2003 Tahoe coolant system leak or head gasket leak?

[mattbta]

@iamdub - i would totally buy a set of wires off you if you ever got bored. That's out of my wheelhouse.

Sorry for the hijack @tomloans - great work on cleaning the surfaces. I didn't do near as good a job on the tops of the pistons as you did. I agree with the others - slap the new top end on it and send it! You caught yours way earlier than I did, so my plan is to just send it, too, and expect my cam bearings at some point to go. At that point, hopefully I'll have rebuilt a longblock and upgrade. (But I'm going to put the Truck Norris cam on this motor just for fun and I'll get a better look at the cam lobes then.)

 

[tRidiot]

Big Three upgrade is always a good idea on any vehicle, if you ask me.

Here's what mine looks like:



Slightly more modest on my 370Z:



lol

 

[tomloans]

It's up grading the wire gauge of the three main power circuits: Battery negative to frame, engine block to frame and battery positive to alternator charge post.

I did a "Big 5" by upgrading the starter positive and body sheet metal to engine block ground.

My junk: https://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/threads/growing-up-doesnt-have-to-suck.93510/post-1567413 and https://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/threads/growing-up-doesnt-have-to-suck.93510/post-1567416

...Part 2: https://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/threads/growing-up-doesnt-have-to-suck.93510/post-1570382

...aaand, finally, Part 3: https://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/threads/growing-up-doesnt-have-to-suck.93510/post-1615659

Oh Man am I into this. Great work. I have had so many grounding issues with this car. It will be awhile before I get to it as I have a 2001 740i with a pretty good oil pan leak and oil sensor seal leak as well. Plus I did a complete overhaul on the cooling system on this one as well and one of the hoses behind some plastic is leaking. So that is next after this one. It never ends.

 

[tomloans]

Big Three upgrade is always a good idea on any vehicle, if you ask me.

Here's what mine looks like:

View attachment 364763

Slightly more modest on my 370Z:

View attachment 364764

lol

that is crazy! You relocated the battery? Can't figure out where that is.

 

[Tonyrodz]

Big Three upgrade is always a good idea on any vehicle, if you ask me.

Here's what mine looks like:

View attachment 364763

Slightly more modest on my 370Z:

View attachment 364764

lol

Pretty impressive.

 

[tRidiot]

that is crazy! You relocated the battery? Can't figure out where that is.

No, that is looking over the engine compartment from the driver's headlight area. Battery in that shot is directly under the bottom of the picture. There's also a second battery on the passenger side up by the firewall, an Odyssey AGM. I have since separated out my stereo electrical and vehicle electrical. Stock alt runs the vehicle and stock battery. 300A Ohio Generator alt runs the AGM battery and the whole stereo system.

 

[tomloans]

Ummm... I don't think I am worthy to be on this site.

 

[tomloans]

....

 

[mattbta]

I put both heads on first and then rockers. Can't comment on your question, but here's the service manual process for the rockers - they are torqued in a sequence in totality.

 

[iamdub]

Oh Man am I into this. Great work. I have had so many grounding issues with this car. It will be awhile before I get to it as I have a 2001 740i with a pretty good oil pan leak and oil sensor seal leak as well. Plus I did a complete overhaul on the cooling system on this one as well and one of the hoses behind some plastic is leaking. So that is next after this one. It never ends.

Thank you. It's all budget stuff. You don't necessarily need 1/0 cable, I just used it since it's what I had. Grab some 2AWG or larger from a welding supply shop and the lugs, heat shrink, solder, etc. off Amazon.