My current project

spareparts said:
now that we are on the subject, what would be involved in swaping out a 60e to a 80e in my 99 1500 Suburban. Its got 175k on it, I've changed the fluid on a regular basis. We bought it with 80 on it, so I don't know if the transmission was done before we bought it or not. We live in flat land and I've rarely towed anything with it(that may change). I figure when it hits 200, I'll start on the fresh block I have in the garage( have a fresh set of vortecs as well), I'll probably throw a little cam in it, with some good valve train, but otherwise leave it pretty tame. I might as well take care of the tranny while I'm at it, and I like the idea of towing in OD. I want the computer to work well with everything
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why do you change the fluid? you shouldn't change the fluid in a GM trans as they will tend to shorten their lives. My L80 never had the fluid changed till the torque converter got noisey, that was at 218,000 miles. the trans shop plus 2 ASE Cert. said don't change it as long as your fluid stays red and clean run it. if the fluid gets dark then you have an issue in the trans. I changed it in 3 other of my GM products in the past all had short lives afterwards. On a trans go with the old rule if it ain't broke don't fix it. just change the trans fluid in the transfer case when it tends to clunk from stop lights.
 
Actually, my wife's CR-V has to have the fluid changed every 36,000 miles.
HONDA knows of the problem, put out a service bulletin that admits the problem,
but will only pay for one change, after that we have to pay.
 
im sure those techs knwo what they are talking about but it doesnt seem to make any sense to me. you only change half of the total fluid anyway and i dont think a filter would hurt anything. in my case my trans was making noise before and after so i dont know
 
there's fluid in certain areas they stay in place and hold valves in place but once you drain the pan then if the chance those vlaves move due to no fluid they might go the wrong way then keep fluid in incorrect areas of your trans which then cause's it to die fast and early, the rule is in 3,000 miles after the fluid change you will either still be running or pushing. don't you think if they wanted or thought the fluid needed changing they would have installed a drain plug? there's no drain plug in a trans on the GM stuff.
 
Skools Out said:
there's no drain plug in a trans on the GM stuff.
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Many of GM's trucks came with drain plugs after 97, and my ALLISON DEFINATELY has one. I for one personally believe in changing the fluid AND filter every 30K for a daily driver, and every 15-20K for a vehicle that gets worked. I've seen WAY too many GM trannies get diagnosed as bad or fail because of lack of maintence. And when I was at DODGE you could tell if one hadn't been changed by how loud they were on a cold start. After about 40K miles the tranny will howl on a cold start if the fluid hadn't been changed. The problem with fluid changes is if you haven't kept up on it by the book, then don't do em at all. Once you go more than 30K without a fluid and filter change you will get particle build-up inside the valve body. If you change the fluid and filter after this has gotten built up, the fresh additives in the new fluid will almost certainly clean that build up out and deposit it in areas you don't want it.
 
Latest update.

Progress had to slow down unfortunately this weekend as I had honey dos on Saturday and my asthma flared up yesterday. I did get to work on it for about 4 1/2 hours on Friday and was able to get the top half of the engine tore down. This engine is nowhere near as hard to work on as I thought it would be, or maybe the fact mine is on a stand makes a difference. The passenger side head gasket at the rear most coolant passage was just beginning to leak as I had the nice white chalk line on the back of the block below the gasket, and you can see the rust line in the pics on the gasket and the block. Also found that cylinder #2 was showing signs of washing down from fuel and the injector tip on that cylinder was pretty rough. 1 glow plug is burned out and 2 others look rough as well. I pulled the injectors apart and cleaned them with some spray cleaner to see what makes em tick inside, and they are actually pretty simple internally.

Here's the engine with the heads off.


The heads on the bench with the injector cups out.


right side gasket at the rear.


And the block in that spot.


This picture shows how #2 showed signs of a leaking injector as the bottom of the piston is very clean.


This may explain part of GM's troubles. This is the turbo intake horn gasket, that big ole MOPAR box for that little gasket.


And the innards of the infamous LB7 injectors.

You have the nozzle, a needle valve that rides inside of the nozzle, then the plunger that rides against the needle valve and the return spring and the spring seat that sits inside of the injector body. Inside of the injector body is a metal tab that protrudes through the spring and this is what pulls the plunger back to let the needle valve open and allow fuel through. And the 2 little pins are the locating pins that hold the nozzle in place to prevent it from turning. My camera couldn't focus on the insides or else I would have put up a pic of that as well. When I pulled it apart the needle valve was just about frozen into the injector nozzle body and required soaking to come apart. Once apart it cleans easily with spray cleaner and I re-assembled with marvel mystery oil. Debating on wether or not to replace them or have these tested and run them.
 
I've been slacking a bit lately on updating this thread over here, so I'll try and bring it up to speed. And now that my wedding is over I can hopefully get back on this full time and get er done.
 
Things still going slowly as my money will be tied up until the middle of MAY
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. I've got my gasket sets coming along with head bolts, glow plugs(3 were bad), water pump, and will order my injectors when my money gets freed up again. I also got my trans kit and ordered my ALTO clutches and TRANSGO parts, and will get my precision converter next month as well. Found out you can piece a SC3 together on your own for under $700 VS suncoasts $965. I'l also be ordering my EFILIVE as soon as money is available as well. Also picked up my manual shift transfer case on TUESDAY from ORANGE CITY while I was out picking up my left side head gasket(GM is on backorder for left side grade B's, but a dealer in OCALA had one in stock). And my ring and pinion sets should hopefully be off backorder the first of the month as well.

Now I have to go back to working on other peoples stuff so I can afford mine again
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. Hopefully the end of MAY and the drivetrain will be done.
 
Things unfortunately have had to slow down as my finances ran out, but I have that back in order now and am getting back on to this project as much as I can. I'm getting married the end of this month, so progress will be sporadic. The engine is most of the way back together, and the PENSACOLA remans are in it. MOST of my parts are in or will be in this week. I still have to iron out my air intake set-up as a standard DMAX one will run the hood, and the fatermarkets sit even higher. And I will most likely be calling DIAMOND EYE for my exhaust as they are the only ones selling a true 4" exhaust for a SUBURBAN for a reasoneable price, and will probably go with a CORSA muffler as exhaust drone will be a concern. My front and rear gear sets are finally in after waiting 3 weeks for them to get off backorder from AAM, and PRECISION will be shipping my converter out tommorrow. DACCO in TAMPA got me all of the ALTO powerpacks, converter flow valve, TRANSGO shift kit, and an ATSG manual for $721 after taxes and freight. I also got in my KENNEDY wear plate for the T-case, and a KENNEDY lift pump as I liked his design better than the TTS.

Unfortunately though I have to get the engine, trans, and front diff done before I can get the engine bolted back in as the puzzle will be tight and dizzying to get them all in there. Still hoping that I can have it running by the first of next month though, wish me luck.
 
Well the engine is back together, and the transfer case has the wear plate installed in it. Unfortunately the input and rear output shaft seals that the aftermarket carries don't fit the XHD case, so I have to go to the dealer in the morning to get those(the front output fit perfect though). My PRECISION converter will be in tommorrow, and I have the rest of the trans parts already. My new radiator came in today as well from CARQUEST(my discount got it down to about $430 vs AZ's $500), but the UPS people looked like they played football with it
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. The box had several holes in it, and the fins on the engine side of it were almost all flattened out. Not to mention it had 2 BAD spots where it had stuff sat on it and flattened out the tubes(one spot had cracked the tubes). So I'm waiting on another radiator as I wouldn't take this one
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. I also got m yEFILIVE ordered today from FLEECE, and they are supposed to be flashing my TCM tommorrow so I can get it back next week.

If I had it to do over again though, I would just have bought an 01 2500HD pick-up and put a topper on it. MAN this is ALOT of work to work out the details.

Not many pics as I keep forgetting the camera in the house while I'm in the shop. I walked out and snapped a few though.
Heres the engine back together.


And the parts are beggining to take over my shop. This is about half of what I still have left for parts to go in it.

 
Transfer case is done now, and the front diff has 3.42's in it now as well. I decided to pull the front axle shafts out and do the CV boots while I was this far into it since they are 14 years old, and I also packed some grease into the front hub bearings while I was at it.

My other half is busting my balls over this though.

My new PI converter came in and she said my SUBURBAN is now gay since I am putting something in it that is yurple.
 
Problem #999 or 1000 on the list. I got my tranny all apart and cleaned up for the most part and began re-assembly. Ran into some problems with my ALTO powerpacks. The C1 pack is roughly .041 thicker than my old pack, the C2 is .031 thicker, the C3 is only .005 thicker, and the C4 is .027 thicker. The problem is that C2-C4 aren't adjustable, they just have a range that they have to fall into. The C3 and C4 shouldn't be a major issue I don't think, but C2 is. The clearance range on the C2 is .070-.085 according to ALTO, and I have .023 now. I can get a new plate for the C1 to correct it, and I still need to try the C3's and C4's to see how they fit in yet. I'm going to re-use the C5's as all of the old clutches still looked brand new after 162K miles, but all of the sealings rings and apply pistons were hard as a rock. So it looks like my money saving build will actually cost in the end
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, so much for trying to save $300 by piecing it together myself.
 
Trans is done now. Got it all back together and everything measured out within speck except my C1's were a little tight(I have .082" and MIKE reccomended .090-.105, the next plate thinner would have given me .125 though). Still waiting on my connectors for the trans lines though, the GM parts book lists the wrong ones for an 01 so I hope he got me the right ones comin now. I'm hoping tommorrow I can get it close to going back in the BURB.
 
Got some more done today.

Here's the trans all finished up with my yurple converter in it.



And the two mated back together just about ready to go in the BURB.



I got the new firewall sound pad installed today and hopefully tommorrow I can get a little welding done and slide her in for the final time.
 
Well today was a productive day. Got the engine and tranny back in the BURB, installed the front diff, transfer case, and the front driveshaft. Got em all in and tightened down and most of the accesories on it as well and filled the front diff, engine, transfer case, and tranny up with fluids. My next BIG project will be wiring followed by installing my intercooler, then installing a 1/2" feed line from the tank up to where ever I mount the lift pump at, and then swapping out the rear gears to 3.42's. I also called up ALLIGATOR PERFORMANCE and ordered a CORSA muffler, DIAMOND EYE 4" SUBURBAN exhaust, and an AFE stage 1 intake. My EFILIVE came in last FRIDAY as well as a new 1410 series yoke for my 14 bolt. Hopefully my TCM gets back from Brayden here soon as I will need it once the wiring is finished up.

And now for some pictures.

The engine bay with the new sound pad installed.


And later on in the day it all came together.



It's a TIGHT fit, but you can just get to the fill plug to fill her up with fluid. I did have to grind alot of the ribs off of the extension housing though to get clearance on the torsion bar crossmember.


And the 01 front driveshaft dropped right in and fit perfectly. You can see in the pic though that the shift lever for the transfer case is just barely missing the tranny, so I will have to grind part of the transmission mounting boss off to clear it.
 
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