Just Fishing's 09 Tahoe Build thread

[89Suburban]

While I had the engine out, this is the first time since I pulled it that I have a chance to take a picture of it with the heads and valve covers installed.

Also, my currently very messy workspace.
View attachment 368832

View attachment 368833

Some of the time i spent yesterday was to do some cleanup of the engine mounts.
They rusted pretty badly, and the tahoe really didn't spend much time in any sort of moisture...

So I did some cleanup to prevent that from happening.
And some of that corrosion tried to work it's way into the blocks threaded holes.

I think long term, that could have been bad.
Weird!

and the only "engine" paint I had on hand was the silver, so it got some silver paint.

I like the silver, it brightens up under the hood and makes it much easier to see when tinkering.

 

[Just Fishing]

I like the silver, it brightens up under the hood and makes it much easier to see when tinkering.

I do too, it really adds something to the engine bay.
Especially when looking up from underneath.

It's like if you must work on it, it might as well be pretty.


That said, I will never do what i did with the old vette again.


Detailing an engine bay is ridiculous.



Still a nice view from underneath.




This is not what I want from the tahoe, I need a workhorse, but it's nice to have it a little brighter than it would have been normally.

 

[Just Fishing]

A little bit of a top side view with headers installed.


Later this became prettier, this is an early view of the project.


Looking back, that was so much cheaper than this tahoe project.
But it's also running cheaper heads, and a stock bottom end.
Vettes get some pretty nice parts, Forged rods, and pistons.
It was rated @ 205hp stock

 

[Just Fishing]

Headers look so good, but they are a major pita.


I have so much heat shielding protecting the brakes, wires, and everything else that they get close to.
I had issues with the brakes early on...

Spark plugs = fk

on the driver side, I have to loosen the headers to get a plug off.

This was an early version, later i had to upgrade to some "race" spark plug boots + the plug protectors to keep them from melting.

 

[Just Fishing]

Another image from the underside view,

Still early, I had some major drone with the flow master 40's and the 3in exhaust.
I don't seem to have a picture of it on this PC, but I went with dual X pipes, and reduced the timing in the painful area (3k RPM) to get rid of it.



This car absolutely screams like a Ferrari above 3,000 rpm.
And it sounds like a muscle car under it

 

[Just Fishing]

I was just remembering that I totally changed the fueling setup later on, and i had to upgrade the fuel pump.
That was really my first time messing around with AN fitting.
It has an areomotive regulator to control it, and the stock ones are bypassed.

That went along with an aftermarket control unit for the engine.
Now it's a variable fuel pressure setup depending on vac/load.


Ah memories...



This thing has been seriously neglected since i have been stuck working on the tahoe.

First order of business will be to either replace the digitial gauge cluster with something more "race car" or to have the stock one rebuilt.

Afterwards, It needs some cooling fan upgrades.
Under 15mph, it has some cooling issues...

 

[89Suburban]

A little bit of a top side view with headers installed.
View attachment 368861

Later this became prettier, this is an early view of the project.


Looking back, that was so much cheaper than this tahoe project.
But it's also running cheaper heads, and a stock bottom end.
Vettes get some pretty nice parts, Forged rods, and pistons.
It was rated @ 205hp stock

I forgot what a distributor looked like.

 

[Just Fishing]

Spent a little time on Sunday working on the hoe, but mostly just cleanup.

Wifes Car needs an oil change, so it was a good time to get that done while the wife was actually home.

My terrible neighbor is off at his other property, so it was a good time to do a little yard cleanup w/o being heckled by the pos.
Wife noticed a ton of these "fox tails" growing like crazy.

Those get into our dog's ears and cause them lots of pain and us lots of money.
The trimmer is pinned into the back of the garage by the hoemare, so I did the best I could with just the mowers.

Both mowers needed their oil changed, so I got that knocked out before I started.


And was just remembering some lost pets in tonyrodzs build thread.
https://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/threads/tonyrodzs-tahoe-build-thread.92329/page-663#post-1675776

Triggered some emotions...
Buying the Tahoe was largely related to losing my little buddy, I just needed to get outside and away from the house.
FIL gave us the property about that time frame as well, I was planning to get the property to be useable via roads through the brush.
And then finish restoring that motorhome in the image above ^

And of course, my terrible neighbor started his bs up again that year.
It just had to be THAT year.


And here I am, paying more attention to things going on in the neighborhood, and I catch several of his family members going around to the neighbors to spread rumors...
Luckly, I have video and audio of me trying to find peace with the pos.
Uploaded to YouTube so I can share it out with the neighbors (direct link only).

I learned a ton about him over the past two years, including they are doing drugs and not drinking...

I also found out that I'm not the only one he has done this to.
About the same time, he had another that he tormented.

He apparently passed away, and he put some family into that house.
So, everything that has gone bad since this game started, he would just blame on me.
And the guy that vandalized my vette (messing with the brakes), used to get his weed from the old douche canoe..

And since this is a sickness, he has to play this sick game...

Yay for me...

So, this should be exciting this year.
Me: Cops called at a drop of a hat from him.
So yay I get to be "that guy".

My attorney says I need to do this in order to go after him for harassment.
then the deformation of character bs, that I can now prove.

Yup, I'm thinking it might be time to take a job out of state, it would be better.
but this guy will probably just find someone else to torment.

Moving would be a massive pita, it would be easier to keep this place as a storage unit of sorts.


Anyways, I Really need the Tahoe running either way.
I'll need a good vehicle to drive if I have to start commuting again.
And i really need some outlets, that requires the Tahoe to take me to outdoor adventures.

 

[Just Fishing]

Been slowly working on the hoe, but I'm taking a break to enjoy some life this weekend.

I have the top bolts fully bolted in, and I nearly gave up on the fuel rail and evap line retainer nut, but I finally got it back on.

And I have the new transmission cooler lines run for the most part.

I'm just finalizing how I'm going to mount the lines to the block retainers, and the cooler line to radiator, to oem cooler, return and adapt line to -6 an, then adapt to -8.

Then the real fun, mounting the aux cooler that i'm planning to run in Parrell with the oem cooler and radiator setup.
I have an -8an control valve for it, and the hope is it will add additional cooling and give me the ability to allow the transmission to warm up a little more.

For the hard lines I used this stuff,

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006K8JJN0?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1

Bender tool, and this thing is fantastic compared to the cheap garbage i have run in the past.

Tube Bender, 1/4, 3/16, 3/8 and 1/2 In Cap: Amazon.com: Tools & Home Improvement

Tube Bender, 1/4, 3/16, 3/8 and 1/2 In Cap: Amazon.com: Tools & Home Improvement

www.amazon.com

Then I added this to the cooler lines to protect them from impacts and abrasions.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MTV5UW4?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1

Then to make the lines pretty, I then covered the stainless protector stuff with this

https://www.amazon.com/Fiberglass-Shield-Sleeve-10Black-Adjustable/dp/B07PJJZW6C

Used some marine shrink tubing to seal the sleeve up, I have some 3/4in stuff that works great.

Only thing that keeps burning me, I have to remember to install all of the protector stuff before I flare the ends!

To keep the hard lines together, I found the -6an "hose separators" work perfect.
to keep the connection tight, I use a little 1/2in marine grade shrink tubing to help it bite.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083VSX6QG?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1

they also have -8an stuff.
that works great for the braded lines.
and it also fits once I have the stainless protectors installed and fiberglass heat sleeve installed.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083VSX6QG?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1

My hope is to use these to install a bracket that will bolt to the OEM location on the block.
So far, I have lucked out and i have them pretty much lined up.
I'm planning to use a longer bolt, and then a nut on the top to install a little angle, or even better would be to utilize the OEM bracket in some fashion.



That's the main thing holding me up right now.
It's much easier to work with the cooler lines with front axle and exhaust out of the vehicle.


I'll try and snap some pictures of my line setup when I'm done, but it's getting to be a major pita to get the lines in and out.

so, this might end up as an installed image.

 

[Just Fishing]

Been getting back into it while I still have a few days off of work.

One thing I wanted to do was to flush out the rear transfer case output to driveshaft area.
I had gotten a little dirt into the dust seal portion of the output shaft seal.

While I don't believe it made it into the bearing area, I did want to make sure it was as clean as possible.

I also needed to fill the transfer case with ATF.

I already primed the engine so I could get the power steering/Alt bracket reinstalled and out of my way...

While watching a youtube video, from "raymans repairs"
He showed a trick where you can punch a hole in a gear oil bottle, install a hose into the container, and then use that hole to pressurize the container.

I also have one of those gear driven pumps that I have been thinking about trying.

but then I'm like fk that.
I have air.



Then the idea hit me.

My old ac flush tool that I converted to an engine primer tool!

I used engine degreaser to clean out the motor oil, then ran that through the hose until clean.

Followed up with carb cleaner in the main bottle, and then everything got some brake clean.

and bam, I have a transfer tool to pump fluids into things like diffs, transfer cases, etc.


First used it to flush out the output shaft area, thinking if anything goes in, it will hopefully drain out.
but mostly hoping it would flush out the back.


Made a bit of a mess flushing it out, but I'm happy with the results.
And using air is so much easier than using a pump.

Then moved onto the new output shaft seal.

As recommended, this is the one.

Amazon.com: GM Genuine Parts 24233898 Automatic Transmission Case Extension Output Shaft Seal : Automotive

Buy GM Genuine Parts 24233898 Automatic Transmission Case Extension Output Shaft Seal: Output Shafts - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

GM PN: 24233898

Has a little coating of grease pre-installed into the lip seal area just like the output shaft seal on the end of the transmission.
Per the GM manual, this is important.

Then the issue of installing that pig onto the transfer case.

This would have been so much easier while everything was out of the truck.
But I didn't want to damage the seal while messing around with that non removable crossmember that the transfer case needs to clearance.

When installing, I needed some way to only hit the rim of the seal.
but that seal is pretty big.
Originally, I thought I could just use a holesaw, cut a hole in a block of wood, and use that as a driver.

But I didn't have a hole saw that was quite right.
So that would probably require me to find my jig saw.
and that jigsaw, I'm pretty sure is on the shelf above where the tahoe is sitting.

So next idea, find a bearing or something that might work!
I went through my left over transmission parts hoping i had something right, a piston, bushing, whatever.

Answer = nope...

Looking on my tool cart, I start flipping through some of the left over parts I have on there...
Rod bearings = nope but closer!

Main bearings?
Close!!


Old seal for reference.

(Stacked and staggered the bearings to get a proper height)


Close, but its too close to the inside edge.


Thrust bearing?
Perfect!!