Barnyard Garage

Wanted to post this turd as it progresses further along. I have been using my Escalade for a ton of R&D over the years to see what fails, what doesn't, what works, what doesn't.

Picked this up at the end of 2021 with 185k miles if I remember right. It had already had the dod lifters replaced with factory new replacements and a new factory cam. At 188k, they failed 😂

Swapped in a texas speed stage 1 ls3 cam. Stock converter still, as I figured once the 6l80 failed I would go ahead and replace that and the leaky rear main seal.

Around 210k I was towing my monte to Arizona for an event. Someone really didn't want to let me around them and I gave her the beans. Jokes on me because a few hours into a 24 hour drive my converter started slipping HARD.

Pulled into a rest stop, maxed out line pressure to the converter, moved up shifts a bit further, and locked it out of 6th in tow haul. Made it to Arizona and back without issue.

Swapped the fluid out when I got back with some of the BG stuff they recommend for the 6 speeds, and since have pulled my car on a trailer to Tennessee and towed my big boat of a wagon back from the coast of north carolina. I typically am not a slow driver, and this vehicle has once or twice seen 240 degrees engine and trans temps in some of the mountain passes while towing.

So far the only annoying failure it has was the rocker arms. The needle bearings gave up after roughly 30k miles with dual springs and the cam. Only on the intake rockers, the exhaust rockers that aren't offset held up fine. Replaced a few and installed the summit rocker trunnion bearings and so far so good.

Since then it has seen a lot of 4wd low time at Moab, multiple trails in Colorado, and more time under the sawzall. Most of these places an escalade should have never gone, but it has driven to them, and driven home. I am impressed by the factory features on here as well being a 2012 for offroading I did not expect. If I am on an incline and let off the brake, it will apply them for me to keep the vehicle from rolling back. The factory traction control works fantastic while going over rocks as well. First sign of spin on any tire and the brake lightly applies the spinning side, and the other side grabs and pops me over.

Currently at 260k about. At some point I swapped in 4.10 gears, a manual transfercase from a 2002 ish 2500, front shocks from a 1500 pickup, levelling blocks, and rear springs from a z71 suburban. Tires are a 315/70/17 wildpeak.
After all of this, my MPG has gone from about 17mpg cruise set at 70 on long trips stock, to 13mpg.

Still have the factory cats/ y pipe. I camp in this thing regularly and enjoy not smelling like exhaust, so they will stay even though I know long tubes would benefit me.

I found that a 0w30 oil in the winter is the sweet spot. It doesn't spike oil pressure when cold and holds up perfect once it warms up. 5w30 or 10w30 in the summer.

Next plans will be a better radiator and a bigger trans/ oil cooler set up. I also have a 14 bolt rear end from a rwd escalade I would like to swap in. So far I have managed to ruin not one, but 2, high mile g80 differentials. Big surprise.

This car came in for a tune and torque tube bearings because of some noise at idle with the clutch not depressed. It already had billet couplers added and a twin disk clutch, so it will be louder than stock, but the bearings really cleaned it up.
The car has a very mild cam from what we can tell, so sounds great and makes a ton of torque.