Chevrolet introduced the Silverado line of pickup trucks to consumers in 1975. Until the 1998 model year, the Silverado name represented the highest trim and package level available in the truck series. By 2002, the Silverado became the identifiable name with all 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks. The Silverado 1500 came from the factory with a 4.3 liter V6 engine that advertised a power output of 200 horsepower. Consumers could also choose to upgrade the motors to either a 4.8 liter or 5.3 liter V8. The Silverado requires routine maintenance and tuning to perform to its potential.
Lift the front end of the Silverado up with the provided jack. This provides easy access to the trucks oil pan and oil filter.
Place recycle container underneath oil pan to catch used oil. The Oil Life System comes standard in the new Chevrolet Silverado 1500 trucks and indicates when the oil needs to be changed.
Remove plug from bottom of the oil pan and let old oil drain. Monitor the flow of drained oil until it has all emptied into the container. Replace plug once finished.
Unscrew the used oil filter with the necessary wrench by turning counter-clockwise. Remove slowly so that any leftover oil does not spill out at an alarming rate.
Fill new oil filter ¾ full with new oil. This will prevent any overflow of oil once the filter is refitted. Attach the filter back into the position where the used filter rested. The oil filter will reattach by simply hand screwing back into place.
Fill the oil compartment with the new oil. Check the oil level and consistency by removing the dipstick from the oil chamber. Add oil if dipstick registers a low level of oil.
Disconnect the negative port of the Silverado's battery. Disabling electrical current ensures safety when replacing engine parts, such as spark plugs.
Remove tarnished or damaged spark plug wires from their position to replace. Monitor spark plug wires during routine maintenance to minimize any starting issues.
Remove damaged or dirty spark plugs with the necessary wrench size. Plugs are cheap replacements, so cleaning is a very ineffective method in terms of performance ignition settings.
Replace spark plugs and wires that were damaged or dirty. Hand-screw and tighten spark plugs.
Attach the spark wires to the corresponding plugs. No tools are necessary for fitting the wires into place.
Loosen the bolts that hold the Silverado's air filter to the air intake hose. Regularly monitor the air filter and intake system for dirt and debris that might prohibit maximum air flow.
Remove the old air filter from the rest of the intake system in a slow manner. Make sure that no dirt falls into the hose of the intake.
Clean any debris that is inside the intake tube.
Position the new air filter to line up with the air intake hose. The new filter fits precisely into place just like the old filter did.
Tighten bolts that came standard with the air intake system to ensure stability.
