I am looking to get something new to me that is within the years of manufacture so I can change all of the camper parts from my existing truck to a new one. This truck falls into that category.https://orlando.craigslist.org/cto/d/orlando-2002-chevrolet-silverado-x4/7430416642.htmlI've never had anything smaller than a 454 7.4 Chevy Vortec and am wondering if any of you are familiar with the 6.0 small block Vortec. I know it has high miles and some would not touch it but that is what is available to a guy like me. Remember I live in Florida now and I don't travel hills and mountains anymore. That should be a factor.Do you think it would be enough to haul my Lance 1181 and a 15 foot small fishing boat around the south and to the keys.Thank you, Joe

The Chevy 6.0 is probably one of the most reliable trouble free engines out there. I've had an '02, an '09, and a '15. They were all in towing, hauling work trucks. The '02 needed a cam position sensor replaced once. The '09 just had the exhaust manifolds replaced because they warped. That's the sum total of all engine repairs between the 3 trucks.What truck and engine do you have now? I presume it's something with the same body style as a 2002 Chevy which would be a 2001 to 2007 Chevy. They would have only had the Duramax diesel, 8.1L, 6.0L, or 5.3L if it's a 1500.

You could get something with a 4.8L; it's not going to stop in the middle of a hill and refuse to go any further. It may not roar its way to the top at 70MPH, it may not make it there first, but it's going to get there. That 6.0 is twice the engine the 4.8L is.The question is are you one of those rage-a-holics that's going to be screaming expletives and pounding on the steering wheel with your fists if the truck shifts out of overdrive? If yes, you should continue looking. If no, this is your truck.

I didn’t look at the add, but am very familiar with those trucks in general. Obvious cautions about buying any older vehicle with high miles apply, but LS engines that are cared for are generally 250k + mile engines. Sure, sensors, injectors, accessories, etc may/will not all last that long. The 4L80again if maintained and not abused is a 200k+ mile trans. At 300hp/400tq, and a 4 speed, it is not a powerhouse by todays standards. But it is more than adequate to haul a big TC and even a light trailer behind it. In Florida or in the mountains. LS engines like to rev and you don’t have to worry about putting your foot to the floor and doing 4500rpms all the way up a mountain. And it will have more power than any stock 70s/80s 454 truck. That and GMT 800 trucks are considered quite solid and reliable. We have a lot of 150-200k mile 6.0 Chevy trucks that get beat on daily as construction vehicles. Basic drivetrain components are as solid as any vehicle. My one suggestion is if you can budget to get up a few years and into one with a 6 speed. However I’d take a lower mile nice 4L80 truck over a higher mile 6l80. Good luck, the market is not a buyers market currently.

KD4UPL wrote:The Chevy 6.0 is probably one of the most reliable trouble free engines out there. I've had an '02, an '09, and a '15. They were all in towing, hauling work trucks. The '02 needed a cam position sensor replaced once. The '09 just had the exhaust manifolds replaced because they warped. That's the sum total of all engine repairs between the 3 trucks.What truck and engine do you have now? I presume it's something with the same body style as a 2002 Chevy which would be a 2001 to 2007 Chevy. They would have only had the Duramax diesel, 8.1L, 6.0L, or 5.3L if it's a 1500.I have a 1996 Chevy Cheyenne crew cab. The only parts I really wanted to trade off was the Tow beast hitch with 4 foot extension, The home made belly bar for the front tiedowns and the universal bump stops as well as the front and rear sway bars. Everything else can go with the truck. Here's a pic of it and you can see it's been modified extensively. I did not do this and the person that did do it really didn't do a good job. I have been in constant battles with two overwhelming problems because of that funky 1/2 thick front end. One, It over heats and two the motor has been exposed to the elements for so long that the wiring harnesses are cracking and creating parasitic drains. I have another parasitic drain I have to track down and I really don't want to do this anymore. Otherwise the truck is a hauling beast.

Isn't calling a 6-liter engine a 'small block' kind of an oxymoron in today's world? :h

Opinions on a small block Chevy | Good Sam Community

notsobigjoe
Nomad III
Jan 30, 2022
Supercharged111 wrote:
I can see where they cut the core support, that's an easy kill especially with the clip off. But the frame rail itself runs under the core support. Seeing how a chopped up stock core support is still in place, it seems to me enough frame is still there to slap a clip back on. Or is the meat to hang bumper mounts off of gone?

I'll take some better pics in the morning and post them.
Grit_dog
Navigator
Jan 30, 2022
^ Looks like it’s all gone.
Joe, I guess remember you got a “deal” on it what you bought it, for a reason.
It doesn’t owe you anything.
Safe travels this year !
One thing is for sure. If I ever see that truck, I WILL recognize it!
Supercharged111
Explorer
Jan 30, 2022
I can see where they cut the core support, that's an easy kill especially with the clip off. But the frame rail itself runs under the core support. Seeing how a chopped up stock core support is still in place, it seems to me enough frame is still there to slap a clip back on. Or is the meat to hang bumper mounts off of gone?
notsobigjoe
Nomad III
Jan 30, 2022
This is what is left of the front end frame "Blue". There is nothing to work with so putting a clip on won't work. Same on the other side.

This is the finished product of many years of hit and miss in the repair of this truck. This motor runs perfectly and is as strong as the day it was built. The list is too long to say what I did to it but it's the usual stuff, Re-maned heads, gaskets and stuff like that. The wiring hanging out of wrap is what I'm working on.

I had a couple of friends over last night and we are all motor heads. The consensus was to take Grit dogs opinion and go with that. It's not worth anything to anyone else but me. I'm keeping it. I'm installing a battery cut off switch today so I don't have to keep undoing the neg. batt. cable. That will be less annoying. Also going to skip the front wiring harness as I'm not putting anymore money into it. I'll track the electrical short as I always do. I have commented on the forum that my wife and I where looking to go to a travel trailer some time back and I think after this episode we will rethink that. The truck will be sold with the camper on top of it as is and will probably catch me more money than if I sold it out right. We have 18 camping reservations this year and will go to them all and then I will part ways with the both of them.
As usual the group on the forum was again far and away more helpful than other places I visit. Thank you all very much for your help.
Yes if your wondering, I'm already missing my truck camper just like I miss my old Bayliner I sold this year.... LOL
Supercharged111
Explorer
Jan 30, 2022
I had another thought: is that front clip ducted to the radiator and air intake? The factory did a decent job at directing the air where it needed to go without an excessive amount of air bypassing critical items.
vern_kelly
Explorer
Jan 30, 2022
Nearly all of the weight of a truck camper is over the rear axel as the Grit Dog said. I've weighed truck with and without camper for the measurements and only 200 pounds were added to the front axel when camper loaded. I was somewhat amazed by this. A big boy motor is always better when getting into hills, boat launch ramps, and headwinds. But a 6.0 Chebby will do the job especially in flat Florida. Florida is one flat state!
Supercharged111
Explorer
Jan 28, 2022
Any reason not to slap a clip on the current truck and just keep running it? Your tiedowns won't transfer over to the truck you linked, so from what I can tell it doesn't meet the criteria you laid out in the first post.
Grit_dog
Navigator
Jan 28, 2022
BTW, nice lookin place you got there! The SE is starting to grow on me a bit since our boy just went down there for college.
Grit_dog
Navigator
Jan 28, 2022
Tis certainly unique!
And I understand your struggle.
IMO, the truck isn't worth much with that umm custom work.
Part of the reason I was asking for more pic, other than my morbid curiosity, lol, was to see if it looked modified structurally in front.
Looks like core support is there, so I may consider putting a stock front clip on it to sell. Sounds like that may open another can of worms though, plus all the work required.
You're right, best decision may be to just let it go bye bye. Sounds like you have the knowledge but not the time or motivation to make the truck "right" again. Totally understandable.

That said, used truck prices are quite high (as you know I'm sure). I certainly would not shy away from a clean unmolested truck like you have now (a GMT 400). In fact, I place those trucks, in general, very high on the reliability and bang for the buck list, even still now that they're coming on 30 years old.
If you could find a HD GMT 400 Vortec with a NV4500 5 speed and either 350 or 454, it would serve you well for a while, I feel. And while LS powered trucks are good, there's something to be said for the 88-98 models.
mkirsch
Nomad II
Jan 28, 2022
Yikes.

If all you need is the front wiring harness, if you do it in conjunction with a factory front clip, it should not be all that bad.

You could always put an Escalade front clip on it...