I read a BUNCH of threads here ....

[Mean_Green]

Guess I'm trying to learn about the vehicles in general and what problems I might expect someday. But one thing jumps out. Y'all talk about swapping major internal parts like cams and lifters or rebuilding transmissions or transfers cases as if it's as simple as changing a headlight.

I guess it's practice, but not something I'd ever have considered. We didn't have that kind of shop class in school and I don't know if high schools do it these days or not. Maybe the biggest thing I ever did was a tune up or changing shocks. And last time I changed a shock I cam too close to losing an arm to consider ever doing it again.

I have tools and things that resemble tools, but not the specialized stuff. I wouldn't even try to open a lawn mower engine.

 

[randeez]

Guess I'm trying to learn about the vehicles in general and what problems I might expect someday. But one thing jumps out. Y'all talk about swapping major internal parts like cams and lifters or rebuilding transmissions or transfers cases as if it's as simple as changing a headlight.

I guess it's practice, but not something I'd ever have considered. We didn't have that kind of shop class in school and I don't know if high schools do it these days or not. Maybe the biggest thing I ever did was a tune up or changing shocks. And last time I changed a shock I cam too close to losing an arm to consider ever doing it again.

I have tools and things that resemble tools, but not the specialized stuff. I wouldn't even try to open a lawn mower engine.

if its already broke, how much more harm can i do?

 

[Joseph Garcia]

"A man has got to know his limitations". (Clint Eastwood)

There is nothing wrong with making a determination that a particular job is beyond your current skill level. That is what shops are for.

 

[Mean_Green]

I am SOOOoooo freaking lost. Just looked a threads on distributors and axle parts and I have no idea what I'm looking at in the pictures.

 

[OR VietVet]

I have no idea whether schools have shop, metal, home ec or automotive classes any more. Can't indoctrinate in them so they are of no use. Doesn't move you up the chain and get you in college for future training.

My initial training came from my father. That hardly happens any more. Too many computer games to play to be interrupted with vehicle training. Then I was further trained by my uncle at his auto shop in Paradise, Ca., right after I got out of the service. Then hired as a tech and learned every day. I know bunches but could not rebuild a transmission, unless I got really really really really really really really lucky. To this day, people here that do their own work, still need to refer to manuals and computer info. Never met one person that knew it ALL!

If you are young enough, take some courses, get some training, get hired and work in a shop. Gobs of those jobs out there with job security and the ability to work where ever you want in the US of A. Get ready to spend some money on tools though. You, after all, would be an independent contractor.

 

[bill1013]

There are schools the specialize in boats, motorcycles, heavy equipment, aircraft, aircraft propulsion systems and semi trucks. Give them a call and see if it’s for you. I learned and gained experience from my family. Child labor was cheap labor, but I learned tons. You just have to be willing to put in the time & effort. Every job is a learning experience. Also, there’s the military if you’re that Gung **. Extreme but it works.

 

[Mean_Green]

I'm in that group 'of a certain age' that doesn't have a whole lot of years left. My eyes and hands no longer cooperate willingly. I don't do much more than spark plugs and air filters and I can screw those up.

What makes it all worse is that there are no shops here that do trans rebuilds. All anyone does is plop in rebuilts. I've been told we don't even have a machine shop to do what should be simple things like resurface heads. This is an area of 50-75,000 population with a few colleges and tech schools and several high level Federal installations, so I really don't understand it.

 

[swathdiver]

I am SOOOoooo freaking lost. Just looked a threads on distributors and axle parts and I have no idea what I'm looking at in the pictures.

We've all been there. Like handing a kid his first rifle. I came to this forum with no knowledge of LS engines and learned from everyone here.

When you get on up there in years, it doesn't take much of an accident to make it your last. My wife worked in the healthcare industry and saw it first hand every day. Oldster going to do what he'd been doing for 50 years and one day slips or gets a cut and he was on to eternity.

I got out of the hospital a few years ago, asked my kids to do something and they didn't. So I went out and did it myself, then fell down and laid in the yard for an hour until I could crawl over to my truck and use the bumper to get my feet back under me. Ain't doing that again.

 

[j91z28d1]

I am SOOOoooo freaking lost. Just looked a threads on distributors and axle parts and I have no idea what I'm looking at in the pictures.

honestly the hardest part about working on these things is reaching anything. I'm tall and it's always a hassle. a top side creeper they call them is a good investment if you want to work on much.

there's also a YouTube video for everything these days. between here and YouTube. you can at least get a handle on if it's something you want to try and do.


I do think a distributor cap change is something you'll want to learn to do. I keep a spare one in the truck. these crab caps I call them just randomly fail. I've had it happen when the wife was driving to work one day. that was annoying to say the least lol.

but getting to it is the hard part. byond that it's pulling the plug wires off, 2 screws to replace the cap and plug the wires back in.


if you read a thread about changing the whole thing. that is much harder, but I went about 310k before I did that and even then I probably didn't need it. just seemed like the thing to do for maintenance.

 

[Eman85]

I'm in that group 'of a certain age' that doesn't have a whole lot of years left. My eyes and hands no longer cooperate willingly. I don't do much more than spark plugs and air filters and I can screw those up.

What makes it all worse is that there are no shops here that do trans rebuilds. All anyone does is plop in rebuilts. I've been told we don't even have a machine shop to do what should be simple things like resurface heads. This is an area of 50-75,000 population with a few colleges and tech schools and several high level Federal installations, so I really don't understand it.

I ran a profitable shop that only worked on domestic vehicles, which was possible at the time 20 years ago. I did not attempt to try and make money taking an engine apart or a transmission. I watched plenty try and most times lose money, too time consuming and 1 part failure and your profits for a month are gone. That being said doesn't mean I couldn't rebuild engines and transmissions. I did transmissions as a tech at the dealer and build my engines for my race car.
People keep looking to shop classes, shop classes didn't teach you how to be a mechanic and I went in the days of points, condenser and carburetor. Back then you had independent gas stations and shops that you earned while you learned at. If you had good teachers you got better. If you had corner cutters and hacks and you didn't know the difference you became a corner cutter and hack.
Some of the people I know that did very good work on their own vehicles weren't trained mechanics. They just had common sense and enough initiative to learn how to do it right, and they did it. I always looked at repairing something as a man designed and put it together and they were no better than me. Patience and perseverance goes a long way when added to common sense and ambition.

 

[Mean_Green]

They just had common sense and enough initiative to learn how to do it right, and they did it. I always looked at repairing something as a man designed and put it together and they were no better than me. Patience and perseverance goes a long way when added to common sense and ambition.

Things I unfortunately no longer have.

I get by. That's about it.

 

[Mean_Green]

Is it so wrong to just want to keep it more or less original and not do a bunch of weird stuff to it?

 

[YukonGTmaster]

Is it so wrong to just want to keep it more or less original and not do a bunch of weird stuff to it?

I like mine original too. The only things not factory on mine are a K&N air filter, and BFG KO2 tires.

 

[OR VietVet]

Is it so wrong to just want to keep it more or less original and not do a bunch of weird stuff to it?

My 2005 Z71 is bone stock except for the Hellwig Performance sway bar kits, front and rear. Love it that way.

 

[Marky Dissod]

Y'all talk about swapping major internal parts like cams and lifters or rebuilding transmissions or transfers cases as if it's as simple as changing a headlight.

You said 'y'all', but in reality, there are two types here (oversimplifying for clarification).
Some think that bone stock OE is just fine, and are content to settle for whatever the roll of the dice landed on.
Some see their vehicle as a hand of cards, and would like to try to improve the cards in their hand.

Before my '02 Tahoe Z71, I owned 3 Caprice 9C1-LT1s, a Fleetwood, and a Caprice wagon.
The pcm tunes significantly improved the 3 9C1-LT1s, and drastically improved the Fleetwood.
The wagon originally came with 2.56. That pcm tune took it from 'sell it?', to 'thanks to the tune, I'll keep it'.
Going from 2.56 to 3.42 - and ALSO adding a limited slip diff - made that wagon a nightmare I inflicted upon anyone who pissed me off, including lighter vehicles that were supposed to be quicker than my wagon.

I sincerely doubt the enthusiasm anyone has for their vehicle if they have not yet gotten the pcm tuned.
(GMT900s are a wee lil bit more involved, but still ...)

3.73 is barely tolerable in my Z71 as is (I've matured SOME), even though I'd need BOTH 4.10 axles (still hunting for bargains ...).
Cannot fathom how anyone would accept a Tahoe or 'bubba with lesser gearing, apart from not understanding what CAFE inflicted upon us all.

Yet for all the above, I still remember my x's 9C1-LT1. Mine had the 9C1-7B3 suspension, hers had the 9C1-8X3.
As the road got worse, she could either catch up to me, or pull away from me, even though my pcm was tuned before hers.
After getting her pcm tuned, I simply had to improve my 7B3 suspension to 8X3 spec.
We broke up, but a few years later, she gave me a ride in her BMW 530i with an M5-spec suspension. It was very sexy ...

Is it so wrong to just want to keep it more or less original and not do a bunch of weird stuff to it?

Yes, it is. Only sort of kidding.
Why not see how far you can expand your definition of 'original' with OE parts from a GMT400 Suburban, or a 2500?
My x would say, 'better tires, brakes, steering, suspension, and in that order'. When I suggested better headlights, she agreed.
Don't go weird, but don't settle either. Start simple and small, and work your way up.

 

[vinbart]

I grew up in the 80s/90s with a dad who only owned a screwdriver in his box of tools...but I started tearing mechanical things apart as a kid (to find out how they worked) and ended up going to school to major in Mechanical Engineering. Now I wrench on fun cars (classics, race cars) on the weekend for relaxation AND I also work on my daily drivers because I don't trust most mechanics to do it right. Plus, I don't mind getting my hands greasy. Just did motor mounts on my Yukon last week.

If you want my advice -- get a project car (or better yet, a motorcycle - I restored a motorcycle once even though I don't ride or have the right license...but man they are easy to store and work on compared to cars) that you don't need to use as transportation and start restoring it. Sell it a year later - don't worry about making profit. Most hobbies are at a loss. Rinse and repeat.

Protip: I used to spend hours with Bentley Manuals and Factory Service books...now I just watch a youtube video.

 

[Mean_Green]

^^^I got bits and pieces of two stroke stuff scattered all over the place because I could never figure out how they went back together.

 

[Ibustbravo]

Guess I'm trying to learn about the vehicles in general and what problems I might expect someday. But one thing jumps out. Y'all talk about swapping major internal parts like cams and lifters or rebuilding transmissions or transfers cases as if it's as simple as changing a headlight.

I guess it's practice, but not something I'd ever have considered. We didn't have that kind of shop class in school and I don't know if high schools do it these days or not. Maybe the biggest thing I ever did was a tune up or changing shocks. And last time I changed a shock I cam too close to losing an arm to consider ever doing it again.

I have tools and things that resemble tools, but not the specialized stuff. I wouldn't even try to open a lawn mower engine.

I know this is an old thread but it made me laugh. I call it -- 'Dao of the shade-tree' You need to be shown the way.

My neighbor had never worked on a car or engine much less replace one when I met him 7 years ago. Now he's doing engine swaps with me and taking on project's he'd have never attempted before. If you have the right tools and information, all of this is reasonably easy.

Checkout alldata.com it's $20 a month for a subscription for your truck.. You'll learn a lot just reading the white papers.

C

 

[tagexpcom]

2021 Yukon Denali - Battery Replacement today went well except...

1) Screeeeching when I disconnected the battery negative - an alarm system?!? Was horrendous!!! I touched the negative to the battery while clicking my Fob and it stopped. Continued the disconnect and it was silent. WOW. Good thing I'm old and deaf.

2) New battery installed and all was OK except TPMS showing "--". I read about waiting 20mins and then driving >12mph for auto-reset and that seemed to work.

3) Oh yea - $209 for a higher end one from Auto-Zone.

If I can replace a battery then likely anyone with basic socket wrench skills can to - at least it's a starting place

 

[Foot0069]

I grew up in the 80s/90s with a dad who only owned a screwdriver in his box of tools...but I started tearing mechanical things apart as a kid (to find out how they worked) and ended up going to school to major in Mechanical Engineering. Now I wrench on fun cars (classics, race cars) on the weekend for relaxation AND I also work on my daily drivers because I don't trust most mechanics to do it right. Plus, I don't mind getting my hands greasy. Just did motor mounts on my Yukon last week.

If you want my advice -- get a project car (or better yet, a motorcycle - I restored a motorcycle once even though I don't ride or have the right license...but man they are easy to store and work on compared to cars) that you don't need to use as transportation and start restoring it. Sell it a year later - don't worry about making profit. Most hobbies are at a loss. Rinse and repeat.

Protip: I used to spend hours with Bentley Manuals and Factory Service books...now I just watch a youtube video.

The buy a beater and fix it up was going to be my suggestion as well.