Want to take my 2010 Yukon XL Denali with 180,000 miles for a family trip from Michigan To Florida - Can you help me make this a success!

[Sparksalot]

Should I be ok with this radiator - picked this up at the dealer.

Use a dental pick to carefully straighten those and keep going.

Back in the dark ages, when radiators were repairable, we used to see this a lot. You want to straighten them as much as you can to allow the best airflow.

 

[bobby2175]

How about a post where I'm not asking for help?

So, here's a pic of my garage right now with everything everywhere. You now have to think about where you walk around to get through the maze.







This has been a pretty fun process. Have learned a lot from all of you. My fingers on both hands still feel raw from trying to push down on those darn white tabs on the heater hose Ts while pushing in, twisting, and then pulling back. I even resorted to cutting the lip that those white tabs hang on to. I finally got them.

Back in my early days, I was actually a technician working on heavy truck axles in a prototype development shop, so I know my way around tools and the sort. I'm an engineer by trade, so I can eventually figure things out. But it's a lot different when working on a truck in confined spaces in my garage whereas when I was working in the shop, I had enough space to bring out our 4 ft pipe and put it on a wrench and pretty much break any stuck fastener where I couldn't use an impact. Working at home is a lot more intimidating!

One day, my best friend, who is also my wife, is going to wake up from this nightmare and realize that she could have done a lot better. Pretty blond, loves football, has a fantasy football team every week, makes her $1 sports bet, drinks bourbon and wears heels. She was actually out with me for at least half the time I was working on the truck. She was climbing over the engine bay turning wrenches and spent a lot of time trying to get those heater hose Ts out. She helps out on EVERYTHING - the most complicated house project to fixing our vehicles. Sometimes have to pinch myself to figure out how I lucked into finding her.

When we were putting the new water pump assembly in, and being careful with the gaskets...well, they both fell off and went somewhere into the abyss. You should have seen our faces. I said something that shouldn't be repeated and she One upped me. One ended up in the tray of old coolant under the truck and the other one had to be plucked out of a very thin passage around the engine with a pair of needle nose pliers - it felt like the game Operation for those of you that remember it.

My daily driver (Chevy Impala) got an engine code yesterday. Took it to O'Reilly's and they put a scan tool on it which showed "exhaust camshaft position system performance P0014). They they sold me a new camshaft position sensor only to have the DTC disappear today. Not sure what to do with that.

You all have a preference for coolant? I went to O'Reilly's and AutoZone and it seemed like the choices were pretty limited and the most prominent were house brands that were "generic" covering all vehicles vs some good old dexcool (if it still exists).

I'm out of town for the next couple of days and hope to get the heating/cooling system done this week and then move to rear shocks.

Thanks again to all of you that have lent a helping hand here. It truly is appreciated and I hope you enjoyed a quick story.

 

[Doubeleive]

How about a post where I'm not asking for help?

So, here's a pic of my garage right now with everything everywhere. You now have to think about where you walk around to get through the maze.

View attachment 412820

View attachment 412821

View attachment 412823

This has been a pretty fun process. Have learned a lot from all of you. My fingers on both hands still feel raw from trying to push down on those darn white tabs on the heater hose Ts while pushing in, twisting, and then pulling back. I even resorted to cutting the lip that those white tabs hang on to. I finally got them.

Back in my early days, I was actually a technician working on heavy truck axles in a prototype development shop, so I know my way around tools and the sort. I'm an engineer by trade, so I can eventually figure things out. But it's a lot different when working on a truck in confined spaces in my garage whereas when I was working in the shop, I had enough space to bring out our 4 ft pipe and put it on a wrench and pretty much break any stuck fastener where I couldn't use an impact. Working at home is a lot more intimidating!

One day, my best friend, who is also my wife, is going to wake up from this nightmare and realize that she could have done a lot better. Pretty blond, loves football, has a fantasy football team every week, makes her $1 sports bet, drinks bourbon and wears heels. She was actually out with me for at least half the time I was working on the truck. She was climbing over the engine bay turning wrenches and spent a lot of time trying to get those heater hose Ts out. She helps out on EVERYTHING - the most complicated house project to fixing our vehicles. Sometimes have to pinch myself to figure out how I lucked into finding her.

When we were putting the new water pump assembly in, and being careful with the gaskets...well, they both fell off and went somewhere into the abyss. You should have seen our faces. I said something that shouldn't be repeated and she One upped me. One ended up in the tray of old coolant under the truck and the other one had to be plucked out of a very thin passage around the engine with a pair of needle nose pliers - it felt like the game Operation for those of you that remember it.

My daily driver (Chevy Impala) got an engine code yesterday. Took it to O'Reilly's and they put a scan tool on it which showed "exhaust camshaft position system performance P0014). They they sold me a new camshaft position sensor only to have the DTC disappear today. Not sure what to do with that.

You all have a preference for coolant? I went to O'Reilly's and AutoZone and it seemed like the choices were pretty limited and the most prominent were house brands that were "generic" covering all vehicles vs some good old dexcool (if it still exists).

I'm out of town for the next couple of days and hope to get the heating/cooling system done this week and then move to rear shocks.

Thanks again to all of you that have lent a helping hand here. It truly is appreciated and I hope you enjoyed a quick story.

Lol, you have to be careful when stuff drops there is a twilight zone on these trucks where things disappear forever and ever

 

[iamdub]

How about a post where I'm not asking for help?

So, here's a pic of my garage right now with everything everywhere. You now have to think about where you walk around to get through the maze.

View attachment 412820

View attachment 412821

View attachment 412823

This has been a pretty fun process. Have learned a lot from all of you. My fingers on both hands still feel raw from trying to push down on those darn white tabs on the heater hose Ts while pushing in, twisting, and then pulling back. I even resorted to cutting the lip that those white tabs hang on to. I finally got them.

Back in my early days, I was actually a technician working on heavy truck axles in a prototype development shop, so I know my way around tools and the sort. I'm an engineer by trade, so I can eventually figure things out. But it's a lot different when working on a truck in confined spaces in my garage whereas when I was working in the shop, I had enough space to bring out our 4 ft pipe and put it on a wrench and pretty much break any stuck fastener where I couldn't use an impact. Working at home is a lot more intimidating!

One day, my best friend, who is also my wife, is going to wake up from this nightmare and realize that she could have done a lot better. Pretty blond, loves football, has a fantasy football team every week, makes her $1 sports bet, drinks bourbon and wears heels. She was actually out with me for at least half the time I was working on the truck. She was climbing over the engine bay turning wrenches and spent a lot of time trying to get those heater hose Ts out. She helps out on EVERYTHING - the most complicated house project to fixing our vehicles. Sometimes have to pinch myself to figure out how I lucked into finding her.

When we were putting the new water pump assembly in, and being careful with the gaskets...well, they both fell off and went somewhere into the abyss. You should have seen our faces. I said something that shouldn't be repeated and she One upped me. One ended up in the tray of old coolant under the truck and the other one had to be plucked out of a very thin passage around the engine with a pair of needle nose pliers - it felt like the game Operation for those of you that remember it.

My daily driver (Chevy Impala) got an engine code yesterday. Took it to O'Reilly's and they put a scan tool on it which showed "exhaust camshaft position system performance P0014). They they sold me a new camshaft position sensor only to have the DTC disappear today. Not sure what to do with that.

You all have a preference for coolant? I went to O'Reilly's and AutoZone and it seemed like the choices were pretty limited and the most prominent were house brands that were "generic" covering all vehicles vs some good old dexcool (if it still exists).

I'm out of town for the next couple of days and hope to get the heating/cooling system done this week and then move to rear shocks.

Thanks again to all of you that have lent a helping hand here. It truly is appreciated and I hope you enjoyed a quick story.

I go to Walmart and buy a couple gallons of the orange Prestone "Dex Cool compatible" concentrate and a couple gallons of distilled water. Pour one gallon of each into the surge tank then use the empty water jug as a mixing jug for the rest of the concentrate and water to fill and top off. When you buy the pre-mixed stuff, you're just paying for the convenience, but also overpaying for water (half in that jug is just water). They're fine if you're out and about and need to top off your system, like from a small leak.

 

[bobby2175]

CyberPower M175XUC and M140BUC

Bought two for flexibility. Might use the smaller one up front or in the back, however they want to. I reckon the larger one will get plugged into the back of the console and rest on the floor next to the cupholder.

Oh almost forgot, have to put my phone holder back together. It sets in one of the cup holders up front and plugs into a cigar lighter and has its own USB ports for charging the phone with one leftover. Have a short power cord for the phone when this is set up.

For years we've had 2 2-port USB adapters, the higher powered models, they're in the console when not needed.

Are you running a dash cam? Been running one since 2019 and am bringing along extra cards to save video or take stills off it of interesting things along the way.

I must be living under a rock or something, because those inverters would have saved me over the years when I was on the road!The

There are a lot of choices out there. Couple of questions:
1. Is there a point on power output that you don't want to exceed on a mostly stock truck?
2. Do they shutoff when not in use or if they are left plugged in, do they drain the battery?

I actually just got my first dashcam and started to install it in the Yukon, but stopped and prioritized all this other stuff I'm working on now.

I also need to find a good phone nolder...what I do today isn't the best (just put it down on the center console).

 

[Doubeleive]

I must be living under a rock or something, because those inverters would have saved me over the years when I was on the road!The

There are a lot of choices out there. Couple of questions:
1. Is there a point on power output that you don't want to exceed on a mostly stock truck?
2. Do they shutoff when not in use or if they are left plugged in, do they drain the battery?

I actually just got my first dashcam and started to install it in the Yukon, but stopped and prioritized all this other stuff I'm working on now.

I also need to find a good phone nolder...what I do today isn't the best (just put it down on the center console).

unless it has a on/off switch then those inverters run 24/7, I am not sure at what wattage piont but ya they can melt the cigarette power adapter and/or burn the fuse up, usually the melting happens after extended use they were not designed for high power. unless you really need it for something while on the road then you don't need it.....
I have a few of them that we used to use for kids handheld games that did not have car charging ability. none of them will work for things like a hair dryer or something beyond 50w they may say 200W but that is PEAK and you will find out quickly it will not work for a 200w draw. if you need more power get a real inverter that connects directly to the battery.
the newer trucks like my 18 silverado has a inverter built in and it is only 100w max, so more like 25w continous....

 

[Geotrash]

I must be living under a rock or something, because those inverters would have saved me over the years when I was on the road!The

There are a lot of choices out there. Couple of questions:
1. Is there a point on power output that you don't want to exceed on a mostly stock truck?
2. Do they shutoff when not in use or if they are left plugged in, do they drain the battery?

I actually just got my first dashcam and started to install it in the Yukon, but stopped and prioritized all this other stuff I'm working on now.

I also need to find a good phone nolder...what I do today isn't the best (just put it down on the center console).

I have 2 of these - one for each Yukon, and I love them:

Center Dash Mount for Chevy Silverado/GMC Sierra 1500/2500/3500, Chevy Avalanche, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon/Yukon Denali/Yukon XL/Yukon XL Denali

This ProClip Center Dash mount is custom-made for your vehicle starting in 2007 (See below for full list of compatibility). The mount attaches to the dashboard over the center vents. Combine with a ProClip device holder to make a custom mounting solution for your phone or GPS. The ProClip Center...

www.proclipusa.com

You just pair the mounting base with the right holder for your phone and it works like a charm. Not cheap but you get what you pay for. Easy install as well with no trim removal needed. Looks like a professional install and holds it at exactly the right spot to see without taking my eyes off the road for long.

 

[swathdiver]

I must be living under a rock or something, because those inverters would have saved me over the years when I was on the road!The

There are a lot of choices out there. Couple of questions:
1. Is there a point on power output that you don't want to exceed on a mostly stock truck?
2. Do they shutoff when not in use or if they are left plugged in, do they drain the battery?

I actually just got my first dashcam and started to install it in the Yukon, but stopped and prioritized all this other stuff I'm working on now.

I also need to find a good phone nolder...what I do today isn't the best (just put it down on the center console).

The accessory power outlets are limited to 20 amps. The inverters I purchased are limited to 15 amps. They do run continuously but do have a run-down protection feature to prevent draining the battery. My habit is to unplug them.

 

[bobby2175]

I have 2 of these - one for each Yukon, and I love them:

Center Dash Mount for Chevy Silverado/GMC Sierra 1500/2500/3500, Chevy Avalanche, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon/Yukon Denali/Yukon XL/Yukon XL Denali

This ProClip Center Dash mount is custom-made for your vehicle starting in 2007 (See below for full list of compatibility). The mount attaches to the dashboard over the center vents. Combine with a ProClip device holder to make a custom mounting solution for your phone or GPS. The ProClip Center...

www.proclipusa.com

You just pair the mounting base with the right holder for your phone and it works like a charm. Not cheap but you get what you pay for. Easy install as well with no trim removal needed. Looks like a professional install and holds it at exactly the right spot to see without taking my eyes off the road for long.

Thank you for this! It's actually exactly what I was looking for, but never knew it existed. I just bought one!

 

[bobby2175]

unless it has a on/off switch then those inverters run 24/7, I am not sure at what wattage piont but ya they can melt the cigarette power adapter and/or burn the fuse up, usually the melting happens after extended use they were not designed for high power. unless you really need it for something while on the road then you don't need it.....
I have a few of them that we used to use for kids handheld games that did not have car charging ability. none of them will work for things like a hair dryer or something beyond 50w they may say 200W but that is PEAK and you will find out quickly it will not work for a 200w draw. if you need more power get a real inverter that connects directly to the battery.
the newer trucks like my 18 silverado has a inverter built in and it is only 100w max, so more like 25w continous....

I don't think I need it for anything other than charging work/school laptops in a pinch. I cannot think of another major reason to have it, but it would have bailed me out a few times in the past for those purposes.