99 Tahoe Maintenance/Rebuild Suggestions *Please comment*

[ETSZ71]

Hello guys,

I just scored my second 2 door tahoe, first on was a 95 LS and this one is a 99 LS.

Anyway, the truck is ridiculously super clean but has 211k on it so I scored a good deal but it needs a bunch of maintenance. First thing I checked was the oil and coolant and everything looked good but this thing has a ton of unidentifiable leaks. I want to be able to park this truck in the driveway and keep it on the road. I want to share my plan and please give me feedback, I hate doing work twice and will be doing all the work myself and with no specific time frame (its not my daily).

It looks like its had the intake off at least once but I have no way to verify. The rear main is leaking, the oil filter adapter is leaking, the oil cooler lines are leaking, the front timing cover/front oil pan gasket are leaking, and I'm pretty sure the PS pump and or lines are leaking. Needless to say, it's rust free underneath but covered in oil/fluid of unknown origins.

The truck runs perfect, no smoke, no misfires, no strange noises besides suspension, and the trans shifts nicely.

I'd like to remove and plug the oil cooler lines with 3/8 npt but I live in phoenix and it gets 115+ here in the summers, do you think this will be an issue. I will not be towing but may be doing some significant off roading occasionally (but usually not in the summer). I've never ran an oil cooler on my other vehicles and would prefer not to deal with leaky lines all the time.

1. Remove t-case & trans, replace rear main components.
2. Plug oil cooler ports, throw away lines, replace adapter oring & gasket.
3. Replace upper and lower intake gaskets/seals, valve cover gaskets, etc (basically top end minus head gaskets)
4. Replace power steering pump and lines (no cooler that I see)
5. Replace front timing cover and oil pan gasket.
6. Replace all fluids etc

Is there anything else I should do preventative while I am tackling these jobs?

Is there a specific order I should do them in order to prevent doing it twice?

What kind of puller do I need for the crank pulley? And can you remove the pan with the motor in the truck on a 4x4?

Do you see a flaw in my logic and should I keep the oil cooler or ditch it?

Thanks!!!

 

[skylark]

I would keep the oil cooler and jus have a hydraulic shop build you some nice lines. If you are pulling the valve covers and timing cover anyway... I would do a cam, timing chain, full roller rockers, mpfi spider, water pump, flush the radiator and a thermostat. I wouldn't worry about the rear main until you fix the rest unless it is puking oil.

 

[ETSZ71]

Cam choices being stock or something very similar to stock? I haven't read into cam swaps but I know it is limited to low lift cams. In my experience with cams I have always changed the cam, pushrods, locks, springs, retaininers, lifters and usually rockers. Seems like a lot of squeeze for not much juice and especially if it requires pcm tuning. I'm assuming your suggesting for a bump in power or are these items that you should be replaced as reg maint. on these motors?

thanks btw!

 

[ETSZ71]

I removed the oil filter/cooler adapter and the oil cooler lines. I realized that most of my oil leaks were coming from the lines and the adapter itself. I installed a standard sbc oil filter adapter (http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SES-3-60-08-900) and a bosch 3322 filter (pf454 acdelco).

Next up, PS pump & lines, intake, spider, water pump, timing cover.

I also noticed that I have a external trans cooler on the front of the radiator but the lines run through the radiator as well. Is there a specific benefit to running it through coolant before the cooler mounted in front? I hate everything running through coolant, wtf GM?

 

[skylark]

it is so that the tranny fluid warms up to a more optimal temp instead of the fluid not being so thick. Imagine that same tranny in Fairbanks, AK that is in Key west, FL.