Almost got rid of my 2005 Denali XL

[hulk161]

So found out I was gonna have to drop 1000 for for ignition coils for the truck. Its up there in miles (159,000) but its still a horse of a truck. Ive spent money into it so was somewhat getting tired of it so was gonna trade it in.

Went to carmax they offered 4000 then to another dealer and they offered 2000.

Went online and saw my exact truck with same miles listed for 8000. Thought to myself screw them keeping the horse till it dies and still gonna keep it.

Dealers suck.

 

[Fosscore]

I think keeping it is a good call man. If all variables considered you still love the truck and she is treating you well. Big maintenance costs always try to steer you away from the real reason why you like the truck in the first place. For each of us that may differ. You will always get killed on the trade or anything dealer related. And then they will bend you over afterwards to mark it up to some stupid number to retail to the next guy, knowing all along that they stole it from you. If you love it and she is treating you well, get her back up and running, even though that $$ hurts. It's better than inheriting someone's else's problem of the unknown for that inflated retail price. Good luck.

 

[hulk161]

Thanks a lot man. I do love the thing no matter the cost. It has treated me really well. It had 46k when I got it.

At this point I kind of have a new outlook on it, Want to see how far it will take me.

Always appreciate all of you guys input throughout the years.

Thanks to all you guys

 

[Tonyrodz]

So found out I was gonna have to drop 1000 for for ignition coils for the truck. Its up there in miles (159,000) but its still a horse of a truck. Ive spent money into it so was somewhat getting tired of it so was gonna trade it in.

Went to carmax they offered 4000 then to another dealer and they offered 2000.

Went online and saw my exact truck with same miles listed for 8000. Thought to myself screw them keeping the horse till it dies and still gonna keep it.

Dealers suck.

Just to give you an idea of how bad the dealer was going to screw you:
I live in NJ and do work for dealers, one just bought an 04 Yukon XL loaded or close to it, with 108,000 miles, had the 5.3 , was wholesaled to him by another dealer for $4500. He's going to retail it for $12,000! Granted he'll probably be haggled down a little bit but he's a winner either way. If you ever decide to sell it, def try to sell it yourself.

 

[David Paul]

I hear yea too. My 04 Tahoe was getting a little tired at 160,000 miles. Priced new trucks and was like NFW. Decided to put what would have been about 6 months of payments for a new into the truck.
Now she's riding on new 20" wheels, dropped with a 2/3 kit, upgraded radio/sub Bluetooth, refreshed interior and front end along with NNBS brake upgrade, then added tint all around. Oh, and a BB tune.
She looks and rides like a new truck and I smile every time I get in her. I've recieved many compliments with some asking if I got a new truck. Best part: no new truck payments.
So now I'm like you, how far can she go......

 

[hulk161]

Funny thing is I took all my sounds out, radio, amp, and box.

Took rims off. I want the dub big ballers now anyway so no big deal bout the rims.

Gonna have to put all that crap back on this weekend.

It will be in the shop this weekend to fix the coils

Oh well

 

[Chip18]

Hmm OK I'm new on these trucks but an old hand at sourcing parts!

A grand for coil packs?? Strikes me as uh insane??

https://www.summitracing.com/search/brand/msd-ignition/make/gmc/engine-size/6-0l-364?page=2

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_...omotive&field-keywords=coil+pack+for++6.0+gmc

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_...5&rh=n:15684181,k:coil+pack+for++6.0+gmc+2005

Don't know ... but something at right with your prices??

 

[hulk161]

Guy charged me 330 to fix one coil. Told me it misfired 1100 times.

Im not a mechanic so I have no idea

 

[Rocket Man]

Yeah, it looks like you can buy all 8 for $160 and very easy to change them out. I've never done them but just looked at 1A Auto's YouTube video and it looks easier than changing spark plugs. Google " replace coil packs GM 5.3" Your 6.0 will be the same. Anybody can do this, don't pay that rip off shop.

 

[hulk161]

Wow. The sad part is hes a mechanic from a friend. He works on me, him and our bosses trucks.

Thats sad man. Cant trust anybody now days

 

[Chip18]

Guy charged me 330 to fix one coil. Told me it misfired 1100 times.

Im not a mechanic so I have no idea

OK ... that's a bit different! But that does not mean you have to get screwed to the wall. The internet is your friend.

Coil packs are on top of the engine ... they should not be a "difficult" remove and replace job?? But ... little things ... clips can get broke and bolts can be stripped!

A torque wrench is your friend! It would be "inch lbs for something like this and a "Manual" for specs or ... "ask" on here.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torque_wrench

So those would be minimum requirements for the "DIY" route. But ... ask around for a shop "I do know stuff" but time and place needed a motor (swap) in my little Tercel original was "finally blown." Shop said "no problem."

I'd have prefered to do it myself but ... no time. I met a "guy" and he seemed to know what he was doing?? He did not, 3 months and $2500 dollars later and "Tercel" was turned over and it ran "worse" than it did when it came in. He even jacked up the T-Belt job!!!! The fact that he would call and ask me questions about the swap, that I would answer ... should have been a clue??? In retrospect, I should have just had him bolt the motor in and had it flat bedded home.

A timing belt on a Toyota DOHC 5efe is as simply as it can get! He put it in wrong and that's what broke the motor, I was double checking everything he did and found it!!! Aww well turbo motor when I get back to it.

But ... later we asked questions, family, friends and found a real shop! And they give a "One Year" guarantee on there work and parts! The first shop I used .... yeah ... they had no guarantee.

Not saying you can do it yourself but at the bare minimum shop around and ask about a warranty.

 

[Chip18]

Yeah, it looks like you can buy all 8 for $160 and very easy to change them out. I've never done them but just looked at 1A Auto's YouTube video and it looks easier than changing spark plugs. Google " replace coil packs GM 5.3" Your 6.0 will be the same. Anybody can do this, don't pay that rip off shop.

LOL ... yeah ... I'll have to look there to see how to change the spark plugs myself!

I can "see" all of them but not really clear on how to lay hands/tools on them??

 

[Chip18]

Wow. The sad part is hes a mechanic from a friend. He works on me, him and our bosses trucks.

Thats sad man. Cant trust anybody now days

Ugh .... well so much for asking family and friends!

 

[adventurenali92]

So interestingly I pulled up to a clients work location to detail his new ford work truck this afternoon. The son in law saw my Denali and was like damn that's a nice truck. And then he proceeded to ask my right off the bat if I'd had any problems with the coil pack, cuz he dad just bought a 2003 with roughly 130k and it had a bad ignition coil pack. Weird that I'm reading through this thread tonight haha.

 

[Rocket Man]

LOL ... yeah ... I'll have to look there to see how to change the spark plugs myself!

I can "see" all of them but not really clear on how to lay hands/tools on them??

Look here. There's a thread on it.

 

[Rocket Man]

[QUOTE

Coil packs are on top of the engine ... they should not be a "difficult" remove and replace job?? But ... little things ... clips can get broke and bolts can be stripped!

A torque wrench is your friend! It would be "inch lbs for something like this and a "Manual" for specs or ... "ask" on here.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torque_wrench
[/QUOTE]

There's no need for a torque wrench! Like the video says, a 10 mm socket and extension. This repair is so easy , don't make it difficult!

 

[Chip18]

Look here. There's a thread on it.

OK I'll find it ... thanks.

 

[Chip18]

[QUOTE

Coil packs are on top of the engine ... they should not be a "difficult" remove and replace job?? But ... little things ... clips can get broke and bolts can be stripped!

A torque wrench is your friend! It would be "inch lbs for something like this and a "Manual" for specs or ... "ask" on here.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torque_wrench

There's no need for a torque wrench! Like the video says, a 10 mm socket and extension. This repair is so easy , don't make it difficult![/QUOTE] "I" get that but if you "assume" no mechanical aptitude??? How tight is tight enough??

Not tight enough, Coil Packs fall off, too tight and bolts "Snap" ... then the "New Skill Set" becomes ... "Bolt Extraction" and "Thread Repair."

An "inch lb" Torque wrench is cheap insurance.

 

[Rocket Man]

There's no need for a torque wrench! Like the video says, a 10 mm socket and extension. This repair is so easy , don't make it difficult!

"I" get that but if you "assume" no mechanical aptitude??? How tight is tight enough??

Not tight enough, Coil Packs fall off, too tight and bolts "Snap" ... then the "New Skill Set" becomes ... "Bolt Extraction" and "Thread Repair."

An "inch lb" Torque wrench is cheap insurance.[/QUOTE]
There is NO torque specs for those bolts,so exactly what spec are you going to torque those to? If you feel the need to start using a torque wrench to tighten down every bolt on your vehicle, you probably shouldn't be working on it. And definitely NOT advising others on how to work on theirs. Now, a Harley-Davidson, there's a machine that needs nearly every fastener torqued to specs due to the vibration, but there ARE specs listed in the service manual for those fasteners. If the specs aren't listed, you don't use a torque wrench. Period.

 

[Chip18]

"I" get that but if you "assume" no mechanical aptitude??? How tight is tight enough??

Not tight enough, Coil Packs fall off, too tight and bolts "Snap" ... then the "New Skill Set" becomes ... "Bolt Extraction" and "Thread Repair."

An "inch lb" Torque wrench is cheap insurance.

There is NO torque specs for those bolts,so exactly what spec are you going to torque those to? If you feel the need to start using a torque wrench to tighten down every bolt on your vehicle, you probably shouldn't be working on it. And definitely NOT advising others on how to work on theirs. Now, a Harley-Davidson, there's a machine that needs nearly every fastener torqued to specs due to the vibration, but there ARE specs listed in the service manual for those fasteners. If the specs aren't listed, you don't use a torque wrench. Period.[/QUOTE]Not about me. Like most that wrench on cars ... all the time I reserve my torque wrenches, for Head Gaskets, Timing Belts and Precision engine work. Should use them for suspension work ... but so far ... nothing's fell off.

The OP said I don't do car stuff, to me that says ... how tight is tight enough??? "Johnny Hamfist" would have no problem snapping off a bunch 10 mm bolts "those are the folks who should "Use a Torque Wrench" ... pretty much that simple.