Performance mods: Do they really work?
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Professional
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 126
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From:
People recommended the plugs and the stat. I gutted the cat cause it rattled and I was having engine trouble, someone suggested it could have been clogged.
I'm not against mods. I just kinda think some people are putting themselves on cause they are spending so much money. I'm a bass fisherman too and fishermen all the time get suckered and want to believe that the new whatever they bought gives them an edge. Maybe I'm just cynical. The colder plugs and stat didnt change how the truck drives, nor did driving the truck with a hole in the exhaust (which I would think would really open up the exhaust even though it was loud) nor did the round air filter.
I'm not against mods. I just kinda think some people are putting themselves on cause they are spending so much money. I'm a bass fisherman too and fishermen all the time get suckered and want to believe that the new whatever they bought gives them an edge. Maybe I'm just cynical. The colder plugs and stat didnt change how the truck drives, nor did driving the truck with a hole in the exhaust (which I would think would really open up the exhaust even though it was loud) nor did the round air filter.
Captain
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 706
Likes: 0
From: Green Bay WI
Anytime I've modded a vehicle, I've been disappointed. Probably read too much into the performance gains promised by the advertising, and thought it would give it a better kick in the pants then it did. I can't say I noticed anything with the cat back exhaust, but I did it to give the truck a bit of a growl. I did notice a pick up with the round air cleaner install, but I'm not drag racing vettes with it or anything.
I've read a lot of threads on the engine mods and thought about tearing into mine, but ultimately figured, for me anyway, just better things to spend money on...
like strippers
I've read a lot of threads on the engine mods and thought about tearing into mine, but ultimately figured, for me anyway, just better things to spend money on...
like strippers
Banned
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,031
Likes: 0
From: The Communist Puppet State of Mexifornia
I'm going to get a grip of flak for this, but here goes.
There is no point in modifying these trucks in search of power gains. Here's why.
Unless you go the procharger route(which is still a pretty weak gain), you are throwing your money away.
Sure you can get awesome air cleaners (lose torque) and shiny headers (lose torque) zomgalientech spark plugs (power gain in the head), awesomely wide throttle body's (no real gain) bla bla bla, at the end of the day these trucks are still land yachts.
The best thing you can do is save your money for maintaining what you already have, and enjoy it. These trucks put about 170hp to the wheels. They aren't race cars, nor will they ever be. The transmissions are really just Pinata's filed with ATF-4, our Differentials are filled with water with gears made of JB Weld, water color paint on the bodies, ball joints and wheel bearing made from spaghetti, and dipstick tubes made from pixie sticks.
They are fun trucks, but there really is no power to "unleash" without spending an extreme amount of money,(and usually totally replacing the engine), more money than the truck itself is probably worth.
So enjoy them. Put sweet tires on them, add lights, Radio's and other equipment. Just don't waste your money on performance mods, because in the end the only thing power you've gained is in your head. The only mod that will give you any real gain is the "different vehicle" mod.
/soapbox
There is no point in modifying these trucks in search of power gains. Here's why.
Unless you go the procharger route(which is still a pretty weak gain), you are throwing your money away.
Sure you can get awesome air cleaners (lose torque) and shiny headers (lose torque) zomgalientech spark plugs (power gain in the head), awesomely wide throttle body's (no real gain) bla bla bla, at the end of the day these trucks are still land yachts.
The best thing you can do is save your money for maintaining what you already have, and enjoy it. These trucks put about 170hp to the wheels. They aren't race cars, nor will they ever be. The transmissions are really just Pinata's filed with ATF-4, our Differentials are filled with water with gears made of JB Weld, water color paint on the bodies, ball joints and wheel bearing made from spaghetti, and dipstick tubes made from pixie sticks.
They are fun trucks, but there really is no power to "unleash" without spending an extreme amount of money,(and usually totally replacing the engine), more money than the truck itself is probably worth.
So enjoy them. Put sweet tires on them, add lights, Radio's and other equipment. Just don't waste your money on performance mods, because in the end the only thing power you've gained is in your head. The only mod that will give you any real gain is the "different vehicle" mod.
/soapbox
Last edited by Viper37; Dec 27, 2008 at 01:54 AM.
Rookie
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 85
Likes: 0
From: florida
most of the small mods. will give you small gains just remember that
putting new heads will give you big power but also a BIG bill
i would recommend changing all your fluids to Amsoil or Redline or Royal Purple. that will help your engine, trans, and rear end run colder and maybe give you 1 mpg but the big pay off will be in less wear and tear.
when i added a MSD-6A i notice a deeper tone out the exhaust and a smoother idle after about 10 minutes of run time.
i put an oil catch can to remove the oil coming from the PCV before going into the intake.
i think that is all i will do to my truck right now. Now i am going to save up and rebuild the engine. i hope i can do that sometime next year.
putting new heads will give you big power but also a BIG bill
i would recommend changing all your fluids to Amsoil or Redline or Royal Purple. that will help your engine, trans, and rear end run colder and maybe give you 1 mpg but the big pay off will be in less wear and tear.
when i added a MSD-6A i notice a deeper tone out the exhaust and a smoother idle after about 10 minutes of run time.
i put an oil catch can to remove the oil coming from the PCV before going into the intake.
i think that is all i will do to my truck right now. Now i am going to save up and rebuild the engine. i hope i can do that sometime next year.
Site Moderator
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 8,374
Likes: 28
From: Sioux Falls, SD
Here comes the flak. 
Coming from someone who has not tried any of these upgrades (at least, as far as I can remember), I don't believe you have the experience to judge them like you have. The bigger TBs do give you better throttle response, a little more off-the-line, I can personally vouch for that. Many, many here can. So that, for example, is something you are completely wrong about.
This is one part I agree with. A truck is a truck, not a race car.
Wrong.
Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, and wrong.
You are of course entitled to your opinion, but coming from someone who's never actually tried these upgrades, you cannot judge any of them. You can say they aren't worth the money, you can say you think they are stupid, but for you to come out and say "they make no difference, the power gains are in your head" etc. etc. is just you trying to make an opinion into a fact, when its actually a very wrong opinion. Many experienced mechanics here will testify it does make a difference, power wise. Dynos prove it.
Whether you want to do it or not or believe its worth it or not is your opinion and choice, but don't flat out B.S. like that, especially when you don't have the personal experience to back any of it up.
The best thing you can do is save your money for maintaining what you already have, and enjoy it. These trucks put about 170hp to the wheels. They aren't race cars, nor will they ever be.
The transmissions are really just Pinata's filed with ATF-4...
our Differentials are filled with water with gears made of JB Weld, water color paint on the bodies, ball joints and wheel bearing made from spaghetti, and dipstick tubes made from pixie sticks.
You are of course entitled to your opinion, but coming from someone who's never actually tried these upgrades, you cannot judge any of them. You can say they aren't worth the money, you can say you think they are stupid, but for you to come out and say "they make no difference, the power gains are in your head" etc. etc. is just you trying to make an opinion into a fact, when its actually a very wrong opinion. Many experienced mechanics here will testify it does make a difference, power wise. Dynos prove it.
Whether you want to do it or not or believe its worth it or not is your opinion and choice, but don't flat out B.S. like that, especially when you don't have the personal experience to back any of it up.
Professional
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 245
Likes: 0
Last time i checked my ring and pinion were not made of JB weld! and my "pinata" trans is still goin at 250k. but more to the point, these small mods are cheap and easy for almost anyone to do and when combined have noticeable effects and add hp and tq. It doesnt matter what kind of vehicle it is, true motor heads just always want to make it faster! and cooler to look at under the hood. SMOKE x NOISE = POWER!(note: that eqn is a joke)
Banned
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,031
Likes: 0
From: The Communist Puppet State of Mexifornia
Here comes the flak.
Coming from someone who has not tried any of these upgrades (at least, as far as I can remember), I don't believe you have the experience to judge them like you have. The bigger TBs do give you better throttle response, a little more off-the-line, I can personally vouch for that. Many, many here can. So that, for example, is something you are completely wrong about.
This is one part I agree with. A truck is a truck, not a race car.
Wrong.
Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, and wrong.
You are of course entitled to your opinion, but coming from someone who's never actually tried these upgrades, you cannot judge any of them. You can say they aren't worth the money, you can say you think they are stupid, but for you to come out and say "they make no difference, the power gains are in your head" etc. etc. is just you trying to make an opinion into a fact, when its actually a very wrong opinion. Many experienced mechanics here will testify it does make a difference, power wise. Dynos prove it.
Whether you want to do it or not or believe its worth it or not is your opinion and choice, but don't flat out B.S. like that, especially when you don't have the personal experience to back any of it up.
Coming from someone who has not tried any of these upgrades (at least, as far as I can remember), I don't believe you have the experience to judge them like you have. The bigger TBs do give you better throttle response, a little more off-the-line, I can personally vouch for that. Many, many here can. So that, for example, is something you are completely wrong about.
This is one part I agree with. A truck is a truck, not a race car.
Wrong.
Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, and wrong.
You are of course entitled to your opinion, but coming from someone who's never actually tried these upgrades, you cannot judge any of them. You can say they aren't worth the money, you can say you think they are stupid, but for you to come out and say "they make no difference, the power gains are in your head" etc. etc. is just you trying to make an opinion into a fact, when its actually a very wrong opinion. Many experienced mechanics here will testify it does make a difference, power wise. Dynos prove it.
Whether you want to do it or not or believe its worth it or not is your opinion and choice, but don't flat out B.S. like that, especially when you don't have the personal experience to back any of it up.
I've tried all of the above upgrades, and all of them have had negative side effects. I can and will judge whatever the **** I want. My neighbor has the fastman, and driving his truck, I noticed no difference.
According to you I am "wrong wrong wrong" but perhaps you are taking me too literally. Please, dont even try to write off the long history of automatic transmission problems these trucks have. As for differentials, mine went at 90k. Paint, mine is starting to go on my bed rail. Ball joints, gone at 100k. Same with wheel bearings.
These trucks have problems, just like every other full size vehicle. Don't even try to write them off. If I searched for "Transmission,Problem" I can guarantee I'd get at least 500 threads about people with transmission problems.
Learn to recognize satire and sarcasm with you read it. Perhaps your truck's driver needs the oh so unpopular "reading compression" mod.
Last edited by Viper37; Dec 27, 2008 at 03:27 AM.
Rookie
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 86
Likes: 0
From: East Tx
I'm going to get a grip of flak for this, but here goes.
There is no point in modifying these trucks in search of power gains. Here's why.
Unless you go the procharger route(which is still a pretty weak gain), you are throwing your money away.
Sure you can get awesome air cleaners (lose torque) and shiny headers (lose torque) zomgalientech spark plugs (power gain in the head), awesomely wide throttle body's (no real gain) bla bla bla, at the end of the day these trucks are still land yachts.
The best thing you can do is save your money for maintaining what you already have, and enjoy it. These trucks put about 170hp to the wheels. They aren't race cars, nor will they ever be. The transmissions are really just Pinata's filed with ATF-4, our Differentials are filled with water with gears made of JB Weld, water color paint on the bodies, ball joints and wheel bearing made from spaghetti, and dipstick tubes made from pixie sticks.
They are fun trucks, but there really is no power to "unleash" without spending an extreme amount of money,(and usually totally replacing the engine), more money than the truck itself is probably worth.
So enjoy them. Put sweet tires on them, add lights, Radio's and other equipment. Just don't waste your money on performance mods, because in the end the only thing power you've gained is in your head. The only mod that will give you any real gain is the "different vehicle" mod.
/soapbox
There is no point in modifying these trucks in search of power gains. Here's why.
Unless you go the procharger route(which is still a pretty weak gain), you are throwing your money away.
Sure you can get awesome air cleaners (lose torque) and shiny headers (lose torque) zomgalientech spark plugs (power gain in the head), awesomely wide throttle body's (no real gain) bla bla bla, at the end of the day these trucks are still land yachts.
The best thing you can do is save your money for maintaining what you already have, and enjoy it. These trucks put about 170hp to the wheels. They aren't race cars, nor will they ever be. The transmissions are really just Pinata's filed with ATF-4, our Differentials are filled with water with gears made of JB Weld, water color paint on the bodies, ball joints and wheel bearing made from spaghetti, and dipstick tubes made from pixie sticks.
They are fun trucks, but there really is no power to "unleash" without spending an extreme amount of money,(and usually totally replacing the engine), more money than the truck itself is probably worth.
So enjoy them. Put sweet tires on them, add lights, Radio's and other equipment. Just don't waste your money on performance mods, because in the end the only thing power you've gained is in your head. The only mod that will give you any real gain is the "different vehicle" mod.
/soapbox
BOLT ONS ARE A RIPOFF!!!!
I have also used many diff bolt ons in a futile attempt to get power from an engine that doesnt have anymore to give.
If saving 1mpg is worth it to you then go ahead.Who modifies they're truck for more power and worries about MPG?
It doesnt matter how big a CAI you put on , you still got that bottleneck at the TB and the manifold.
Stock lift on the magnum cam is around .350-.375"
.You wanna boost performance start there.
There are no magic mods you are gonna find on ebay,or your local truck store that you can bolt on in the driveway in about an hour that are gonna do anything but dissapoint you.