Love/hate my sierra

I have to say I found this forum a few month's ago, and it has been a world of help since I found it, not only has it helped me figure out a few problems, but has given me piece of mind that (it's not just my sierra) that get's these problems.
I absolutely love my truck, the style, power, durability. all of it. but they have to be the quirkiest damn things around. It's a 91' 2500, and I guess the HD model for those day's, (8600 gvw). I bought it used 6 years ago, with 110.000 mi on it, I just turned 163.000. and even though I have had problem's with it starting after about the first 6 mos, of owning it, I would not sell it for anything, and honestly I get at least 1 person a month walking up asking if I want to sell.
I have not seen many if at all just like it, mostly because it has the single headlight per side grill instead of the duel per side like most I see. as well as the 8600 gvw, stat's. only one's close are the city service trucks around my local so, cal area.
The wipers were the first thing I found, then the water pump, then (both radiator)hoses (at once), then the radiator, I had my plastic capped piece of junk rebuilt 3 times by 3 diff. shop's, then deceided to go old school on it and had a 4 row brass old school one cut down, I cut the shrowd to fit the much fatter tanks and fabed up some rather niffty bracket's to hold it tight in place. that was 3 years ago, and since then have pulled a boat while hauling a big a$$ 12' camper through the desert in summer going to and com'ing from the colorado river w/the air on and never a problem with over heating again, YEAH!
BUT ! then the tran's went 4l80e, would have fixed it myself, but I had just had heart surgery 2 month's earlier, and the wife would have none of that. anyhow while it's in the shop I get a call to come down there, they showed me a box full of smashed broken bit's and piece's and asked me just how in the world I had done this, and better yet just how the hell did I drive it to the shop like it was, uh? I dunno? was my answer. the inside of the trans case was even gouged where it looked like a hand grenade had gone off inside. anyways after a hefty bill they promised bullitproof, and for 2 yrs now yep.
the electrical has alway's done odd interesting thing's.
just installed a new edelbrock cam and timing chain, (was getting BAD dead spots and erratic idle) chain had so much slopp i'm suprised it ran at all, boy what a difference now!
Power steering pump has been going now for some time, have a new one but I refuse to change the old one till it is completely dead, and the damn thing just won't die, I just keep add'ing fluid once a week as I check the oil. which by the way 1/2 a quart every 3000 mi.! not bad for the miles. just finished installing a second deep cycle batt & isolator system.
Have a set of vortec heads in the garage i've been playing with, to be installed once the seal's on the old head's get a little worse than 1/2 a quart every 3000.
I guess that's why I refuse to sell, because even though it is quirky it ALWAY'S get's me home SAFE, even though I use it to it's extreme's.
and when it does break I think about it, get advice, (like from this board) as well as manufactur'er sources, and repair and/or upgrade so i'll NEVER have to worry about the same problem again.
and this is my (love/hate)relationship with my truck.
It has been promised to my son who is 5 yrs old, but have no doubt's that it will still be around when he can take the wheel, and at the rate it's been going I figure it will be one hell of a truck by then because of the upgrades I have to keep doing to it.
AND THAT'S ALL FOLK'S.

Well glad your heart is ok. With all the repairs the truck will be rebuilt like new by time your 5 year old gets the keys. I had to laugh at a few of the problems you had, but i am impressed with 163K mile on the clock. Let me know how the vortec heads do.
John

luv my 94 sierra too....now has 252,000 and very few problems, the biggest problem being having to replace differential but I expected that because I hauled 6x12 u haul trailer all over the usa from Maine to Texas, Florida to Washington state and just about every other state in the country. The motor showing some signs of age but still going strong. I will put a rebuilt motor in it as soon as this one can't go any further and hope it last at least half as long as this one has.

Many years ago I used to have a 1988 Sierra 3500. Haven't had one since! I only kept it until 81,000 miles. By that time I wanted to blow it up! Lets see, the following occurred in this order: Fuel pump ceased to function. Had to drop the gas tank to replace that fuel pump. At about 4 years, the paint began to chip-off. Looks like the paint didn't take-hold to the primer. Idle began racing faster and faster: Injector gaskets cracked...easy fix. Alternator went bad...another easy fix. Bottom of radiator blew-out from corrosion. Strange since I always kept the anti-freeze changed yearly? Fan clutch went bad. Replaced it with a flexi-fan. Transmission went-out at about 61,000...very expensive fix. Windshield wipers sounded like they were about to seize, and the high speed ceased to function. Windshield washer pump also quit working. Tape player became frozen after only a couple of years. Put a cabover camper on the back. Both overload springs cracked even though the camper was exactly 2,000 lbs., what the truck supposedly was designed for? The crankshaft pulley broke-off! Never heard of such a thing happening before! Forward universal joint went bad. Easy fix, although I was wondering why that happened since I always kept it greased. Rear wheel seals began leaking rear end oil onto the brake shoes...fairly easy fix. The alternator went bad again...this time I replaced it with a rebuilt unit instead of a new one from the dealer. Engine started throwing the serpentine belt. The Pulleys weren't aligned because the bolts holding the accessory bracket had broken! Another pain-in-the-butt repair with drilling and heli-coils! What could have caused that? The water pump started leaking. Fairly easy fix, but a pain-in-the butt to do. To bad this didn't happen when I had to pull the accessory bracket the first time! Exhaust manifold gaskets began leaking. Another pain-in-the butt fix because I had to drill-out the broken exhaust manifold bolts and install heli-coils! Really tough job to do without pulling the engine, but I did it! And lastly, the steering began to bind, even though I always kept everything greased.

The positives: That 454 could really go fast on hills. On cruise control, it wouldn't hardly slow-down even on hills. It was comfortable to drive but had a tendency to not pass gas stations!

Score:

Positives 2

Negatives 18

Ask me if I'd ever buy another GMC?

I didn't mention the years past two brand new Corvettes I bought. These also came in a close second for poor quality workmanship and very poor design. What is supposed to be General Motors top of the line cars, at least of me were two pieces of crap. After 4 years or so, both cars seemed to start falling apart! Endless repairs on EVERYTHING!