So I've had the 03 Tahoe since Feb 2008. Put about 50k on since then so it was time for some fluid servicing. This makes every other car I've ever worked on look easy. I was really just looking for 50k interval stuff so here is the list:
Oil (been changing it on schedule)
Coolant (easy, hell they even put a drain on the radiator!
)
Front Diff (not too bad but finding the right viscosity oil was a little tough)
Transfer case (had to first determine which one of 2 transfer cases I had, they both take different fluid and of course I bought the wrong stuff the first time)
Rear Diff (fairly easy after determining which one of 3 rears I had. They take different fluid and different levels and of course I bought the wrong stuff the first time AGAIN. Oh and my 3.73 rear doesn't have a drain so you have to pull the cover and replace the gasket. Did I mention that there is about 3/4" of clearance between the rear diff cover and the rear swaybar and torsion bar setup )
Auto Trans (should be simple right? Wrong, First off when I got the new filter, the parts guy asked "Shallow pan or deep pan". He had no way of knowing based on VIN, engine or anything else so I bought both and return one later. Upon examining the trans pan I found there is a drain on the pan! Wow what great thinking. Little did I know that the previous mechanic was mighty Joe Young and damn near welded the drain plug on. Really should you need a 250ft/lb impact wrench to remove a drain plug? After a little pneumatic help, I decided to move on. GM in their wisdom routed the exhaust cross over near the back of the pan giving me about 1/2" of clearance. Also they decided the perfect place to put a bracket for the shifter cable would be right over one of the pan bolts. Hmm how to attach the bracket? How about two T-40 bolts hidden and in a place so damn difficult to reach that only a 3 armed, 10 year old, double jointed, Chinese acrobat could reach them. Oh it gets better. After dismissing the acrobat I hired to help me, I decided to bolt the pan back up then put the bracket on. I snugged all 14 bolts (yeah 14 bolts) down before I found out that you can't get the bracket back down to bolt it into position. That's right you have to pull all 14 pan bolts back off pull the bracket down, slide the pan up but don't fasten it then put the bracket back but don't fasten those T-40's yet either because you can't get one of the pan bolts on. So after figuring out a puzzle so complex Einstein would be proud, my Tahoe is now ready for the summer and the next 50k miles. And I'm ready for a liver transplant.)
Oil (been changing it on schedule)
Coolant (easy, hell they even put a drain on the radiator!
)Front Diff (not too bad but finding the right viscosity oil was a little tough)
Transfer case (had to first determine which one of 2 transfer cases I had, they both take different fluid and of course I bought the wrong stuff the first time)
Rear Diff (fairly easy after determining which one of 3 rears I had. They take different fluid and different levels and of course I bought the wrong stuff the first time AGAIN. Oh and my 3.73 rear doesn't have a drain so you have to pull the cover and replace the gasket. Did I mention that there is about 3/4" of clearance between the rear diff cover and the rear swaybar and torsion bar setup )
Auto Trans (should be simple right? Wrong, First off when I got the new filter, the parts guy asked "Shallow pan or deep pan". He had no way of knowing based on VIN, engine or anything else so I bought both and return one later. Upon examining the trans pan I found there is a drain on the pan! Wow what great thinking. Little did I know that the previous mechanic was mighty Joe Young and damn near welded the drain plug on. Really should you need a 250ft/lb impact wrench to remove a drain plug? After a little pneumatic help, I decided to move on. GM in their wisdom routed the exhaust cross over near the back of the pan giving me about 1/2" of clearance. Also they decided the perfect place to put a bracket for the shifter cable would be right over one of the pan bolts. Hmm how to attach the bracket? How about two T-40 bolts hidden and in a place so damn difficult to reach that only a 3 armed, 10 year old, double jointed, Chinese acrobat could reach them. Oh it gets better. After dismissing the acrobat I hired to help me, I decided to bolt the pan back up then put the bracket on. I snugged all 14 bolts (yeah 14 bolts) down before I found out that you can't get the bracket back down to bolt it into position. That's right you have to pull all 14 pan bolts back off pull the bracket down, slide the pan up but don't fasten it then put the bracket back but don't fasten those T-40's yet either because you can't get one of the pan bolts on. So after figuring out a puzzle so complex Einstein would be proud, my Tahoe is now ready for the summer and the next 50k miles. And I'm ready for a liver transplant.)
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