Randeez 2012 Budget Yukon Denali Build (stick on hood scoops galore)

[randeez]

chain for np149 was wrong, or mines weird or something.
ordered chain and gears, every place online shows it as 1.25 wide, looking at mine i thought that seems kinda small but maybe they measure it weird cause i didnt bother actually measuring it. comes in and its definitely not as big as the chain and sprockets in mine. i guess i could probably swap both and it would work, but if the bigger shit wore out why the hell would i put in a smaller chain
so i dunno, ordering chain that is 1.5" that says it also works for a np149 so we'll see

 

[randeez]

got correct chain for np149, much mo tighter even in the open case without the shafts supported. there is a VERY good chance the first time i rebuilt it i left the old gears in it - cause they were kinda a pita to swap and those couldnt possible wear . both are now new, and new output shaft seal cause aluminum case didnt have one. probably not going to throw it back in anytime soon.

turbo/exhaust problems. the crossover is junk, major exhaust leaks, broke around the passenger side flange, had it cocked a little i guess when i tightened it down. pretty sure the flex section is blown out also. going to see if i can just order a new crossover from trickturbo. turbo still leaks some oil around the center section. turbo blanket is oil soaked on one side. i dont think vs-racing even makes this turbo anymore, not sure if turbo around the same size will still work with the short charge pipe n shit. still got a BW s480 minty fresh i may try and throw on (the OG turbo) spools at like 2500rpm in this 7.0 liter.

when i changed diff fluid i had an old cover i bought when i first did the 14bolt swap but it wouldnt fit with the panhard bar. fits now so i threw it on, was a little dampness around the drain plug. i cranked it another 1/4 turn but its tight. may need to throw a crush washer or something on it.

startup used to be great when it was idling high, i didnt mind a minute or so of high rpm so long as it was stable and predictable. now it tries to drop the rpm too fast and moves around a little. wants to stall in the first maybe 10sec if it gets thru those few secs its fine.

i think i taco'd a rim on the cmax. i replaced the motor mount a few weeks back, rotated the tires, still shook a little. but started getting worse. seemed back from like 20-50, then smoothed out. so i put it up on jack starts and put it in drive. axles had a little wobble but they were also at full extension. then noticed the passenger wheel had a nice little wobble in it. tire wear is fuked. two spots opposite each other are down past the wear bars, while the rest of the tire has like 1/4" tread. it doesnt look like the rim is bad watching it go round, but who knows. need to get it over to tire guy and prob dismount the tire and throw just the wheel on the balancer and watch it

 

[swathdiver]

Randy, the track is closing soon. Sometime in April will the last runs and then you'll have to buy a 1 ton dually and a shop on wheels to race in Orlando or Immokalee. Another end of a racing era, too bad.

 

[randeez]

Randy, the track is closing soon. Sometime in April will the last runs and then you'll have to buy a 1 ton dually and a shop on wheels to race in Orlando or Immokalee. Another end of a racing era, too bad.

yup, its been rumored for the last few months. heard end of april its done.

 

[randeez]

yukon -
had some exhaust leaks, tore all the hotpipes, crossover, and downpipe out. crossover was jacked up a little misaligned after extending it, broke a bit of the flange. so i cut it all up again, mounted both flanges, welded it back together in place, seals up much more better. i think the flex section is about blown out though. i ordered a double slip joint but they sent the wrong size, so i couldnt swap it out. its pretty ugly at this point, but doesnt seem to leak. trickturbo said he would need the manifold back to build another one for it. so i may just have my local guy whip something up. its got some weird angles and has to snake between the downpipe to get up there. not that he couldnt do it but it would take time to do from scratch. aside from my atrocious welding...its been on and used for a while now, lots of soot on the inside, ceramic coated, it welds like crap.

noticed turbo was leaking a ton of oil. its been rebuilt already, lasted a few months, but doin it again. its needed to be pretty much the same turbo to swap it cause of the way it mounts on the exhaust manifold and to the intake. the exact turbo i have is no longer made, ordered one that should fit in the same space. i have a little bit of wiggle room so should be fine. but dont feel like rebuilding it again and not lasting. this one also had some valve guides go through it so it has some chewed up fins on the exhaust wheel.

the original turbo, s480/96, is pretty small to go on this engine, but i could probably make it work but would have to hack up the other turbo to connect to the charge pipe, or hack up the charge pipe. but i think just replacing it with the one that everything fits together and works better is the best route to go. i ordered a long silicone coupler i may be able to make work with this turbo without chopping anything up till new turbo gets here.

pretty happy with the tune lately, the startup needs a little more spice. i think i have a lazy lifter or something for the first couple seconds it theres some clickity clacking that goes away as soon as you hit the gas once. i think when the idle was high at startup before it did the same thing and i never noticed it because it didnt do it. the 4" exhaust isnt bad with the idle turned down, i may go for another 50 rpm drop on it

the np149 is back together, but prob not going to put it back in unless something happens to the bw4485

CMax is back, dropped it off at buddys shop cause it was about due for some tires. talked to him about bent wheel he said not likely, tire probably separating, told him whatever check it out. sure enough he was right, rolls silky smooth again, also did an alignment.

 

[Rocket Man]

Getting closer again.

 

[randeez]

Getting closer again.

this was mostly preventive maintenance, getting rid of the exhaust leaks. noticed the turbo blanket was covered in oil and it got worse the more i looked into it

 

[Rocket Man]

this was mostly preventive maintenance, getting rid of the exhaust leaks. noticed the turbo blanket was covered in oil and it got worse the more i looked into it

So you driving it now?

 

[Tonyrodz]

So you driving it now?

If so we need a vid of that baby in action.

 

[pwtr02ss]

Keep trucking in this direction bro-man. Sucks about the turbo but you'll be better off with that new one. Also, still thinking about going back to the 6L80? After driving the avalanche and getting in the Yukon, those 4 gears seem soooo far apart. I would have swapped in a 6 speed when I had it apart but @iamdub convinced me (through his own research), it wasn't worth the hassle required. Being as you dropped down in power, the 6 speed should hold up I'd think. They also don't seem overly complicated to rebuild. Some say it's easiest trans to refresh out there, just kind of costly compared to others. I've not personally dove into one but I did plenty of reading.