Faults:

Head gasket blew at 120,000.

Clutch at 140,000.

Motor, radiator, heater core, and carburetor at 180,000.

Head blew again (i hope just gasket) in shop now 10/04/2005 at 225,000.

Rear end at 200,000.

General Comments:

I am kinda glad I got the truck, but it's sucking up my money for repairs. I now have a bad back so I cannot do the repairs myself anymore.

Excellent truck for booming stereo's!!!

I have repaired or replaced majority of truck parts except transmission (which I have done clutch with accessories).

Faults:

Replaced radiator (header block cracked)

Replaced rotors, brakes, tires.

Massive oil leaks... had to replace the head gasket @ 100,000. Replaced the timing seal, valve seal, all belts.

"fast idle" sticks in winter time; idles at very high rpms.

Noisy lifters.

Squeaks and rattles throughout the truck.

Ignition has locked before.

Cracked radiator hoses.

Engine has been dying unexpectedly for the last 3,000 miles... mechanic unable to figure out the problem.

Windshield cracks.

Tailpipe rusted right off.

General Comments:

When it runs, it's a great truck. Excellent mileage, great heater, awesome runner. Bad on the highway and for long distance trips. Slow and difficult in the winter. Burns oil, prone to oil leaks. Nice cab and simple design. Wouldn't recommend this model-year. Go newer.

Faults:

The rings failed at about 120,000 miles and may be failing again. I have been told that it has serious blow by. This blow by is forcing oil up through the valve cover to the air cleaner then out through a drain hole.

The fuel pump failed at about 200,000 miles.

The oil pump started to go out at 180,000 miles.

The water pump started to leak at about 170,000 miles.

The blower for the air conditioner/heater failed at 80,000 miles and again at 210,000 miles.

The air conditioner continues to loose coolant if it is not run every other day.

Air conditioner updated to R134 at 246,000 miles.

Catalytic converter replaced at 40,000 miles and at 190,000 miles.

Valve cover loosens up all of the time starting 10 years ago.

The clutch went out at 60,000 miles and at 180,000.

The radiator started leaking at 60,000 miles.

General Comments:

Nice size for a small pickup used for city driving. I would love to keep it as a secondary vehicle, but the failing rings maybe the last straw. I cannot get anyone to give me a quote for a ring job so it will pass smog check in California. Everyone wants to rebuild the engine. With the engine oil going up through to the air cleaner would a ring job be enough to fix the problem?

Faults:

The prior owner of this truck abused it severely. This included the lack of any preventative maintenance whatsoever. All of these problems were related.

I had a recurring problem with the clutch slave cylinder blowing out, twice now. This was in part due to the replacement of the clutch and the pressure difference. Replaced now for the second time and now doesn't seems to be a problem.

The shocks were blown when I bought the truck, and I replaced those. It now handles well.

The head gasket blew. I replaced that, very easy job.

The drivers seat has more or less fallen apart. This seems to be a problem with these trucks, as I am having problems finding a new one, even from wreckers.

When I bought it, the steering was extremely stiff, to the point that my wife couldn't drive it. I replaced the tires and it helped, but it was still inconvenient. I replaced the tires this week with new ones, and now it is much better.

My biggest problem and only real beef with this truck has been a stuttering on cold or wet days. I don't mean anywhere close to freezing temperatures, but even a little chilly wind with rain it will do it. I can't figure this out. Since I replaced the head gasket, the problem has considerably reduced, but it is still there. Where it used to just shut down, now it only stutters and loses power. Any suggestions for a fix?

General Comments:

This has been an incredible truck. Extremely reliable, fairly fuel efficient, and it drives like a car. I especially like the comfort level and the space that the extra cab offers. The maintenance that I have had to do on it is minimal for the mechanical condition that it was in when I bought it.