2001 GMC Yukon XL (SLT) transmission

[Highbeam]

Thanks for this good information. If I understand it correctly the safest maintenance I can do is drop the pan and change the filter and however much fluid this changes out. If in fact there is a drain plug it seems like draining it 2 or 3 times would be a good idea.

I have noticed the last few months in the cold weather there is some tappet noise until it warms up. Does this indicate they should be adjusted, or maybe something worse?

That's not tappet noise, it's called Cold Start Knock, and is very common on the 6.0 vortec and less so on the 5.3 vortec in your yukon. It is normal and supposedly is no reason for concern. They say it is caused by the pistons rattling around in the cylinders and since these modern pistons have very short skirts, they rock around a good bit when cold.

A little extra time warming up makes me feel better about driving with that CSK.

You'll get about 5 quarts of the 18 quarts when you just dump the trans pan. Change the filter, and be ready to do some cursing when you need to remove the silly little seal that seals the filter neck into the transmission. It is sort of pressed in there and you need to pry it out. Drive the new seal in with a deep socket.

 

[Alan L.]

Update on the Yukon. Because NTB is 5 minutes from my office (easy to get someone to come get me and take me back) I took it there.

Wow, drives like new!

2 new Michelin LTX tires $450
4 new Monroe Reflex shocks installed $522
2 surpentine belts installed $215
Power Steering flush and "recondition" $115
Front end alignment $79 They said ball joints looked fine (hard to believe)
Air filter $24
Oil/filter change $19
Brake inspection - they say 7mm of pad left and no problems noted - hard to believe as there has been NO work on the brakes in the 155K miles
Maybe I'm leaving something out - total with tax about $1400.

Still plan to drain the trans, change out the distributor cap and wires, replace spark plugs (never been tuned up at all), flush injectors. And whatever is causing the check engine light to be on for the last 100K miles. But won't get any of this done til after we drive 9 hours to Kenner, LA next week. My wife had surgery with a specialist out there last month and this is a followup visit. Got on an airplane at DFW on Tuesday and it was not a fun experience. Some "fumes" or smoke in the cabin and they turned her around and set her down back at DFW. No thanks, we'll be driving......

One problem though, the factory radio will only get one channel. Fortunately its 103.3 ESPN FM although I can get a weak signal on some AM channels in Dallas. Seems like maybe an antenna problem but I can't figure out where it is or how to get to it. Figured maybe the cable got unplugged somehow.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

'99 Sub here and plenty of problems. I change oil and such regularly. When mine had about 120,000 I had to replace everything on the serpentine belt in about a 10K mile span. steering pump, AC, alternator, pulleys and tensioner. Front end components. Rear end had bearing failure. Front brake calipers. Did a fuel pump at 150K. Now at 155K and the tranny broke on me about 1/2 mile from house. (At the same time my Impala tranny was in the shop getting replaced?) What gives? Anyway, I bought a warranted junk yard tranny and did it myself for around $700 total.

I have so much invested in it, I can't afford to get rid of it. Besides, it ain't worth too much on the blue book.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

BTW, my subs tranny broke the "sun" ring or gear.

 

[carpenter383]

BTW, my subs tranny broke the "sun" ring or gear.

That would be the "sunshell" This is a typical problem on a 4l60e even though the 700r4 didn't have sunshell probs. GM must have went to a lower quality steel or something:confused2: A 700r4 sunshell will drop right in a 4l60e btw.
Either the splines strip where the sunshell meshes with the sungear or the sunshell just breaks at the splines, you loose 2nd 4th and reverse. There is a heavy duty replacment called "the beast" sunshell that won't break.
Every trans has it's "quirks" take the e40d eating converters and/or puking fluid out the front seal for example

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Yes, they do very little welding on it to join the ring to the gear. The high performance model has a full weld and machined down to a nice fillet. Much stronger than stock.

 

[deepNdirt]

Hello Alan L.,
My elderly mother has this same Tahoe with 5.3 engine 2wd. while visiting with her yesterday she ask that I look at her A/C and perhaps ad some freon because it was not cooling...... I checked all fuses and trouble shoot the system and did in fact fin the problem, But before I tell you what I found, I would like to ask you if you have ever had problems with you A/C compressor ?
Thanks

 

[bdeboer]

I had a solenoid go out under the dash on an '02 suburban causing the A/C to quit. The charge etc. was fine, had to take it two different places to find someone who understood the circuit.

 

[Alan L.]

No problems with the A/C at all. It is the SLT package with climate control for front and back, and works great.

We made a round trip drive to New Orleans (from north Texas) this week and the old Yukon drove like new. Very comfortable. Good thing the a/c was working, it was hot and VERY humid. The condensate looked like some kind of water leak.

 

[Soundguy]

i have a 2000 and have had a blower control go out before.. but otherwise the ac has been good. also has the front/rear CC.

soundguy