what are some small mods for an 04 Denali LQ4 that will give the best power gains and save overall fuel economy? Just starting already have exhaust....

 

dunno how much you want to spend .....but I'd deffinatly get a tune, it helps with power and in most cases bumps MPG a lil bit. As for mail order tunes these other guys will have to pitch in as I tend to like to do things on my own. Oh yeah welcome to the performancetrucks world ...fast is never fast enough

 

to start off with, intake, longtube headers, nelson performance tune>>>>>>>>>>>>

 

Tuning....whats the best tune?

 

willing to spend couple grand to make this truck as fast as i can without breaking nething...

 

For a tune I recommend PCMforless. They did a great job with a mail order for my truck, and another Jersey member's truck. They're in PA, and it isn't all that much of a ride to have them tune it in person. That's what I plan on doing this spring when I get my new mods installed.

Aside from that, long tube headers (several cmpaonies make them either with cats or that retain the stock cats to pass inspection), an intake, e-fans, underdrive pulley, after that your basically down to internal mods (cams, heads) or tranny mods like a converter, shift kit, servos.

 

What are the best bolt on parts for a LQ4?

 

LT headers, asp pulley. ported tb, elec fans, tune, CAI, corvette servo. and you will be real happy.

 

You can increase the air flow, just by taking the piece out of the air box, that connects the fender to the air box. It snaps right out. Also, the screen out of the mass air flow will help it breath a little better. Have a custom true dual exhaust put on with an H or X pipe in there.

The tune is the next thing I would do. It will probably make the biggest difference.

I have never seen any dyno numbers that support the expense of headers. Their cost is high, and the gain is very little. I have seen right ups where they run some base line runs stock and then change to the headers and gain 10 to 15 hp. For 850 bucks, doesn't seem worth it to me at all. You could probably do the exhaust, tune and the free airbox mods and gain more than that for the same or less money.

I think that if you do engine mods, (cam, vsprings) and an LS1 intake, then the headers might increase in importance.
Good Luck.

 

Can you prove that removing the MAF screen helped??? IMO removing the screen does more harm than good, it doesnt allow the sensor to read properly thus causing the vehicle to run worse in most cases.