Coolant Missing, Running Hot, White Smoke, Burning Oil

[Brian Lamb]

For that kind of money you can get a GM new long block with a warranty!

I can't find one for less than $3k.

 

[iamdub]

I haven't been driving it. It's been sitting at the mechanic and the I drove it straight to another mechanic and parked it. I'm driving my second vehicle. I plan on doing a complete rebuilt on my motor..I got a quote for $2200 for everything including a cam.

Ah. That was my assumption based on your posts.

$2,200 isn't 'bad' if that's all parts and labor and a final quote that won't go up when it's all said and done because they didn't factor something in (happens all the time). But, unless you really want that, I'm still betting your motor is fine and just needs new heads which can be had for a couple hundred bucks. Maybe be into for $500 max for heads, all gaskets, fluids, maybe new lifters...

 

[Big Mama]

Great! There still has to be something going on with the heater core. Make sure to check under the carpet on both sides in the front. My experience has been on the passenger side but that's from when they were installed over there. The good news is it doesn't sound like you'll need a new engine after all. Im sure the mechanic will add a dye to see where its going. Good luck.

 

[Brian Lamb]

Great! There still has to be something going on with the heater core. Make sure to check under the carpet on both sides in the front. My experience has been on the passenger side but that's from when they were installed over there. The good news is it doesn't sound like you'll need a new engine after all. Im sure the mechanic will add a dye to see where its going. Good luck.

I think you understood wrong. It is most likely the heads that are bad on the truck. I have a feeling that the mechanic who looked at it and said it was the radiator cap was trying to let the dealer get out cheap. I picked the tahoe up from that mechanic and dropped it off at another mechanic for them to investigate the problem.

 

[Big Mama]

You're right, my fault. As long as the sloshing sounds goes away with what they find you're in good shape. I think what I was trying to say was once he finds the source of the leak that sloshing noise will stop. I was trying to think of the least expensive parts first but if the dealer is picking up the tab they'll be very thorough. Just keep in mind, as stated earlier, the oil and water problems may be two different issues. Valve guides aren't a big deal. Sorry for not understanding clearer.

 

[bottomline2000]

A bad waterpump and bad valve seal could cause both problems and make it seem worse. Intake and exhaust valves used different seals and some yahoo may have mixed them up if they did change the motor. A compression test on the engine and pressure testing the coolant system should tell you more. I have a motor with bad castech heads and it ate coolant like skittles and barely smoked. Whatever you do, don't put a high mileage waterpump on a new motor.

Install a catchcan because these ls motors like to eat oil thru the pvc system by design and your oil consumption may not be as bad as you think.

Hopefully you new mechanic can narrow it down.

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