My daugther in law has a 95 GMC suburbun 5.7l engineEvery week is another problem with this truck.This weeks story begins with a new intake manifold gasket she wanted to save some money and her boyfriend said let the school were he is going to do it.(automotive repair trade school).Long story short gasket was replaced but one of the students dropped something down one of the intake ports on the head and said nothing.Problem was noticed on start up and heads Or head had to come off.Now truck has a misfire.Just for my info when heads are replaced dont you have to adjust valves?I am thinking maybe damaged valve or not adjusted correctly.They say it needs new plug wires and plugs but they have just been replaced a few thousand miles ago.

 

Head was removed and a small ball bearing had beat the tar out of the top of the piston they burnished the piston and called it good.Cyl wall was ok.I wonder if there will be any long term effects from piston damage.

 

How big was the ball? Could it have bent a valve? Compression check ...

 

The ball was less then the lift you get on a stock valve a little less the .5 inch.They put on new wires and plugs and the miss went away.I was thinking the same thing if it got stuck between the seat and the valve some big problems would happen.But as it turns out only piston damage to the top was done.
She said they had to pry the ball out of the piston .Anyway this week her tranny is messed up and she has no overdrive like I said this is a real beast of burden and a money pit.
I predict in the near future her heater core will fail because when we replaced the water pump the inlet hose looked like a clogged artery this Suburbun is running on borrowed time but she refuses to get rid of it.And to boot she drives about 250 miles a day for her work at 3 dollars a gallon for gas I can see why she says she is broke.

 

She has problems beyond the ones that are technical in nature. I understand everyone's willingness to help, but if she can't afford repair, can't afford a new car, and can't afford the gas money to get to work, she simply can't afford to drive. She's depending too much from others.

250 miles to work!!!... with a Suburban!!!! She has got to either get a new job or move closer to work, regardless of what she drives. This is rediculous.

 

Kestas,You are so right about other problems this truck of hers is one of the biggest but not the only.Heck if she got rid of that beast and bought a brand new KIA for 7000 with the 10 year 100 thousand mile warranty her payments and gas would still be less that for keeping a that beast of a SUV.
I am not a KIA fan but at least it would be new.
250 miles is driven from one city to the next because she sells and works on commision she drives all over the Dallas/ Fort Worth metroplex to get clients.