The '93 Silverado K1500 4X4
With an interesting post about to expire of Nomad Natural Causes,
I wanna tell you a Mexican Story.
For 7 friggin' years, I've been with a vehicle initially of need (Sportfishing Transportation) & turning out to be the best utilitarian car I have
ever owned in particular ways . . . a 2001 Ford E-150, 4.6L V8, club seating configuration . . . & without
4 wheel drive.
You could air down. Otherwise, burro it was, a bit of sand would stop it.
'93.
It was '94, year of the environmentalists, the ground began disappearing along the sides of a motor.
It took 3 months, receiving mail daily from Auto Trader punta Com before finding an exact copy of what I sought. All unamerican, at least according
to her marketing people. My most fortunate day was when the previous owner suffered a power steering
hose failure. He sent a fine truck my way.
(This may begin an avalanche of notes with regard to the 350 being one of the top 10 engines of this century. With the maintenance I give it, it is a
400,000 mile engine. A new one is available brand new, built in Mexico for ?-4K depending on your american bent, but a grand or two.
Arturo the mechanic did some stuff. Took the driver door all apart (panel everything) jacked the door, leveled it and put it all back together. Works
like factory new. Found the vacuum leak. Connector was split opposite end of the PVC tube. Replaced the brittle split piece with a spark plug
connector. Horn was a fuse . . . also brought to life the tail and license plate lights. Had a rear view mirror trim piece for the driver door which
was missing. Changed the brake fluid . . . old was black. Labor for today, 400 Mexican pesos. $30.83. He wants me to bring a door pin kit which is
part of the door service.
The fan clutch is no longer clutching very well. One long climb before Death Valley, temp spiked a bit. Splains that.
I use Rock Auto. Only O.E., GM AC Delco stuff. Labor for fan clutch install is 250 Mexican pesos, $19.27 US.
Will do water pump, front seal, timing chain sprockets and hoses at the same time.
You should smile to hear on my way back to the house, a few blocks down a river bed from him, I hit the windshield washer and it washed and wiped just
fine. Arturo had tapped the wiper motor a few time. Freed the brushes.
Nope. Vacuum leak didn't help the panel vents. They are electric. This did:
Try a "reboot"!
Remove a battery terminal for 10 minutes, then reconnect.
Turn ignition switch to on, but don't start.
Wait 1 minute.
DO NOT touch any buttons in the vehicle during this minute.
Then start vehicle and let idle for 5 minutes.
Drive above 45 mph as soon as possible.
This "reboots" all the computers in the vehicle including the A/C which then "resynchronizes" the actuator doors during the power-up.
This also reboots the engine computer and the idle and driving above 45 mph helps it to "regain" its operating memory.
Try doing that with my wife's #%^%&$%ing Land Rover. However, best I enjoyed was a '92 Defender 110.
A friend with a new GMC Sierra says of it, "Mine is like
sitting inside a large computer. The geeks have definitely gotten control
of truck design and manufacture".
Decoded the VIN. It's a 3.73 rear end.
Exhaust is now 3" cat back, interupped by a used Flow Master. Sounds kinda like a muscle car.
Note: A car to be imported in Mexico must have the cat. Leave it there.
Rosarito has a place with a lift next to steam cleaning stuff.
Bottom's next, then a new Stub Axle Side Seal in front. Another 200 pesos.
Pictures and postcards to follow, maybe.
American by birth, Mexican by choice.
Signature addendum: Danish physicist — Niels Bohr — who said, “The opposite of one profound truth may very well be another profound truth.
Jeff Petersen
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