6L Vortec Problems HELP!!!

[THEFERMANATOR]

I believe it is located in the drivers side cylinder head towards the front. It will be a brass sensor with a 2 wire plug. You need to verify if it is actually running hot or just the guage saying it is or not first though. Also ONLY use a GM coolant temp sensor as I have gotten aftermarket ones that were 50 degrees off right out of the box. Also the DODGE CTS looks identical but is a differrent resistance, so that is another reason to only buy one from a GM dealer as I have seen teh aftermarket ones mispackaged several times.

 

[403turbo]

I have a 6 leaker torn down for a rebuild in my garage right now, its our 200K plus shop truck. The oil pump died and did bad things to the bearings. Anyway this truck has never had head gasket issues or really anything wrong with the engine.

Its the old iron head LQ4 and the coolant passages in the block are nasty, crusty half plugged looking. I know the dexcool stuff is overblown and the LS based engines aren't supposed to have problems with it but I would be suspicious of the radiator.

I hate throwing parts at a problem but I might think about swapping the rad for a new one. The precipitation from dexcool might not flush out. Just my .02

 

[duratothemax]

I have a 6 leaker torn down for a rebuild in my garage right now, its our 200K plus shop truck. The oil pump died and did bad things to the bearings. Anyway this truck has never had head gasket issues or really anything wrong with the engine.

Its the old iron head LQ4 and the coolant passages in the block are nasty, crusty half plugged looking. I know the dexcool stuff is overblown and the LS based engines aren't supposed to have problems with it but I would be suspicious of the radiator.

I hate throwing parts at a problem but I might think about swapping the rad for a new one. The precipitation from dexcool might not flush out. Just my .02

why even bother rebuilding it??? Especially since its one of the rare/early oddball iron-headed 6.0's. You can get used/good condition complete 4.8/5.3/6.0's from any junk yard for peanuts. Way less than the cost of a rebuild. Probably 500-600 bucks for a complete 6.0 ready to drop in. And you'd get the 2001+ aluminum heads too.

Ben

 

[403turbo]

Ben I didn't say it was done...:roflmao: I've got about 2 hrs more work into it then what it takes to pull it out. The iron heads aren't really any different than the aluminum, especially in a truck. I have been offered a set of l92's but that seems like a waste.

The boss just went out the next day and found a sweet deal on an 04 LLY. So....we will see what happens.

 

[LBZ_Duramax]

A few on GMfullsize are leaning towards the ECT sensor reading off.....What is the best place to check with an IR thermometer to let me know? Heads? Block? Thermostat Housing?

 

[68skylark455]

Big overlooked problem on these. The hose that runs from the coolant resevoir to top of rad tank on pass side-take a small drill bit and open it up-it gets plugged when it overheats for the first time-plastic is thin right there and it shrinks. Fixed many of them just by doing this.

 

[LBZ_Duramax]

^But don't drill it any bigger??

 

[AubleAK]

my moms 03 yukon xl 6.0l vortec was having the same problem. had it flushed, thermostats changed, tried everything. i ended up trying some supercoolant called water wetter. it runs at 195-210 in 100 degree heat now.

 

[68skylark455]

^But don't drill it any bigger??

No, just make sure its clear. Its a preseet size but gets plugged up very easy when overheated.