This factory service and repair manual for the 1987 Chevrolet W4500 Tiltmaster is built around a single build code, the W4S042, and a single engine, the turbocharged 3.9L inline-four of 236 cubic inches running on diesel. The body is a low tilt straight truck, so the cab hinges forward and the service positions described here assume that access. Nothing has to be cross-referenced against a second displacement or a second chassis, which keeps the fuel, cooling and driveline specifications short and unambiguous for anyone working on one of these trucks.
Engines covered
- 3.9L inline-four (236 cu in) — turbocharged, diesel
Body styles covered
- Straight truck, low tilt
Trims covered
- W4S042
Known issues on the 1987 W4500 Tiltmaster. Nothing sits against this model year on the federal record: no recalls and no owner complaints. That leaves the manual to be read for what it documents rather than what it warns about — injector and injection pump service on the 3.9L diesel, turbocharger and intake checks, valve clearance and timing figures, clutch, transmission and rear axle procedures, brake and steering specifications, and the wiring diagrams and diagnostic charts for the cab and chassis circuits.
