You are getting left beind at 35 because you can't get a 1st gear downshift at that point. Too much axle ratio for that instance. Any 4L60E trans has this problem with the big ratio split from 1-2 (nearly 2:1). Converter is not going to help this much if at all, and tune will raise the max speed for a 2-1 downshift, and a lot of the "tunes" just bump the timing up so you will need premium to not get knock retard going off all the time. If you want a mild converter, go with the one out of the 2003-2004 SSR. The 2005+ SSR has the same converter you do, but has 405 ft-# turning it. The 03-04 converter stalls a little higher than the converter you have now, and feels better off the line, and takes out a little of that sag between converter stall and 2000 rpm. I liked it on the SSR, and that thing was heavy.. If you plan to tow or haul (you know, use a truck like a truck), then I would stay away from a 3k RPM stall converters.

 

my 3000 stall took care of that dead spot in the 35 to 45 range, pulls hard now, then i did the custom tune so i can downshift anywhere below 38 mph to first, kinda useless with a stall though, unless you got some nice sticky tires..

 

I'd like to avoid a cam swap if I can. Terrified of the all aluminium block...know good and well i'd be installing a few heli-coils!

I had been contemplating some sort of computer tuner, but will I really be able to tune the engine to have some low end power?

What are the basics of the engine: Bore, stroke, valve sizes???
What are we working with here??

Never thought of a converter. I have no problem with changing that, but yes I do use my truck for truck stuff so it still has to be driveable in a verity of situations...I just dont want to get ran over or embarassed.

I agree with the "too much gear" comment. On occasion when it will drop down to first the motor will scream for a short period before it upshifts again. It is a perty rough process too...not the smooth power you'd expect from a new truck.

The other issue is warrenty...I've only had the truck a few weeks. Kinda doubt anything will break the way its set up now though.

 

need to get you a cold air intake also as the restriction is in the stock tube to the tb..there is a big diffrence between a complete cai and a drop in filter...

 

Bore and stroke 3.78 x 3.62 (96.01 x 92) Will have to look into the valve sizes. It's a new motor, don't worry about bolts, just follow the torque specs. SWapping cams is easier than it used to be, don't need to pull the intake. The lifters are in keepers, loosen up the rockers and spin the cam, the lofters bounce out of the way.. You can do the cam in the truck in 5 hours, start to finish. If you want low end grunt, more cam is the wrong way to go.

Blower kit is a nice add-on........ "Hello Magnuson? I need Torque"

 

Do what I did.

Just stick it in 1st and drive like normal and see what speed you hit the rev limiter. Then do the same in 2nd gear. Then from now on when you about to race someone simply manually downshift the truck when you know you are in that crappy RPM range where the truck would not normally downshift itself. In my 01' Z71 I could slam 1st gear at like 30mph and talk about a nice jump on the car next to you. Same thing with 70mph 2nd drops.

I went for a test drive in my new truck and when I got on the freeway i took it up to 65ish and dropped it into 2nd and the saleman was like "I've never seen anyone do that before!" He was amazed at the difference in pull.

It's best to get a suctom tune to do all this for you but when you're broke this works

 

3.78" bore...almost like a stroked 305 then , 3.74" x 3.48" if I remember right? Never saw a 305 with this kind of top end though.

Do these engines use a 5.7" rod?

 

instead of doing all the cam/stall/tune, i'd just look for a s/c

 

The 05 OE TM programming is horrid. I am told it will pull timing to the negative side at times.

Allen Nelson needs someone with an 05 L33 truck to get on his dyno. Come on guys in the local area. Get over there. If he has not done one yet perhaps a price break could be negotiated?

 

my LM7 runs pretty darn good even with the 3.23s.