Duramax Head Gasket Replacement

[a5150nut]

I have found if i watch 5 or 6 YT Videos i can find something in one and something else in another. They all seem to leave out a little something that was critical or that made things easier.
But for the price you cant beat it

[More Power]

I have found if i watch 5 or 6 YT Videos i can find something in one and something else in another. They all seem to leave out a little something that was critical or that made things easier.
But for the price you cant beat it

You're right. Though, discernment comes with experience. The video mentioned above was about an hour long - for a project that takes 40+ hours to complete (GM labor rate), so there's a lot left out - a lot of questions unanswered. And, certainly most of the hard parts of the job are left out - the same hard part(s) are left out in each video (I have a theory for why that's so). I watched several other videos for this topic, but found none gave the complete story - a proper story. The video channels all produced content that relied on the viewer to already have a good understanding of auto mechanics in general and Duramax head gasket replacement in particular - when in reality very few actual truck owners have that level of knowledge. These engines and fuel injection systems are complicated - risk of failure is significant, and the video creators never give the viewer a long-term follow-up. What's the price of failure or chronic nagging complications? This is why The Diesel Page has produced Guides that help owners do their own service work, and succeed in that effort.

I know a local Duramax owner who abused his stock Duramax till coolant leaked/poured out in several places (i.e. head gaskets, water pump seal, coolant surge tank overflow, etc). He then hired a local shop to build him an "indestructible" 1000-hp monster - forged pistons, aftermarket rods, big injectors, dual CP3 pumps, twin turbos, etc. It only lasted a couple of months, after the truck owner spent $20K on it. Knowing the story, I blame the shop for the eventual outcome and not properly managing the owner's expectations... An idiot behind the wheel can ruin just about anything. In the end, success sometimes boils down to experience...