5.3 Vs 6.0...

[Rollin Thunder]

Hi gmt 800 crew. Im got an intresting offer for my jeep (about 150 below what i paid for it) and im most likely gunna take it. Now looking online at craigs list im thinking about a Sierra or yukon denali. Now im also thinking about a sierra duramax, but what i wanna know , Is there enough of a difference in the engines (SLT 5.3 yukon, to a Denali 6.0 yukon, in the sierra denali its 295 or 345, yukon 295 to 335) But torque is not much different, am i gunna notice it??

This will be my work a haulic truck. Its gunna tow my boat, and go in sand. Can a yukon or sierra with AWD handle it, nothing too extreme, just some packed sand that a honda could go on, but where the house is it can get kinda mushy. I saw a gmt 900 yukon denali at the house next door. But it may be different.

So how does the AWD in a denali work, is it a 60 rear 40 front, or is it variable. A split with the same amount of power at all wheels is what i need.

But my main concern is about the power difference.


So basic recap. Do you guys notice a difference between a 5.3 liter yukon or a 6.0 yukon???

as always, thanks a bunch, you guys ROCK!!!

 

[jgm74]

I have the 6.0 and mine is rated at 335 HP and 375 TQ. I have driven a bunch of 5.3's and to tell you the truth, the two do not seem too much different to me. As far as the all wheel drive, I don't really know how they split it but in the rain it will not spin no matter how fast I take off, and it takes most other cars off the line.

 

[Rollin Thunder]

I have the 6.0 and mine is rated at 335 HP and 375 TQ. I have driven a bunch of 5.3's and to tell you the truth, the two do not seem too much different to me. As far as the all wheel drive, I don't really know how they split it but in the rain it will not spin no matter how fast I take off, and it takes most other cars off the line.

is the trannny the same 460LE or is it different for the AWD denali??

 

[boostaholic]

Huge difference especially after a tune. Not only does the sierra and yukon denali have the 6.0 (LQ4 has 9.4:1 LQ9 has 10:1 hence the premium fuel requirement) but they also used the best tcase gm ever put in a 1/2 ton (nvg-149) which is a continuously variable awd system unlike the 03+ which use abs tone ring input to vary torque bias. I'd go with an 02 yukon denali or an 02 sierra denali with quadrasteer if you're cool with the 6.0 otherwise I'd get a diesel but if you don't tow much either denali will be fine. They also came with a stronger 5 pinion planetary but most 4L65Es aren't uber strong for lots of towing, the denalis hold up much better then a standard 4L60E tho. 3.73s are good for towing tho, gas 6.0 will pull great all day I'd get a good tune and you'll be fine. I love my 02 and they're going for cheap now.

 

[Rollin Thunder]

Huge difference especially after a tune. Not only does the sierra and yukon denali have the 6.0 (LQ4 has 9.4:1 LQ9 has 10:1 hence the premium fuel requirement) but they also used the best tcase gm ever put in a 1/2 ton (nvg-149) which is a continuously variable awd system unlike the 03+ which use abs tone ring input to vary torque bias. I'd go with an 02 yukon denali or an 02 sierra denali with quadrasteer if you're cool with the 6.0 otherwise I'd get a diesel but if you don't tow much either denali will be fine. They also came with a stronger 5 pinion planetary but most 4L65Es aren't uber strong for lots of towing, the denalis hold up much better then a standard 4L60E tho. 3.73s are good for towing tho, gas 6.0 will pull great all day I'd get a good tune and you'll be fine. I love my 02 and they're going for cheap now.

I tow a good bit, not super heavy, but Like 4 times daily I tow a 4500k cargo trailer (loaded) to work sites, But that load can vary depending on if im bringin landscapeing, or interior stuff, rugs, wood floors, tiles, counters, cabnets etc, or trees, back hoes etc.

But i wanna know that a denali can handle that, my yukon did, but i blew the tranny at 45k miles But that may have been my fault when my tranny cooler gave out at 35k miles and i never took it in before the warrenty expired. STUPID ME!!!


But i wanna be sure it can tow my 5000k boat weekly, in the summer and when ever the weather is nice in the winter. If a denali can do that, then IM hunting tommarrow, if it cant then i will start hunting for a duramax, get one of those tunes that gives me gobs of power and just beat the heck out of it!!!!!

I would love to not use my new yukon for the dirty work as i dont wanna break it.

 

[boostaholic]

Will tow 5k no problem. The awd works like a champ on sand too.

 

[Rollin Thunder]

Will tow 5k no problem. The awd works like a champ on sand too.

AWSOME, thanks a bunch. One more question, the tune your talking about, do you mean a custom tune, or just one of those computer tunes i do my self??


Looks like RT may be a bi gm SUV dude again!!!

 

[MadMedwyn]

He's probably talking about a custom tune like Black Bear.

My brief experience with towing was pretty good with the 5.3L here. My only two mods are the intake and exhaust but I doubt that really makes a difference. I towed our BMW 540i on our big double-axle trailer which added up to about 6k pounds. With the tow package and aftermarket trailer-braking system, it felt like we were towing nothing sometimes. No complaints at all.

No matter what you get, I'd change the fluids and filter right before you start towing. Oh and for reference, I was towing around South Carolina and Georgia so the 5.3L was getting dense air.

 

[Tool]

I have the 6.0 and mine is rated at 335 HP and 375 TQ. I have driven a bunch of 5.3's and to tell you the truth, the two do not seem too much different to me. As far as the all wheel drive, I don't really know how they split it but in the rain it will not spin no matter how fast I take off, and it takes most other cars off the line.

yes, i put a supercharger on my 5.3 and smoked a 6.0 and i get better gas milage with the 5.3

 

[Rollin Thunder]

yes, i put a supercharger on my 5.3 and smoked a 6.0 and i get better gas milage with the 5.3

Thats all well and good, and more power to ya, but I dont wanna put 7k in to makeing a 5.3 more powerful when I can just find a bigger engine. Plus MPGs are the least of my worrys, I have a corvette that gets 11 mpg. my yukon gets 14 mpg. :smilielol:

 

[jgm74]

I would imagine if any of us truly cared alot about MPG's, we would not be driving trucks like these.

 

[Rivieraracing]

My yukon xl denali does great on the sand, even pulls my 23 foot toy hauler out there fine as well. I love the all wheel drive on snow and just about any place, stock ground clearance is a little low for my taste for off roading and duning. People are always suprised to see a denali on 22's rallying up a sand dune though!!

 

[tybardy]

i have the 5.3, girlfriend had the 6.0 and i was ALWAYS jealous... you will notice a difference, that 6.0 is a beautiful motor! never leaves you wanting.

 

[Rollin Thunder]

GREAT news guys, thanks for all the info, now if the damn market would pick up abit and i sold my jeep i would go find one, i have been hunting and sorts, but i dont wanna drop dime on one and then have my jeep sit for 8 months :rolleyes2:

test drove an 06 sierra denali with a vortec MAX and man did that thing fly, and of course a black bear tune would be in order too, I cant amagin what It would be like after. Man i cant wait:lol: Speed scares me but i love it. funny actully. I scare the $hit out of my self when floor it to get a round a guy and im doing 95, then i get that rush and im like O YEA!!! :lol: