1997 GMC C3500 Service and Repair Manual
This factory service and repair manual for the 1997 GMC C3500 includes something unusual in its engine list: a 5.7L V8 set up to run on compressed natural gas or gasoline, listed beside the turbocharged 6.5L diesel V8 and the 7.4L gasoline V8. Five body configurations are covered, from standard, extended and crew cab pickups to two- and four-door cab-and-chassis trucks, in Sierra SL, Sierra SLE and Sierra SLT trim. Fuel system specifications and diagnostics differ sharply between those engines, and the manual keeps them apart.
Engines covered
- 6.5L V8 (395 cu in) — OHV, turbocharged, diesel
- 5.7L V8 (350 cu in) — OHV, naturally aspirated, CNG or gasoline
- 7.4L V8 (454 cu in) — OHV, naturally aspirated, gasoline
Body styles covered
- 2-door standard cab pickup
- 2-door cab & chassis
- 4-door cab & chassis
- 4-door crew cab pickup
- 2-door extended cab pickup
Trims covered
- Sierra SL
- Sierra SLE
- Sierra SLT
Known issues on the 1997 C3500. The federal record for this model year is clean: no recalls, and no owner complaints logged with NHTSA. The manual is therefore a reference rather than a remedy, and it has a lot to reference — three engines including the natural-gas-capable 5.7L V8, transmissions and axles, brake and steering repair, suspension and frame work, body procedures for five configurations, and the electrical system, with specifications, torque values, wiring diagrams and diagnostics attached to each.
