Stutaeng's 2006 Suburban 2500

[stutaeng]

I scuff sanded the dash underside with #80 sandpaper, then washed it well and let it dry. I then taped/masked off the underside of the dash. It always takes longer to do that than you think.

I was out of town for work since Sunday evening, so hopefully I'll spray that later today.

The crack is still there, but looks like the steel plate reinforcement did a good job.

 

[stutaeng]

Applied the Lizardskin acoustic product...

I'm not gonna do the ceramic insulation Lizardskin since the dash doesn't technically separate any thermally separate compartments, so I'll call it good here.

I'll have to find a matching paint to paint the show side now...

 

[stutaeng]

I haven't put this back together yet. Been driving the Silverado.

Minivan has been down for 2 weeks. Battery light came on and I thought it was the alternator (got it warranted at O'Reillys) but turned out to be these battery cable savers I installed a few months ago. I installed those because the original power cable are too damn short. Seemed like a great idea...actually found another thread on the Chrysler minivan forums with someone having the same exact problem with those battery cable savers!

After i reinstalled the alternator, I monitored the voltage it it kept dropping to around 12V. Then I noticed those battery positive cable savers were smoking! I checked the voltage at the alternator stud and I had a full 1.0 voltage drop!

I wound up replacing the alternator wire, which goes down to the starter with a fusible link. Removed it from the engine harness wiring. Used 2 guage wire for alternator and also a new 2 guage wire to the stater. The third positive wire was for the ECU. That one I spliced with the original alternator wire I took out. I bought the Harbor Freight hydraulic heavy guage crimper for that.

Put everything back together and voltage was 14V at idle. I checked the voltage drop from alternator to battery was now in millivolts! Seemed like way overkill, lol. It just looks a little gettho, but who cares. I gave it back to my wife..."sent it!"

FIXED!

 

[stutaeng]

Here is what those battery cable savers looked like. The blackened terminal was the alternator (later realized it was cable from the alternator, via the starter).

So the three things I have learned here:

1. Voltage drop is real and learned it is critical to measure it. Honestly, I probably be still chasing my tail had I not noticed the "smoking gun" and not measured the voltage drop...

2. Our GMT800s are so easy to upgrade these power and ground cables because they are standalone, not integrated in the engine or ECU wiring harness!

3. I think our GMT800s have a pretty small wire from the alternator, maybe like 8 guage? [edit: I think it's thicker...?] Never heard of anyone ever having a wire getting hot on these trucks? I guess that wire can be upsized? Maybe for folks running aftermarket stuff? IDK?

Moral of the story is: don't use those battery saver cables...

 

[ORVietVet]

I haven't put this back together yet. Been driving the Silverado.

Minivan has been down for 2 weeks. Battery light came on and I thought it was the alternator (got it warranted at O'Reillys) but turned out to be these battery cable savers I installed a few months ago. I installed those because the original power cable are too damn short. Seemed like a great idea...actually found another thread on the Chrysler minivan forums with someone having the same exact problem with those battery cable savers!

After i reinstalled the alternator, I monitored the voltage it it kept dropping to around 12V. Then I noticed those battery positive cable savers were smoking! I checked the voltage at the alternator stud and I had a full 1.0 voltage drop!

I wound up replacing the alternator wire, which goes down to the starter with a fusible link. Removed it from the engine harness wiring. Used 2 guage wire for alternator and also a new 2 guage wire to the stater. The third positive wire was for the ECU. That one I spliced with the original alternator wire I took out. I bought the Harbor Freight hydraulic heavy guage crimper for that.

Put everything back together and voltage was 14V at idle. I checked the voltage drop from alternator to battery was no millivolts! Seemed like way overkill, lol. It just looks a little gettho, but who cares. I gave it back to my wife..."sent it!"

FIXED!

Have the same Klein meter.

 

[Turbo4whl]

Who is this person watching you work?

 

[stutaeng]

Who is this person watching you work?View attachment 6572

Lmao...


That's just the "trapeador"' aka "the mop"

You kinda spooked me me there for a bit...Lmao

 

[stutaeng]

I went to Summit Racing trying to find some SEM paint to paint the dash, but none was in stock. So I ordered it from Amazon (actually comes TCP Global) and hopefullyit'sa color match. I gotta wait for that to arrive...

In the meantime I decided to add that noise dampening material to some of the trim pieces.

 

[stutaeng]

I got the spray bomb in the mail. I think it's the correct color.

Painted the dash, the kickpanel, the a pillars and the little side dash triangular covers. Still need to do the glovebox piece. My goal is to make the dash the same "very dark pewter" color, eliminating the 2-tone. I've never been a fan of the 2 tone, don't know why?

I should have bought a quart of this stuff though, 12 Oz spray bomb is not gonna be enough...oh well...

The SEM color code can been on one of the photos.

 

[stutaeng]

I finally put the Suburban back together. I bought a USB charger to replace the cigarette lighter. Was a pair of them from Amazon. Then I found another USB charger that has a plug on the back for my aftermarket stereo for the Android Auto, but unfortunately, that didn't work: it charges my phone but doesn't connect to my stereo. I'll call the helpline to see what if they can hold me.

I forgot to paint the airbag cover on the passenger side. There's some tiny specs of some paint on it, almost looks like nail polish? Oh, well. No big deal.

I did reinstall my original glovebox (after I painted it to match.)