Back from the dead 2007 Tahoe 2wd LT

[Rocket Man]

Well me and the Tahoe are still here...I got sick and have been in and out of the hospital for the last three weeks, pretty much right after I finished the interior. Progress didn't stop though, my guys got her in for round two of mechanical. This time we addressed the fuel leak, the lines on top of the metal pump housing had rusted so it got a new Delphi fuel pump. There was also an extended crank from losing fuel pressure so that's fixed. We replaced the fuel pressure sending unit and screen for the final check engine light solution and to my surprise oil pressure is great. Since I know this is/was an oil burner we followed the TSB for oil consumption and installed a new pressure relief valve with shield while replacing the oil pan gasket, as well as the updated LF valve cover. Both valve cover gaskets were replaced as they were leaking. I'm curious to see how much oil she's going to burn after this. It runs amazingly strong for a 258k engine. With this round I am up to $1,907 total parts cost and it's now a safe and reliable rig for my son Tanner. Next phase is exterior clean-up!

• OIl Pressure Switch Screen 12585328 $4.88
• Updated LF Valve Cover 12570427 $116.48
• Delphi - AZ Delphi Fuel Pump Assembly w/ Sensor CFG0816 $276.94
• Oil Pump Pickup Tube O'ring 125849221 $6.74
• Oil Pressure Relief Valve 12608835 $6.63

Tanner wanted to go do some donuts in the snow yesterday so I took him out to let it rip, he did great. That's like a father-son rite of passage : ) Three weeks until he's a driver, he is excited.

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Awesome news on the truck and your son and I’m glad you’re out of the hospital. Hope it wasn’t too serious but if you were in and out of the hospital for 3 weeks it must have been something.

 

[Leevon]

Looks like a grown young man! Glad you're doing ok now--or at least out of the hospital.

Awesome news on the truck and your son and I’m glad you’re out of the hospital. Hope it wasn’t too serious but if you were in and out of the hospital for 3 weeks it must have been something.

Thanks guys! My colon is messed up and I had a bad infection. They wanted to take it out but I asked for one more chance to get healed up which so far has been a good choice. I still have to have a portion of it removed in a couple months but that's a better scenario. Thankful for modern medicine, because 100 years ago you'd just be out to pasture! Funny how when you're laying in a hospital bed all of the projects and extra "stuff" suddenly aren't that important anymore. But now that I'm almost back to normal I'm obsessed with the Tahoe again lol.

 

[iamdub]

Great job hitting all the oil burning remedies! Top it off with a catch can to further reduce or stop whatever still passes through the system. A ~$20 one with a stainless scrub pad off Amazon is all you need.

 

[Leevon]

The interior is done. With the deep clean, seat repairs, new steering wheel, console cover, etc. it is a real transformation. I wrapped the wood grain pieces on the dash and they came out nice. I also wrapped the door switch panels but they weren't perfect so I painted them satin black. I used decals on a few of the radio and hvac control buttons. It pained me to do that because I usually just replace them but I keep having to remind myself it's a kid's car for now and I can make it perfect later. I also found a new key fob and key from a suburban we had and programmed it.

My bigger plans are to get the Tahoe back from kid duty in a few months (we actually have a truck for him). by then the exterior clean-up should be done. Then I'll be lowering it, upgrade sway bars, brake upgrades and possibly stereo. And just maybe depending on how all that goes...drivetrain upgrades and turbo kit : )

 

[89Suburban]

Thanks guys! My colon is messed up and I had a bad infection. They wanted to take it out but I asked for one more chance to get healed up which so far has been a good choice. I still have to have a portion of it removed in a couple months but that's a better scenario. Thankful for modern medicine, because 100 years ago you'd just be out to pasture! Funny how when you're laying in a hospital bed all of the projects and extra "stuff" suddenly aren't that important anymore. But now that I'm almost back to normal I'm obsessed with the Tahoe again lol.

What happened if you don't mind me asking. What kind of infection? What were the symptoms?

 

[Sparksalot]

The interior is done. With the deep clean, seat repairs, new steering wheel, console cover, etc. it is a real transformation. I wrapped the wood grain pieces on the dash and they came out nice. I also wrapped the door switch panels but they weren't perfect so I painted them satin black. I used decals on a few of the radio and hvac control buttons. It pained me to do that because I usually just replace them but I keep having to remind myself it's a kid's car for now and I can make it perfect later. I also found a new key fob and key from a suburban we had and programmed it.

My bigger plans are to get the Tahoe back from kid duty in a few months (we actually have a truck for him). by then the exterior clean-up should be done. Then I'll be lowering it, upgrade sway bars, brake upgrades and possibly stereo. And just maybe depending on how all that goes...drivetrain upgrades and turbo kit : )

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That painted switch piece looks good. I did the same with a dash trim piece I bought to get the DIC. It was woodgrain.

 

[Leevon]

What happened if you don't mind me asking. What kind of infection? What were the symptoms?

Sure I don't mind. I have had diverticulitis for about 10 years, a few small pockets in my sigmoid colon. I have had some flare-ups and digestive issues but never hospitalized. Ironically I had a colonoscopy about 3 months ago, and they said everything looked fine, no inflammation etc. My first symptom was a fever on 1/17 which I thought could be covid. It took 24 hours to get a covid test, but by that time I was feeling the pain of diverticulitis. The next day a CT at the walk-in clinic revealed a perforated colon and infection and they sent me straight to a bed in the hospital. I spent 4 days on IV antibiotics, and was showing improvements so I went home for a week. But the whole time I had the chills (no fever) and just didn't feel right then I got another fever and went back (this time through the ER which was a 6 hour nightmare). The next CT revealed I my infection wasn't better, and it was now a fairly large abscess. The next day I had a procedure where they put a drain in the abscess and I spent 5 more days in. Lots of pain, fever, aches, discomfort, other body stuff and of course the haze of morphine it was not a great time. The doctors came twice and offered to take me to surgery to remove the colon and I'd leave with a hopefully temporary colostomy bag, then they would re-attach the colon later. I opted to keep fighting it, so I can get the surgery under better conditions, with no colostomy bag. I went home with the drain but I got it out a few days ago and they said it's looking much better. I'm 41 and this runs in the family, so I had fair warning but they say there isn't much I could do to prevent it.

 

[89Suburban]

Sure I don't mind. I have had diverticulitis for about 10 years, a few small pockets in my sigmoid colon. I have had some flare-ups and digestive issues but never hospitalized. Ironically I had a colonoscopy about 3 months ago, and they said everything looked fine, no inflammation etc. My first symptom was a fever on 1/17 which I thought could be covid. It took 24 hours to get a covid test, but by that time I was feeling the pain of diverticulitis. The next day a CT at the walk-in clinic revealed a perforated colon and infection and they sent me straight to a bed in the hospital. I spent 4 days on IV antibiotics, and was showing improvements so I went home for a week. But the whole time I had the chills (no fever) and just didn't feel right then I got another fever and went back (this time through the ER which was a 6 hour nightmare). The next CT revealed I my infection wasn't better, and it was now a fairly large abscess. The next day I had a procedure where they put a drain in the abscess and I spent 5 more days in. Lots of pain, fever, aches, discomfort, other body stuff and of course the haze of morphine it was not a great time. The doctors came twice and offered to take me to surgery to remove the colon and I'd leave with a hopefully temporary colostomy bag, then they would re-attach the colon later. I opted to keep fighting it, so I can get the surgery under better conditions, with no colostomy bag. I went home with the drain but I got it out a few days ago and they said it's looking much better. .I'm 41 and this runs in the family.

Damn that’s rough man. Hope you get it beat. Feel for you.

 

[Rocket Man]

The interior is done. With the deep clean, seat repairs, new steering wheel, console cover, etc. it is a real transformation. I wrapped the wood grain pieces on the dash and they came out nice. I also wrapped the door switch panels but they weren't perfect so I painted them satin black. I used decals on a few of the radio and hvac control buttons. It pained me to do that because I usually just replace them but I keep having to remind myself it's a kid's car for now and I can make it perfect later. I also found a new key fob and key from a suburban we had and programmed it.

My bigger plans are to get the Tahoe back from kid duty in a few months (we actually have a truck for him). by then the exterior clean-up should be done. Then I'll be lowering it, upgrade sway bars, brake upgrades and possibly stereo. And just maybe depending on how all that goes...drivetrain upgrades and turbo kit : )

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Nice work. I have wrapped all those parts and know what a PIA they are.

 

[Leevon]

Nice work. I have wrapped all those parts and know what a PIA they are.

Yeah, I learned my lesson, paint is easier lol!

 

[91RS]

Nice restoration! That’s basically what I’m slowly doing to mine. I love these body style trucks.

What did you use to paint the trim pieces? Spray paint or was it real car paint?

 

[Leevon]

Nice restoration! That’s basically what I’m slowly doing to mine. I love these body style trucks.

What did you use to paint the trim pieces? Spray paint or was it real car paint?

Thanks! I just used krylon enamel satin black that I had laying around, two light coats with a heat gun before and after each coat. I didn't even scuff them, we'll see how it holds up, easy enough to re-do!

 

[Rocket Man]

Thanks! I just used krylon enamel satin black that I had laying around, two light coats with a heat gun before and after each coat. I didn't even scuff them, we'll see how it holds up, easy enough to re-do!

I have been using Krylon Fusion for years, it bonds to plastic excellently. If you have issues with the regular stuff after time, try Fusion.

 

[Geoffsfas10]

Yeah, I learned my lesson, paint is easier lol!

I need to re-wrap my drivers door one...its decent but not good enough. I foudn that a heat gun is very much your friend, and you might have to burn yourself a little to do it right haha

 

[Rocket Man]

I need to re-wrap my drivers door one...its decent but not good enough. I foudn that a heat gun is very much your friend, and you might have to burn yourself a little to do it right haha

Yep, a heat gun is necessary. I just used short blasts.

 

[Geoffsfas10]

Yep, a heat gun is necessary. I just used short blasts.

I found my particular 3M product liked to warmed quite a bit and for longer periods, that make it almost liquid like and flexible. Still that piece is a pain in the ass haha

 

[Miami-Dade]

Excellent work Leevon!

 

[Leevon]

Today she got new rear shocks and sway bar links. I'm stopping here on the suspension because the next step is going to be 2.5/4 lowering and sway bars. I had to replace the other two tire pressure sensors because they started acting up as soon as the others were replaced of course, so all four are new.

 

[Rocket Man]

Today she got new rear shocks and sway bar links. I'm stopping here on the suspension because the next step is going to be 2.5/4 lowering and sway bars. I had to replace the other two tire pressure sensors because they started acting up as soon as the others were replaced of course, so all four are new.

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Can’t wait for the drop!

 

[Leevon]

So I have been driving this thing around to make sure the bugs are worked out and it was only getting 13.2 mpg. I cleaned the MAF, re-set the fuel trim learning, alcohol content, and did a crank re-learn. I have a diablosport i3 sitting around that we use in my shop when we install new GM engines with DOD delete, so I loaded a basic tune. One of my techs is an experienced tuner but we'll save that for future mods. The factory re-learns and canned tune are now netting 15.6 mpg so I'm very happy. I also have a new MAF and both upstream o2's for it but I'm not sure they'll be needed.

I have all of the lowering stuff. I'm using Belltech 2511 2" spindles, McGaughy's 3180 adjustable struts, Belltech 34324 rear spring kit, and new AC Delco strut mounts. I got the adjustable struts because my front struts are original and I'm going for a 2.5/4 drop so I wanted that extra 1/2" adjustment. I am debating whether this would be a good time to replace the front wheel bearings and brakes all around.