New to me 99 Suburban: 5.7 vortec repairs

NevadaLover

Forking Icehole
non-chlorinated brakleen works well.

NON-Whaaaat?????? Bite your tongue man, never touch the stuff! When I wants sumthang kleened, I wants it kleened! just kidding, I forget that some people live west of the sierras and aren't allowed to play with the good stuff! But for your use I imagine the non type doesn't affect plastic like the good old stuff!!
 

unabashedpraise

Adventurer
You guys have been very helpful. Honestly I don't know how people did these things before the internet, because I don't know anyone who works on cars. In fact, I'm "the guy" that works on cars! Obviously I'm very experienced!

Right now I'm at the in-laws, floating on the water, imagining that the suburban self healing at home right now. Actually the intake is back on, and it's almost together. I just need to pick up some more coolant.

I'll probably be able to get back at it Tuesday late night/Wednesday morning.



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rayra

Expedition Leader
NON-Whaaaat?????? Bite your tongue man, never touch the stuff! When I wants sumthang kleened, I wants it kleened! just kidding, I forget that some people live west of the sierras and aren't allowed to play with the good stuff! But for your use I imagine the non type doesn't affect plastic like the good old stuff!!

Hell I just discovered in the middle of a time-sensitive project that I can't buy Mineral Spirits anymore (in L.A. County, might even be state-wide). And acetone-based cleaners wouldn't work, not without destroying previous work


pvmepAM.jpg
.
 

NevadaLover

Forking Icehole
You guys have been very helpful. Honestly I don't know how people did these things before the internet, because I don't know anyone who works on cars. In fact, I'm "the guy" that works on cars! Obviously I'm very experienced!

Right now I'm at the in-laws, floating on the water, imagining that the suburban self healing at home right now. Actually the intake is back on, and it's almost together. I just need to pick up some more coolant.

I'll probably be able to get back at it Tuesday late night/Wednesday morning.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hands on is always the best way to learn even if it means you have to do it again, that's what learning is all about.
and letting the intake sit and the sealant to cure before adding coolant and starting it is exactly what the engine needs so good job!!
Happy 4th!!
 

NevadaLover

Forking Icehole
Hell I just discovered in the middle of a time-sensitive project that I can't buy Mineral Spirits anymore (in L.A. County, might even be state-wide). And acetone-based cleaners wouldn't work, not without destroying previous work


pvmepAM.jpg
.

Good gawd man, You have WAYYYYY more patience than I do if that's a hobby of yours, I couldn't force myself to do that kinda intricate work, which is why I do the job I do and not neurosurgery!! Looks awesome by the way, is that from avatar?:********:
 

unabashedpraise

Adventurer
https://youtu.be/GmWSNfhyt3Y

https://youtu.be/0WCFxNEk28A

Head gasket? It's back together. I wasn't able to pressure check the cylinders. So I went with the logic that if it wasn't steaming before, it shouldn't steam afterwards. I guess I can check them. Don't know how, but I'll have to figure it out I guess.

I've never regretted buying a vehicle so much in my entire life. And I had an almost 450k corolla that was more reliable than this!


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unabashedpraise

Adventurer
Hands on is always the best way to learn even if it means you have to do it again, that's what learning is all about.
and letting the intake sit and the sealant to cure before adding coolant and starting it is exactly what the engine needs so good job!!
Happy 4th!!

Turns out I just wasted my time!


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unabashedpraise

Adventurer
OK, let's review my symptoms chronologically, without rose colored glasses on.

-oil leak from front of intake
-may have lost coolant internally, really unsure since it was new to me.
- seemed under powered
- no overheating. In fact I always thought the temp seemed low.
- used my Lisle combustion detector, twice. No sign of exhaust gases in coolant.

-plugs:
825af7241ca846bc5122ecd73b3339a3.jpg


Then I "repaired" the leaking intake gasket and replaced distributor, plugs, wires, and spider fuel injectors.
Symptoms afterwards were:
- billowing white steam from tailpipe (none previously)
- coolant in oil
- air bubbling in radiator (thought it must have been burping itself)
- no overheating

Replaced intake gasket again and current symptoms are the same as above.

Did a dry compression test which showed cylinder 4 was low, about 130. Wet test showed 135.

Gathering all my Google knowledge and brain power, I have narrowed it down to three probable options. 1- blown head gasket. 2- cracked/warped head. 3- cracked cylinder.
https://youtu.be/EBgrYFg4SMk


Options?



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NevadaLover

Forking Icehole
That sucks man, I have never seen that kind of crap happen after doing an intake, what was the original reason for doing the intake?
 

NevadaLover

Forking Icehole
I dont think cylinder 4 is low enough to be the problem, if I was doing this job the next step would be to pressure test the cooling system, see how bad the leak is and if you can find it! Looking at your previous posts I wonder if the cleaning you did to the intake caused a problem with the sealing edges of the intake? Generally problems that didn't exist before the job don't suddenly pop up after the job!
 

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