Hey Vortec Guys! / Sierra pickup / Suburban / Yukon etc - Finally has Index!

bald.eagle

Observer
Appreciate the input folks. I'll be sure to read this thread through from the start, some good info in here for sure. Apologies if I repeated questions already covered here.

Rayra, thanks for the detailed response- I'm actually buying a car in a couple weeks (04 Mini Cooper Type S) so I won't be without a vehicle while I tear down the truck. I've decided to go ahead and give the truck a full drivetrain rebuild while I have the opportunity. Trans will stay intact for the moment but I want to add an aux cooler to try and get as much life out of it as I can. I want to pull the motor and rebuild it on a stand, which will also allow me to get in the engine bay and have a better angle at the front chassis to take care of some surface rust while I rebuild the front suspension. Gotta hunt down a coolant leak also, hoping its not in the radiator itself.

I'll be sure to post here along the way, I'll start an image album and keep track of the work I do. We're moving in April and as soon as we're settled I'll start tearing down the truck. Hoping to have it back together and 100% by the end of the summer so we can get out in it for some camping this fall. No major mods planned, but I'd like to add a rooftop tent, awning and room, and storage drawers with an expandable sleep platform. Should make a pretty nice base camp for our family of 5.
 

Ramblejam

Observer
The full Torque app ($5) includes trans temp modules. That don't work properly.
2004 Burb here. Torque Pro utilizing the built-in GM enhanced PID set and "transmission fluid temp" PID displays the proper temperature, and matches OEM dash gauge. Can't remember which one (there are three separate GM transmission fluid temp PID's listed) worked, but can confirm later if you'd find it helpful.
 
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rayra

Expedition Leader
Yes, I finally found the built-in but totally non-apparent method of adding in all the GM extras and then was able to get Mod1 IIRC to display. It was reading ~135F in my local driving, while the previous sensor I mistakenly thought was trans was working up to around 90+. Still have no idea what that is actually measuring.
When you are setting up your options you have to use the android device Menu button to bring up the Extra PIDs (by vehicle manufacturer), there isn't any on-screen prompts to tell you to do that or referencing it. Had to dig around the Torque discussion forums, doing searches on transmission temps before I found a poster mentioning it.

transtempdisplayupdated_zpsopjwk0hr.jpg
 

Ramblejam

Observer
:agree:

Look forward to seeing your upcoming posts after discovering all the GM specific things that can be monitored; let me be the first to suggest knock retard!
 

rayra

Expedition Leader
:agree:

Look forward to seeing your upcoming posts after discovering all the GM specific things that can be monitored; let me be the first to suggest knock retard!

I'm not sure if that's a helpful suggestion or some kind of insult. Might be both.
/heh
 

rayra

Expedition Leader
couple updates / next chapters.

The Stop leak / Castech heads patch repair is still holding just fine. Couple more hard highway trips, ~300mi ea, still not a whit of reduction in coolant levels. It if holds thru the SoCal summer heat, I'm calling it 'fixed'. Hope to flog it 1200mi to the Grand Tetons in August for the total eclipse of the sun.

Driver side window failed again in the down position. Thinking the almost-new low-budget Dorman motor had failed, pulled it all apart, got the glass loose to raise it fully and tape in position. Then while partially assembling the door hardware to make it driveable until I could get a better replacement motor, while reattaching the wiring connectors to the driver door switch panel, I squeezed the driver window switch and that sumbitch did proceed to work properly. So pulled it all apart again, reassembled it all and worked fine. For another two weeks. Then it again failed in the down position.
Thinking I was being clever I unplugged and replugged the switch panel. No joy. Then while repeating the previous disassembly procedure was interrupted by dinner. When I went back out and reconnected things, the window again activated. Could be intermittent fault of the motor. Could also be some sort of failure in the switch. There's a circuit board involved there and the switch is a two-function thing, a quick tap triggers the window all the way down, or you can hold it longer and the signal stops when you release it. There's some sort of control circuit involved. SO, the next time it quits, I'm pulling it apart and putting power direct to the window motor. If it works, I'm blaming the switch panel. $53 on rockauto, maybe less at a junkyard but the 'opportunity cost' for that is over $30 anyway so not worth the 45mi round trip.

Firewall heater hose quick-connect tees - It's been almost exactly a year since my work on that on the Tahoe. Unlike the Sub work a month later, on the Tahoe I did NOT replace both of the heater connectors. A few weeks ago during a spate of very cold overnight temps, was finding a bit of coolant on the ground in the morning. Couple cursory inspections couldn't find any source. Couple spot checks in the evening, hot off the highway, no sign of any pressure leaks. Suspected the overflow / fill tank. Long history of high mileage / age cracks in these things, across GM products, that I know of. Again no sign. Today I made a more thorough study of it, broke out the floor jack, bright flashlight etc and found a trail of Dexcool residue / drip locations and followed things up to find it's coming from the rear heater leg of the black T-connector on the firewall. The one I DIDN'T replace on the Tahoe. It's going to be a ***** to replace, with everything else in place. Lesson learned and passed on to you all - do them both while you are at it.


Steering hardware in the 'On deck circle'. Preview of coming attractions. After I finished my lift fiddling and addition of the tie rod reinforcing sleeves, I tried to get an alignment and was apprised of a lot of steering wear and handed a quote for $700+ to repair. I've got a box of basic Moog / MAS parts on my bench. Planning to change everythign but the center link. Steering / Pitman arm, Idler arm, and both inner and outer tie rod ends, both sides. With a jack raising the whole front end, there's a 1/2" of lateral slop in my steering. That's got to go.
I can find no evidence of excessive balljoint wear. But I'm inclined to change them. And since they're pressed in and I have to de-mount the control arms, considering changing the control arm bushings too while I'm at it. Another target of opportunity. I can get the OEM / equivalent parts for about ~$200. And it's an excuse to buy an hydraulic press. OR I can buy complete control arm assemblies - with new bushings and balljoints already in them, for a total of ~$300. For now I think it's just going to be the steering. And I want the press for other things / projects.
Might put a budget steering stabilizer in there while I am at it, $50
 

rayra

Expedition Leader
Another 'Lesson (Re-)Learned. 'Save yourself some work and inconvenience by doing preventative maintenance on related components while you have something else torn apart'

Last year I posted about an unplanned repair of a heater hose T-connector on the firewall of our Tahoe (165k mi). I'd bumped it while performing an intake manifold gasket change. When I bumped / disturbed the connection an aged o-ring gave up the ghost and the fitting started leaking profusely under operating pressure. I replaced that fitting, with much struggle. It's an inaccessible POS.

A month or so later when I did similar planned work on my Suburban (122k mi) and changed both of these T-connectors while I had the intake manifold off, giving much greater access.

Couple weeks ago we started getting some coolant on the ground under the Tahoe after very cold overnight temps. Eventually backtracked it to the OTHER T-connector, which I had not replaced. After a week or so it was dribbling a good bit more and leaking under pressure as well, so I applied some stop leak to it (to good effect) to hold things together until I could spend the time on the repair. Which I've just completed. What a complete pain in the ***. VERY difficult to release this fitting with improvised tools with everything else still in place. I've described the methods previously.

This is after wrestling the failing connector off. It's a T-connector on SUVs with rear heat / AC and a straight connector on pickups. The limited access at the firewall is the same and a larger version of the pronged connection you can see on the bright metal pipe in this image -

heaterfirewallconnections30.jpg



My hands are on the medium side of large, glove size 8 or 9, just to illustrate how restricted things are

heaterfirewallconnections31.jpg



The culprit. You can see how degraded the o-ring is, after 175k mi

heaterfirewallconnections32jpg
heaterfirewallconnections33.jpg



The work is made even more frustrating in the amount of time it takes to get things apart, as reassembly literally takes 20 seconds. These connectors are designed to just be stabbed on, on the assembly line. Take no time at all.
 
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kojackJKU

Autism Family Travellers!
I had an appointment to get the plugs, wires etc changed on my burban, but we just kept getting snow. I needed to keep driveways clear so I had to put it off. The weather looks good for this week so I am going to my mechanic to get the job done today or tomorrow. THANK GOD. Needs it bad. When it gets warmer, I'm going to do the rear wiper repair, new bumpers ( mine are rusty), seafoam the motor, injector system, and intake....I have to clean the MAF as well. I think after that, it should be all systems go! It rides, handles and stops perfect because last year I got all that done! I am keeping my chev steelies on it, and just powder coat them gunmetal color and use the stock center caps once I find a good set.
 

Stryder106

Explorer
Kojack - did you ever get the H2 springs? I'm looking for a part number for them. I'm getting ready to add a bunch of weight to my Av (overbed rack, RTT, fridge, etc). I saw picture (somewhere) that had the PN but I can't seem to locate it anywhere.
 

kojackJKU

Autism Family Travellers!
Kojack - did you ever get the H2 springs? I'm looking for a part number for them. I'm getting ready to add a bunch of weight to my Av (overbed rack, RTT, fridge, etc). I saw picture (somewhere) that had the PN but I can't seem to locate it anywhere.

Not yet. Spring is soon here, so I am going to get that all set up then. I was just going to buy a set from fleabay that replaces the airbags.
 

kojackJKU

Autism Family Travellers!
Well. Plugs and wires are in and it's running better. I think after cleaning the maf sensor, intake tube and filter. And run seafoam through the fuel rail, hopefully it will be running top notch again. Next up will be lift bumpers wheels and​ tires
 

rayra

Expedition Leader
How to fix the heard / felt clunk of the Intermediate Steering Shaft. You might hear it, you probably feel it thru the steering wheel.
There are a couple easy / free fixes, either re-distributing the lube that's already in the shaft, or adding more. Or just replacing the unit itself.

Re-distribution -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFi6asV2K_A


Replacing -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUsrKF_7g5o



1aauto has the replacement shaft for $110
https://www.1aauto.com/intermediate...ors-oem-19329330/i/gmstc00002?f=949267&y=2002

GM Parts Direct wants $98
http://www.gmpartsdirect.com/oe-gm/19153614

Same GM part is on eBay for $74

Rockauto.com has a Dorman equivalent for $44
https://www.1aauto.com/intermediate...ors-oem-19329330/i/gmstc00002?f=949267&y=2002

Autozone wants $74 for the same Dorman part
http://www.autozone.com/suspension-...25176&fromString=search&isIgnoreVehicle=false
 

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