Hello,

Does anyone have a step by step check list on how to replace this? I do have the Chilton's book but there isn't alot of diagrams in there. The truck is a 1997 Tahoe with a Vortec 350.

I also did a search on here but didn't find too much info, but I did see that a lot of people have had this problem so I'm hoping someone can help..

Thanks a lot!!

Hi,

I just had mine replaced under warranty ('98), and was told by the GM rep that they have a newer gasket that supposedly fixes that problem. If you haven't checked that out already, hope that helps...

As far as doing the actual step-by-step... I haven't gotten there yet! sorry

its not a faulty gasket, its that DexCool crap, or whatever its called. If you don't do a full cooling system flush each year, it's turns to acid and starts eating your engine from the inside out.

Take off the cover, lay down a new gasket. Depending on which side its on, you'll have to take off certain things. Good luck. (i paid to have mine done, i would have broken something)

I had mine done about 2 years ago and it cost around $350.

$350.00?? I would have someone do it for that too, the cheapest place around here wanted $600.00 so I'm going to attempt it myself.. I just can't pay someone $600.00 to put a $25.00 part in, that's just crazy!!

I know what you mean. I would have done it too, but it was during hunting season and I'll pay almost anything to be hunting instead of working on my truck. Now, during the summer, that's a different story. [img]images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
its not a faulty gasket, its that DexCool crap

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Actually, the gaskets they used were crap. The replacement gasket is much better than the original one that will be replaced. The rubber seal is much wider and thicker in the new ones than the cheesey seal in the stock one. But, I would also say that the problem is about 50/50 between the dexcool and the gasket. Once you change the gasket, do yourself a favor and switch over to the ethol glycol, or however it's spelled... the green stuff. [img]images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] Make sure you completely flush out all of the dexcool... if there is a good amount in there, when the green stuff mixes with it they will gell. I actually had a shop do mine too... it was Jan when mine got bad and it was just too cold to do myself with no shop of any sort to work in. They had it done in about 3 hrs. My friend did his, and he said it took him most of the day to do it.... so I gladly paid the 280 bucks to not have to do it with numb fingers. LOL

for the most part, it's a easy job, since i do an average of 10 of these a month. the biggest trick for the do-it-yourselfer is making soure the cam sensor (distributor) is put in properly, exactly as it was removed. i make three marks, one where the rotor is pointing, second, where the sensor body is to the upper intake, and third, when you pull the sensor out, where the rotor mark lies. it the sensor is off by any little bit, the check engine light will come on and will run odd.
there are a few more tricks i have gathered from doing there all the time.
while the intake is off, replace the die cast heater fitting with a steel one, too many problems with the cast ones.

all in all, it's a easy job, just more precice. [img]images/graemlins/cussing.gif[/img]

if you're looking tochange from dexcool to glycol, i recommend the quickie shops, she good sones use nothing but zerex (by valvoline) and tehy will use a solvelt based flush, thats whaT WE DO AT our shop. charge the same as dexcool flush (90bucks) and you have the tried andtrue glycol. all of my familises vehicles i switch over. i domnt truxct pink.oranxe coolant. granted i have the barbie "Z" thanks to thatdamned rysn, but i dont use pinjk fluids is 90% of teh vehivles i own, repair. no fluid belongs in my vehicle 100K miles. everything i have is flushed every year or every other oil changes, ever the damned beraing grease (2WD now) is changed ever 6K miles. i cando it so i do. and i willl drive it to the grave, at about 300K mikles

been drinkin!?!?