Want to take my 2010 Yukon XL Denali with 180,000 miles for a family trip from Michigan To Florida

[mountie]

That's just it! The truck has literally had no issues until I ran into the phantom electrical stuff that I believe I've now fixed. Other than very basic routine maintenance (think oil changes, brakes, belt, and one 100K service at the dealer (fluids, plugs, wires), everything else is original believe it or not. As I've been learning more and more, I should have been doing more preventative maintenance until waiting for something to break. That's why I was asking about other parts while I've got some room to work with everything out of it.

My '05 Yukon is very reliable.... Last year, getting regular service ( belts and oil change, etc), I went ahead and replaced the belt tensioner at the A/C compressor, ..not that it was bad, but .. since it is so low to the ground, I figured it takes a beating, and replacing it was a 'maintenance' replacement.

 

[donjetman]

I'm a DIYer. Preventative mx = reliability. As your finding out, the list is long.

Bought our road hard a hung-up wet (but rust free) 130k mile 2007 Yukon Denali 5 yrs ago to go back and fourth between or 2 homes 1000 miles apart. We've done this round-trip about 25 times now. 100% reliable. It has 191k miles now.

The only tools we carry are a light wt aluminum floor jack, lugnut socket, and breaker bar (I don't like the GM tire stuff.)

No electrical issues so far

 

[iamdub]

Thanks for taking the time once again to clarify everything.

#1 - good, thank you.
#2 - I'm struggling a little bit on where the attachment point of this cable is. Do I run it all the way to where the original very thin ground wire goes - which is to the passenger side mount right behind the bumper?
#3 - I need to spend a few minutes finding this location.
#4 - good, thank you.

#2 - Battery to frame is what I did. I put it under one of the three strut nuts. Removed the nut, wire brushed the metal clean, put the lug over the stud, reinstalled the nut with an extra ugga-dugga. That small ground that I think you're referring to is for the core support electrics, like the cooling fans. The factory battery ground is the 4 gauge that runs from the negative post on the battery to the stud on the front of the passenger side cylinder head. The ignition coil pack and core support grounds also terminate here.

#3 - It was another frame ground using the strut stud. The nearest bolt going into the engine block was that one behind the power steering pump that secures the bracket to the engine block.

So, I have the entire heating/cooling system apart as we've been discussing and have a lot of easy access around. Are there any other parts that I should be proactively replacing? For example, should I replace or upgrade the alternator or any other parts?

Thanks again!

Are you doing all this wiring upgrade stuff as part of your pre-trip maintenance? If your time is limited, I wouldn't worry about it until afterward when things calm down. There are much more pressing to-dos than the Big 3/Big 4. If the alternator isn't giving you any issues, leave it. If it does so happen to fail on the trip, it's super easy to replace in a parking lot. I think it's one of those items in the "may as well just replace the engine, trans, A/C evaporator, heater core, vehicle wiring harness, all switches and electronics just to be sure..." territory. Also, new does not mean fail-proof. Your alternator is working fine- it's tried and true, the devil you know. A new one could have a defect that is sure to show only during a road trip.

It seems you have a full plate with the cooling system refresh and normal pre-trip inspections and maintenance. Save the electrical upgrades for later tinkering.

 

[bobby2175]

Should I be ok with this radiator - picked this up at the dealer.

 

[iamdub]

Should I be ok with this radiator - picked this up at the dealer.

That's nothing. You can drop it in as-is. They usually look much worse than that when shipped from online dealers. If it bothers you, use a small screwdriver or, if you wanna be fancy, a radiator comb to straighten them. It'll have more reduced air flow than that after about 10-20K miles when the bugs pack the fins. Hell, you'll probably bend more than that when installing it.

 

[bobby2175]

That's nothing. You can drop it in as-is. They usually look much worse than that when shipped from online dealers. If it bothers you, use a small screwdriver or, if you wanna be fancy, a radiator comb to straighten them. It'll have more reduced air flow than that after about 10-20K miles when the bugs pack the fins.

Thanks so much! Back to work!

Should I also replace these hoses? Small hose from engine to radiator and radiator to coolant reservoir overflow? Those were the only two that I neglected to purchase.

 

[iamdub]

Thanks so much! Back to work!

Should I also replace these hoses? Small hose from engine to radiator and radiator to coolant reservoir overflow? Those were the only two that I neglected to purchase.

May as well. They're the same age and material as the other hoses that are subjected to the same chemicals and temperature swings. You have the system opened up now- why stop at 98% when replacing those hoses later (regardless if at your leisure or an emergency repair) would require opening up the system again and spilling more coolant?

 

[Doubeleive]

Thanks so much! Back to work!

Should I also replace these hoses? Small hose from engine to radiator and radiator to coolant reservoir overflow? Those were the only two that I neglected to purchase.

i will be the naysayer on those small lines IF they are not readily available at the parts counter, they are lower pressure lines compared to the other bigger hoses they should be fine

 

[bobby2175]

So, when I took the fan connectors off, this is what I ended up with. What's the right way to reassemble these...on the one, the parts literally fell out when I pulled the connector.

 

[iamdub]

So, when I took the fan connectors off, this is what I ended up with. What's the right way to reassemble these...on the one, the parts literally fell out when I pulled the connector.

Those belong on the end of the plug on the harness. Just snap the purple piece back on and slip the blue seal on it.

 

[bobby2175]

A couple of close ups - I definitely have some type of oil leak somewhere. Most of the cables, tubes, hoses are covered in it. Also, looks like the one cap had a leak at some point.

Should I be trying to isolate the leak?

I started to reassemble things, but can still go back if necessary.

 

[swathdiver]

Probably just need a new power steering cap on that side. That kind of fluid loss we call sweating. Weeping is a little more, leaking is dripping onto the ground.

When are you leaving? Mine is basically ready. Have to make up some washer fluid, replace a remote and double check the air in the spare and then start loading it up.

Bought two CyberPower cigar lighter inverters that I want to test out so my wife can run her laptop for work if needed and my CPAP machine in an emergency. Bought a handheld CB Radio for the trip too.

 

[mountie]

Probably just need a new power steering cap on that side. That kind of fluid loss we call sweating. Weeping is a little more, leaking is dripping onto the ground.

When are you leaving? Mine is basically ready. Have to make up some washer fluid, replace a remote and double check the air in the spare and then start loading it up.

Bought two CyberPower cigar lighter inverters that I want to test out so my wife can run her laptop for work if needed and my CPAP machine in an emergency. Bought a handheld CB Radio for the trip too.

I have a wifi antenna that is about the size of a VHS tape. It is powered by a laptop. it can be used in a vehicle, I believe the 'reach' is as much as 5 miles... in open areas.

 

[bobby2175]

Probably just need a new power steering cap on that side. That kind of fluid loss we call sweating. Weeping is a little more, leaking is dripping onto the ground.

When are you leaving? Mine is basically ready. Have to make up some washer fluid, replace a remote and double check the air in the spare and then start loading it up.

Bought two CyberPower cigar lighter inverters that I want to test out so my wife can run her laptop for work if needed and my CPAP machine in an emergency. Bought a handheld CB Radio for the trip too.

I definitely have some spots of something on the garage floor as well. Just not 100% sure what it is. I was told years ago that I had an engine oil leak and a differential leak. But, I've also found over the last year that my local shop is not very trustworthy.

I leave at the end of December, so I have a little time left, but also want a little time to test my work. Still have a few things to do like rear shocks, see if I can get the spare down, fluids, need to check the engine mount, etc. Plus with travel for work, not around every week.

You have to tell me more about the inverter...I can see my wife going for that for sure.

 

[bobby2175]

I have a wifi antenna that is about the size of a VHS tape. It is powered by a laptop. it can be used in a vehicle, I believe the 'reach' is as much as 5 miles... in open areas.

Does that run on a cellular account?

 

[mountie]

Does that run on a cellular account?

Wifi only..... if you are parked somewhere, it 'should' pick up a signal from somewhere ( like a MacDonalds, etc)....

 

[swathdiver]

I definitely have some spots of something on the garage floor as well. Just not 100% sure what it is. I was told years ago that I had an engine oil leak and a differential leak. But, I've also found over the last year that my local shop is not very trustworthy.

I leave at the end of December, so I have a little time left, but also want a little time to test my work. Still have a few things to do like rear shocks, see if I can get the spare down, fluids, need to check the engine mount, etc. Plus with travel for work, not around every week.

You have to tell me more about the inverter...I can see my wife going for that for sure.

CyberPower M175XUC and M140BUC

Bought two for flexibility. Might use the smaller one up front or in the back, however they want to. I reckon the larger one will get plugged into the back of the console and rest on the floor next to the cupholder.

Oh almost forgot, have to put my phone holder back together. It sets in one of the cup holders up front and plugs into a cigar lighter and has its own USB ports for charging the phone with one leftover. Have a short power cord for the phone when this is set up.

For years we've had 2 2-port USB adapters, the higher powered models, they're in the console when not needed.

Are you running a dash cam? Been running one since 2019 and am bringing along extra cards to save video or take stills off it of interesting things along the way.

 

[mountie]

CyberPower M175XUC and M140BUC

Bought two for flexibility. Might use the smaller one up front or in the back, however they want to. I reckon the larger one will get plugged into the back of the console and rest on the floor next to the cupholder.

Oh almost forgot, have to put my phone holder back together. It sets in one of the cup holders up front and plugs into a cigar lighter and has its own USB ports for charging the phone with one leftover. Have a short power cord for the phone when this is set up.

For years we've had 2 2-port USB adapters, the higher powered models, they're in the console when not needed.

Are you running a dash cam? Been running one since 2019 and am bringing along extra cards to save video or take stills off it of interesting things along the way.

I use a dual cig lighter power. It folds upward, and is fairly out of the way. I like the 2 on-off buttons on the top, so you can keep it plugged in. I turn off the power at start-up, so no power surges. It also has an LED readout showing your voltage.

( like where my GPS is mounted...... below Sunlight, but still an easy view )

 

[swathdiver]

I use a dual cig lighter power. It folds upward, and is fairly out of the way. I like the 2 on-off buttons on the top, so you can keep it plugged in. I turn off the power at start-up, so no power surges. It also has an LED readout showing your voltage.

( like where my GPS is mounted...... below Sunlight, but still an easy view )

That's nice! One of the inverters is about that size and if used on the center stack, would protrude into the tray below unless angled up. Might grab that after people steal my other ones again! LOL



When I use this thing for the phone, wife complains about where to put her Yeti cup! LOL

My daughter has a phone holder that attaches to the silver panel to the left of the nav unit but blocks the view to the nav unit and seems too low for my eyes. Only using it for Waze since we have not been able to update our navigation maps since 2016 and GM refuses to allow Here! to give us new maps.

 

[Doubeleive]

A couple of close ups - I definitely have some type of oil leak somewhere. Most of the cables, tubes, hoses are covered in it. Also, looks like the one cap had a leak at some point.

Should I be trying to isolate the leak?

I started to reassemble things, but can still go back if necessary.

looks like it has not been cleaned in a long time so that makes it harder but the oil cooler lines are known to seep a lot and over time it can make a good coating all over the lines and the lower area in the front area of the motor, also could be the oil pan and the power steering pump doesn't look to bad just sweating a bit as james already noted.
things to look at for leaks are the valve covers and oil filter adapter area, oil pan, oil pressure sensor, valley cover, rear main.
you can spray some degreaser under it all over while at a drive up car wash and then pressure wash under it real good, then use some rags and wipe everything down that you can reach then drive it a bit and then get under it with a flashlight and look for fresh oil. the rear main can be checked by removing the inspection plate and use a flashlight and flexible mirror to see around inside.