Back in the late 90s, Chevy rebranded the GMC Yukon and went ahead with their all-new Tahoe full-size SUV. Years later, the model is still going strong now in its fourth generation and the matter of Chevy Tahoe (2000-2023) firing order is more common among drivers.
It’s not because the model had bad engines, but rather because it draws the attention of many DIY enthusiasts. So, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to give you a complete tour and overview of the Chevy Tahoe engines through the model years and their respective firing orders to make maintenance at least a bit easier for you.
| CAR MODEL YEARS | ENGINE | FIRING ORDER |
|---|---|---|
| 2000-2006 Tahoe (2nd Gen) | 4.8L Vortec V8 | 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3 |
| 5.3L V8 | 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3 | |
| 6.0L | 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3 | |
| 2007-2014 Tahoe (3rd Gen) | 6.2L V8 | 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3 |
| 2015-2020 Tahoe (4th Gen) | 5.3L V8 | 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3 |
| 6.2L V8 | 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3 | |
| 2021-present Tahoe (5th Gen) | 3.0L Duramax diesel | 1-5-3-6-2-4 |
Second-generation Chevy Tahoe (2000-2006) firing order
The second-gen model of the Tahoe introduced some of the engines that were still widely used in the following generation models of the SUV. Among these, we have to point out a variety of different V8s, and one thing that can make your job easier is the same firing order used for all of these.
Chevy Tahoe 4.8L firing order
As the base engine option for Chevy Tahoe, the 4.8-liter Vortec V8 stuck around from the second-gen model to the 3rd gen model. The Chevy Tahoe 4.8L firing order is 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3 and the cylinder configuration includes the first cylinder within the driver’s side bank along with cylinders 3, 5, and 7.
Cylinders 2, 4, 6, and 8 are all within the “even” passenger’s side bank and the cylinders are numbered from front toward the rear end of the engine.
Chevy Tahoe 5.3L firing order
Moving on, we have the 5.3-liter Vortec which is based on the same engine block, but it’s slightly different in terms of the capacity and output. Still, the Chevy Tahoe 5.3L firing order 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3 is the same as for the smaller Vortec engine, and almost every other V8 in general.
Once again, cylinders 1, 3, 5, and 7 are in the driver’s side bank, while cylinders 2, 4, 6, and 8 are all on the passenger’s side looking front to back.
Chevy Tahoe 6.0L firing order
We finally came to the heavy-duty version of the Tahoe equipped with a slightly larger 6.0L V8 engine. The key thing to note is that the Chevy Tahoe 6.0L firing order is 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3 with identical cylinder placement to the 4.8L and the 5.3-liter engine.
In other words, driver’s side cylinders are 1, 3, 5, and 7, and even cylinder numbers from 2 to 8 are on the opposite side.
Third-generation Tahoe (2007-2014) firing order
For the second-gen model, things have more or less remained the same – Chevy still featured all the Vortec V8 engine options. However, there was the addition of the all-new 6.2-liter V8 at that time, so let’s see if there’s any difference between these.
Chevy Tahoe 6.2L firing order
Chevy seems to have caught up with a pattern with the V8 engine types used in the third-gen Tahoe since the firing order 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3 is also used for the 6.2-liter V8.
Along with that, the cylinder configuration is once again the same for this engine so that makes your job easier when maintaining it as cylinder identification is the same for all V8 engines.
Fourth-generation Tahoe (2015-2020) firing order
The fourth-gen of the Tahoe didn’t bring noticeable changes in the engine lineup since we still had the 5.3-liter V8 and the 6.2-liter engine. Both these engines used the same 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3 firing order and the cylinder arrangement that we’ve already discussed before, so we’ll move on to the final generation.
Fifth-generation Tahoe (2021-present) firing order
As the still ongoing generation of the Tahoe, the fifth-gen model features 5.3-liter V8 and 6.2-liter V8 engines. However, there’s the selection of the extra 3.0-liter Duramax diesel variant along with these two, and that’s the latest addition to the engine selection.
Chevy Tahoe 3.0L Duramax firing order
The Chevy Tahoe 3.0L Duramax firing order is 1-5-3-6-2-4, and this one is a straight-six turbo diesel engine. The cylinders are therefore aligned from 1 to 6 in a straight order from the front end toward the rear end of the engine.
Our take
Now that we’ve gone through all the different generation models and their respective engine options for the Tahoe SUV, we hope to have cleared some things out for you in terms of regular maintenance.
Knowing the firing order can be more helpful than it seems, especially when changing spark plugs and looking for signs of misfiring cylinders. With that in mind, make sure to closely follow this guide and you shouldn’t have an issue keeping your engine running smoothly.
