Hey Y'all I just picked up an '03 Yukon Denali. I bought it in Burlington,Vermont but luckily its a California car that I saved from certain death by salt. It had 123k when I bought it and its got roughly 126k now. What kind of General Maintenance should I be doing? Tried to search but didn't have much luck. Any insight appreciated. Also any cool mods or tricks would be helpful. Thanks guys.
2003 Yukon General Maintenance
- Thread starter Wings720
- Start date
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SnowDrifter
Full Access Member
Get to a known starting point
Change all fluids
- Coolant
- oil
- trans fluid. Not a bad idea to drop the pan and change filter / clean magnets
- tcase fluid
- diff fluid (lubelocker gaskets are great)
- power steering fluid
- brake fluid
Inspect filters
- engine air filter
- cabin filter, if equipped
- Pop the heater core hoses out of the bracket, remove the bracket, then grab your engine oil fill riser and turn it counter clockwise. Peek inside the valve cover to see what, if any buildup/varnishing exists. Some varnish is fine - will look like a light brown coating. Anything chunky / thick / flaky looking - run short oil intervals until it cleans up. Don't bother with flush products. Just change it more often and let the oil do its thing.
- Take off belts, inspect idlers / pulleys / tensioners. Check water pump, alt, power steering pump.
- honestly wouldn't be a bad idea to just replace the fan clutch a part of the 'known good starting point'
- Verify a/c works or even better - take it to a shop for an evac/recharge so you know the fill is good
- change wipers. Or at least inspect them
- Make sure windshield washer fluid is windshield washer fluid and not water. That grows mold and makes the whole system gross
- Hook up a code reader, make sure nothing's pending. Check long term fuel trims. Anything deviating from +/- 10% is indicative of a vacuum leak. Usually on these rigs, it's intake gaskets
- Go through the underside of the vehicle and check for any fluid leaks. At a minimum, know what you need to keep topped up. Else find a path forward to fix it
- Make sure your defrost wires work. Rear window and both side mirrors
- Check all lights
- Check tire pressures
- Make sure your parking brake works. These rigs are notorious for de-laminating the parking brake shoes
General maintenance schedule.... At least the one I follow
- Oil change every 1-5k, depending on short trips / idle time. Somewhat arbitrary. I don't pay any attention to the built in monitor. Slap a code reader on there and see if anything's pending.
- Annually - change engine and cabin filters, brake fluid, p/s fluid, drain/fill trans pan, change my aftermarket inline trans filter and power steering filter. Rotate tires, manually verify 4wd/lo works. Check belts, check for fluid leaks, load test alternator and battery. You have a fan clutch on your rig - check this as well.
- Every 2 years - diff fluid, transfer case fluid, hook up pressure gauge to a/c ports and verify it's in spec
- Every 4 - change coolant (disconnect your lower radiator hose and heater core lines. Refill from the upper radiator hose)
Suggested addons:
- Trucool 40k transmission cooler
- PCV catch can - keeps the intake clean
- Reject oil-soaked (K&N) filters. Paper is desirable here
- I have a magnefine filter on both my power steering return line, and trans cooler line. It's installed on the hard line between radiator and external cooler. I heated up my intake and made a little divot so it clears and nothing rubs. Can post pics if needed.
For the varnish bit I mentioned above
Normal:
Change more often:
Drop your oil pan, valve covers, valley pan, clean up manually:
Change all fluids
- Coolant
- oil
- trans fluid. Not a bad idea to drop the pan and change filter / clean magnets
- tcase fluid
- diff fluid (lubelocker gaskets are great)
- power steering fluid
- brake fluid
Inspect filters
- engine air filter
- cabin filter, if equipped
- Pop the heater core hoses out of the bracket, remove the bracket, then grab your engine oil fill riser and turn it counter clockwise. Peek inside the valve cover to see what, if any buildup/varnishing exists. Some varnish is fine - will look like a light brown coating. Anything chunky / thick / flaky looking - run short oil intervals until it cleans up. Don't bother with flush products. Just change it more often and let the oil do its thing.
- Take off belts, inspect idlers / pulleys / tensioners. Check water pump, alt, power steering pump.
- honestly wouldn't be a bad idea to just replace the fan clutch a part of the 'known good starting point'
- Verify a/c works or even better - take it to a shop for an evac/recharge so you know the fill is good
- change wipers. Or at least inspect them
- Make sure windshield washer fluid is windshield washer fluid and not water. That grows mold and makes the whole system gross
- Hook up a code reader, make sure nothing's pending. Check long term fuel trims. Anything deviating from +/- 10% is indicative of a vacuum leak. Usually on these rigs, it's intake gaskets
- Go through the underside of the vehicle and check for any fluid leaks. At a minimum, know what you need to keep topped up. Else find a path forward to fix it
- Make sure your defrost wires work. Rear window and both side mirrors
- Check all lights
- Check tire pressures
- Make sure your parking brake works. These rigs are notorious for de-laminating the parking brake shoes
General maintenance schedule.... At least the one I follow
- Oil change every 1-5k, depending on short trips / idle time. Somewhat arbitrary. I don't pay any attention to the built in monitor. Slap a code reader on there and see if anything's pending.
- Annually - change engine and cabin filters, brake fluid, p/s fluid, drain/fill trans pan, change my aftermarket inline trans filter and power steering filter. Rotate tires, manually verify 4wd/lo works. Check belts, check for fluid leaks, load test alternator and battery. You have a fan clutch on your rig - check this as well.
- Every 2 years - diff fluid, transfer case fluid, hook up pressure gauge to a/c ports and verify it's in spec
- Every 4 - change coolant (disconnect your lower radiator hose and heater core lines. Refill from the upper radiator hose)
Suggested addons:
- Trucool 40k transmission cooler
- PCV catch can - keeps the intake clean
- Reject oil-soaked (K&N) filters. Paper is desirable here
- I have a magnefine filter on both my power steering return line, and trans cooler line. It's installed on the hard line between radiator and external cooler. I heated up my intake and made a little divot so it clears and nothing rubs. Can post pics if needed.
For the varnish bit I mentioned above
Normal:
Change more often:
Drop your oil pan, valve covers, valley pan, clean up manually:
adventurenali92
Full Access Member
Welcome! Nice looking truck! Love that color! Alsoy grandparents lived 20 minutes from Burlington. Know that whole area quite well!
ratled
Member
This is the list I'm working off for my new to me/100k service. Just hit 120,000. I am going through snow drifters list since he just posted it for you too (its should be a separate thread and pinned in the engine section!)
Intake and cabin air filters DONE
New Cooper AT3S tires DONE
Front diff fluid change DONE
Rear diff fluid change DONE
Transfer case fluid change DONE
New Spark Plugs & wires DONE
New Front bump stops DONE
MAF & Throttle body clean DONE
Power Steering fluid flush DONE
Radiator system flush & clean DONE
New water pump DONE
New AC belt DONE
New Serpentine belt DONE
New Transmission filter
L/O/F & oil pan gasket
Intake and cabin air filters DONE
New Cooper AT3S tires DONE
Front diff fluid change DONE
Rear diff fluid change DONE
Transfer case fluid change DONE
New Spark Plugs & wires DONE
New Front bump stops DONE
MAF & Throttle body clean DONE
Power Steering fluid flush DONE
Radiator system flush & clean DONE
New water pump DONE
New AC belt DONE
New Serpentine belt DONE
New Transmission filter
L/O/F & oil pan gasket
Its nice up there. I get up that way a few times a year for skiing but mostly stick to Southern VT. I wanted a black one originally but my winter beater at the time ('99XJ) ate a heater core and has needed a rear main seal since summer. I had an '05 4runner but I gave that to my mom to drive. The color is growing on me though. Unsure if I should get black, chrome or leave no badges.
Awesome. The only "issue" I've noticed so far is my hydro boost weeping a bit. Definitely want to get started on this though as I'll have to start working for real again come mid April. Been really enjoying the 40hr weeks.
Did you buy most of this at a local parts store or source online?
The only things I've done so far are;
-BOSS 10ACP touch screen w/carplay
-Oil Change
-Coolant drain and replace
-Inspect brakes
-New Rims and Tires (3 of the old rims leaked air and tires were at 30%...Got a set of 20" AT4's w/goodyear wrangles for 1k I think that was a steal.
-BOSS 10ACP touch screen w/carplay
-Oil Change
-Coolant drain and replace
-Inspect brakes
-New Rims and Tires (3 of the old rims leaked air and tires were at 30%...Got a set of 20" AT4's w/goodyear wrangles for 1k I think that was a steal.
Which Catch Can would you recommend and what intake?
SnowDrifter
Full Access Member
Catch can - aluminum, screw together, with bottom drain. There's a thread here about it that covers it pretty well. Mount it somewhere cool in the engine bay, but not cold. Too cold, and all you'll catch is water. I have mine mounted on the cowl by the brake booster
Intake - OE with normal filters. "cold air intakes" are generally doodoo unless you have a very specific application. Generally - they cause turbulent air and spit oil into the MAF, which makes them worse in that regard. They also tend to let in more dirt, which can be seen in oil analysis as an increase in silicon + increase in wear. I actually discovered this one on my previous vehicle. fun times.
Fun fact: OEM air filters are cold intake. They pull air from the fender.
Intake - OE with normal filters. "cold air intakes" are generally doodoo unless you have a very specific application. Generally - they cause turbulent air and spit oil into the MAF, which makes them worse in that regard. They also tend to let in more dirt, which can be seen in oil analysis as an increase in silicon + increase in wear. I actually discovered this one on my previous vehicle. fun times.
Fun fact: OEM air filters are cold intake. They pull air from the fender.
Pull a spark plug or two and make sure they were replaced not long ago.
cheers thanks for the intel
ratled
Member
A little of both. Amazon had some good deals like AC Delco plugs and wires, Summit Racing had the best price(and in stock) the AC Delco water pump..... and there is one in town........ fluids and other parts local chain auto store
ratled
Member
Not to high jack the thread (but it is related) SD do you have a PCV can you like?
Thanks!
ratled
adventurenali92
Full Access Member
Grandparents lived in Waterbury up until a year and a half ago. My Stowe is such a beautiful resort!
Also the hydro boost unit is a common issue. It’s the seal in between the hydro boost unit and the master calendar that goes bad and fluid leaks out. I replaced both at once and that cured my leak there.
SnowDrifter
Full Access Member
This is the one I have
Billet Oil Catch Can UPR (fits 97-13 Chevrolet Silverado Tahoe)
Brand New UPR Billet Catch Can Kit for your 1997-2013 Chevrolet Silverado or Tahoe with 4.8L, 5.3L, 6.0 or 6.2L Engine. This kit features an engine mount for vehicles with dual batteries or just looking to keep it close to the engine
www.uprproducts.com
bayareadude84
Full Access Member
VERYYYYYYYYYYYYY GOOD LIST !!!!!!!!! I'm printing this out to remind myself when I pick up these rigs and the cop cars I flip
Another recommendation that I do with all my "new" fresh purchase vehicles in my fleet is a good oil flush treatment. Refill with new oil, drive for 500-1000 miles to "flush out" it out and then dropping the oil pan to clean out all the gunk and crap !! And while your at it a new oil pan gasket and o-ring oil pump for the pick up tube that ALWAYS fails and kills your oil PSI and can seriously mess up your engine !!
Napa auto has Berryman's oil change for under $6 !! Its no BG44K but its very good quality product !!
And another VERY VERY important part that pretty much pays for itself is a new fuel filter !!
Dave
So today I did
-Wipers
-Oil change
-both diffs and t-case new fluids
-topped off coolant and power steering.
-removed a bunch of old brake fluid via turkey baster and added new.
I noticed a small coolant leak from one of the hard lines near the firewall. Running down the tranny dipstick. Anyone else have this issue?
Going to hit the frame with some rustolem or por15 in a few weeks once I get the shop cleaned up. Picked up a bunch of parts washers. Trying to get those sold/shipped this week.
-Wipers
-Oil change
-both diffs and t-case new fluids
-topped off coolant and power steering.
-removed a bunch of old brake fluid via turkey baster and added new.
I noticed a small coolant leak from one of the hard lines near the firewall. Running down the tranny dipstick. Anyone else have this issue?
Going to hit the frame with some rustolem or por15 in a few weeks once I get the shop cleaned up. Picked up a bunch of parts washers. Trying to get those sold/shipped this week.
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