So I'm doing maintenance and...

sdeeter19555 · June 11, 2016

I figured I would do some deeper PM than just fluid changes and grease fittings. I have right at 80k and have a fairly big trip coming up (4000 miles in a little more than a week). This is a 2012 2500hd 4wd.

In every vehicle I have owned, the tensioner pulley and idler pulleys start to fail right about 100k, so I pulled both of them last night...the idler was dry, but the bearing was still good, so I clean it and repacked it with fresh grease. The idler pulley bearing was dry and rough (you can feel it when you spin it by hand), so I cleaned it and repacked it as well to get me by for a week or so. Ordered two new idlers from Rock Auto, I will keep mine as spares once I swap them. I was hoping I could catch these before they got this far, oh well.

I ordered AC Delco plug wires, and I already have the plugs. I have always had this low rpm surge or stumble, which is more noticeable with warm weather and low octane gasoline. Someone said it was likely a miss and that the ECM wouldn't trigger a CEL unless it was bad. I'm going to swap plugs and wires a little early, but I'm hoping this helps the stumble.

Is there anything else I should be looking at while I'm in this deep?

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carkhz316 · June 13, 2016

I just got done with a 1700 mile road trip last month with practically the same truck. I didn't scrutinize the belt drive components as much, as it's quiet and the belt is in good shape (groove profile is good and no cracks). Aside from that, I greased where I could, checked all fluids, set tire pressures to spec, or what I felt was appropriate for a nearly unladen trip. Don't forget about the spare too! I have the rear seat storage box that I keep my cheapo portable tool kit in, jumper cables, winter survival/ first aid kit, and a blanket. I also have all my hitches, ratchet straps and a modest tow strap as well. I keep spare fuses and other knick-knacks in the glove box. Lastly, I have a spare ELM327/ OBD2 bluetooth adapter for plugging in the truck if need me. Fortunately, my trip was uneventful and I needed none of the above to help with anything. Hope this helps!

Edit. Just re-read your post and realized you were asking more regarding the PM side of things. The only other major 100k mile item I can think of besides plugs and wires is the transmission fluid change. Both items are spec'd for 100K service intervals, as per the owners manual.

sdeeter19555 · June 16, 2016

Thanks, yeah I'm looking at maintenance.

Of the 100k items, the only thing I haven't touched is the plugs and wires...trans fluid and filter was done before 50k and I have swapped out 5 quarts of fluid twice since then (vac it out through the dipstick).

I was looking at those maintenance things that aren't listed in the manual, like the idlers I found...not sure if there are other minor things to check.

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sdeeter19555 · June 18, 2016

Swapped plugs and wires this morning...what a difference! Now, I have had a low speed surging/lugging/chugging since this truck was new. Also had a whine in my radios. The only suggestion I got on the forums was to have the thing scanned for a low speed miss that wasn't triggering the CEL. I didn't see anything obvious (other than one plug that may have been leaking between the base and ceramic, may have just been dirt), but the whine and surging are gone and I have noticeably more low end pull than before (as in right above idle). Before, it took dropping a gear and higher rpm's to pull grades on the backroads around here...now it rolls up these same hills in the next higher gear.

I also encounter 3 plugs rusted into the head, and while most argue neversieze is a bad thing; I never had any problems using it on plugs before. Coated all the plugs before I ran them back in for the next guy.

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sdeeter19555 · December 15, 2016

Ok, back at it again...I'm at 95k miles.

I did the rear diff at 4k with Mobil 1 75w90 and again at 14k with Amsoil 75w140.

I did the front diff at 39k with some Schaeffers 75w140 I had.

I did the transfercase at 4k and again at 39k with Dex6.

I did the transmission at 39k (fluid and filter), 63k (fluid only), and 76k (fluid only).

I sucked out the PS reservoir about ten times over the past 95k...usually about half a quart of PS fluid.

Air filter and plugs and wires at 79k. Also did the belt idlers at that point. I think I replaced the belt too, but I didn't write that down.

I greased the front wheel bearings at 39k.

So what's to do for a 100k? I'm thinking coolant, grease the front wheel bearings again, both diffs, trans (fluid and filter), and transfercase? Pretty much every fluid on the truck should be done?

Anything else that I'm missing?

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sdeeter19555 · December 23, 2016

Transfercase at 95k, changed twice before...

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sdeeter19555 · December 23, 2016

Rear diff, last changed about 80k ago...Amsoil 75w140 Severe Gear. The only Amsoil in any vehicle I own because I got the 5-gallon pail for $50.

sdeeter19555 · December 23, 2016

So I had a productive day...

Changed oil and filter, greased all nine zerks. Vac'd out the PS reservoir.

Changed the transfercase, transmission, and rear differential. None of them looked bad, the rear drained out looking like the fresh fluid I was filing with...I almost kept it separate for some of my OPE.

I even got to rain-x the windows, wiped the door seals with a silicone (Tire Wet), unload the bed.

The trans went a lot better this time, I vac'd out the pan before I dropped it...left about half a quart in the pan. Made dropping the pan almost clean. Washed the pan and the gasket, wipe the surface of the trans, and bolted it back up...filled with AC Delco synthetic Dex VI, and done. Took a total of 30 minutes, that's a record for me. I highly recommend vacuuming out the fluid before dropping...I use a small $10 deal labeled "Briggs and Stratton" I bought off Amazon.com.

Keep in mind it was a nice day, but it was only in the low 30s and I was laying in my back in the driveway!

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