It can't hurt to loose probably somewhere around 75 pounds off the nose of the truck with the aluminum heads either. Big-block heads are just plain heavy as hell!

 

Hog,
Thanks for the reply and insight. This is exactly what i was looking for in this thread. I bunch of suggestions on the next path to take. Just to give you some info.......I DO NOT have the LT's on my truck. What i have right now is stock exhaust manifolds and stock exhaust to the CATs. At that point, there is a Corsa cat-back touring system on the truck. The system consists of a single 3.5" inlet free flow muffler with a single 3.5" outlet all the way to the passenger rear of the truck. Dual 3" pipes from the exhaust manifolds flow past 2 CATs (one per pipe) and into a single 3.5" pipe before going into the muffler. It really does sound like a good place to start (with the LT's that is). They come with 2" primary pipes and 3" collectors. Unfortunately, I am bound to the stainless works guys if i want LT's, as no one else offers them for the 8.1L. How much of a rwhp gain could i stand to see with a set of 2"x3" LT's? Would it benifit that much to get some high flow CATS as well?

Also, the Raylar heads bring the CR from 9.1:1 stock, up to 10:1. How much will this effect the setup if i want to put the blower back on? I guess putting the blower back on cant be any more dangerous to the truck than before right? I mean it WILL be less boost, thus less heat.....but with MUCH free'er flowing heads, intake, and exhaust. I think I am talking myself right into putting the Raylar goodies on and then throwing the blower right back on too....LOL.

 

I think the stock cats alone are causing a restriction. I would think you should see atleast 15 hp to the wheels on a boosted set up.......

John

 

Different engine, but my setup has basically stock compression (9.3 vs. I think stock is 9.1:1) but for whatever reason is way more prone to detonation at certain rpm. Whether it is my heads flowing better, combustion chamber design, or cam profile, that's how it is.
So I'd say what you're planning would affect your setup very much.

 

I wasnt really planning to put the blower back on....IF I were to get the Raylar kit. I was wondering, "what if".

 

I ran Raylar's 106 kit with TOG headers. I'm sure it would made more power with better tuning.
My truck ran mid-low 14's. It didn't have torque to get it of the line even with a 2800 rpm stall. When it hit 3500 rpm's the engine came on strong and pull to 5700 rpm. My engine man and I worked with Comp to get more rpm out of the cam. Before it power died at 5500 rpm.
I still have everything but the intake was damaged in the fire that totaled my truck. Eventually it will go in my new truck.

 

But you wondered "what if" out loud, so I answered you.

 

Thanks TieRod....are those TOGs long tubes? Do you have any pics or directions of the install?

Mike,
Did I say that outloud? So you think it would make for more difficulty tuning with the higher CR? Does the higher CR have an impact on boost?

 

go turbo!

 

Personally, I'd have done the headers and full exhaust a LONG time ago. FI engines are affected by exhaust restrictions more than N/A.
As said previously, you will need it anyway. I'd do it now and see if the changes make you happy before I dropped the coin on the Raylar.