Bad News :\

Highly curious here... Why are you saying that you need a new oil pan? Is it actually damaged in such a way that it is impossible to use? Such as cracked, dented in more than 1/4th an inch in any location, warped, threads stripped on the drain plug?

What seals are you talking about exactly for that $200???? I could think of close to 200 different "seals" on a car, truck, van, or just about anything....

Which hoses are you talking about? AC? Coolant? Tranny cooler hoses? (Yes, they are aluminum, but they have rubber to allow flexing during operation) Vacuum hoses? You can replace most all hoses for under $50...

General rule of thumb for a transmission, if it's not over 100,000 miles, get the tranny flushed, pan dropped, filter changed. Above 100,000 miles do just a pan drop and filter change, SKIP the flush. If you have NEVER serviced the tranny for the first 200,000 miles, don't touch the fluid/filter, it's already trashed IMO.

Also, you should have the coolant system flushed per the service manual, which, with GM, that tends to be ~100,000 miles when using the GM Dexcool coolant, ANY other coolant, even the off-name extended life coolant needs it either yearly, or every 30,000-60,000 miles for warranty purposes.

You may as well stick with the rear end that is there, and the same engine, it will cost too much just to go back to the original, and you will find that once in awhile, that extra power getting to the ground is nice to have.


One last thing, and don't a single person dare come in here and say this is stupid. Check your power steering fluid, and brake fluid. It is a VERY good idea to have both systems flushed every ~3 years to remove burned fluid, or contaminated fluid from the system. In the case of your power steering, you will literally feel the difference between dark brown fluid, and clear fresh fluid in the system, it will respond much more nicely, easily, and prolong the life of your pump and gearing for the system. In the case of your brake system, any time that cap comes off of the reservoir, it sucks moisture straight out of the air and holds it. Over time, this moisture leads to rust/corrosion on the inside of your lines. They can look beautiful outside, but are slowly being ate at on the inside, a bleeding doesn't fix this, only a full brake system flush does, which must be done at the dealer so your ABS valves can be cycled properly to make sure all fluid is swapped.

I am honestly, trying to in the long run, keep you from ending up in a pickle like I have. Spend the money now, save your self a headache and repair costs down the road. It is cheaper to drop the $50 for a brake fluid swap than to have a line explode on you while trying to come to a stop from highway speeds. Same with your power steering system.

Also, if someone can't tell the difference between what rubber they have on the ground, then they need a mental check. Anyone should be able to tell the difference between top grade, and bargain brand tires on dry, wet, and snow covered roads. Not saying get brand X or Y, but, in the end, it's your life if you get **** tires and expect them to handle amazingly in rain or snow like a good set of tires do.
 
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1. there's a puncture that's too expensive to weld
2. All windows and glass, and engine waterproofing
3. Replaced all the engine hoses, rubber was getting cracked
4. The Allison is roughing it quite well
5. Swap is free to do, I have all the mounts and parts needed. I basically have a barely used 1500 and a tranny sitting there

I'll have it all serviced from head to toe, or I'll trade it for a Rover or Jeep. Or, I'll save up for an AM General. Man I want that truck!
 
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Should I trade in for a Ford Excursion? Or can anyone recommend a large SUV or Truck/SUV crossover? No Sport Trak, Caddy EXT's, or Hondas :p
 
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Should I trade in for a Ford Excursion? Or can anyone recommend a large SUV or Truck/SUV crossover? No Sport Trak, Caddy EXT's, or Hondas :p

I would go with an Expedition before I went with an Excursion (F150 base vs F250).

Mainly the limiting factor would be your budget. The Kia Sorento is a very nice SUV, as is the Hyundai version (Santa Fe, I think). Personally I like the looks of the Ford Edge, but the GMC terrain is nice, too (as is the Chevy version).
 
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Should I trade in for a Ford Excursion? Or can anyone recommend a large SUV or Truck/SUV crossover? No Sport Trak, Caddy EXT's, or Hondas :p

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6 cyl. diesel, 240hp, AWD, and more torque than you'll likely ever need. You apparently have a taste for expensive vehicles.
 
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