

I painted the hood and roof of my 04 project suburban and it turned out pretty good, and the roof was a much larger roof...so I think this will be easier... Hopefully as soon as it warms up a bit.

Anyone interested in seeing this? I subscribe to a few YT channels and they are so informative. Just saw this one and it's excellent:

 

[Cadillacmak]

I was looking at my roof the other day and it's looking pretty bad. I'm thinking of buying enough base coat to do the whole truck, and start with the roof.

I painted the hood and roof of my 04 project suburban and it turned out pretty good, and the roof was a much larger roof...so I think this will be easier... Hopefully as soon as it warms up a bit.

Anyone interested in seeing this? I subscribe to a few YT channels and they are so informative. Just saw this one and it's excellent:

Yes, post updates and tech tips please! We do some painting so it will be nice to see yours and maybe learn a little. We were fighting the spray gun this weekend, only to realize the vent hole in the cup was plugged, we felt so stupid when we figured it out.

 

[stutaeng]

Yes, post updates and tech tips please! We do some painting so it will be nice to see yours and maybe learn a little. We were fighting the spray gun this weekend, only to realize the vent hole in the cup was plugged, we felt so stupid when we figured it out.

Oh, the plugged vent hole! That happened to me once, recently.

What spray gun are you using BTW?

Here's my other thread on TYF. IDK if the photos you can see or not.https://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/threads/strutaengs-04-2500-4x4-project-suburban.150566/

This actually looks way better than the suburban, but it's definitely in failure state by now. And it's only going to get worse, so I think the earlier I take care of it, the better.

 

[Cadillacmak]

What spray gun are you using BTW?

Been to long since we bought it, I will have to go look. I should post that and paint supply types in the 55 truck build!

 

[stutaeng]

I bit the bullet and finally replaced my factory radio. I deleted my center console a few years and had lost the CD player, and the factory cassette stopped working. Not that I even listen to cassettes or CDs anyways, LOL.

I got a new job that's almost 30 miles city traffic so I'm starting or alternate the Silverado weekly.

I bought a Sony something 3200. Installation was pretty easy using the Crutchfield adapter. Only took like 30 minutes! I'll figure out how to use the CarPlay, but seem pretty easy.

I did have to order a new bezel because apparently the 99-02 have the narrower stereo vs the 03+. They didn't have my neutral tan or whatever this interior color is, so I got to track down a spray bomb of that and paint it later. In the meantime, I'm sporting a "2-tone" similar to the SUVs

 

[DateNight]

Looks nice!

Do you still have the center console?

 

[stutaeng]

Looks nice!

Do you still have the center console?

Yes, I do. I'm gonna hang on to it, so when I pass the truck along to my son he can have it if he wants to reinstall it.

I'm personally not a fan of center console. They make you feel really cramped, and I'm not even a large guy. I also deleted the center console on my 06 Suburban, LOL. My youngest boy loves riding in the jump seat. He always asks if he can ride up front with me .

 

[DateNight]

yeah that would be worth it, I have fond memories riding next to my dad in his repo/wrecker truck. Nothing better than cruising with dad.