Fresh meat.....

[Perrin]

Hey folks!!

So I just bought a 04 Yukon XL to go with my 04 YUkon Denali. I've spent the last couple of weeks lurking here and a couple other sites doing research, and am now ready to open the hood and start upgrading the 5.3L in the burb.

Thus far, I've gotten an AEM Brute force CAI, a brand new set of Dorman elect. fans and a 145A alternator. I'm in process of talking to Justin about the fan upgrade for my PCM and will be getting the harness and pulley when I get the PCM.

My questions are thus:
1)From what I've seen, a corvette servo isn't really needed if you get a good tune. is this right? Or am I reading wrong?

2) I'd like a decent exhaust system that will flow well, but not kill me during daily drives. Opinions?

3)What else can be done to improve Mileage and keep HP as high as possible taking into account the burb has 140k on it?

I'm sure I'll have more questions as I plow through all the great information in this and other sites, so let's just say this is a good starting point lol.

 

[andrew383]

Servo IMO is a worth while mod.
Exhaust-just pick a muffler you want and have it welded inplace of the stocker.The stock exhaust flows plenty.
Tune would be my next suggestion.Overall driveability is increased alot.

After that you may as well throw on a blower or swap a 6.0 in for the extr hp.

 

[Gzes]

i would def get the bb tune, and thats about it bro nothin really is gonna give u alot unless u drop in the 6.0 like above

 

[Perrin]

Thanks for the input folks

Bonus......I just saved $180 just by opening the hood.....Turns out I already have a 145A alternator lol. RPO KG3 FTW.......that's what I get for listening to the previous owner haha. So now all I need is the harness and a tune after installing the CAI and I'm good.

I'm really hoping to get this thing to where it is cost effective to drive it every day. The Denali only getting 14mpg was killing me. Normal everyday driving I'm already getting just a hair over 16 in the burb, and with these upgrades hopefully I'll get even better.

If all goes well with this, I'll be finding a shell to put the other 5.3 I have sitting in storage into a 67-87 Chevy swb. I saw on partsdirect a 5.3 crate putting out 330hp. That would be nice in a light truck of those year models.

 

[Perrin]

UPDATE.....

So I won't have time to get the fans and the tune done before we go on our 3k mile trip, but I did get the AEM intake installed this morning. It's quieter than I thought it would be after reading what y'all have been saying.

This will go in when we return......

I think I'll do the antenna relocate in the morning in case we need to hear local weather during the trip lol...

Also, has anyone tried to convert this set up to a complete box? I've got some satin finish .032 aluminum sitting against the wall and was thinking of making a cover for this thing to keep the IAT lower. Opinions?