2003 Tahoe coolant system leak or head gasket leak?

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tRidiot

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Sounds just like the Castech head failure I experienced. I drove mine slowly SLOWLY losing coolant for probably 4 or 5 years. Only way to know for sure until you blow out a head is to pull the valve cover and look for a clean area around that cylinder - I think it's #5?

Do you have the 706 heads?

Pull it out, rebuild it, get another 200-300k out of it. You'll be happy with the peace of mind - especially with the price of used or new vehicles these days!
 
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tomloans

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Sounds just like the Castech head failure I experienced. I drove mine slowly SLOWLY losing coolant for probably 4 or 5 years. Only way to know for sure until you blow out a head is to pull the valve cover and look for a clean area around that cylinder - I think it's #5?

Do you have the 706 heads?

Pull it out, rebuild it, get another 200-300k out of it. You'll be happy with the peace of mind - especially with the price of used or new vehicles these days!
I am definitely going to replace both sides. This job is new to me so I am not sure what cylinder heads I have. 2003 tahoe LT is what I have. I just want to replace it with the same heads. Will read up and watch a few videos to wrap my head around the job and parts list. But first I need to confirm the problem.
 
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tRidiot

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Actually, if it's the 706, you DON'T want the same heads. The 706 heads have a casting defect found in a large number that allows leaking of coolant slowly into one cylinder - I believe it's #5.

Here's how you can tell -


80-image_f73f5b5ff75ddb4cb5de5c164ce592a2d0889ba4.jpg

Actually, from my research, both the 706 heads AND the 862 heads were prone to this problem. Once you get the head open, you can see the casting mark inside, if it looks like a battery, like this:

castech_57aa2fd0724c829aea17a45d4fbcd94a83365557.jpg

then you know you are hosed - those are 706 heads made by Castech. If they look like the square swirl in the first picture or something else, then they weren't made by Castec. Of note, those Castech 243 heads in this pic would not be affected by the problem - it is supposedly only the Castech 706 or 862, NOT the 706 or 862 made by other manufacturers. Go figure.

The problem I ran into trying to find another set of 706/862 heads was that I could not get anyone selling any (online) to tell me if they had the Castech battery casting mark inside. Of course, I was not willing to spend money on a set of used heads and have them shipped in, just to learn they were the same thing I was replacing. It was a major PITA.

I believe a set of 243 heads like those above would work, but you'd need to do some research yourself on which heads will work as a swap-in with your motor, intake, all those things. I won't pretend I'm well versed in those things, and eventually I gave up and just ordered a rebuilt LQ9 6.0L to replace my L59 5.3L. It is a direct swap with almost everything bolting on directly - even my FlexFuel intake, fuel rails, everything. I did upgrade to the same water pump used in the 2500 Surburban, I'm not sure if it's the same as my 5.3L had.

I wish you luck, but if I were you I would NOT get a set of 706/862 heads without verifying first that they are not Castech-made.
 

dougo

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A few years ago I had a civic that was losing coolant , I did the exhaust gas test no issue , Pressure test no issue , no smell at tail pipe ,compression test no issue , Pull the head no issue , new hoses , still losing coolant on a hot day my Kid was driving on the highway when she got home I meet her outside I could smell it and hear it if i got close to the radiator but only for a short time , I let the car cool pressure test again exceeded pressure no leak replace the Radiator and drove another 50k no issues I think their was a pin hole on top of the rad under the cross member that would only leak when the car was HOT.
 

mattbta

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Even if you don't have milkshake under the valve covers, Get some UV dye and a light, cycle that into the cooling system. Pop the valve covers and look for highlighted liquid while under pressure - BTW, IIRC 15 PSI is max recommended pressure. I had slow coolant loss for several years, but also saw it coming from the water pump weep hole. I ended up losing more rapidly, so replaced the water pump. Was still losing rapidly and saw white smoke on startup out of the exhaust. Had to get refurb'd heads and put on. Unfortunately, one of the refurbs cracked in less than 500 miles. The vendor honored their warranty, but it wasn't an easy process so I can't wholeheartedly recommend them. (I ordered more 706's because I'd read they flow better than 862 stock for stock and ended up with one castech in the pair...the one that cracked was castech.) Dye was maybe $8 on Amazon? General Motors 89022219 ACDelco 10-5046 Dex-Cool Leak Detection Tracer Dye - 1 oz

Here's what I saw on one of the refurbished heads. They were pristine prior to install:

UV Dye
Kxwq6Qj.jpg

In the sun
IYgjyv3.jpg

Good luck.
 

dougo

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Even if you don't have milkshake under the valve covers, Get some UV dye and a light, cycle that into the cooling system. Pop the valve covers and look for highlighted liquid while under pressure - BTW, IIRC 15 PSI is max recommended pressure. I had slow coolant loss for several years, but also saw it coming from the water pump weep hole. I ended up losing more rapidly, so replaced the water pump. Was still losing rapidly and saw white smoke on startup out of the exhaust. Had to get refurb'd heads and put on. Unfortunately, one of the refurbs cracked in less than 500 miles. The vendor honored their warranty, but it wasn't an easy process so I can't wholeheartedly recommend them. (I ordered more 706's because I'd read they flow better than 862 stock for stock and ended up with one castech in the pair...the one that cracked was castech.) Dye was maybe $8 on Amazon? General Motors 89022219 ACDelco 10-5046 Dex-Cool Leak Detection Tracer Dye - 1 oz

Here's what I saw on one of the refurbished heads. They were pristine prior to install:

UV Dye
View attachment 362598

In the sun
View attachment 362599

Good luck.
Wow great info Thanks for posting
 
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tomloans

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Actually, if it's the 706, you DON'T want the same heads. The 706 heads have a casting defect found in a large number that allows leaking of coolant slowly into one cylinder - I believe it's #5.

Here's how you can tell -


View attachment 362578

Actually, from my research, both the 706 heads AND the 862 heads were prone to this problem. Once you get the head open, you can see the casting mark inside, if it looks like a battery, like this:

View attachment 362579

then you know you are hosed - those are 706 heads made by Castech. If they look like the square swirl in the first picture or something else, then they weren't made by Castec. Of note, those Castech 243 heads in this pic would not be affected by the problem - it is supposedly only the Castech 706 or 862, NOT the 706 or 862 made by other manufacturers. Go figure.

The problem I ran into trying to find another set of 706/862 heads was that I could not get anyone selling any (online) to tell me if they had the Castech battery casting mark inside. Of course, I was not willing to spend money on a set of used heads and have them shipped in, just to learn they were the same thing I was replacing. It was a major PITA.

I believe a set of 243 heads like those above would work, but you'd need to do some research yourself on which heads will work as a swap-in with your motor, intake, all those things. I won't pretend I'm well versed in those things, and eventually I gave up and just ordered a rebuilt LQ9 6.0L to replace my L59 5.3L. It is a direct swap with almost everything bolting on directly - even my FlexFuel intake, fuel rails, everything. I did upgrade to the same water pump used in the 2500 Surburban, I'm not sure if it's the same as my 5.3L had.

I wish you luck, but if I were you I would NOT get a set of 706/862 heads without verifying first that they are not Castech-made.


Thank you for this write up! It rarely is easy is it? Thanks again this is a good starting point for me.
 
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tomloans

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A few years ago I had a civic that was losing coolant , I did the exhaust gas test no issue , Pressure test no issue , no smell at tail pipe ,compression test no issue , Pull the head no issue , new hoses , still losing coolant on a hot day my Kid was driving on the highway when she got home I meet her outside I could smell it and hear it if i got close to the radiator but only for a short time , I let the car cool pressure test again exceeded pressure no leak replace the Radiator and drove another 50k no issues I think their was a pin hole on top of the rad under the cross member that would only leak when the car was HOT.
I just changed my entire system including the radiator. It didn't make a difference. I am going to pull the drivers side valve cover and see if number five has coolant around it and send my oil in for analysis.
 

dougo

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I just changed my entire system including the radiator. It didn't make a difference. I am going to pull the drivers side valve cover and see if number five has coolant around it and send my oil in for analysis.
I have seen some were on this forum were GM has bulletin that suggests using some tablets in cases like this have you seen that bulletin
 

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