Ok.. I’ve been holding off a bit on providing an update for my parts install. Partly because I’m in the middle of moving, and partly because I’ve had a number of challenges, and have been doing my best to refrain from ranting about it.. so now I can rant..
If y’all remember, the transmission was sent with the 2wd output shaft, rather than the 4wd I ordered.. so trans was shipped back to Pa. Performabuilt received the transmission around 10:15, and it was back on the truck the same day at something like 1PM..!! Hell yeah Performabuilt..!! Trans gets back to the shop, the process took 2 weeks due to slow shipping.. meanwhile June 16th, I’m driving from Colorado to Texas, since I had already scheduled everything. Got a call from mechanic to inform me the FTI flexplate I ordered was for an 8-bolt crank and wouldn’t fit on my 6-bolt.. greeeat.. I asked him to source a local OEM flexplate, so I’d at least have a new part in there. Now I would have to go back to Denver, pickup the Yukon, and drive back again.. Arrived in Texas, unloaded the truck, my car in the 3rd garage, and hauled back out to Denver for another 2 day drive in a miserably uncomfortable, but excellent workhorse Penske International 26’ with the 4-wheel car hauler on it.. my buddy had to pickup the truck out of state, and drive it to Colorado, because there was zero availability for anything that size. Just nothing. Penske quoted me $8200 for Denver to Tyler, for a 5 day rental. Then told me they didn’t have a truck anyway..!
So I ended up spending around $1500-1800 in fuel just for the rental truck.. Nodak-to-Denver-to Tyler-back to Denver. Almost 3000 miles. Ok.. got back to Denver, dropped off the truck, and thankfully, had a good friend who loaned me his extra car for a week, while I waited for the Yukon to be finished.
Monday, June 20th, mechanic told me we would be able to start her up that afternoon.. so I headed down for the event. I had previously installed my “baseline” tune for the new cam, heads, etc.. to get her running that BBP provided previously. (Thank you to
@BlackBearPerf for accommodating my request with my parts list!! Y’all are awesome..!) So we start her up.. there’s a nasty squeaking noise.. I’m kinda freaking out, thinking things are wearing down and something is definitely not right.. great! Now what.?
I hung around for a while, and asked mechanic to dig through everything, and see if there’s anything obvious, or damaged.. mechanic tore it down, removed transmission, etc… noise still there with no transmission, so that’s ruled out good..? I guess..? Spent the next week checking and reassembling.. this Monday, we started her back up.. same noise..
I decided, due to time constraints, $$ to stay in a hotel while I waited for the truck, I just would drive the 500 break in miles, then check her oil and trans fluid out, and plan to head out to Texas, if there was nothing too sparkly in the pan(s)..
Since my daughters bird is with us, I couldn’t stay in Texas while it was worked on, and fly back out to pick up the Yukon. The bird makes things difficult.. and expensive.. spent about 3k on the hotel the last 2 weeks..
So today I decided to go visit
@Fless , who is about a 50 minute drive one way (45 with a lead foot).. we were able to hang out and BS a bit, had a nice dinner, and hooked up his Tech2, since in my haste, I’d left mine back in Texas. Everything looked good from the Tech2, but I did determine my OBD2 port seems to be flaky.. both our Tech2’s lose connection with it constantly. I initially thought it was my clone, but his also did it, and he had never had that issue. So.. something else I’ll have to fix.. ahem, anyway, all looked well.. I was actually not sure if the trans had been slipping a bit, just since I’m not used to the new torque converter stall @2800. (I’m a noob, apologies..)now, after I started the truck back up, after arriving at
@Fless house, the squeak seemed to be gone..! Subsequently, each time I stopped, and restarted her, seemed quieter. So I believe I just needed to drive a bit of break in miles to get the new parts happy in their places, and now she sounds pretty damn good! Drove back to my hotel, and waited approximately 35-40 minutes, so still warm, but then took a video.. she sounds like she should..!
So, hopefully that’s all good, and I can get as close to 500 break in miles as possible before July 4th. I’ll be heading back to Tx on the 5th.
Power is definitely a noticeable difference..! Transmission shifts absolutely wonderful and solid. When I’m on the freeway it seems like I have a couple extra gears, she’s so responsive..! Barely moving the accelerator will invoke a downshift, and barely any throttle provides an immediate 10+ mph increase, and a wide grin.. I still need to data log, to get her fine tuned, but since I don’t have my PC with me, will have to wait until I get home.
One thing I hadn’t expected, or at least, didn’t expect as much of a difference, is the exhaust is MUCH louder at low speeds. She’s never been quiet, since I did the ARH longtubes, and magnaflow 18”, but man the cam / heads obviously breathe so much better, it sounds like I’m really getting on it while barely accelerating.! So an additional, or possibly just longer muffler is in my future. I don’t mind loud, when I’m getting on it, but she’s downright obnoxious now!
Sorry I don’t have much in regard to pics or videos. I’m really bummed I wasn’t able to participate in the install, due to the moving fiasco.
