New to me 2018 Yukon XL with 85k miles

[texasyukonfl]

Hey all,

Purchased a 2018 Yukon XL SLT this past weekend. Great price.
RWD
Gas V8 5.3L ECOTEC3 with AFM

New to these vehicles other than a 2018 Suburban my mom drives that i have worked on a little bit. Looking for best practices with the new vehicle.

Anything would help, main focus areas are:
What can i absolutely not do myself (not a trained mechanic but not bad with cars)?
Service intervals and best maintenance plan.
Known issues/resolutions
Best preventive maintenance
is the service manual worth it?

Posted in performance erroneously.

 

[Joseph Garcia]

Welcome to the Forum from NH.

Lots of knowledgeable folks here who freely share their knowledge, experiences, and perspectives. Knowledge is power.

I hope that you will become a participating member in the Forum's discussions.

Pics of the truck, please.

I'd suggest first reviewing the threads in your sub-forum on this Forum for your model generation truck to see what topics are covered that you are interested in.

One item off the top is that you should consider de-activating the Automatic Fuel Management (AFM) process, as it is known to reduce engine life for a minimal savings in fuel consumption.

Another item is to acquire a quality bi-directional scanner, if you do not already have one. I recommend that you get yourself a quality bi-directional scanner to add to your tool box. Then, you will be able to read ALL trouble codes, along with a brief explanation/pointer to the source of your issue. You can test many of the truck's electronic functions with the scanner, in order to determine the source of an issue. You will also be able to reset/delete trouble codes, after taking corrective action. You will literally save thousands of dollars in diagnostic and repair costs over the life of your truck, and you will most likely recoup the cost of the scanner within 1 year. Autel makes a line of quality bi-directional scanners, and plan on spending ~$500 to purchase one.

 

[texasyukonfl]

Ah yes. Have been seeing the AFM stuff frequently on here. Appreciate the scanner advice, I have a cheap OBDII one but i believe you are talking about investing in a more capable one. Will do.

On the AFM front. Removal or temporary remedy? Not enthused about spending a bunch of money on a full delete kit but if it really is the best option and the alternative is not effective then I am willing to execute.

Other modifications that make life easier, help with reliability, or are cost effective?

 

[Joseph Garcia]

Ah yes. Have been seeing the AFM stuff frequently on here. Appreciate the scanner advice, I have a cheap OBDII one but i believe you are talking about investing in a more capable one. Will do.

On the AFM front. Removal or temporary remedy? Not enthused about spending a bunch of money on a full delete kit but if it really is the best option and the alternative is not effective then I am willing to execute.

Other modifications that make life easier, help with reliability, or are cost effective?

Regarding AFM, you can get the inexpensive OBDII dongle and disable the AFM, and not spend the extra (lot) money to remove the mechanical pieces.

An oil catch can is a good investment, which will eliminate most of the recycled oil (PCV) from forming deposits on the back of the intake valves.

 

[swathdiver]

Congrats on the new ride! Run it on the severe service schedule. You can change all the fluids yourself and save a bundle. Don't forget to change the engine air filter and cabin filter.

6-speed transmission? If so, change the thermostat on the side of the transmission housing. Either "flip the pill" or get the new lower temperature unit. The high heat kills the transmission after about 100K miles.

 

[texasyukonfl]

Swathdiver, what are your thoughts on the STL010. Read about it in a Silverado forum about the 5.3. WOuld that work in this case?

 

[texasyukonfl]

As an update, I installed the new STL010 SureCool temperature unit. Significantly decreased the temp in my transmission and a very easy install. $77 total after breaking a bolt