What are the best things to do to a 318 magnum to get the most power for around 1000-1500 bucks? I'm getting a chip and tb spacer for Xmas. What else? I need a good low end but would like for it to have some top end too. It's a half ton 5 speed 4x4, and it getting re-geared to 4.10

 

ROTFLMAO!!!!

5-speed, 4x4 4.10?? Nothing like getting 5mpg, eh?

 

Well it's got 3.56s now and they're way too high for doing any sort of towing. It basically has no low end at all

 

Unfortunately a TB spacer is just a paper weight for these truck, they don't do a thing. What kind of "chip are you talking about?

For $1000-$1500 Based on you doing your own work, so as to avoid labor charges.

1 Fix your plenum gasket
2 SCT tuner for 1996- 2001 trucks, 94-95 Mopar performance pcm
3 1.7 roller rockers
4 A better flowing exhaust
5 Timing chain
6 New heads

A little more info on your truck would be help full is it a 4x4, year of your truck, what size tires do you have on it? How many miles on it?

 

Its 4 wheel drive, 285-75-16 tires, 140,000 miles.

This is the chip http://www.gfchips.com/

 

It's a 97

 

I don't know......maybe you should ask for the dyno sheets on that Gforce resistor.....I mean chip......might be my old age skepticism.....

 

The chip is worthless snake oil. It just fools the computer into thinking intake air temp is cooler than it really is, making the engine run a little rich. Once the PCM goes into close loop, it will pay attention to the O2 sensor, and basically render the little chip useless. This ranks right up there with the throttle body spacer for things that absorb money, for zero gain.

Given you have a 97, you would be MUCH further ahead canceling those orders, and getting an SCT tuner from Hemifever. His actually alters programming at the PCM level to build more power. That is the ONLY truly effective way to do it. Anything else is just a gimmick, with good marketing.

Those tires aren't helping your performance any either. Re-gearing would go a LONG way toward bringing it back, but, that is most certainly NOT a cheap endeavor. (500 and some change for parts..... anywhere from 600 to a grand for installation..... not something you can easily do yourself, if you haven't done a few previously)

Want more power? Do this:

1. Fix the plenum as previously mentioned.
2. Make sure ALL the maintenance items are dealt with. Get the engine running the way it should FIRST.
3. Replace timing chain and gears. Yours are prolly pretty stretched out. (nice little performance bump there, for under a 100 bucks in parts, even if you include replacing the water pump.)
4. Headers, and Y-pipe. Let the engine breath better.
5. Tuner.......
6. If you have money left, 1.7 HS roller rockers.

Power isn't exactly cheap, but, those things there would give you a noticeable bump. combined with re-gearing for the tires (and doubling your budget.... ooops) would REALLY wake up your truck.

 

Thanks, I'll cancel those orders and get a intake to mod. And maybe timing chain and gears

 

Good call, If it sounds to good to be true, it probably is, for $69 the claims are ridiculous.