Chevy 5.3 Antifreeze Loss: Cracked Head

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  • čas přidán 7. 07. 2024
  • In this video I show an example of cylinder head on a 5.3 GM leaking coolant. This is a relatively common problem you may discover on GM V8's.
    TSB:
    #06-06-01-019B: Information on Gradual Coolant Loss Over Time with No Evidence of Leak Found - (Jun 12, 2007)
    Subject: Information on Gradual Coolant Loss Over Time With No Evidence of Leak Found
    Models: 2004-2006 Buick Rainier
    2001-2006 Cadillac Escalade Models
    2001-2006 Chevrolet Avalanche, Blazer, Silverado, Suburban, Tahoe, TrailBlazer Models
    2001-2006 GMC Envoy, Jimmy, Sierra, Yukon Models
    2001-2004 Oldsmobile Bravada
    2005-2006 Saab 9-7X
    with 4.8L or 5.3L VORTEC® GEN III, GEN IV V8 Engine (VINs V, T, M, B, Z -- RPOs LR4, LM7, LH6, L33, L59)
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    This bulletin is being revised to include engine RPO L59. Please discard Corporate Bulletin Number 06-06-01-019A (Section 06 - Engine/Propulsion System).
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Some vehicles may experience a gradual coolant loss over time. A very low percentage of cylinder head(s) manufactured with an embossed Castech logo may develop a porosity crack in a very specific area.
    Inspect the cylinder head assembly to determine if the casting was manufactured by Castech. This can be accomplished by inspecting for their casting logo located on top of the intake port, under the rocker arm support rail and in the spring deck cavity portion of the cylinder head.
    Important: If the cylinder head(s) are Not a Castech casting, follow normal diagnostic procedures in SI to determine the cause of the coolant loss.
    Refer to the following illustrations on how to identify Castech casting and/or the very specific areas of the cylinder head(s) for a coolant leak from porosity.
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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    Disclaimer:
    Due to factors beyond the control of South Main Auto Repair, it cannot guarantee against unauthorized modifications of this information, or improper use of this information. South Main Auto Repair assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. South Main Auto Repair recommends safe practices when working with power tools, automotive lifts, lifting tools, jack stands, electrical equipment, blunt instruments, chemicals, lubricants, or any other tools or equipment seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of South Main Auto Repair, no information contained in this video shall create any express or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or the information contained.
  • Auta a dopravní prostředky

Komentáře • 997

  • @alirezar2069
    @alirezar2069 Před 4 lety +311

    Big shout-out to the owner who did not make it someone else's problem by just selling the car!

    • @SalandFindles
      @SalandFindles Před 4 lety +14

      Not gonna lie, I'd do that. Ain't got the money to spend at a price-gouging mechanic who feels like he can charge me $10,000 to change one part.

    • @throttlebottle5906
      @throttlebottle5906 Před 4 lety +12

      yeah, people do that often and think it's all good until they sell it to the wrong person and that person takes revenge.

    • @mikedayitt
      @mikedayitt Před 4 lety +3

      your right there is an angry face lol

    • @SalandFindles
      @SalandFindles Před 4 lety +7

      @@throttlebottle5906 Revenge isn't legal and these days, it's impossible to get away with a crime. If someone wants to come and beat me up, so be it. They'll be behind bars so fast it'll make their heads spin.

    • @brianburns7211
      @brianburns7211 Před 4 lety +14

      SalandFindles There are other honest mechanics like Mr. O.

  • @bighurk30able
    @bighurk30able Před 4 lety +171

    That Head's just nervous and sweating because it's in the presence of the greatest mechanic 👍👍

  • @miketeeveedub5779
    @miketeeveedub5779 Před 4 lety +153

    "They admit there's a problem, they know there's a problem, yet they ain't gonna pay for it..." - seems to be a common theme among many car manufacturers today. Thanks for providing us with some insight to an insidious issue.

    • @Skyhawk1998
      @Skyhawk1998 Před 4 lety +9

      They ain't gonna pay for it unless it kills someone. Even then you might have to sue them a few times.

    • @miriamvivo4279
      @miriamvivo4279 Před 4 lety +2

      Get together all and discuss class action suit. Gonna need big numbers to start and lawyers

    • @miketeeveedub5779
      @miketeeveedub5779 Před 4 lety +3

      @@miriamvivo4279 - Absolutely! Case-in-point in addition to this truck; my brother owns a Ford Focus with the dreaded DCT transmission. The only way these manufacturers will learn is to hit them in the wallet.

    • @larryjhoward
      @larryjhoward Před 4 lety +10

      Just like GMs active fuel management lifters.

    • @glennworton2494
      @glennworton2494 Před 4 lety +12

      On the other side - My '15 Hyundai Elantra developed what I thought was a lifter click at 95,000 miles - took it in to the dealership for an oil change, asked them to look at it, and was boggled - they replaced the short block without a word said - I'm told over 15,000 engines with bad cylinder coatings. Just had to prove that the oil had been changed regularly (easy - changed every 5,000 at the dealership). even had a free loaner for the three days it took. Note - here in Canada, the powertrain warranty is only for 60,000 miles, so the engine was long out of warranty.

  • @TylersNeighborhoodGarage
    @TylersNeighborhoodGarage Před 4 lety +31

    Independent garages and aftermarket parts suppliers should thank General Motors every day for supplying them with a long, fruitful, profitable career.

  • @bmaiceman
    @bmaiceman Před 4 lety +140

    THERE IS A ANGRY FACE ON THE BOLT!!!! LOL

    • @chuckgrenci6404
      @chuckgrenci6404 Před 4 lety +5

      I saw that too; thought more like an, OH know, I'm leaking.

    • @belowme4927
      @belowme4927 Před 4 lety +10

      MR BILL BOLT HEAD....OH NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

    • @TheRageBrain
      @TheRageBrain Před 4 lety +1

      @@belowme4927 that's exactly what I thought!

    • @gunther955
      @gunther955 Před 4 lety

      lol

    • @bigragu6828
      @bigragu6828 Před 4 lety +1

      Perhaps a “yikes” emoji.

  • @halleffect1
    @halleffect1 Před 4 lety +5

    heard you mention this in the live feed yesterday, was curious so went looking for videos about the problem. of course couldn't find anything worth watching, then was hoping you'd make a video and..
    Thanks! you really do crank out some of the highest quality content on YT.

  • @doctorjohn-burgtekie
    @doctorjohn-burgtekie Před 4 lety +9

    Glad to see SMA business is good and you have hired more help.

  • @AaronFernandes__
    @AaronFernandes__ Před 4 lety +4

    Worst part of the video is at 4:20, when it ends! I am a mechanic and have been for a little over a year now and I can't tell you how much I've learned from my shop and your channel put together. I am working my way up fast thanks to Eric! Amazing channel and shop you're running, keep up the good work. 👍🏼

  • @DL-qq4nu
    @DL-qq4nu Před 4 lety +5

    Super happy you made a video on this. I never in a million years thought anyone on youtube would do one. Spontanious cracked heads is such a foreign concept that some OG's i was talking to refused to believe it telling me i mustve overheated the motor before hand. And when i insisted i didnt they said i probally didnt notice or my ECTS engine coolant temp sensor was bad and motor got cooked without my knowledge. i even had someone go as far to say my gauge cluster was defective and didnt notify proper temp and i supposidly cooked the motor. god damn im so happy for this video. living breathing proof of GMs alluminum crap!!! #ban alluminum!!!!

  • @rebelndirt8830
    @rebelndirt8830 Před 4 lety +4

    The timing on this video is amazing!! ON Tuesday I had a customer ask me about this very issue. I told him it was not uncommon, and that pulling the valve covers will reveal the true culprit. he didn't believe me. Ok fine, I can live with that. But on Wednesday he called me from the mechanic's shop to order a pair of heads, and asked how I knew this was an issue... experience...

  • @bowtech1020
    @bowtech1020 Před 4 lety +3

    I been watching your videos for a little while now.. And I must say... I'm impressed. I wish you were closer to where I lived I would definitely take my jeep to u if it needed anything. 04wj overland... Keep up the great work.. I feel guys like u are a dying breed.. Hard to find a honest mechanic that is a great at diagnose.. Love the channel!!

  • @zeropointzero
    @zeropointzero Před 4 lety +11

    Learned something new today. Sadly, around here, such a discovery usually ends with a bottle of K-Seal in the rad, because no one has the money to fix an engine problem on a truck that's one season away from hitting the junkyard.

    • @redamaleki
      @redamaleki Před 4 lety +2

      K-Seal worked for me, but I was only willing to try it on my 03 that has 220k miles on it. And knock on "castech" still working great after 18 months.

    • @lucastheriault2787
      @lucastheriault2787 Před 4 lety +1

      @@redamaleki I'm gonna have too try it on my 04 that's losing antifreeze with no sign of leak 706 stamped heads 193000 miles..

    • @geraldbowling2973
      @geraldbowling2973 Před 4 lety +1

      I tried K seal about 1000 miles ago. So for no coolant loss and building up more pressure on top radiator hose. Got the tip from these video.

  • @petermartinez5573
    @petermartinez5573 Před 4 lety +4

    You da man Eric. You probably forgot more about cars than I'll ever know.

  • @michaelblacktree
    @michaelblacktree Před 4 lety +52

    @ 1:06 - Focus, you f... nevermind. 😉

  • @yugserp
    @yugserp Před 2 lety +2

    Well, I guess I'll be pulling the valve covers tomorrow. Up till now I've been thinking that my coolant loss was due to the corroded crossover pipe between the heads. Thanks for the clear and concise explanation. I just discovered and subscribed to your channel. I still love Chevys! Take care and God bless!

  • @jmcenterprises9591
    @jmcenterprises9591 Před 4 lety +5

    I have a 5.3, will keep this in mind. Thanks Eric O.

  • @paulkirkland1535
    @paulkirkland1535 Před 4 lety +3

    Eric O: Great find and diagnosis of this issue. I've seen this scenario on different engines over the years. The last time I dealt with a similar issue was a Cummins ISX diesel engine. The cylinder head had to be replaced at a cost of around. $5-6K large. Yup stuff happens unfortunately.

  • @zcamarta
    @zcamarta Před 4 lety +12

    Great Video! Had the Same problems with my 2006 GMC Sierra with the 5.3. I did an oil change and noticed coolant was in the oil. Took it to the stealership and they told me that the head gasket was gone. They had the head pressure tested and found no problem. They reassembled and said it was good. I took it to the lake about an hour out of town. The following day fired it up and it sounded like a sewing machine. They installed the old valve seals and it was burning oil. They then told me that I didn't tell them to replace the valve seals and they wanted 1000$ to replace them all. I argued and they agreed to pay. The next oil change same problem oil in the coolant. I'm sure the problem was the exact same problem that you had here with that truck. Good on you to take the time to diagnose the problem and actually offer a solution. Like a real mechanic not like these Automotive Tech's that use the computer! I ended up getting pissed off changed the oil and traded it in on a brand new Toyota Tundra. I used to buy nothing but Gm's and dad bought nothing but GM's. Toyota makes a better product hands down. Thanks for the video!

    • @jimmmymerica8951
      @jimmmymerica8951 Před 4 lety +1

      No anything is better than a riceoto

    • @zcamarta
      @zcamarta Před 4 lety +2

      @@jimmmymerica8951 nope. Made in merica. Not mexico like gm and ram. Yoda or ford sir. Over

    • @Highstranger951
      @Highstranger951 Před 4 lety +1

      Zac Camarta I’m happy you finally got a proper truck sir.

  • @thehappytexan
    @thehappytexan Před 4 lety +5

    Man am I glad for this little nugget of knowledge! I have ton of family and friends driving these things and this is the first I’ve heard about this ordeal. Pretty crappy that gm knows their castings are porous and does nothing about it but admit it.

  • @brandono.4945
    @brandono.4945 Před 4 lety +4

    Make a part 2 of this video where you fix and replace all that. Would be cool to see it all get disassembled and put back together. Don't get to see very many of these types of jobs. Would be good to see how you do it and maybe some tips or tricks. Great videos Eric!

  • @davidlord3865
    @davidlord3865 Před rokem +4

    My 2000 Silverado has 385k miles and this coolant situation stared about 10k mikes ago. No signs anywhere of leakage, so this may be my answer to my 1 quart add every couple of weeks. Thanks for the info. Ive been contemplating valve seal replacement so I'll take a look at that. This will be the first time the valve covers have been off in 385k miles.

  • @ItsaRomethingeveryday
    @ItsaRomethingeveryday Před 4 lety +11

    Notorious Chevy problem, Liked

  • @patrickmorgan3326
    @patrickmorgan3326 Před 4 lety +1

    Thanks, you just solved the disappearing coolant mystery on my sons Chevy.

  • @livalittle100
    @livalittle100 Před 4 lety +1

    I see them leak out of the small hoses that go to the throttle body too. Great video Eric.

  • @cesaralonso5701
    @cesaralonso5701 Před 4 lety +28

    Do a video on the head job ...great video btw..keep it up!

  • @mdotguy
    @mdotguy Před 4 lety +12

    4:20 runtime, crackhead Chevy, and I'm officially a S.M.A.C. addict. Thanks for the vids Dr. O!

  • @WCSPete1
    @WCSPete1 Před 4 lety

    Incredible find. Skills Mr O.

  • @esmith836
    @esmith836 Před 4 lety +1

    That was a fantastic find! Fabulous job!

  • @David9523
    @David9523 Před 4 lety +6

    Thanks for posting this Eric, now I know where my anti freeze has been going for the last 100k. (About a quarter of a gallon every 5k) no other leaks, it was making me crazy. truck now has 185 on it buts still runs good.
    Anyway to please post the head replacement? I would love to watch it and tackle this myself. Love the channel.

  • @jasonmushersee
    @jasonmushersee Před 4 lety +23

    topside creeper. man i need one of those!

  • @cheyennec-104
    @cheyennec-104 Před 4 lety +1

    Another well done video. I do agree with a previous poster re casting porosity (vs a crack) and the use of AC Delco Cooling System Sealant Tablets for as an initial repair method. I had this same issue on my 2002 Silverado when it was about 4 years old. I used the GM sealant tablets and the dropping coolant level problem disappeared after a few weeks. I drove that truck for another 9 years without a recurring coolant loss problem.

    • @abel4776
      @abel4776 Před 2 lety

      Did the same and so far no coolant loss! Still leaks oil though.

  • @tdhodroid
    @tdhodroid Před 4 lety +1

    Good tip on the steam cleaning! Keep em coming.

  • @atgn-0088
    @atgn-0088 Před 4 lety +11

    I inherited this same issue on a Tahoe about five years ago and thought I was loosing my mind along with all that Dex-cool. Endend up just swapping the motor with a used one after it started sucking down oil at a alarming rate too.

    • @Sluna773
      @Sluna773 Před 4 lety +1

      Pierre Topeze did that about 5-6 years ago on an 04 yukon with 130k on it. Now 217k and the problem has begun once more.

    • @shawno2363
      @shawno2363 Před 3 lety +1

      I did the same thing, replaced my heads at 170 and now at 250 its bad again. Went from the castec to gm heads.

    • @reesemoerike7923
      @reesemoerike7923 Před 3 lety

      @@shawno2363 you went to gm heads and they cracked? Or they cracked a second time and then you went to gm heads? I’m thinking I might have this problem on my 01 burb

  • @Joe_HamRadioGuy
    @Joe_HamRadioGuy Před 4 lety +4

    Nice find, hope you can film the replacement.

  • @sergiorizo2392
    @sergiorizo2392 Před 3 lety

    The bolt on the side is very impressed too, you can see his face from here.....good video....

  • @skoal22005
    @skoal22005 Před 4 lety +8

    12 years old and needs a new head, Great quality.

    • @throttlebottle5906
      @throttlebottle5906 Před 4 lety +2

      look at where it was all cast and of what materials... highly likely it was full of impurities from recycled junk and poor control of casting production, I know assembly was Ontario, Canada and Michigan, as for being cast likely all Mexico and India

  • @lukoitautodetailingllc3124

    The nut above the crack is shocked and scared at the same time.

  • @rolandos64
    @rolandos64 Před 4 lety +1

    god, this video helped me so much. So simple yet clear. I just purchased a re manufactured motor from advanced powertrain solutions. Stay Away!!!! I had just primed the oil pump and was just adding coolant when bolt #14 had a leak on the passenger side. I hadn't even turned the motor over yet. It already had a leak. They wont fix it. They are providing me with a 50 hour labor rate and a all data 8.1 hour allowance. I live in california. Our minimum hour labor rate are much higher than in most states. let alone skilled licensed employees. I cant find a shop charging anything less than $1600 to do just the labor.
    I was skeptic about a crack in the head. This video made me a believer Thank you for sharing this with us.

  • @kevinwoodcock7578
    @kevinwoodcock7578 Před 4 lety

    Thought I saw your newest employee rockin an 'Army dad' shirt. As the father of two boys who both currently serve, I think it's great you hired on a man that served.

  • @GregoryBirulkin
    @GregoryBirulkin Před 4 lety +5

    Try taking a hammer and punch to crush down the porosity, retest with pressurized coolant system- It should work.
    That's what we used to do at Dana Spicer to seal Axle housings.

  • @drfalcon4102
    @drfalcon4102 Před 4 lety +4

    I think this is one of Erics shortest videos, no scan tool involved..

  • @alanmoffat4680
    @alanmoffat4680 Před 4 lety

    Ashes cricket rained out so glad to see a SMA vid.

  • @JohnRodriguesPhotographer

    I had a 1987 Ford Aerostar with the 4L V6 in it. I bought it new. I had a couple thousand miles on it when I went on vacation. Vacation was about a 3000 mile round trip. One of the things I would do whenever I stopped for gas or anything else I would pop the hood check the oil check the coolant. I noticed my overflow jug was empty. Prior to pulling over I had noticed some oscillation and the temperature gauge. So seeing this I figured I had are going through the system periodically. I bought a few gallons of antifreeze and a couple gallons of water. Topped up the system and drove the rest of the way home, about 170 MI, basically Interstate 10 and I-75 2 South Tampa at lower speeds people behind me didn't like it much. Vehicle is still under warranty and they had an idea what the problem was but because of warranty rules they took the easy way out and didn't pull the heads. I topped up the system and claimed it was nothing wrong. I continued to have the problem. I put some marks on the overflow tank, which had none, 2 gauge how much coolant had been lost. I took the van back to the dealer 10 times. I then send a letter to Ford invoking my rights under the Lemon Law. you see I knew what the problem was. I had seen some articles in the news regarding Fasteners coming from Taiwan that were marked the wrong tensile strength. And my head bolts we're stretching. I gave the van back to the dealer as requested by Ford Motor Company and the service manager drove my van for a week. he noted the same loss of coolant that I did. the next part is kind of funny. A representative from the Ford Motor Company office in Jacksonville came down to Tampa to discuss the issues with my van with me. During the course of the discussion he said to me that the coolant in my van contracts as it gets hot and expands as it cools off. I was about to blow the seals on my overflow tank at that moment! and the service manager John Benson I think his name was, a good man, saw me about to explode and corrected the guy from Jacksonville's statement. The guy from Jacksonville had one of those dumb blank looks on his face that just proclaims What? so they finally took the van in to replace the head bolts. I knew what they did it was a difficult engine to access. They took the valve covers off took out the bolts and put in new ones. I don't think they even put in a new head gasket which is stupid. This process actually made it worse. I am of the opinion that the heads were warped from the uneven torquing and I told him that. I said those head should have been pulled completely out of the engine and trued to make sure they weren't warped. Long story short I got a brand new van out of the effort. I did not consult an attorney until I got a letter from Ford with contradictory dates in it. She was amazing I've gotten as far as I had and verified the date I thought I should use. so while I was just disappointed with my Ford how is also aware that some things are not made by the manufacturer of the car. a lot of Manufacturers were having trouble with the substandard Fasteners that year. if you have a new car and the Lemon Law in your state says you have to take it in 3 times for the same problem, take it in 6 8 10 times and then pursue the Lemon Law. it makes your case that much stronger and Ford or whoever if they have any brains won't fight you. if they ask you to let them work on it more let them work on it more. I gave Ford my Van four more times after I sent my letter invoking lemon law. I got another Aerostar, it was great and didn't have any troubles with it. I just related this story because there is another way for coolant to disappear and not leave a trace. They did test my antifreeze and it did show exhaust gases in it. a funny side note I would go to that dealer and people I didn't even know and had never met would say hi mr. Rodrigues

  • @billburkart9087
    @billburkart9087 Před 4 lety +7

    That's cool I've never seen a topside creeper. Good info Eric.

    • @DanielCoe
      @DanielCoe Před 4 lety +1

      A good video, but that topside creeper really blew my mind, too!

    • @embeddedusystems
      @embeddedusystems Před 4 lety +1

      same here...not a thing here in the UK!

  • @epicragegaming2016
    @epicragegaming2016 Před 4 lety +7

    whenever a gm with more than 60,000 miles rolls in i absolutely expect 3 things. oil leak, coolant leak, transmission leak. and stabilitrak needing service on the dash lol.

    • @zappyxp1575
      @zappyxp1575 Před 4 lety

      What's the cause of that? "Service 4x4 service stability system"

    • @Chinunit22
      @Chinunit22 Před 4 lety

      Or it's just magically fixes itself on a road, there are hidden unicorns amongst them.

    • @zappyxp1575
      @zappyxp1575 Před 3 lety

      @Jimmy S I drive an 04 yukon

  • @jessemarshall7176
    @jessemarshall7176 Před 4 lety +1

    I bought a Yukon xl in another state and didn’t know it had a cracked head until about halfway into my 600 mile drive home. Passenger head was cracked but I got a good deal on the car and on new heads so I changed them both. Spent my whole thanksgiving vacation changing heads

  • @rlb3255
    @rlb3255 Před 2 lety +1

    Thanks for doing this. It points precisely to my problem and cause. By the way, I'm seeing this on my 2015 5.3 w/ 47 k miles.

  • @SmittySmithsonite
    @SmittySmithsonite Před 4 lety +8

    Typical GM! Create a problem by trying to save a buck, then duck, weave, and dodge any consumer warranty claims. Real nice! 🤬 I'm so done with that company after all the crap I've gone through with my '07 Silverado. First and LAST new vehicle I'll ever buy.
    Great vid, man - I haven't had the joy of having one of these to fix yet. Plenty of them out there, for sure, so I'm probably bound to at some point! 🍻

  • @JeffDeWitt
    @JeffDeWitt Před 4 lety +21

    After replacing the head take the greasy, nasty old one to a Chevy dealer and leave it in the middle of the showroom floor.

    • @Dirtyharry70585
      @Dirtyharry70585 Před 4 lety

      drop it in the front window from a drone in Detroit at Chevys Corporate Home office.

    • @JeffDeWitt
      @JeffDeWitt Před 4 lety

      @@Dirtyharry70585 That would take a really heavy duty drone plus you would face criminal charges. Leaving the head on the showroom floor would be much cheaper, legal, and far more annoying and embarrassing to the Chevy people.

    • @robertbell525
      @robertbell525 Před 4 lety +2

      This would be funny on a busy Saturday

    • @JeffDeWitt
      @JeffDeWitt Před 4 lety

      @@robertbell525 Yep! The goal is maximum embarrassment.

    • @Dirtyharry70585
      @Dirtyharry70585 Před 4 lety +1

      @@JeffDeWitt: bah mumbug

  • @adamtrombino106
    @adamtrombino106 Před 4 lety +2

    Local machine shop has a pile of these in their back room. Cast porosity seems to be the issue most of the time, usually that center inner bolt seat or towards the rear. They are saying to test the engine cold, as they are seeing the head seal up when hot in some cases. They recommend replacing the heads with the updated GM part ( i don't know the p/n) which comes bare. Back in the day, our company had a fleet of 1500s with the 5.3, 05-07s. Every single 1 of them developed this problem and Chevy was replacing them for free up to 80k.

  • @fire7765
    @fire7765 Před 4 lety

    Great video Eric.

  • @patmurphy2472
    @patmurphy2472 Před 4 lety +3

    Used to see it quite often, and blocks cracking in the lifter valley.

  • @billziegmond4943
    @billziegmond4943 Před 4 lety +12

    I cracked my head once and bourbon leaked out. LOL

  • @articbaer116
    @articbaer116 Před 4 lety

    Thanks for another great vid keep them rolling!!!

  • @NickMyers1
    @NickMyers1 Před 4 lety

    My 2005 Yukon SLuT (tahoe sized) has the 5.3. 186. I noticed I was very very slowly losing coolant. Just read up on this today and how timely a video too. I know what test I’m doing this weekend. Thanks!

  • @WastedTalent-
    @WastedTalent- Před 4 lety +7

    Ah, I see it uses Dex-Cool, The Eater of 3.4L Head Gaskets. GM knew it was a problem from the beginning and refused to recall or fix anyone's cars.

  • @thomastorres4125
    @thomastorres4125 Před 4 lety +7

    Newer 5.3 have a tsb on p0300-308 for cylinder sleeve leaking

  • @AntonioClaudioMichael
    @AntonioClaudioMichael Před 4 lety

    Great video Eric O

  • @jamessmith-wn7ty
    @jamessmith-wn7ty Před 3 lety

    Thanks for the information, I haven't checked it yet but I'm almost sure that's the problem after watching your video. Good Info. Thanks from Virginia

  • @yhird
    @yhird Před 4 lety +33

    It sounds like a known defect. Nothing cures a known defect like a class action lawsuit.

    • @mitchbertone3809
      @mitchbertone3809 Před 4 lety +10

      Make the lawyers rich, and the plaintiffs get a settlement check in mail for 87 cents and loss the ability to recover damages. Great idea,

    • @rubengarcia6920
      @rubengarcia6920 Před 4 lety

      YH yes take their ass to court and make them pay for the fix

  • @CubasAutomotive
    @CubasAutomotive Před 4 lety +24

    I've had tons of mysterious coolant loss on the 5.3s over the years. Pressurized the system so many times... never found anything. I was also the person who would normally maintain them, and never found anything in the oil either. A few would lose up to a gallon a month. ... but again, was never able to find anything. Hot or cold. I'd have it pressurized up to an hr at times. Never would lose anything, especially not to the extent of a gallon a month... also, never overheating issue or running hot.
    Interesting find... wouldn't you see this in the oil at changes?

    • @SouthMainAuto
      @SouthMainAuto  Před 4 lety +37

      So that's the thing with this one particularly. 1/2 gallon coolant in 5k. Never had sludgy oil and no other symptoms at all. I assume it "steams" off at the rate it enters the head and gets sucked right out the PCV. Never seen one yet that showed anything in the oil. @15 psi it would lose about 3lbs in an hour just fyi. On a cold engine.

    • @CubasAutomotive
      @CubasAutomotive Před 4 lety +8

      @@SouthMainAuto interesting! Wow! Thanks for the heads up!! One of the most insightful things I found from you so far! Gracias! Te lo agradezco! 😊😊🤗🤗

    • @skylinefever
      @skylinefever Před 4 lety +4

      If you buy used oil analysis, you can find when tiny amounts of antifreeze enter oil. I think the measurement of certain combustion byproducts can indicate that either a failed head gasket, cracked cylinder head, or cylinder bore/liner failure is at fault. Once you get that message, you pull the heads off the engine, then send them to a machinist for inspection.
      I'm not sure how you check the block for tiny failures in bores/liners when the engine is the car and can't be tested by an automotive machinist.

    • @CubasAutomotive
      @CubasAutomotive Před 4 lety +5

      @@skylinefever I suppose I could've done that... but still would have to know where to look. I would've suspected head gasket over cracked head. Idk

    • @skylinefever
      @skylinefever Před 4 lety +5

      @@CubasAutomotive Once you take a cylinder head off, it is standard procedure to send it to the local automotive machinist for crack testing, followed by rebuilding.
      The machinists usually use Magnaflux on iron cylinder heads, and UV dye on aluminum heads, and those processes detect cracks that are nearly impossible to see while the heads are installed in the car.

  • @cubedrama-1558
    @cubedrama-1558 Před 4 lety +1

    *_💎⭐💎Awesome and very nice and waiting for more continued💎🚘💎_*

  • @michaelloth5870
    @michaelloth5870 Před 8 měsíci

    Thank you, I have a 2006 GMC Sierra, 5.3L. 250K miles. I thought it was just a bad head gasket, coolant in my oil, now I have more to check.

  • @15743_Hertz
    @15743_Hertz Před 4 lety +6

    And since they know that they sold junk to customers with no intentions of financial reparation, I just wonder if in future they wonder why the customers don't come back for more sales?

  • @MirceaD28
    @MirceaD28 Před 4 lety +6

    Even the screw head looks like it's not pleased

  • @pierreboulay5480
    @pierreboulay5480 Před 3 lety

    I have a 2010 with a 4.8 and no obvious signs of coolant loss and well that kinda explains my situation very well, even if I suspected the problem was in the head (living in denial I guess) Thanks!

  • @1badpit100
    @1badpit100 Před 4 lety

    Love the channel.

  • @HUBBABUBBADOOPYDOOP
    @HUBBABUBBADOOPYDOOP Před 4 lety +28

    *GM **_will_** pay for it, when I become Supreme Ruler.*

    • @Troy_Built
      @Troy_Built Před 4 lety +4

      Make them pay for the brake lines while you are at it.

    • @HUBBABUBBADOOPYDOOP
      @HUBBABUBBADOOPYDOOP Před 4 lety +1

      @@Troy_Built
      *I wouldn't buy a Taco from Mexico.*
      *We basically have a de facto China on our Southern Border.*
      *I wish the phrase "Made in USA" was 100% true.*
      *Our economy makes us demand high wages. That's why we think*
      *Chinese People work for Slave wages- when actually- except for the*
      *Government- it's not much different than in USA.*
      *Their food markets don't have 50 different choices of bread*
      *and cereal on the shelves.*
      *Their neighborhoods aren't infested with machine gun-toting*
      *drug dealers- who sit there for 7 hours, having a shootout with*
      *the Police, and then are captured- only to go to a Court and*
      *plead not guilty, followed by years of free appeals and 3 hot meals.*
      *So many People commit horrible crimes because our Judicial*
      *System is a joke; for People of Color, it's usually a hand up from*
      *their day-to-day reality- hence the skewed population percentages*
      *their Representatives are always screaming about.
      *Mr. PA Shooter will go to prison, and be praised, applauded, and*
      *even respected by his fellow Inmates.*
      *His life won't be much different in prison.*
      *If there were no speed limits- how fast would everyone drive?*
      *WTF DOES ALL THIS HAVE TO DO WITH A POORLY BUILT ENGINE?*

    • @SouthMainAuto
      @SouthMainAuto  Před 4 lety +1

      @@HUBBABUBBADOOPYDOOP about 90mph is my answer.... unless on the highway... then much faster

    • @HUBBABUBBADOOPYDOOP
      @HUBBABUBBADOOPYDOOP Před 4 lety +1

      @@SouthMainAuto
      I can imagine you as the new Mad Max post-apocalyptic Ruler's Head Mechanic- that keeps all his vehicles working.

  • @eddiefromcali
    @eddiefromcali Před 4 lety +15

    Castech 706 and equivalent are known for this. Part of the reason why I swapped to 243s

    • @lizard2006
      @lizard2006 Před 4 lety +5

      Just don't buy junk GM. If I had a dollar for every 3.6 timing job, or dod lift failure on vortec/ecotec I'd be rich

    • @eddiefromcali
      @eddiefromcali Před 4 lety +7

      @@lizard2006 meh, my gen3 LS has been perfect. 217k miles and doesn't burn oil, tick or anything.

    • @lizard2006
      @lizard2006 Před 4 lety +1

      Lucky you they're junk mostly everyone i ever see.

    • @MarkPdot
      @MarkPdot Před 4 lety

      That's why I thought it odd that the original head was an 862 and the replacement was an 706. Hope it goes well for the customer.

    • @GhettoWagon
      @GhettoWagon Před 4 lety

      Apparently not all castech 706 heads have the issue. I dunno though its GM. I have 706 heads and 150k. I think the oil pickup O ring on these is more of a failure. It was tapping hardcore untill I put a new pickup O ring. Overall the LS engine is plagued. Good for power but alot of flaws

  • @snakeskinproductions7500
    @snakeskinproductions7500 Před 4 lety +1

    And my friends gave me a hard time for not doing an LS swap in my truck and sticking with an old school small block (93 pick up). Who"s laughing now? LOL. Actually I have been aware of this issue with the LS motors for some time. Keep them coming brother. L@R to you and the crew at SMA...

  • @ferret3210
    @ferret3210 Před 4 lety +1

    Can not believe I’ve never seen this in Arizona. Lots of heads and engines but 5.3 must love the heat out here

  • @dustin9035
    @dustin9035 Před 4 lety +4

    As Bob Lutz sits back smoking his cigar, coughing and laughing about it while looking at his huge bank balance.

  • @nukemanmd
    @nukemanmd Před 4 lety +4

    GM's response: "It's not a defect - it's a feature that helps to keep your engine nice and clean."

  • @stansummers6259
    @stansummers6259 Před 4 lety

    Awesome find and video thanks

  • @karllinden9246
    @karllinden9246 Před 4 lety +1

    Good tip, as with most all fluid leaks look for the clean spot.

  • @johnhummingbird4552
    @johnhummingbird4552 Před 4 lety +5

    Are you going to put a video up of you changing the head i hope so i love watching your videos i learned a lot from watching them 😀

  • @aslamb6489
    @aslamb6489 Před 4 lety +3

    I have 95 Buick Roadmaster with the LT .1 5.7 350 Corvette Engine in it it is still rock solid too I'll have any of the old school muscle car Engines no matter the make if they are rock solid that is just me I'm not a Spring Chicken anymore I LOOOOOOVE the old school Engines (THEY DO NOT COST AS MUCH TO MAINTAIN OR TO BUY PARTS FOR SO THERE YOU HAVE IT POINT BLANK) & plus you can make them produce as much Horsepower as any of them especially the BIG BLOCK Engines due to the size of the Ports on the Cylinder Heads they are just as big as any of the new Paper Weight Engines OH & I've done some pricing difference between the 2 Engines the new fangled & old school the new fangled are much more expensive to buy parts for

  • @donaldcoalson4347
    @donaldcoalson4347 Před 3 měsíci

    Thank you Eric!

  • @mikechiodetti6737
    @mikechiodetti6737 Před 4 lety

    I'm sending this out to former coworkers now. Thankyou for this info.

  • @balkanyahsi6949
    @balkanyahsi6949 Před 4 lety +5

    All the brands probably have made some miscounting somewhere! That's how things get improved!

    • @Cheepchipsable
      @Cheepchipsable Před 4 lety

      lol, but they don't. Look at the Ford Focus transmissions.
      With everything learned about internal combustion engines over the past century, they should be able to make a reliable engine that is easy and cheap to service, but they keep redesigning things to use less materials and this simply introduces new problems.

    • @balkanyahsi6949
      @balkanyahsi6949 Před 4 lety

      come on, you know it is not entirely true! Yeah the less material use and blabla, there must be reasons for manufacturers to be doing what they're doing. There are known good and reliable engines of each brand out there in the market meanwhile they will keep renovating some stuff somewhere! That's what engineers do! I agree when they pull the quality down, it doesn't make sense, pisses me off but...

  • @MiamiZombie2012
    @MiamiZombie2012 Před 4 lety +7

    Perfect posting time, just punched out for lunch.

    • @hanskinslo326
      @hanskinslo326 Před 4 lety

      Anytime SMA posts is the perfect posting time!

  • @travisgustin4677
    @travisgustin4677 Před 4 lety

    Thanks for not being a hack and attempting to job weld and show the world the only fix is removal and replacement.

  • @fredbach6039
    @fredbach6039 Před 4 lety +2

    Great work, great video. Would watch you changing this one.

    • @jdubya54
      @jdubya54 Před 4 lety

      Fred Bach looked like he had his best man on it. no fun

  • @greatreset3
    @greatreset3 Před 4 lety +21

    Any time water gets inside the engine I'd be expecting bearing damage to rear it's ugly head, sooner rather than later.

    • @joebrown9621
      @joebrown9621 Před 4 lety +3

      No.. not necessarily.. if u catch it quick enough, even the design of the engine and the service life of the engine oil makes a big difference

    • @DL-qq4nu
      @DL-qq4nu Před 4 lety

      if a lot got inside.

    • @greatreset3
      @greatreset3 Před 4 lety +2

      @@joebrown9621 No way of knowing how long it's been leaking. Often from new!

    • @327JohnnySS
      @327JohnnySS Před 4 lety

      Free milkshake

    • @Cheepchipsable
      @Cheepchipsable Před 4 lety +2

      Looks like the engine is evaporating the coolant before it gets to the sump. So not enough to cause a problem yet.
      Maybe cold there might have been tell tale signs under the oil cap.

  • @jonwm01
    @jonwm01 Před 4 lety +31

    A little jb weld and a few beers and it should be good for another 100k miles

    • @frontspring1
      @frontspring1 Před 4 lety +1

      No it won't

    • @deansapp4635
      @deansapp4635 Před 4 lety +2

      I would JB weld that in a heart beat.

    • @frontspring1
      @frontspring1 Před 4 lety

      @@deansapp4635 i bet you would

    • @robertbell525
      @robertbell525 Před 4 lety

      Agree, jb weld would not work. Even though low pressure because it's only seeping, that moisture getting under the repair will make it fail. I'd put a qtr to half bottle of stop leak if the system is clean. It will work.

  • @TheErnobo
    @TheErnobo Před 4 lety +1

    I really enjoy your diagnostic videos but I would like to see more of the actual wrenching.

  • @archibaldgeorge8916
    @archibaldgeorge8916 Před 4 lety

    well done passing this on

  • @steveam29
    @steveam29 Před 4 lety +7

    Can I ask a dumb question? Why would one expect a free repair on a 13 year old truck. Just because the OEM knows it is an issue shouldn’t mean after 13 years they fix it for free.

  • @bjbeardse
    @bjbeardse Před 4 lety +4

    Why do I feel like I got jipped? I'm like FINALLY NOT A BRAKE JOB and..... lol

  • @darrylfrey6711
    @darrylfrey6711 Před 4 lety +1

    Had a 2004 Silverado with 4.8l. I had 240,000 miles on the original engine. It had the same issue the last six months I drove it. I decided with the miles it had it was no longer worth keeping. But I do miss that ol truck.

  • @donnierobertson3088
    @donnierobertson3088 Před 4 lety

    Great job

  • @somerandomguy3868
    @somerandomguy3868 Před 4 lety +3

    That sucks! GM knows and put out a service bulletin but won't cover the repairs, I understand no vehicle manufacturer is perfect but that sucks

    • @Cheepchipsable
      @Cheepchipsable Před 4 lety

      Well the car is 12 years old. Not sure how many manufacturers would come to the party on that one.
      The bulletin is mainly for techs so they know where to look first when diagnosing problems.

  • @rustynail9793
    @rustynail9793 Před 4 lety +35

    You mean to tell me jb weld wouldn't fix this.... I heard it fixes everything

    • @mikephelps8212
      @mikephelps8212 Před 4 lety +11

      Project farm approves

    • @drfalcon4102
      @drfalcon4102 Před 4 lety +7

      just dump in some of that good old Barrs Leak,, it stops everything

    • @workingshlub8861
      @workingshlub8861 Před 4 lety +15

      @@drfalcon4102 stops everything..especially coolant flow lol

    • @29auto30
      @29auto30 Před 4 lety +6

      I was thinking "Flex Seal"...LOL

    • @drfalcon4102
      @drfalcon4102 Před 4 lety +4

      Phil swift approves this comment

  • @DL-qq4nu
    @DL-qq4nu Před 4 lety +2

    when i had this happen to me and when i pulled the heads and saw how flawless the 298k original head gasket was i was friggin angerery!!!! i pulled over head and saw it to was flawless....

  • @kevykev8347
    @kevykev8347 Před 4 lety +1

    Sure "They admit there's a problem, they know there's a problem, yet they ain't gonna pay for it..." just like the front impact sensors on my 2003 S10. "Yeah there's an issue with those" Can I buy a replacement? Nah we don't make them anymore and an aftermarket option doesn't exist. Hey thanks Chevy... And thank you Eric, for being awesome...

  • @dufftime
    @dufftime Před 4 lety +6

    "this happens on the GM's with the GM heads" LMAO

    • @karlschauff7989
      @karlschauff7989 Před 3 lety +2

      Funny thing is, I'm amazed how many Toyotas have head gasket leaks. Even back in the early 2000's, their 4.0L V6's and the 2AZ-FE were head gasket eating machines and yet popular opinion thinks Toyotas never have a problem.

    • @corbinjansen6510
      @corbinjansen6510 Před 3 lety +1

      @@karlschauff7989 ive helped replace countless 4runner and tacoma headgaskets

  • @stevie3275
    @stevie3275 Před 4 lety +4

    Every small block shivy I have ever had cracked a head eventually

    • @rogerf3622
      @rogerf3622 Před 4 lety

      And for me too. The first one was back in 1974 with a GMC Pickup. One would think they would have fixed this by now.

  • @normangallant9879
    @normangallant9879 Před 4 lety

    Nice find

  • @waynepytlik9166
    @waynepytlik9166 Před 4 lety

    Great video

  • @cgirl111
    @cgirl111 Před 4 lety +6

    It's beyond me why not a single car mechanic channel I can find uses a laser pointer for their vids.

    • @BigDog50001
      @BigDog50001 Před 4 lety +1

      cgirl111 We don’t want all the cats in the neighborhood to go bananas....