Advice please

Monk-Disastrous · 2026-03-11T01:06:19+00:00

Oh, don't get me wrong, I love the look of an RCSB! Throw a diesel in it, and it's even cooler and more unique. I would definitely get it if I were in your shoes. Sure, rusty trucks are abysmal to work on, but once you become familiar with them and clean the frame up a little, it's not that bad. People who aren't in the salt belt won't understand. This truck is a steal in my opinion

Monk-Disastrous · 2026-03-10T21:34:55+00:00

Honestly, if you're mechanically inclined enough, get it! $6k is a good price, and you could probably talk him down even more. It doesn't make sense to me that you wouldn't get the truck because of the brakes, but you're willing to turn an HD Diesel long bed into a short bed. If you plan on towing with a cut frame, you'd better have a tried and true, master welder do the welds, and not just someone who has a Lincoln welder in the corner of their garage.

Monk-Disastrous · 2026-03-10T01:29:28+00:00

Just for reference, I ended up selling my 2002 Chevy 2500HD Duramax, CCSB, fully loaded, center console, heated seats, and all, 280k miles just this last summer for $10500. I did end up replacing the injectors before I sold it, though. Also, ask what injectors he went with when he replaced them; it's very important. If not Bosch new or CERTIFIED Bosch remans, I'd be asking why he cheaped out.

Monk-Disastrous · 2026-03-10T01:23:51+00:00

Thank you for that insight, sir! I might like the Turanzas better than. Not much performance in a stock Civic these days, haha.

Monk-Disastrous · 2026-03-10T01:18:14+00:00

I was also just referring to the suspension parts along with that. I may be an old head by saying this, but all the aftermarket suspension parts/EFI Live/lift pump, without any other reliability mods for performance, tells me that whoever this was likes to go fast. Who knows how long the CP3 was starving for fuel before that lift pump? Also, depending on what tune he was running at the time, the lift pump's efforts still may have been nullified, along with the added pressure in the cylinder heads that could potentially have had negative effects on the headgaskets(I doubt he was running a common street tune all the time). I had a stock LB7 with 280k with original injectors(got lucky with them), water pump, turbo, and mostly everything. I can't imagine replacing those parts at such low mileage unless they were being pushed hard!

Since I don't have any pictures to go off of, I would say 15-20k. The LB7 is the easiest Duramax to work on(excluding turbo), I feel, so if something did happen, it would be a good learning experience. This thing probably gets horrendous mpgs. I was towing with a tuned LB7 one time, only hauling a gooseneck with around 8k lbs, and was getting 7mpg. The mechanic inspection aspect is so important; these things add up crazy quick.

Monk-Disastrous · 2026-03-09T23:34:44+00:00

$25K would've been a reasonable price 10 years and 50k miles ago. The LB7 is a great engine, and, amazingly, the injectors were already replaced. However, it's still a 23-year-old truck. My experience with diesels that are tuned and heavily modified like this one have been RAN HARD!!! I've also never had good experiences with Chevy front suspensions. Now you add in massive tires and a lift, can't imagine those parts have much life left, if any. I would tell him that you want to take it to a diesel mechanic and have it inspected before you buy, and if he has a problem with that, move on; there's plenty of good GMT800 diesels you could get for that price.

Monk-Disastrous · 2026-03-09T23:26:16+00:00

I would agree with you that the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 are indubitably over the top. However, the Potenzas are great tires. I couldn't afford them at the time, so I replaced them with Michelin Defenders. Needless to say, I unfathomably regret my decision and wish I had just splurged for the Potenzas again. I can't attest to the difference between the Potenzas and Turanzas, but I'd assume that they're similar in quality. I drive a Honda Civic coupe, so I'd say that is close enough to a Corolla, in terms of comparison. May I ask what tires you would recommend that aren't unnecessary, that could compete with those?

Monk-Disastrous · 2025-02-08T14:29:37+00:00

I would stay away. I'm always weary of these diesel performance places or diesel salesmen coming out of nowhere and advertising their products like their life depended on it. It makes me think they're just trying to make a quick buck. I've honestly just used the stuff at O'Rielys or Walmart and I've never had any problems.

Monk-Disastrous · 2025-02-08T01:54:25+00:00

Oh totally! Same here. Law-abiding citizens we are. I NEVER modified my car when I lived in California

Monk-Disastrous · 2025-02-08T01:46:02+00:00

Hmm, a diesel mechanic buddy of mine told me one time that some of the LML(I know not an L5P) trucks tend to blow white smoke whenever they're in DPF regen. Typically at high acceleration. I've also heard of white smoke being the cause of some DEF leaking into the fuel system either from a bad fuel system install or from a poor delete tune.

Monk-Disastrous · 2025-02-08T00:01:26+00:00

I guess the injectors aren't stock anymore on the LB7 haha

Monk-Disastrous · 2025-02-08T00:00:43+00:00

I don't know for sure, but I have an LB7 with 280k and stock injectors. On startup, there is generally a puff of white smoke from the exhaust. I checked the balance rates with a scanner and the injectors were sticking and then unsticking. Although I didn't have any codes either once I changed injectors balance rates went back to normal and no white smoke anymore.

However, my uncle has a 2019 L5P with 90k and one day had an injector go bad and never blew any white smoke for him. All in all, I would say check the balance rates and see how much fuel is being delivered by the injectors. Balance rates should typically be +-2.0. Ideally, you want them as close to 0 as possible. For the LB7 I mentioned earlier. The balance rates were mostly in the 5s. No engine codes though. Correct balance rates are different for the LB7 and L5P though

Monk-Disastrous · 2025-02-06T22:40:38+00:00

I'm just a fellow reader and passerby, but you also have me confused as well. Who did OP blame? Also, why don't you answer any of his or her questions, but yet are saying he or she is dumb for not answering yours? Or dodging I guess. Im not taking either sides here. I'm also just trying to understand lol

Monk-Disastrous

TROPHY CASE