Play money gone

[hondo1892]

Was thinking about a can for my AR and just sold the last axe I made. So I had a grand to play with, I thought. My mechanic called this morning and informed me that our Tahoe needs a new engine. It had been showing low oil pressure on the panel but the gas gauge has not been right for several years. I thought that maybe it was just the panel cluster that went bad. My mechanic thought that or the sensor. He tried a new sensor and found out that wasn't the problem so he bypassed the panel and still had low pressure. So he pulls the oil drain plug and the magnetized tip is covered with metal shavings. Not good news. So after thirteen years and 240,000 miles it quite. A new engine would cost about what the Tahoe is worth. So I'm hoping my mechanic can find a used one and it will keep going until my daughter is out of college. Wish these were like the old 70's and older engines and I could swap it out myself. Other than that life is good.

[Blaine]

Don't that just figger?....I hope you can make it work....

[Chuck 100 yd]

Hopefully it is something simple like a clogged oil pump pickup screen. I had a Ford ranger that did that. I tore it down for a rebuild and found the cork oil pan gasket had just crumbled and pieces had clogged the screen.With over 150K on it it was still in great shape. I did a simple fresh up to it and it is still going strong 10 years later.

[hondo1892]

Not looking like a plugged screen. It had a heep of steel shavings that came out. I had a trans go bad and it had shavings in it but nothing like this.

[Old No7]

How about this idea...

Make and sell TWO more axes.

That way, you can fix the Tahoe AND get a new toy!

Old No7

[hondo1892]

I wish I could crank out axes and rifles that fast. More will be made but not that quick. We knew we would be needing a new truck or doing some serious work on the Tahoe. We were just hoping it would be a few more years before that happened. I'm not mad about it. Its been a good vehicle for us I just needed to talk about it some. Don't go to work with other people like I used to so you guys hear about it.

[Sixgun]

I know the feeling......drove two vehicles most of my adult life...78 ford pickup for 18 years and 'Ole Yeller, an 89 Jeep that I bought new for my son and then took over from him in 96. I used to work on them on weekends so I had something to drive to work during the week.

Funny thing, I still drive that old Jeep to work everyday...pushing 200k

I got two newer ones but the orange 2005 Rubicon stays in the garage...covered..20 some k miles. Mom's 2011 Jeep has 15K on it.

Why don't you throw a junkyard motor in it. ------6

[hondo1892]

Six, we're trying to locate one right now.

[92&94]

240k is pretty respectable, even for a GM product ( ) If you can swing the junkyard motor, that might be a pretty good option. Sucks to have to spend the play money, but at least you've got it to spend! I always grumble when my side work cash goes to property taxes or some such, but in the end I'm glad to not have to borrow to pay those bills.

[GoatGuy]

92&94, Please pardon my editing your post. It really hit home for me this time of year!

, ....but at least you've got it to spend! I always grumble when my ... SAVINGS funds goes to PROPERTY TAXES, HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE, or some such, but in the end I'm glad to not have to borrow to pay those bills.

A big + 1 on that!!

[hondo1892]

I'm very thankful for the money. I'm just hoping that I can get a decent engine to replace it.

[wolfdog]

Was it knocking? Mid 2000 chevy v-8s are known for oil pump problems. If it was not knocking can likely remedy buy cleaning out pan, replacing oil pump and running real oil in it not the 5w20 or 30 they call for.

[MrMurphy]

If it makes you feel any better, I inherited my brand new Tahoe at work with 3,000 miles on it (2 other people had it before me for a few months). Between me and 3 other guys we've put another 62,500 miles on it in 1 year and 4 months.
Odds are it'll be removed from the fleet at about 185,000-200,000 if it makes it that far....in about 3 years.

Yours has held up well.

[hayabusa]

My oldest Son's 2000 GMC Sierra 5.3 has 428,000 on it and needs the second tune up and it does not drink oil.

My former wife's 1995 4.0 L Ford Explorer has close to 530,000 miles on it. Engine has had two sets of spark plugs and Ford plug wires. Runs flawless and does use a quart of oil in about 4,500 miles.

Sorry that you have engine trouble with yours with so few miles on it.

hayabusa

[hondo1892]

Wasn't knocking any, just lots of little metal shavings. I thought maybe just an oil pump too but mechanic says them shavings are from the bearings. I'm no engine guru so I don't really know. I do know with all the electronic junk on the engine I can't pull it myself and rebuild it. I done it on an old 69 Olds Cutlass I used to have but it was a K.I.S.S. engine compared to the new ones. My cousin has been a mechanic for thirty years now and he won't attempt to work on the new engines without the computers to do diagnostics.

[hayabusa]

You do not need diagnostics to replace the bearings, just the torque specs I would think.
Just like any of the old small blocks.

hayabusa

[Dave]

Always the way. The cost of living is everything you've got.