Rocket Man's 2008 Bagged CC Silverado Build AKA "THE MACHINE"

[Tonyrodz]

Well it looks like things are on hold. The Beast decided to start running rough yesterday and threw code P0400 and a flashing CEL for a few seconds after a WOT run. I'm going to try plugs today just to see if they're the problem but I'm pretty sure the small intake leak that Blackbear told me about last year turned into a bigger one and the blower needs to be R&R'd. I wish I knew how Justin can see the leak from a data log because I should be able to use the Tech 2 to see it. Anyway the blower is a bear to install so I hope that's not it but I fear it is.

That sux. Good luck, hopefully it's something easy.

 

[Rocket Man]

It wasn't plugs. I ordered a $100 smoke leak tester to see if it's an intake leak before I tear the blower off. I'll just have to drive the CC until I fix it. Darn.

 

[kbuskill]

I got my steering wheel emblem today and cheated it on. I didn't want to pull and disassemble the airbag to install it so I poked a hole in the center of the old one and stuck a pick in and pulled it off so I didn't damage the airbag by prying around the edges. Then I cut the tabs short and made sure it pushed all the way on, then pulled it off and added a big blob of black RTV silicone in the center and pushed it back on. I could feel it squish the silicone so I know it won't come off. Total time to repair was less than 10 minutes.

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Looks good.... except it's upside down.

 

[05Single]

Nice work on the heads. Did you use the oven cleaner trick or scuff the chrome for paint ?

 

[Rocket Man]

Nice work on the heads. Did you use the oven cleaner trick or scuff the chrome for paint ?

Nope, I followed what TRS and most others do and just used adhesion promoter. It's not something that's exposed like my grill where rocks and stuff hit it so hopefully it will hold up. If not I can re-do it later. It's got 4 coats of paint and 4 coats of clear.

 

[Rocket Man]

I have assembled the headlights as far as I can; I'm at the point where the projectors need to be aligned horizontally before they're fully tightened in place. That needs to be done with the headlights mounted in the truck and it needs to be done in the dark. After that, they need to be cleaned and the lenses installed and sealed. So today I mounted them and have begun the process of mounting the ballasts, relays, and RGB module. The paint is a bit darker than the truck, and I could see that when I painted some other parts but I'm Ok with it. It should look better when the lenses are on.I think these are going to be badass. I fired up one of the projectors a while ago and it looks good.

 

[Rocket Man]

I finished the wiring. The projectors stay on when the high beams stay on because the lows stay on with the Silverado's when the highs stay on. I think I can figure out how to open the shutters on the projectors when the highs turn on but still working on that. I wired the demon eyes to the park lights and pulled the DRL fuse. Also there's a wire that shuts them off when the projectors turn on and then they come back on if I turn the headlights off. Now I need to set the horizontal aim after dark.

 

[05Single]

Yea i realize that, that's why the oven cleaner works cause the chrome is super thin because its not exposed to outside elements, just wished it worked on chrome bumpers and grilles lol.
I mean trs as far as I've seen always sprays on too of the chrome so either way works. But in most cases if you're going gloss black oven cleaner reveals a gloss black finish under the chrome and you don't even have to paint


Anyway those look doooopppe. Can't wait for night shots. But now you need the xb fogs to match

 

[Rocket Man]

I waited until after dark last night and turned them on. First thing I thought was something is wrong. The cutoff line isn’t that sharp and it curves down so the light pattern looks like a mustache. I adjusted them horizontally and pulled it out in the street and I’m thinking this isn’t that great. I woke up this morning and realized I might have installed the demon eye brackets to the inside of the projectors instead of the outside. They’re curved like the light output is curved.

 

[Rocket Man]

Before I pulled the headlights again I took a few teaser pics of the demon eyes. The controller has 3 channels and lots of outputs so in case I was to install some underglow I'll be covered. It might be kind of cool to have some more lighting all color coordinated with the projectors. The ap has all sorts of effects if you're so inclined.

 

[HiHoeSilver]

Before I pulled the headlights again I took a few teaser pics of the demon eyes. The controller has 3 channels and lots of outputs so in case I was to install some underglow I'll be covered. It might be kind of cool to have some more lighting all color coordinated with the projectors. The ap has all sorts of effects if you're so inclined.View attachment 194644 View attachment 194645 View attachment 194646 View attachment 194647

I can hear @05Single screaming from here....

 

[05Single]

I can hear @05Single screaming from here....

No I'm speechless from that cutoff. I'm not sure what would create that. I feel like the high beam shutter is on. Is it connected ?

 

[Rocket Man]

No I'm speechless from that cutoff. I'm not sure what would create that. I feel like the high beam shutter is on. Is it connected ?

It's connected and I hear it operating. I just checked and it's not the brackets for the demon eyes. I contacted TRS and sent the picture. I wonder if they didn't get something back together right when they did the etching. Maybe somebody had too much to smoke at their lunch break.

 

[Rocket Man]

OK I don't know what I'm doing and their instructions suck. That WAS the high beam shutter on. There was an extra set of y-adapter wires in the kit and nothing about how to wire the shutters. Or how to wire the projectors period. I just took one projector out and observed it operating and I see if I unplug the shutter so it stays closed, the shutoff line is nice and level. So that shutter obviously needs to stay closed unless the high beams come on, and that's where the y-connector comes in. One end to the high beam output from the truck, the other 2 ends to the high beam shutter and the high beam bulb. I had it connected to the shutter and the ballast so the low beams turned on the ballast and the shutter. Oops. Thanks, Dave, for pointing me in the right direction. Now I get to put it all back together and re-level them tonight. And now it's raining of course.

 

[05Single]

I think you had too much smoke, they're upside down
Make sure you have the right bulbs, and make sure theyre seated properly.

 

[Rocket Man]

I think you had too much smoke, they're upside down
Make sure you have the right bulbs, and make sure theyre seated properly.

Yeah, I checked the upside down part about 3 times but it would definitely make no sense to have the heavy solenoids at the top and even though I checked that when I put them together I double checked again this morning. The bulbs were supplied and they only go in one way so I knew there wasn't a problem there. But if they had just said something more than the white wire needs to connect to the red wire and the brown one to the black one it would be nice. There was a lot of wiring between the ballasts, relays, RGB controller, and bulbs and nothing more than that and to make sure the connectors click when you plug them together. Like I'm supposed to know the solenoid needs to stay closed for low beam operation. They could mention that. There were many sets of instructions and all were worthless as far as wiring diagrams. And the steering wheel emblem is all I got upside down dammit.

 

[NathanJax]

I just noticed you have the 08-10 HD front end. I just got all my parts for my 11-13 HD front end swap. (I was going through your thread trying to figure out which emblem was on your hood and happened to notice the difference)

 

[Rocket Man]

I just noticed you have the 08-10 HD front end. I just got all my parts for my 11-13 HD front end swap. (I was going through your thread trying to figure out which emblem was on your hood and happened to notice the difference)

Yeah, those emblems weren't the original ones and I had to drill holes in the black hood piece where the locator pins were. I think it might have had the Duramax emblems originally. Is the 11-13 different?

 

[Rocket Man]

I got my rear calipers in today for my conversion. Now I have all the parts to fix the rear wheel reluctor and do the disc brake conversion I believe. Unfortunately it might be awhile before it gets done. It's waiting until The Beast gets fixed. My smoke machine will be here in a couple days so I can look for intake leaks. But I can at least paint these while I wait.

 

[NathanJax]

Yeah, those emblems weren't the original ones and I had to drill holes in the black hood piece where the locator pins were. I think it might have had the Duramax emblems originally. Is the 11-13 different?

The 11-13 is beefier, the vents in the back are bigger, grilles a little different, etc.

I noticed because your vents have 5 lines were mine has 6.