Miklo's 2001 Silverado 2500HD Build Thread

[Mikloangelo]

So haven't done much to the truck. I took the heads off to give as cores for the 799 heads.
The heads were remanufactured and milled. They look excellent.
I also sourced a fender and tailgate same color as my truck.
I want to find a new bed but these darn truck beds are the FIRST thing to go when someone offers a truck for sale. It's wild.

 

[Mikloangelo]

I also decided to just pull the motor to replace the rear seal and oil pan gasket. My plan is to only inspect the bottom-end if I can help it. The pistons and cylinders looked okay during a quick look when taking the heads off.
Anyways, after this winter weather passes I'll be working on pulling the motor.

 

[stutaeng]

I would honestly just keep the mechanical fan. AFAIK, the HDs have always kept the mechanical fans, even the current generation of trucks, gas or diesel. The reason is mechanical fan cools better under really heavy towing. It's simple and and it works. At idle is where electric fans offer benefit because they can get more airflow for the AC in summer months.

You can teardown the bottom end, clean and inspect, and even reuse if it has minimal wear. Just keep everything in order. A 6' foldable table with cardboard works just fine. You can even make notes on the cardboard with a sharpie, to keep track of direction or orientation.

 

[ORVietVet]

I would honestly just keep the mechanical fan. AFAIK, the HDs have always kept the mechanical fans, even the current generation of trucks, gas or diesel. The reason is mechanical fan cools better under really heavy towing. It's simple and and it works. At idle is where electric fans offer benefit because they can get more airflow for the AC in summer months.

You can teardown the bottom end, clean and inspect, and even reuse if it has minimal wear. Just keep everything in order. A 6' foldable table with cardboard works just fine. You can even make notes on the cardboard with a sharpie, to keep track of direction or orientation.

I agree with @stutaeng about the mechanical fan. Tried and true and works as should, especially when towing.

 

[AuroraGirl]

If you desire improved AC performance with mechanical, you install a pusher fan that runs off a relay switched by the P terminal on the alternator if you have one or other choice

 

[Mikloangelo]

Today, I pulled out my dual exhaust setup and headers. I bought speed-engineering 1 7/8" headers, y pipe, and exhaust system. It showed up today after a week delay from Texas "snowmageddan 2.0". I also ordered a cherry picker and engine stand so I pull the engine to clean and inspect everything and to put in the oil pan gasket and rear main seal.
After pulling the exhaust system I started working on disconnecting the transmission and various brackets and connectors on the engine. I have two transmission bolts and the flex plate left. I'm just waiting on the cherry picker now which will be here Tuesday.
I was bored last night and decided I haven't spent enough money on this money pit or was poor enough. So I bought some testing fittings for the up and coming hydraulic line changing. And new aftermarket transmission oil cooler and new steering fluid cooler.

 

[Mikloangelo]

She's out boys! I ordered the best (cheapest) Chinese cherry picker and engine stand that amazon had to offer. The cherry picker seemed to be okay, but the hardware was definitely Chinese trash. Bolt heads stamped incorrectly or not at all, but was still able to use them. The engine stand box came to my doorstep like it was bombed in Afghanistan. Half the hardware and piece were missing. So now the engine sits outside until Friday when my other stand shows up.

 

[stutaeng]

Noice!

 

[Mikloangelo]

My engine stand is coming in Monday so I opted to degrease my engine bay and power wash it out. Still could use more. But for now it's good. Thinking about getting POR-15 to paint the frame.
I also went ahead and took off what little of my fiberglass firewall was left and put on this sound deadening and heat insulation mat all over my firewall. I'm not a professional by any means. I'm not looking for it to get an award either. I'm hoping this does some good for road noise and heat.
Link for sound deadening/heat insulation mat

I'm hoping this Sunday to take off all the wire loom and redo it. Most of it is crumbling.

 

[stutaeng]

Yes, perfect time to reloom the harness!

I did mine initially, but in hindsight, I should have waited until my engine came out.

How to re-loom your ECU/engine/transmission wiring harnesses

Alright, my first real thread :) So the wiring harness loom was missing in a lot of places in my 2006 suburban 2500 LQ4 2wd. I bought the truck like this and the PO was kinda a car guy, pretty clean so I don't know what happened. I guess age is also part of it. Anyways, I'd been putting it off...

www.tahoeyukonforum.com

Ditto on painting the frame while engine is out!

 

[stutaeng]

1999-2007 GM Heat/Sound Insulator Firewall

Heat/Sound Insulator Firewall Features:Tightly woven silicone fiberglass and silica outer fabricsCeramic fiber interior.Merrowed stainless steel wire edgingReduced engine heat and noise entering the cabCan be installed without removing engine149000

ppepower.com

They sell this firewall noise insulation blanket designed for the diesels, but also works for the gas models. Looks like it fits 1500, 2500/2500HD pickup models and even the SUVs...

 

[Mikloangelo]

1999-2007 GM Heat/Sound Insulator Firewall

Heat/Sound Insulator Firewall Features:Tightly woven silicone fiberglass and silica outer fabricsCeramic fiber interior.Merrowed stainless steel wire edgingReduced engine heat and noise entering the cabCan be installed without removing engine149000

ppepower.com

They sell this firewall noise insulation blanket designed for the diesels, but also works for the gas models. Looks like it fits 1500, 2500/2500HD pickup models and even the SUVs...

I saw those. I didn't want to pay the $300 for it. I can always add it later of i want. But for now this will work.

 

[Mikloangelo]

Finally got my new engine stand and it was Chinese crap, so I ordered a quality one and don't regret it. I decided to break it in right away and throw the block on it and strip it down to the short block. As much as I didn't want to, I'm going ahead and doing the full send and doing the bottom end. I couldn't justify getting to this point and not doing it. I did, however, decide to take it to a machine shop to bake the engine and clean it up and mill it and hone the cylinder walls, replace the main bearing and cam bearings, gen 4 connecting rods and new pistons, and grind/polish the crank. I opted to let a professional do all that because frankly it scares me. There are a lot of tolerances to look at, and the last thing I want to do is screw something up after dumping all this money into it.

 

[Mikloangelo]

When I pulled out the lifters, only one had abnormal wear. It looks pitted. It definitely ate into the lob on the cam.

 

[Cadillacmak]

When I pulled out the lifters, only one had abnormal wear. It looks pitted. It definitely ate into the lob on the cam.

Looks like you caught that just in time!

 

[ORVietVet]

When I pulled out the lifters, only one had abnormal wear. It looks pitted. It definitely ate into the lob on the cam.

Did that wear account for any noises that concerned you?

 

[Mikloangelo]

Did that wear account for any noises that concerned you?

Honestly I hadn't drove it enough to notice any noise. It had sounded normal to me, or at least i didnt notice anything. Maybe this attributed to my misfire P0300 misfire code and it running rough.
Luckily I had told my daughter if you see an engine light or hear something abnormal stop driving immediately. I guess she listened to me for a change and let me know when she started it up and saw the engine light.

 

[ORVietVet]

Honestly I hadn't drove it enough to notice any noise. It had sounded normal to me, or at least i didnt notice anything. Maybe this attributed to my misfire P0300 misfire code and it running rough.
Luckily I had told my daughter if you see an engine light or hear something abnormal stop driving immediately. I guess she listened to me for a change and let me know when she started it up and saw the engine light.

She does know that she will see the CEL for a second or two and then should go out.....correct?

 

[Mikloangelo]

She does know that she will see the CEL for a second or two and then should go out.....correct?

Yes. I confirmed the light comes on. It actually flashes within 30 secs of starting

 

[ORVietVet]

Yes. I confirmed the light comes on. It actually flashes within 30 secs of starting

I guess I worded that wrong. When cranking the engine, the light should be on solid and after starting it should be on a second or two and then go out, as long as there is no current codes. It should not be flashing within 30 seconds after starting unless there are code(s).