hey guys,i just grabbed a 2003 ram 1500 QC Laramie with a 5.7L hemi,and i love it.since im new to the truck world id like a little input from you guys that have actually used the mods im asking about and give me factual answers and not opinions.

like i said im new to the truck world,and reading all these storys about buy this, and do that, or do this is really overwhelming! im looking for the best possible performance i can get for my baby,and if i can realistically gain a few mpg in the process..great!

ive only had beauty for a couple of weeks and all ive done is raise my tire pressure to 40,changed the oil,and put a new air filter in cuz the old one was dirty(guessing i should change the plugs to) she idles at 600 runs smooth and the mpg display reads 8.9-10 in alot of stop and go where i live,no long trips yet(not sure how legit the computer is)but i reset it everyday.the previous owner told me all he did was bump everything up in the computer 20%...not sure what that means..other than that i run her on 89 at the pump.

sorry for the long post but i want to make sure you guys got everything...if there is anything ive missed please let me know!!

here is what im thinking;

#1- is a cai...increase the cold air to the engine and a extra mile or two per gallon? not sure what model or manufacturer?

#2-is a dual rear exhaust..many peaple have suggested the dual for the stop and go traffic witch is what my day mostly consist of.ive read borla is the best for my truck(not too loud but still get the performance out of it) but i also read good thing about the gibson exhaust? also should i change the factory y-pipe at the same time?

#3-flashpaq tuner...ive read that the cai and exhaust would benefit the most from the tuner and not do much without it?

#4-gears...changing the gears is new to me and ive tried to look at some things online about the subject but i might as well be reading frech lol..but have been told by many that it could make a big difference,but none of them own a truck.

any help with these mods would be greatly appreciated.
is there one that should be done first?
am i using the right number for octane?
can i tune the truck without any of the mods or should that be last?
etc,etc,etc.

if i can get the performance out of her and at the same time realistically get 3-4 mpg out of her ill be ecstatic. thanks to all!!

 

Nice ideas and solid plans.

You should post some pics of it

 

pics will be up soon..any possible answers to my questions,most important,what should i do first..gears,cai & exhaust,flashpaq?? and brand specific ones that would benefit my truck.thanks

 

everything you ask is opinonated. I would do tuner first and pick up an unlocked and used superchips 3818. A CAI is cheap and i make some custom plastic welded ones that are nice. As for your exhaust, check with a local muffler shop and see how much they will charge you for cat back duals. Then price shop whatever muffler and tips you want online like at ebay. Same for gears. Find a local shop and get prices first then decide

we dont know how big your budget is so fess up!!

 

my budget right now is 550...im looking to ad to performance mods every 6-8 weeks thou could be sooner.so it would be fine to use the flashpac now without anything else being done at this point? and then build from there?thanks for the response weedahoe

 

550 would get you a tuner (150-200), a CAI (100), a Powerwire (50) and either your gears or your mufflers and tips but not installed.

 

2 questions...#1 what is a power wire?..#2 you said you make cai's,is that something you do for yourself or do you make em for sale? cuz ive been looking at prices and the 100 for the cai and the 150-200 for the tuner are numbers that i have not seen.

 

Congrats on the new truck. I love my '03 SLT. That's the molasses. Now for the sulfa:

In spite of the advertising, the CAI and exhaust won't improve your mileage enough to offset the cost. Likewise the gear change. Your break-even point will be in the 50 kilomile range. Those are all fun things to have ('specially the gears), but don't expect any economy improvements.

Mileage improvements come from a light touch on the loud pedal (where's the fun in that, right?) and proper maintenance. Don't know which tires you have, but 40psi may cost you more in worn-out tires than any saved gasoline. The computer lies like a politician. The only accurate method to determine fuel mileage is to fill it FULL, drive it, fill it FULL again and do the math.

If the plugs have more than 50K, it's time for a new set. I used NGK 5306s on both my Hemis. A dose of SeaFoam may improve the mileage a tiny amount. Clean or replace the PCV valve. They're expensive, so clean it first. If the check-ball moves, it should be good for a few more miles.

 

thats true. maintenance is the first thing to do completely when buying a new ride because you dont know what or when things were done

Here is a video on the powerwire

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUjAI9ZGXkY

you can do some searching here on how it works.

Also search for the TMR mod that 03s can do

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/parts-s...ir-intake.html

 

superchips 3818? haven't found that specific number