2007 GMC Yukon Denali 6.2L AWD Build

SickStroke6.0 · May 9, 2015

Hey guys. I'm new to the forum, but no stranger to the performance world. I've been driving high horsepower diesels for the past 5 years, and the diesel community has just gotten out of hand, so I'm bailing out. I have no use for one these days, anyways. Been looking at used Denalis with 80k-120k miles, under $25k. Looking to do a small build to give me the performance I need, without breaking the bank. I will be looking for the best "bang for the buck."

1. Cam. I am undecided here. I want an aggressive cam, but I'm not sure how it will hurt streetability. I've heard the 6.2L can get away with a more aggressive cam. I'm wanting as much power as possible, and I do love a great sounding lop. I'm also debating a VVT cam, or performing a VVT delete and selecting a normal cam. Higher stall is a possibility.

2. Tune. I am going with BlackBear Tuning. I feel like they are the best in the business, here.

3. Headers and Y Pipe. Thinking of going with Speed Engineering's long tube headers. If anyone else knows of any budget systems, please let me know. The factory exhaust will be retained, but I will be adding an electric exhaust cutout. I may add a Y-pipe as well, but I am unsure of the gains with it.

4. High Stall Converter and TM. Is an upgraded converter necessary? I've heard that these transmissions can be sketchy without Torque Management. I'm not sure that I even want to remove it. I want to be able to have fun with my vehicle. It will probably have a few track passed, after its finished. But for the most part, I am very easy on my vehicles. I looked at RevMatch's Stage 5 converter, which supposedly holds 1,500 HP. I've also heard that a properly matched cam and high stall converter can create massive gains, which is what I'm after. However, this will still be a daily driver, and I don't want to make it a pain to drive. I want a properly matched converter with an aggressive cam, to maximize my performance potential, without making it unstreetable.

5. Valve Springs. Are they necessary? What gains are to be had with them?

6. Intake and Throttle Body. I'll be going with the S&B intake and scoop, as they've always been above and beyond the competition, IMO. I have no clue about throttle bodies and spacers, so maybe someone can educate me.

7. E85. Can these motors run 100% E85? I have access to it, and I've used it in several of my past builds. If so, I'll be running it for all occasions. If not, please advise where I can find a conversion kit.

8. AFM. Do these motors have Active Fuel Management? I've heard 2 different answers. If so, can it be tuned out?

9. Exhaust. Is there any performance exhaust systems quieter than factory? If not, I'll just stick with factory and a cutout.

10. Any products I'm leaving out that are must-haves?

I am open to all suggestions and advise. I am very new to this side of the performance world, and I still have a lot of learning to do. That being said, I would really appreciate if someone could help and/or educate me more about this build. I really appreciate any help at all! Thank you in advance.