GMC Yukon (2000-2023) firing order — what is it?
Enhancing your GMC Yukon with the precise firing order for peak engine performance.
Back in the late 1990s, GMC rebadged its full-size SUV and the Yukon was born. Now in its fifth generation, the Yukon is still available with a wide range of engine models used throughout the years. So, we’ve figured you may need a guide on the GMC Yukon (2000-2023) firing order and cylinder arrangement.
We’ll do our best to break it all down for you regardless of your Yukon model and engine used, so make sure to stand by for the details.
| YUKON YEARS | ENGINE | FIRING ORDER |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd Gen (2000-2006) | 4.8L V8 | 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3 |
| 5.3L V8 | 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3 | |
| 5.7L V8 | 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2 | |
| 6.0L V8 | 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3 | |
| 3rd Gen (2007-2014) | 4.8L V8 | 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3 |
| 5.3L V8 | 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3 | |
| 6.0L V8 | 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3 | |
| 6.2L V8 | 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3 | |
| 4th Gen (2015-2020) | 5.3L V8 | 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3 |
| 6.2L V8 | 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3 | |
| 5th Gen (2021-present) | 5.3L V8 | 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3 |
| 6.2L V8 | 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3 | |
| 3.0L Duramax | 1-5-3-6-2-4 |
Second-generation GMC Yukon (2000-2006) firing order
The second-gen models of the Yukon featured only V8 engine options, from the base Vortec to the LS engine used in the “Denali” trim. However, the firing orders of the different engines had a few differences in their firing patterns so we’ll take a closer look:
GMC Yukon 4.8L firing order
The GMC Yukon 4.8L firing order is 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3 and this engine was a Vortec V8 also used by Chevy and other GM models. So, it features a characteristic cylinder arrangement with an even and an odd cylinder bank.
Driver’s side cylinders are laid out in order 1, 3, 5, and 7 front to rear, while passenger’s side cylinders are laid out in order 2, 4, 6, and 8, also front to rear.
GMC Yukon 5.3L firing order
Along with the 4.8-liter, there was another V8 Vortec engine offered for the second-gen Yukon and that’s a 5.3-liter V8. So, the GMC Yukon 5.3L firing order is 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3 as well, and the cylinder arrangement of this engine also matches the one of the 4.8L.
With that in mind, you’ll find the cylinder numbers ordered 1, 3, 5, and 7 on the driver’s side, and cylinders 2, 4, 6, and 8 on the passenger’s side.
GMC Yukon 5.7L firing order
Unlike the first two V8 options, the GMC Yukon 5.7L firing order is 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2. However, there’s no difference in the cylinder placement except for the different firing order. So, once again the odd cylinder numbers are on the driver’s side, while the passenger’s side cylinders are even from 2 to 8, ordered front to rear.
GMC Yukon 6.0L firing order
As the final V8 option, we have the GMC 6.0L engine and this one has a firing order 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3. This one is the largest Vortec engine offered for this model, and it features the same cylinder arrangement as the previous two Vortec options.
In other words, cylinders 1, 3, 5, and 7 are all located within the driver’s side cylinder bank, looking at it front to rear. On the other hand, cylinders 2, 4, 6, and 8 are ordered front to rear on the passenger’s side.
Third-generation GMC Yukon (2007-2014) firing order
Engine options for the third-gen GMC Yukon were more or less the same as for the second-gen model, with the exception of the added 6.2L engine. The 5.7-liter engine was removed from the offer, but we still had the 4.8-liter and 5.3-liter engines along with the 6.0L Vortec.
GMC Yukon 6.2L firing order
The GMC Yukon 6.2L firing order is 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3 and the cylinder placement is also the same as for the previous V8 engines except for the 5.7-liter one. All the odd cylinders are numbered 1, 3, 5, and 7 front to rear, while the even cylinder numbers 2, 4, 6, and 8 are on the passenger’s side.
Fourth-generation GMC Yukon (2015-2020) firing order
The fourth-gen GMC Yukon only featured two optional engines and these were the 5.3-liter Vortec and 6.2-liter LS engine for the Denali version. Both these engines had a firing order 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3, so we won’t go through these again as we’ve already discussed both.
Fifth-generation GMC Yukon (2021-present) firing order
The fifth-gen GMC Yukon also featured both the engine options mentioned for the fourth-gen model, only with the addition of the 3.0L Duramax diesel engine. So, since we’ve already discussed the 5.3-liter and the 6.2-liter engines, we’ll now focus on the diesel variant.
GMC Yukon 3.0L Duramax firing order
The GMC Yukon 3.0L Duramax firing order is 1-5-3-6-2-4 and this engine is a straight-six diesel option. That means it doesn’t have two cylinder banks like the petrol V8s, but a straight-cylinder configuration from the first one at the front end to the sixth one at the rear end of the engine.
Our take
Understanding the GMC Yukon firing order is crucial for all the DIY enthusiasts who desire to work on their car themselves, so hopefully our team was able to help you out. Make sure to double-check the cylinder configuration and the firing pattern of your particular engine, especially since the 5.7L V8 has a different order than other V8 engines.
