The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Other Topics 4x4, ATV, SUV - Hunting, Fishing, Moon Buggys, Mars Rovers 2002 GMC Sierra 4x4 Z71 were/are these good trucks?Go | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
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I don't follow the auto industry so looking for opinions on this truck. Not opinions on F-150s, Dodges etc. Mike  What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | ||
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What engine does it have? I had a 5.3l with a 4spd auto, vintage 2001 that was relable. It had a valve tap by would go away when warm. | |||
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Has the V8, I assume 5.3 Mike What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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I'm not familiar with the ZR-1 package, what is it? I have a 2003 Tahoe with the Z-71 4wd offroad package. Bought it new for my wife and it is about to turn over 200,000 and has been a great and reliable vehicle. 5.3 with 4 speed auto. In fifteen years I have repaired; One fuel pump One fan speed resistor Had speedo cluster connections and guage drivers replaced. Easy to remove(10 min), lots of shops will repair for $100 or less. one new water pump and replaced all hoses/belts one tie rod end Other than that, just typical wear items like brake pads, tires etc. I do all my own maintainance and repair religiously. The fuel pump made it to 150k and I consider it a normal wear item like tires, every vehicle I have had with Fuel Injection needed a pump replacement about the same time. I wish I could know for sure that the next one would be as good as this one! DRSS(We Band of Bubba's Div.) N.R.A (Life) T.S.R.A (Life) D.S.C. | |||
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lee, yes it is a Z-71...must have had the corvette on the brain. Thanks for the info. Mike What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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In the north east the break lines go and the tops of the fuel tanks rot out. Other than that going over 250k should not be to hard. | |||
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I had a 2004 5.3 Z71 that I traded at 168K, only major repairs were replacing front wheel bearings and a new speedometer cluster which was a service bulletin issue , which Chevy paid for. Not sure what years had the speedometer issue. Other than that good vehicle. Only traded because I bought a new 2011 same motor it has 215K with no issues. | |||
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I still have my 2002 Sierra 4dr 4wd Duramax with 300,000 miles on it. I don't know about the other folks with the 02, but mine is the best vehicle that I have ever owned. | |||
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J_Zola stated that his 5.3L V8 had a valve noise that went away when warmed to operating temp (paraphasing), but this isn't valve lifter noise but rather noisy pistons. It really isn't an issue unless cylinder wear becomes excessive, but then it is a problem with any engine. The "Vortec" family of GM engines used pistons designed without skirts on them and when the cylinders became the slightest bit worn the pistons tapped for + or - 10 seconds then would quiet right down. MY S-I-L had a 2000 year model Z71 that had about 200,000 miles on it and was still strong when he sold it. He had the hood up one day and I pulled the dipstick and the oil was so clean I thought he must have just changed it, but he told me it had over 1800 miles on the oil. I owned a 97 Chevy 4x4 with the 5.0L Vortec and also a 2005 GMC Sierra Z71 with the 5.3 and they were both very good trucks, and I would highly recommend them. Dennis Life member NRA | |||
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Piston slap was the problem as listed above. | |||
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They are good trucks. Hardest part will be finding one that was taken care of. Here in Alabama, most have been rode hard and put away wet. Crappy lifts and ragged out and such. The instrument cluster was a common issue but lots of people out there fixing them. Motors would have the piston slap with high miles as indicated but really good motors. If you can find one that was maintained they are good trucks Auburn University BS '09, DVM '17 | |||
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I have 145,000 miles on a 2004, Z-71 with the 5.3 L. The only repairs that have been done are the water pump and a 4WD sensor since new. Frank "I don't know what there is about buffalo that frightens me so.....He looks like he hates you personally. He looks like you owe him money." - Robert Ruark, Horn of the Hunter, 1953 NRA Life, SAF Life, CRPA Life, DRSS lite | |||
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I had a 2002 Silverado similar to what you're asking about. I drove it for about 8 years, then gave it to my son to drive. After he bought his own pickup, I sold it to our gardener with about 475,000 miles on it, all original except for the manual transmission, which I only had to replace because a mechanic servicing it put in the wrong type of oil and I lost a bearing. 16 years later, the gardener is still driving it. I think it's close to 600,000 miles now. | |||
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I had an 02 Chevy Z-71. One of the shoddiest put together vehicles I have ever owned. A buddy of mine had to go through arbitration and make Chevy buy it back from him. Had two buddy's with 2000's and they seemed to be good. | |||
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My son has a 2002 with the 5.3, cracked head at 94k miles. Apparently there were some problems with Casetech heads I believe. If you google the issue you will find there are a lot of issues with this | |||
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You'd have to ask the guy who stole my '02 / 5.3; it had 170,000 trouble free kms. on it when it left my garage one night. I went right out and bought another one. I've had 27 or 28 Chevy/GM 4x4s (both 1500's and 2500's) over the last 40 years, and only two 'lemons' in the bunch. One was a 454 gas job that had engine and tranny issues, and the other was a 6.2 diesel with both engine and tranny issues. Other than that I've been very pleased - every 5.3, 5.7 and 6.0 L. were excellent, although the 6 L. engines did like their gas. Right now I'm breaking in a 6.2 L. gas job, I'm not sure how it'll be yet. Lots of power, I'll give it that! | |||
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The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Other Topics 4x4, ATV, SUV - Hunting, Fishing, Moon Buggys, Mars Rovers 2002 GMC Sierra 4x4 Z71 were/are these good trucks?
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