Swapped rigs! 2002 Yukon XL 8.1

[Oobray]

Well, I was having a difficult time keeping the dodge running. The cummins is great, but everything else dodge put around it was horrible. I was able to sell it for almost what I paid plus spent in parts in the last year. Then, I found this beauty. 2002 Yukon XL, 4x4, 8.1L. I had an 04 Burb with 8.1 for work an it was awesome. Although I wasn't paying the gas. Picked this one up for $6,500 with 186k miles. Interior is in decent shape. Carpet is worn but seats are all leather an decent. Everything on truck works an the previous owner just installed a set of 265/70/16 Cooper STT muds on there. This thing has easily as much power as my cummins did unloaded. It's really fun to drive (long as you don't watch the fuel gauge)
My only compliant is that it's got a really loud muffler. I couldn't drive at 70. Not too bad at 65, so maybe that's good.
I want the rig mostly for pulling a 4-6k lb travel trailer that I haven't purchased yet and for traveling the state deer hunting. With the M/Ts it's already more than capable for the off roading I need to do. All steering components (minus steering shaft and gear) were replaced with stock parts within last 10k and it seems to steer pretty well.

What suggestions for reliability and MPG improvements?

 

[82fb]

I have had mine for a little over a year and love it. I have changed the starter because of heatsoak causing a no start after a long drive and a short off interval(like getting gas). Also changed the crank position sensor which was a royal pain in the rear. CPS caused at least one on road shutdown, which was not cool. Also idled not so good. Runs great now.

Mileage is 8 towing 22 ft travel trailer, 11 highway, 10 city. Mine has the 4.10 gears, and some with the 3.73 gears are reporting better highway mileage.

 

[Boost Creep]

I have had mine for a little over a year and love it. I have changed the starter because of heatsoak causing a no start after a long drive and a short off interval(like getting gas).

hate to get off subject on this guys thread but did a new starter help fix that? and would it be a similar issue with a 5.3? mines been doing that on the hotter days too. it starts but sometimes needs a few extra cranks than normal

 

[Oobray]

Not hijacking, that's what I was hoping to get. Talk about keeping these babies running.

82, how hard we're those replacements? Temp yesterday was 98F an I drove 1.5hrs, stopped about 30 min then started right up. Drive 20 mi to eat, then started right up again. Doesn't seem like I have that problem yet.

Where's the CPS?

Not sure what gears I have yet. With 265's I was running about 2,100 at 70mph.

 

[82fb]

Yes, I have had no issues since the starter change and the cps change. Starter is two bolts, and two wires. Takes 20 minutes if you stop for a rest break!

The CPS is located behind the drivers side cylinder head, up against the firewall. It is about 8 inches long, 3/4 inch diameter, with a electrical connector at the end. It fits into a hole in the block and is fastened there by a 10mm bolt. The part costs about $70, and I hear that the dealer charges $200ish to replace it. I am reasonably mechanical(rebuild transfer cases, swapped 98 4.3 v6 into 82 Toyota, do all my own work), but because of the clearance issue it took several hours just to get the sensor out. Now that I have done it once, I am sure the next time would goo faster.

I think you have 3.73 gears. Mine runs 2500 at 75mph, and about 2300 at 70.

There is a common problem with the tow/haul wire breaking in the steering column. Was easy to fix with an extra couple inches of wire and two connectors. And finally, this era suburbans has a crappy transfer case design that utilizes clutches to transmit power to the front driveshaft. If mine burns up, will think about swapping in a different tcase.

 

[Oobray]

82,

Thanks for all that info. Is there a forum that is good for in depth maintainence. I know this forum is more the camping aspect of stuff and didnt want to "bog" it down.

The tranny is the 4L80E right? What's the transfer case? How do you know when it's going bad and what are the best bolt on replacements?

 

[82fb]

Hmmm. There are several forums that have good repair discussions. If you have a problem with your transfer case, describe the problem to mr google and read the first 5 links. You are never the first one to have the problem!

The transfer case is the gearbox that bolts to the rear of the transmission. Its job is to split the power between the front and rear axles when you shift from 2wd into 4wd. Symptoms of bad transfer case could include vibration, burnt smell, lack of 4wd engagement.

There are no "bolt on" replacements for the 246 transfer case. The chevy np 241 will bolt up to the transmission. However, you will have to install the floor shifter, and possible use a different crossmember. Also, your service 4wd light will come on unless you add in some resisters to fool the computer into thinking the transfer case is still there.

This is not something I would do as preventative maintenance unless I was planning on driving to south America.

 

[Oobray]

Funny we're having this discussion because the t case actuator motor went out today making it stuck in 4wd. Had it less than 24hrs an I already replaced the drivers power windo switch an going to replace an actuator motor. Hope this isn't a sign. I don't need hardcore off road capability so I'll stick with stock t case. I've only ever had manual t cases so this is a little frustrating.

 

[82fb]

I don't want to cause offense, but as I do not know your four wheel drive background, this may seem elementary! Have you driven back and forth on gravel or dirt a bit to let the driveline bind loosen up?

By the way... fixing a few things on a new to you truck doesn't mean its a bad truck. Just means the previous owner didn't know how to fix anything. You may run into other issues too, such as non functioning cluster gauge. Ship it off to one of several people who will replace the stepper motors in the cluster for about $100. You may find some weird electrical things happening occasionally, which me be traced to a corroded ground wire. The ABS light and Brake light may come on together sometimes. The fix is to take the ABS computer apart and re-solder a few pins. Or replace the computer at a much higher cost. Or ignore, as it just means ABS wont work. I hate ABS anyway.

At least we know about the common issues, and they are relatively minor.

 

[Oobray]

Definitely no offense. I certainly haven't built any rock crawlers in my backyard but I've accomplished some pretty in depth repairs on my vehicles as I've always bought old. I expected to have repairs on the new rig. I'm just a little frustrated cause my cummins was non stop breakage and I was hoping it would be atleast a month or so before this one broke.

I had to back up my driveway which is about 40yds long an it didn't help. I can hear the motor attempting to engage but just can't do it. I talked to the precious owner (good guy and still answers questions after the sale) and he said its been tricky for a while but always went back. Guess it finally let go.

I don't dread mechanical breakdowns but electric gremlins like you describe certainly worry me. Hopefully wont happen for a while. Thanks for all the help.

 

[98dango]

My 05 Tahoe has had a slew of transfer case problems. I can swap shift motors in about 10 minutes now. I love the truck and most of its life I have lived with a service 4wd light. It had dropped in to 4 low on my wife 2 times been stuck in 4wd so many times I just don't keep track.

This is my wife's DD I only get it when broken or she wants to piss off the people she works with. 96% of the time when I can hear the shift motor trying to work. I pull the shift motor off take it apart clean the little wheel inside reassemble and go on with life for 6 months.

 

[Oobray]

Interesting. Well I already ordered the new motor so I guess when I pull the old one ill clean it up and keep as a spare. Glad to know it can be a pretty quick job. If you can clean it, what is making it get so dirty?

 

[98dango]

In my case its always this soft loamy silt we get in the fields of Montana.

 

[1meanz]

why manufacturers can't stick with a simple manual method of 4wd engagement I'll never know. If it's not the actuator in the t-case it's the actuator in the front diff. If it's not those it's the TCC module, or the dash buttons, and the list goes on and on..... I swapped an NP241 transfer case (manual engagement) and a posi-loc cable (to manually engage the front diff) in my Tahoe and haven't missed the stock push button crap one bit.

My NP241 fit right where my NP246 did. All I added was a hole for the shifter.

 

[Larry]

why manufacturers can't stick with a simple manual method of 4wd engagement I'll never know. If it's not the actuator in the t-case it's the actuator in the front diff. If it's not those it's the TCC module, or the dash buttons, and the list goes on and on..... I swapped an NP241 transfer case (manual engagement) and a posi-loc cable (to manually engage the front diff) in my Tahoe and haven't missed the stock push button crap one bit.

My NP241 fit right where my NP246 did. All I added was a hole for the shifter.

Exactly! That is the only surefire way to fix the electric shift garbage for good. This electric shift idiocy came about when manufacturers started building trucks for people that should be driving cars. Just think, the new RAM 1500’s with the 8 speed transmission use the same method to shift the transmission (electric dash switch, shift module and encoder motor) now. That is going to be a major issue for RAM owners down the road when they can’t get their trucks out of Park or any other gear. For some new RAM owners it has already been a problem. Not a single manufacturer can make an electric shift tcase to operate reliably and now we are supposed to accept electric shift transmissions? NO! LOL I special ordered my HD back in 2001 with a manual trans and manual shift transfercase for these exact reasons.

Our 2002 Tahoe Z71 was plagued with "Service Transfercase" lights and shifting issues from the day we brought it home off the lot brand new. We ditched that Hoe and got another new one in 2004. Surprisingly, the 2004 Tahoe Z71 we replaced it with was pretty good but it was a urbancruiser where 4x4 was only used a couple times in the 8 years we owned it.