My New Project

[bigal11419]

Just purchased a 99 Tahoe LT 4wd 4Dr with 160K on it about 2 months ago and have been using these forums to help get the new toy running better. Figured it was time to actually post a little something and introduce myself and my project.

Fortunately the previous owner owned a body shop so it is completely rust free and was repainted a few years ago. Unfortunately mechanically it need some TLC, but for only $2500 I figured I was still getting a deal because it ran, stopped and he had just replaced most of the parts in the front AC trying to hunt down a gremlin.

Since I got it I have replaced the upper ball joints, all 4 shocks, overhauled the rear drums (all new hardware and springs), changed the steering speed sensor, full tune up, new thermostat, changed all filters, changed the rear seal on the transfer case and changed the fluid to the AutoTrac II that should have been there to begin with, rebuilt the spare tire hoist and added a spare the same size as the 18" rims that were on the truck, installed an alarm, remote start, Pioneer head unit with backup camera and 4 Pioneer 6.5" speakers in the doors, put on a set of CoverKing neoprene seat covers to cover up the torn leather on the front seats till I figure out what I want to do with them, , changed the weatherstripping & stryker pin on the drivers door and put new rubber on it and started changing over interior lights to LEDs.

Yes it has been a busy couple of months, but I wanted to get it running & handling better before the winter. When I go it it obviously wasn't running or handling well. It was only getting around 9-10 mpg and I was getting the famous clunk in the transfer case when I stopped or took off and the steering was all over the place. Thanks to some searching on the forums I realized the truck had the wrong fluid in the transfer case so I changed the fluid, re-greased the slip yoke with some heavy duty grease and changed the transfer case rear seal and magically it went away. Between the new ball joints and the steering position sensor it is now handling a hell of a lot better and after all the other work I am now averaging around 13-14 mpg mixed driving in traffic going from queens to Long Island.

My current project is the exhaust since I am throwing catalyst error codes and I have a couple exhaust leaks. I just ordered some Flowtech ceramic coated headers, magnaflow cats and magnaflow cat back exhaust. I wanted to go with the stock layout in case I need to replace anything, but wanted something a little more free flowing. I think after this I will just call it done for now and hold off till the spring for the next project.

Next I am planning on changing out the spider, installing a ported throttle body and K&N CAI as soon as the weather gets warm again.

 

[bigal11419]

Here's a pic of it when I first got it.

 

[bigal11419]

Got to work this morning and it was like Christmas morning. Wish I could go home and install it right now.

 

[tgui]

Awesome to have a bisexual woman here! "Bi Gal"

jk, awesome truck and project!

 

[bigal11419]

Installed the new exhaust this week and damn does it sound good. Took me longer to get the old exhaust manifold off than it took me to do the rest of the job. 15 years of rust and heat and those bolts did not want to play nice. Fortunately on 2 broke and had to be drilled; unfortunately they were the last bolt on both sides. After a lot of cursing finally got them out. Will post pics and a video of the finished exhaust when I get a chance.

 

[bigal11419]

Converted the high and low beams to 50W CREE LEDs, put in a heavy duty headlight harness, setup the 4-High mod, put a RAM Mount in the cab for my phone, changed over the door and rear seat map lights to LEDs and hunted down a power steering fluid leak.

 

[bansil]

what ram mount?

 

[bigal11419]

Put in an 18" goose neck no drill setup with their x-mount head on it for the phone. Went in easy, their no drill just uses one of the seat bots to hold it in

 

[bigal11419]

Brought it to a friends shop to give the power steering a once over on the lift and found 2 different leaks. So it went from thinking it was a leaky hose to ordering a refurb gear box and pump because both are leaking. So basically the hoses were the only thing not leaking.

 

[bigal11419]

Here's a good one. Bought the truck a little over 2 months ago and the DRL's never worked. Hell I didn't even know it had them because I asked the previous owner and he said they never worked the whole time he owned the truck. I did all the work on the headlights over the weekend and now the DRL's started working. Sunday when I was done the lows turned on once when I started the car and then it didn't do it again and then today at lunch I went to run an errand and it did it again. I guess I'm going to have to disable them now.

 

[bigal11419]

Was going to hold off on overhauling the steering till the spring, but it didn't want to cooperate. Found a leak on the steering gear box at the pitman arm shaft and while giving everything a once over found a leak on the power steering pump. Everything looked original so instead of replacing the seals I replaced them both with reman. parts and new hoses and while removing pitman arm realized it had a bit to much play and replaced that while I had everything apart. So now no more leak and as a bonus my steering is a heel of a lot tighter that it was before. I have to relearn how to drive this thing which isn't a bad thing

 

[bigal11419]

Finally had some time to start taking pics.

New LEDs in the cluster:

LEDs in HVAC and Pioneer Head Unit:

---------- Post added at 10:33 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:30 PM ----------

50W LEDs in the Headlights & 4-Hi Mod:

 

[bigal11419]

Some pics of her clean before it starts snowing.

 

[rob3827]

Love the old body style Tahoe. Keep up the good work.......looking forward to progress pics

 

[tgui]

Super clean. I love it.

 

[bigal11419]

Unfortunately haven't had a chance to do more work on the Tahoe but it caused me more work. Wifey fell in love with my headlights so I had to upgrade the headlights on her Equinox. Wound up doing the 50W in the low beams and 80w in the high beams. Loved it so much I decided if I don't put the light bar on the Tahoe I'm upgrading the high beams from the 50W leds to the 80w leds

 

[Stiffler63]

Why did you pick led over hid. Im going to upgrade soon and was wondering about the different options.

 

[bigal11419]

Looked into them both and heard too many cons on the HIDs. Everything from ballasts crapping out frequently to too much heat damaging headlightlens. Also, I like to try different things so since I was able to get the LEDs from amazon I figured I'd try them and if I didn't like them I would just send them back. Wound up loving them so much I put a set in my 2010 Equinox (50w low beams 80w high beams) and I am about to help my brother in law put a set of them in his 2014 Silverado because he liked them on my Tahoe. It is all a matter of preference I just wanted brighter whiter light without blinding other drivers and potentially damaging the truck. I also didn't want to spend a fortune doing a projector retrofit to do it correct; I have too many other mods I want to do first.

 

[sbubbaklein]

great thread, Tahoe looks nice, how about equinox pics

 

[bigal11419]

Had to change the fuel pump a couple weeks ago so I put a Delphi unit in, put some powerstop rotors and pads on the front and a water pump because it was leaking. Then today I finally had a warm day so I put a powermaster 200amp alternator in since my old one was acting squirrely. Hopefully the weather keeps getting nicer so I can get some more work done.