UPDATE 1/29/22 - project complete?
6 months after blowing the head gasket, the ol' Tahoe is finally back on the road!
I replaced the defective torque converter, and now FINALLY everything is working like it should! The engine is running great, the torque converter is the correct stall speed, and there are no more vibrations! Hallelujah, praise the Lord!!
To recap:
July 2021 - the original 929 engine blew a head gasket after 378K miles.
I decided to rebuild a spare 506 engine I had pulled from a 1997 C2500 several years ago. That engine had lost compression due to a failed exhaust valve, but otherwise was in great shape.
November 2021 - engine is finally rebuilt and installed; I had decided to rebuild the transmission as well due to the high mileage; new engine ran great, but the transmission shop gave me a high-stall torque converter by mistake; very annoying to drive, so I order the correct torque converter.
December 2021 - after only 900 miles, the new engine lost compression on one cylinder; turns out another exhaust valve failed; apparently this engine had weak valves; engine was removed, and both heads sent back to the shop for all new valves. I used this opportunity to swap in the correct, low-stall torque converter.
January 2022 - the engine is reinstalled and runs great; however now there is a bad vibration that I determine is a faulty torque converter. The converter supplier sends me a replacement converter, and this time I drop the transmission and transfer case to swap the converter. The replacement converter is good, and now everything is running like it should!
So, the engine was removed and reinstalled twice, and the transmission was removed and reinstalled twice. I am so ready for this project to be done! But at least now I should have a long-lasting drivetrain.
Casey
1995 K1500 Tahoe 2 door, 6.5LTD, 4L80E, NP241, 3.42's, 285/75R16 BFG K02's; 1997 506 block; Kennedy OPS harness, gauges, Quick Heat plugs, and TD-Max chip; Dtech FSD on FSD Cooler; vacuum pump deleted, HX35 turbo, Turbo Master, 3.5" Kennedy exhaust, F code intake; dual t/stats, HO water pump, Champion radiator; Racor fuel filter