GenII LS8 Cooling System Overhaul

Thanks SoulSoak for the great write up, well done! I feel much better attempting this.
Jack
 
I want to change all the cooling parts 04 v8 just hit 80,000 miles, I just noticed I have a coolant leak. The coolant tank is getting low on coolant. I want to know what is the average time this job would take complete. Can it de done in 1 Day. I live in NYC Manhattan so I don't have my own driveway or gauge to do the job so I want to take it to a mechanic and I would like to know how much labor I'm looking at. I'm buying all the parts from Tasca.
 
As a DIY, it'll probably take most of the day if you haven't done it before. I'll make a wild guess at 4 hours for a "professional" mechanic if he is familiar with the LS.
 
it also depends on how many of the bolts on the cowl brace come right out. snapped bolts are gonna add a ton of time to the total repair...


a good full day would probably be a decent guestimate for the entire job.
 
Some soak time with PB Blaster,,, and a small propane torch should take care of the cowl brace bolts, (with a little patience). My estimate for a labor charge would be $500-$600, (Manhattan may be higher). Maybe more since you are providing the parts,,, and the shop can't make more by marking up the parts you are providing. One other thing to consider... since you are providing the parts. You may run into a warranty issue with the shop,,, so make sure they will warranty their labor with your parts.
 
Thanks SS,

Been around this automotive thing for a few years, (err.. decades), and have see n the perspective from both sides of the service counter. My last bit of advice for anyone would be to do some word of mouth and internet research on local shops to find out who is reasonable,,, will work with the customer,,, and does good work. Don't just look for the cheapest quote.

I may have mentioned this entertaining but educational story before on LVC... but I'll go into a little more detail this time. A few decades back I worked at a small "fly by night" shop in the small town I grew up in. The boss paid his mechanics with cash,,, and at the end of the year, (since none of them were actually on the payroll), ended up giving us back, (in cash), what he took out for taxes.

Anyway... I'm doing a heater core R&R on a 74 Continental,,, and a couple other kids are working on a 67 Camaro that the owner, (of the car), was in the process of restoring. They fired up the Camaro to do some final engine adjusments,,, and as I was doing the heater core I was listening to the engine of the Camaro, and something didn't sound right. I walked over for a better listen,,, and told the kids working on it, that it sounded like the engine was "working hard". I got called a few names regarding my IQ,,, and was told it sounded that way because it was a high performance engine with added, (aftermarket), performance parts. I then walked back to the Continental I was working on.

They shut the Camaro off,,, and about 10 minutes later, went to restart it. All I heard was "clink" , (not "click"... but "clink), every time they hit the key. The boss then told me to go put a starter in it. I told him I didn't think it was the starter, but he told me to replace it anyway. However... before I blindly replaced the starter,,, I grabbed a couple basic tools, and checked something else.

Now... to keep this interesting,,, if anyone wants to play... ,,, What was wrong with the Camaro,,, and what tools did I grab... and what was I checking for???
 
04_Sport_LS said:
...Now... to keep this interesting,,, if anyone wants to play... ,,, What was wrong with the Camaro,,, and what tools did I grab... and what was I checking for???
Click to expand...

I'll play.
It was seized because they forgot to put oil in it.
You grabbed a pull handle and the correct sized socket to see if you could turn the crank by hand.
 
Ok Joe. I was waiting to see if anyone else wanted to join in,,, but guess not. To finsh the story:

I grabbed a breaker bar and socket to fit the crank... and yes,,, the engine was seized.

Good call on your part.

The engine did have oil in it... but after the engine was pulled and the pan removed,,, the oil pump was found lying in the bottom of the pan. OUCH!!!

Not sure who did the engine work,,, but evidently someone didn't know how to use a torque wrench... because the rods and mains were both over-torqued also. The bearings had to be chiseled off the crank, and the crank was severly scored. Some thought it could be polished, but IMO it would at least have to be turned... if it was even salvageable. I never saw the cylinders or pistons. I didn't stick around that shop long enough to find out.

Point of the story... be careful who you let work on your car!
 
2015-03-15-22-58-10.jpg

Need part name/number if somebody knows off hand.

2015-03-15-22-58-10.jpg
 
Ooooo... That's not good! ^^^

DK, The part number is listed in post #47. If you need the hose now,,, the cost will be around $70 out the door at your local dealer. Maybe cheaper if you can talk them into a discount. Tasca is a good place for parts... but with wait time and shipping costs the dealer may be a better option. The dealer can usually get any part in 1 day,,, if not the same day.
 
Tasca has the upper radiator hose in stock, I ordered & received it last week. The have all the gaskets & O-rings, too - you just need to use the search function as not all of them show up in the Cooling section for a Gen II LS. The part numbers & images at the beginning of this post were especially helpful in searching on Tasca.
 
Is the intake manifold gasket part of the cooling system or did you replace it because you already had it off
 
mujahid1994 said:
Is the intake manifold gasket part of the cooling system or did you replace it because you already had it off
Click to expand...

It has nothing to do with coolant, but you may end up with an air (vacuum) leak when you reinstall the intake manifold if you don't replace it.
 
joegr said:
It has nothing to do with coolant, but you may end up with an air (vacuum) leak when you reinstall the intake manifold if you don't replace it.
Click to expand...
How could I tell if I have an air leak and how would that be bad for the car
 
mujahid1994 said:
How could I tell if I have an air leak and how would that be bad for the car
Click to expand...

You'll hear a hissing sound. Unfiltered air is detrimental to the valves and cylinder walls. Unaccounted for air (air entering he engine that the PCM doesn't know about) will lean out the mixture causing all kinds of negative things to happen.

For starters........
 
LS4me said:
You'll hear a hissing sound. Unfiltered air is detrimental to the valves and cylinder walls. Unaccounted for air (air entering he engine that the PCM doesn't know about) will lean out the mixture causing all kinds of negative things to happen.

For starters........
Click to expand...
Oh so the fuel to air ratio will be messed up??
 
mujahid1994 said:
Oh so the fuel to air ratio will be messed up??
Click to expand...

precisely

the computer only injects enough fuel for how much air it "sees" go in to the engine, any that seeks in unaccounted for make the mixture lean (not enough fuel for the total amount of air coming in)

driving around too lean can cause some big problems as LS4ME indicated.
 
uploadfromtaptalk1433643704236.jpg this hose is also part of the cooling system I haven't seen many suggestions to replace this hose why is that

uploadfromtaptalk1433643704236.jpg
 
And is autozone a reliable source to get my car parts from because if I get them from ford it would cost way more
 
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