What did you do to your NNBS GMT900 Tahoe/Yukon Today?

[gooffeyguy]

What did I do to my Yukon? I ran the battery dead using an inverter to power an electric random orbit sander for 15 minutes. I was helping out a neighbor who needed some repair work done to her mailbox, well away from any power outlets. No good deed goes unpunished, lol.

Action 1: put a battery-powered sander on my Christmas list.
Action 2: put together a parts list to retrofit a TP2 (dual battery) option to my Yukon, as described here:

Aux Battery or TP2 upgrade - Chevrolet Forum - Chevy Enthusiasts Forums

Tahoe & Suburban DIY and Useful Threads - Aux Battery or TP2 upgrade - So I had been looking around for a guide to installing an OEM aux battery in my 2009 suburban, and I was not successful on finding an inclusive DIY. So last summer 8/2013, I pieced one together, borrowing from a few other...

chevroletforum.com

I'll do the big-three and hard-wire the inverter while I'm at it.

Was she cute?

 

[Geotrash]

Completed the third cam swap in my 2012 Yukon XL Denali. Very happy with the smooth idle, quiet valvetrain and overall performance. Cam Motion Stage 2 truck cam, Chevrolet Performance lifters, and most importantly, OEM lifter trays. As they say, the third time is a charm. Stay away from non-OEM lifter trays, folks! No matter who you buy them from and how emphatically they say "they're good trays".

 

[the_tool_man]

Was she cute?

Sorta, for a 65-year-old. But in all seriousness, she's a very kind person, and a good neighbor. I was happy to help, despite the dead battery.

 

[Rocket Man]

Completed the third cam swap in my 2012 Yukon XL Denali. Very happy with the smooth idle, quiet valvetrain and overall performance. Cam Motion Stage 2 truck cam, Chevrolet Performance lifters, and most importantly, OEM lifter trays. As they say, the third time is a charm. Stay away from non-OEM lifter trays, folks! No matter who you buy them from and how emphatically they say "they're good trays".

I was gonna ask if you swapped the cam with the heads on or off and then went “duh” lifters and trays. I’m getting old or haven’t fully woke up yet.

Truck sounds good. What happened that last time?

 

[Geotrash]

I was gonna ask if you swapped the cam with the heads on or off and then went “duh” lifters and trays. I’m getting old or haven’t fully woke up yet.

Truck sounds good. What happened that last time?

The short version is that the lifter trays I got from Vinci were junk. He claimed they were OEM, but they're absolutely not. They're not even the same color as OEM trays. They never did hold the lifters securely when they were new, and I didn't know enough to know that wasn't okay. So they allowed the lifters to twist - especially at higher RPM. That twisting chipped the edges of some of the rollers until they got loud and also started to wipe the cam. Happened to 2 cams before I figured out what was going on. I bought new OEM trays for this 3rd swap and there is no comparison between how thick the plastic is on the OEM trays, and how tightly they hold the lifters when compared to Vinci's. I've shown the difference here in a video:

I'm sad not because I had to do the job 3 times (although that sucked), but because I trusted Roger at his word longer than I should have, and also that I didn't have the experience to know when to follow my instincts and stick to my guns. That part is on me.

His cam and support along the way were top-notch, and he warrantied the cam, but the pattern was continual denial that there could be any problems with his lifters or trays, which led me to keep trying and reusing the trays. After the first cam failed and I inspected the 2 damaged lifters and lobes, I suspected that the lifters were twisting in the bores because the damage was consistent with that and the trays felt loose to me. Also, the rollers on his lifters were a few mm narrower than the Morels or OEM lifters at the contact point with the cam, which would serve to amplify the effects of any twisting motion. I even diligently sent Roger the failed lifters and he claimed it was FOD that caused the failures, but I had an experienced builder here in Richmond look at the pictures (as well as put eyes directly on the 2nd cam and set of lifters I pulled out) and he said that it was clearly damage from twisting in the trays. And, I am fanatical about cleanliness when I work, so while the chance of FOD isn't zero, it's unlikely. The trays are the proverbial smoking gun. I also had one of the lifters in the batch he sent me that wouldn't fit in the bore, which should have been a red flag to me. I accept that any vendor can get a bad batch of parts, but the correct solution is to own up to it when presented with the evidence.

 

[Rocket Man]

The short version is that the lifter trays I got from Vinci were junk. He claimed they were OEM, but they're absolutely not. They're not even the same color as OEM trays. They never did hold the lifters securely when they were new, and I didn't know enough to know that wasn't okay. So they allowed the lifters to twist - especially at higher RPM. That twisting chipped the edges of some of the rollers until they got loud and also started to wipe the cam. Happened to 2 cams before I figured out what was going on. I bought new OEM trays for this 3rd swap and there is no comparison between how thick the plastic is on the OEM trays, and how tightly they hold the lifters when compared to Vinci's. I've shown the difference here in a video:

I'm sad not because I had to do the job 3 times (although that sucked), but because I trusted Roger at his word longer than I should have, and also that I didn't have the experience to know when to follow my instincts and stick to my guns. That part is on me.

His cam and support along the way were top-notch, and he warrantied the cam, but the pattern was continual denial that there could be any problems with his lifters or trays, which led me to keep trying and reusing the trays. After the first cam failed and I inspected the 2 damaged lifters and lobes, I suspected that the lifters were twisting in the bores because the damage was consistent with that and the trays felt loose to me. Also, the rollers on his lifters were a few mm narrower than the Morels or OEM lifters at the contact point with the cam, which would serve to amplify the effects of any twisting motion. I even diligently sent Roger the failed lifters and he claimed it was FOD that caused the failures, but I had an experienced builder here in Richmond look at the pictures (as well as put eyes directly on the 2nd cam and set of lifters I pulled out) and he said that it was clearly damage from twisting in the trays. And, I am fanatical about cleanliness when I work, so while the chance of FOD isn't zero, it's unlikely. The trays are the proverbial smoking gun. I also had one of the lifters in the batch he sent me that wouldn't fit in the bore, which should have been a red flag to me. I accept that any vendor can get a bad batch of parts, but the correct solution is to own up to it when presented with the evidence.

That’s the first I’ve heard if any problems with anything Vinci sells but I guess he must be figuring this out since he sells to a lot of big time engine builders, he has for many years. Must have got a batch of counterfeit trays and maybe he’s a bit arrogant, who knows. Anyway hope this solves your issue! Sucks.

 

[Geotrash]

That’s the first I’ve heard if any problems with anything Vinci sells but I guess he must be figuring this out since he sells to a lot of big time engine builders, he has for many years. Must have got a batch of counterfeit trays and maybe he’s a bit arrogant, who knows. Anyway hope this solves your issue! Sucks.

Thanks man! I have no doubt that Roger has earned his stripes with engine builders. To guys like him I'm a shade tree hack, so I'm definitely not in his target market. But my father used to say that you can estimate the character of a man by how they behave toward people who aren't important (e.g. waitstaff, small customers), or when they think no one is looking. On this, he's mixed. In his support, he treated me like an important customer. But in his willingness to be honest with me, not so much. And the latter destroys any trust and goodwill built by the former.

 

[CaptainAmerica1]

Agreed. It’s expensive to own up to mistakes. But character is doing the right thing even when no one is looking…

 

[Rocket Man]

Agreed. It’s expensive to own up to mistakes. But character is doing the right thing even when no one is looking…

It must be something other than money because he warrantied the parts. Stubbornness? I’m wondering what exactly kept him from coming to the conclusion it was the trays because I’m sure Dave wasn’t his only customer who bought them. I would think if they’re causing problems he wouldn’t keep selling them because his reputation would take a hit and that’s everything in that business. Weird.
Also I have to keep in mind there’s 2 sides to every story. I wish I could hear Roger’s side. I actually have his cell phone number from back when I had a lot of questions on one of my cams but I just can’t bring myself to call him on this. It’s really not my business and I feel like I’d be butting in.

 

[RooTBeeRthe1st]

I found a translator. Mine says 1 click.