Best bang for the buck with a 6.0

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BigClay

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I have a 2004 Yukon XL Denali, and I am looking to get a few more horses out of it. What is the best bang for the buck perfromance upgrade? I am thinking a PCM tune might be the way to go. What do you guys think? Who would you recommend?
 

elcapitanmas

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Find a tuner near you, make friends, get a stock tune, make sure you get free retunes.....

intake
high flo cats
custom exhaust
vette servo

hp upgrades are minimal unless you spend the money
 

ATL

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cam
converter
tune


in that order
 

rich5368

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cam
converter
tune


in that order

That's not really an order. That's all one job. Please don't throw a cam at your engine without supporting mods. Before the cam I'd do converter, headers, exhaust, then cam. All that if you bargain shop used headers and such can be done for around $1500. Other options are of course toss a supercharger at it and let it eat.
 

ATL

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Please don't throw a cam at your engine without supporting mods.

elaborate please

Before the cam I'd do converter, headers, exhaust, then cam. All that if you bargain shop used headers and such can be done for around $1500. Other options are of course toss a supercharger at it and let it eat.


how is that considered bang for the buck when you listed just about every possible option?
 

ezdaar

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He means, lifters and prods, springs if needed. possibly Timing chain and oil pump.
Only thing really required is hardend pushrods. UNLESS lifters are tappin, then go with LS7 or aftermarket for better quality control.



Big clay, I can tell you from exp, considering I have a 04 6.0 Denali, that Efans, exhaust, a decent CAI and a PROPER Aggressive tune, will WAKE that 6.0 up Drastically!

I had my muffler cut out and swapped in 2 18" dynomax bullets and had a pipe made to go from 2nd bullet out the back parallel with the OEM pipe over the axle. DONOT Use Dynomax mufflers! at least not ANY type of glasspack on the 6.0!!! it sounds like GARBAGE!
WAY to loud, pops rasps. if exhaust can do something that ppl hate, this does it!

HEaders are going to be a few months out as Callspeed is making some for us 4x4/AWD guys that wont require a sledge hammer to install them. So for exhaust this what i reccomend for you as it will be compatible with future mods (headers).
post ip some WTB of thevarious truck sites, Get a 5.3 Stock Ypipe, it should bolt right up to you OEM manifolds. this will allow you to run the Ebay MBRP 3.5", 304 stainless catback from ebay, its 385$ shipped. You will not find a better Catback for the price anywhere, and Corsa is just a name!
d5cb1684.jpg

e25305d6.jpg


Once callspeed releases the new AWD headers, they will bolt right onto that catback, as you can see I have the 2wd set bolted on in that second pic. I am selling them due to fitment issues, which I knew I was going to have, just not how bad.

CAI, bud this is likepicking a muffler it comes down to user preference, they ALL give the same performance increase, some just dont heatsoak as bad as others. But look at it like this, that 70$ ebay CAI, with 70$ worth of mods, performs just as good as the 350$ Volant.
I'm sorry, I will mod my cheapie.
This is ceramic coated with 500* high temp header paint, then wrapped with DEI 2" header wrap. The boxis insulated with 1/2" thick insulation thats backed with thick foil. It is the insulation from the floor of my Old S10.
I can go out fora 30min drive, pop the hood and the outside of my tube andbox is smokin hot, but the inside is ICE! cold.
5765c24c.jpg


Efans, buy a set of used 05 Truck fans, they bolt in with minor mods, Or get the flexlite kit.
Either way, dont hook up the high speed tripper to the AC!!! Its loud as hell and you will constantly be turning AC off at drive throughs.
Instead get a 212 temp sensor or a adjustable set to 212 to trigger high speed.

A convertor? HELL YESS! Circle D 285mm 3200, will give you the biggest seat of the pants performance increase than all of the above + more! its 385 new..

Before you get a Tune, buy and install a Wideband O2 sensor, I run the AEM UEGO. Or your tuner is wasting your time.


More to come

Stay away from internal engine mods for now until you have done every external bolt on you can, then if you want more crck that baby open.
 
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ATL

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IMO, a $275 intake and $600 eaxhaust system are not going to be considered bang for the buck until other mods have been made. our trucks are designed very well and the simple bolt ons wont shine until the larger mods have been made and the engine is ready for more flow.

i dont know flow numbers on out trucks, but i know 5.0's like the back of my hand. for example, the intake manifolds flow around 140 cfm and the heads flow around 150 cfm. so regardless of what intake or exhaust you have, you are only going to flow as much as the bottle neck. now once you install some aftermarket aluminum heads, and they flow closer to 250 cfm; that increased intake and exhaust flow can truely be utilized.
 

ATL

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my crystal ball says about $6k deep for blower kit alone
 

JennaBear

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I have a 2004 Yukon XL Denali, and I am looking to get a few more horses out of it. What is the best bang for the buck perfromance upgrade? I am thinking a PCM tune might be the way to go. What do you guys think? Who would you recommend?

Your engine actually results in some pretty good gains, we typically see 25-30+ HP.
 
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BigClay

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I contacted Black Bear and I plan on doing the USB cable to computer route for the diagnostic, and getting a tune from that data. My Denali is stock right now, so what do I need to do before I start the tune process? Change the O2 sensor?

Also what is everyone's thoughts on the K&N FIPK? Worth the money? They claim ~15hp gain, so that plus a tune could net about 35hp gain for around $600.
 

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