2005 Z71 Tahoe has Blown Head Gasket?

[Kungfubenny]

The rest of the interior looking good just means no one can stand to be around the previous owner.

Thats a little presumptuous.

 

[OR VietVet]

Thats a little presumptuous.

Presumptuous is my middle name.

 

[Kungfubenny]

Just left Johnnys Auto Service out of La Habra, Ca with excellent news.

Another used engine we found has 75k miles with a 1 year warranty from LKQ all paid for by AAA insurance. My adjuster also explained that my insurance will also give their own lifetime warranty on parts and labor for said engine (only engine assembly removal/ installation). My insurance will pay the additional fees associated for this Used Engine on top of what they originally sent for the one they originally selected.

The adjustor will send me confirmation on all the claims i mentioned above so i personally have it on record.

I also discussed with shop owner regarding what parts & labor insurance will not pay for that he suggests i have done such as:

New Spark plugs/ Wires/ Coils
All new belts
New Heater hoses
New waterpump
New thermostat
Oil pan gasket/ o ring oil pick up tube
And labor associated with these parts.

 

[OR VietVet]

Just left Johnnys Auto Service out of La Habra, Ca with excellent news.

Another used engine we found has 75k miles with a 1 year warranty from LKQ all paid for by AAA insurance. My adjuster also explained that my insurance will also give their own lifetime warranty on parts and labor for said engine (only engine assembly removal/ installation). My insurance will pay the additional fees associated for this Used Engine on top of what they originally sent for the one they originally selected.

The adjustor will send me confirmation on all the claims i mentioned above so i personally have it on record.

I also discussed with shop owner regarding what parts & labor insurance will not pay for that he suggests i have done such as:

New Spark plugs/ Wires/ Coils
All new belts
New Heater hoses
New waterpump
New thermostat
And labor associated with these parts.

Air filter, pcv system, oxygen sensors, clean the throttle body.....

 

[West 1]

The engine is out of the car on arrival, install the new Oil Pump Pick up Oring. They age out as well as high miles fail. The engine only has 75K, that is wonderful but that engine might be 20 years old? The Orings age and get hard. Get a new ring. Engine out that is maybe a $150 job. Great insurance moving forward against failure. So much easier than dropping front differential so your can drop the oil pan in the car. Sounds like you found a great buy for your truck. Your insurance company is impressive.

 

[Fless]

The engine is out of the car on arrival, install the new Oil Pump Pick up Oring. They age out as well as high miles fail. The engine only has 75K, that is wonderful but that engine might be 20 years old? The Orings age and get hard. Get a new ring. Engine out that is maybe a $150 job. Great insurance moving forward against failure. So much easier than dropping front differential so your can drop the oil pan in the car. Sounds like you found a great buy for your truck. Your insurance company is impressive.

Dropping the pan will also give an indication of the condition of the internals, and how well it was maintained.

 

[15burban]

Its AAA comprehensive coverage, i originally payed $150 for this “premium” coverage but after it was stolen and retrieved/ pay out they increased my monthly the next time around. I paid $265 all of 2024, then $300 a month all of 2025 and paid off the total in November.

You paid $6,780 for this insurance over 2 years?! 265 a month for one full year and 300 a month the next. That's a lot of dough!

It's working out for you in this case but no way in hell would I be paying my vehicles worth in insurance in 2 years. Unless I'm not understanding this correctly.

 

[Kungfubenny]

Air filter, pcv system, oxygen sensors, clean the throttle

For sure all of the above ill save myself the labor cost by doing the o2 sensors myself once its home. I think the air filter is a give due to my stock being flooded and falling apart.

 

[Kungfubenny]

You paid $6,780 for this insurance over 2 years?! 265 a month for one full year and 300 a month the next. That's a lot of dough!

It's working out for you in this case but no way in hell would I be paying my vehicles worth in insurance in 2 years. Unless I'm not understanding this correctly.

You are spot on! Downgrading to liability when all is said and done.

 

[Kungfubenny]

The engine is out of the car on arrival, install the new Oil Pump Pick up Oring. They age out as well as high miles fail. The engine only has 75K, that is wonderful but that engine might be 20 years old? The Orings age and get hard. Get a new ring. Engine out that is maybe a $150 job. Great insurance moving forward against failure. So much easier than dropping front differential so your can drop the oil pan in the car. Sounds like you found a great buy for your truck. Your insurance company is impressive.

I mentioned the oil pump to him today but unfortunately that job will void the warranty from lkq.

 

[Kungfubenny]

Alot has happened in the past month. After two bad “low milage” used engines from LKQ my mechanic decided to suggest a reman engine for the truck after 3 weeks time wasted. The insurance complied and forked over 9k for the remanufactured 5.3 and labor. I get a call today regarding the completion of the install and having issues starting it with the key (they managed to start the vehicle by jumping the starter and claims it runs flawless).

They believe it’s in some sort of vehicle theft prevention mode.
I informed him the ignition cylinder was replaced a few years back after the vehicle was stolen in 2023, its does the job but the cylinder can be cycled using practically anything you can fit inside. Fortunately it will only start the vehicle using the key that came with it. Hes also suggesting that my cluster may have something do with it being that it is a rebuild from a Denali (ive had the cluster with no issues over 2 years). He also mention that my key fob isn't working, which is strange because it function just fine before and i last used it to unlock the vehicle upon it being towed to the shop.

Any theories as to what could be the matter?

 

[Kungfubenny]

It turned out to be theft safety thing preventing them from getting it started. In a nutshell they figured it out. Trucks is back in my possession running phenomenally oil pressure slightly above 40 psi at idle and at 60psi cruising speeds. Very satisfied overall. Insurance paid 5500 out of a total bill of $9996.36. The reman and engine in labor came out to about $7200 in total and insurance had me pay a betterment percentage of the cost of the new engine which was around $1400.

The other $3000 of it was of my choice of new parts to add to the reman engine including a new water pump, thermostat, all new hoses, belts, engine mounts, oil pressure switch, tensioner, cam sensor, crank sensor and new coolant reservoir.

With the new engine i feel alot more confident about revitalizing the vehicle entirely. Next on the list is headliner, new leather for all seats, paint, rebuilt rear end with a detroit trutrac and new fox shocks all around. I also plan on adding a krypronite front end package that includes

• E-Coated Rod Ends
• Zinc Coated 1144 High Carbon Center Link
• Durable Powder Coated Tie Rod Bodies
• Billet Idler Support and Idler Arm
• Forged Uni-spline Pitman Arm
• Pre-greased Joints

Lots of work ahead of me, should be fun.