Upgrades to Stock Sierra
11-22-2004, 09:35 PM
#1
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Upgrades to Stock Sierra
Please help...
I have a 2004 GMC Sierra SLE, 4.8l, 3.42 rear axle, 6200 lb GVW
I want to start tweaking, improve performance, acceleration, efficiency, etc... DIY stuff, for the most part.
1. How do I determine if I have a 4L60 or 4L80? I am inclined to think 4L60.
2. What sort of perfomance improvements can I expect if I were to go to a cold air intake (perhaps AIRAID CAD intake)?
3. What about upping to a 40 series dual exhaust with 3" pipes?
4. Throttle body spacer?
5. Where can I get some recommendations for settings to reprogram the truck (with a Hypertech Power Programmer) with such mods?
6. Any other "simple" mods I can make, not to costly, but an "enjoyable" project? Other websites/forums with additional information?
I appreciate your help.
-Howard
I have a 2004 GMC Sierra SLE, 4.8l, 3.42 rear axle, 6200 lb GVW
I want to start tweaking, improve performance, acceleration, efficiency, etc... DIY stuff, for the most part.
1. How do I determine if I have a 4L60 or 4L80? I am inclined to think 4L60.
2. What sort of perfomance improvements can I expect if I were to go to a cold air intake (perhaps AIRAID CAD intake)?
3. What about upping to a 40 series dual exhaust with 3" pipes?
4. Throttle body spacer?
5. Where can I get some recommendations for settings to reprogram the truck (with a Hypertech Power Programmer) with such mods?
6. Any other "simple" mods I can make, not to costly, but an "enjoyable" project? Other websites/forums with additional information?
I appreciate your help.
-Howard
11-22-2004, 09:56 PM
#2
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your guess is right 4l60.for the settings on the hpp3 just play with all the settings till you feel its right.i have mine set at 6200- 9 mph over in first 9 in second 3-4 cant remember off the top of my head.shift firmness.this is on the 87 tune, whitch feels better to me imo then the 93.most off the guys are running magnaflow cause of better low end power.i think that 3 in pipe is a little big.i don't think the tb spacer is worth it. volant/k&n fipk are nice cai but i have the aem.well good luck.more peeps will chime in here i'm sure
11-22-2004, 09:57 PM
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Welcome Howard 
1. How do I determine if I have a 4L60 or 4L80? I am inclined to think 4L60.
Answer: You have a 4L60E. The 80s never came in the 1/2ton trucks except the 1500HD?
2. What sort of perfomance improvements can I expect if I were to go to a cold air intake (perhaps AIRAID CAD intake)?
Answer: Intakes help but not a huge amount. They are essential if you plan on really opening up the exhaust and adding a cam. Some people just make homemade intakes which work argueably well. I used A Volant, AEM makes a good one too. The original AirRaids were junk IMO.
3. What about upping to a 40 series dual exhaust with 3" pipes?
Answer: I don't like Flowmaster at all. Too many documented cases of people losing power with them, plus the interior drone is ugly. I Prefer the Magnaflow for the trucks. Borla is good too but still kinda loud. Dual exhaust is a waste IMO. Do it for looks or sound but don't expect a bunch of HP over a single. I'd just put a goo dmuffler on it. No need for a full cat-back.
4. Throttle body spacer?
ACK!!!!
5. Where can I get some recommendations for settings to reprogram the truck (with a Hypertech Power Programmer) with such mods?
Answer: Custom Tuning........... Find a good local F-body tuner or get a mail order tune from Nelson Performance or one of the other mail order guys.
6. Any other "simple" mods I can make, not to costly, but an "enjoyable" project?
Answer: A good higher stall TQ converter will make a wonderful difference in the trucks off the line performance and won't hurt towing or drivability if you choose the right one. Gas milage is not really hurt either if you keep your foo tout of it. Out of the mods you listed, custom tuning and a TQ converter will make the biggest difference overall.
7. Other websites/forums with additional information?
Answer: There are but this is the best one... PERIOD!
1. How do I determine if I have a 4L60 or 4L80? I am inclined to think 4L60.
Answer: You have a 4L60E. The 80s never came in the 1/2ton trucks except the 1500HD?
2. What sort of perfomance improvements can I expect if I were to go to a cold air intake (perhaps AIRAID CAD intake)?
Answer: Intakes help but not a huge amount. They are essential if you plan on really opening up the exhaust and adding a cam. Some people just make homemade intakes which work argueably well. I used A Volant, AEM makes a good one too. The original AirRaids were junk IMO.
3. What about upping to a 40 series dual exhaust with 3" pipes?
Answer: I don't like Flowmaster at all. Too many documented cases of people losing power with them, plus the interior drone is ugly. I Prefer the Magnaflow for the trucks. Borla is good too but still kinda loud. Dual exhaust is a waste IMO. Do it for looks or sound but don't expect a bunch of HP over a single. I'd just put a goo dmuffler on it. No need for a full cat-back.
4. Throttle body spacer?
ACK!!!!
5. Where can I get some recommendations for settings to reprogram the truck (with a Hypertech Power Programmer) with such mods?
Answer: Custom Tuning........... Find a good local F-body tuner or get a mail order tune from Nelson Performance or one of the other mail order guys.
6. Any other "simple" mods I can make, not to costly, but an "enjoyable" project?
Answer: A good higher stall TQ converter will make a wonderful difference in the trucks off the line performance and won't hurt towing or drivability if you choose the right one. Gas milage is not really hurt either if you keep your foo tout of it. Out of the mods you listed, custom tuning and a TQ converter will make the biggest difference overall.
7. Other websites/forums with additional information?
Answer: There are but this is the best one... PERIOD!
11-22-2004, 09:58 PM
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well first off, congrats to joining LS1TECH! everyone here is pretty good people.
on your questions.
1. you have a 4l60E
2. Make your own CAI and save a butt load of money for other mods - do a search for homemade intake or such and you will see the results. if not pm me and i will get the info for you
3. go with a magnaflow muffler. i am about to switch over from flowmaster to magnaflow. they are probably the most chosen muffler on here
4. no don't waste the money
5. don't waste your money on any hand held. you can get a much much much much much much much can you tell how much better? tune from either Allen nelson or get HPtuners if you have a laptop. but allen nelson does good by most people here also.
6. other mods are long and plentiful, electric fans, under drive pully, Tstat, headers (long tubes), plugs n wires, vette servo for the tranny, - i know some of these are costly but a few won't set you back to much. and this is the only place you need to be for performance.
once again, welcome and enjoy or slice of the web.
on your questions.
1. you have a 4l60E
2. Make your own CAI and save a butt load of money for other mods - do a search for homemade intake or such and you will see the results. if not pm me and i will get the info for you
3. go with a magnaflow muffler. i am about to switch over from flowmaster to magnaflow. they are probably the most chosen muffler on here
4. no don't waste the money
5. don't waste your money on any hand held. you can get a much much much much much much much can you tell how much better? tune from either Allen nelson or get HPtuners if you have a laptop. but allen nelson does good by most people here also.
6. other mods are long and plentiful, electric fans, under drive pully, Tstat, headers (long tubes), plugs n wires, vette servo for the tranny, - i know some of these are costly but a few won't set you back to much. and this is the only place you need to be for performance.
once again, welcome and enjoy or slice of the web.
11-22-2004, 10:04 PM
#7
Welcome to the site, Hskanner.
First off you have a 4L60e trans. The cold air intake will give you minimal gains not that noticable, but they do look cool Airid or KN FPIK are good choices. Keep the catalytic converters you will lose a lot of low end power removing them. Flowmasters are OK, but they put sound before performance. You will gain a lot more power going with a straight through design muffler like a Magnaflow, Borla, Dynomax, or Corsa. And they all do sound good. Dont get a throttle body spacer, they are a waste of money and will give you no gains, it might take power away. If you havent bought a Hypertech I would go with a Nelson Tune www.nelsonperformance.com. He sends you a new computer, then you swap em out send him back yours and your done. He has done alot with our trucks and he knows how to tune them. He will hive you more horsepower than a handheld programmer will give you. Plus you have free updates so if you decided to get headers he can program for them. He can also rid alot of Torque Management in the computer (TQ management takes ignition timing away from the motor on the take off and during shifts. He has taken trucks that before would chirp the tires off the line to them leaving 15 foot black marks off the start and spinning them on the 1-2 shift. He knows what he is doing. If you get headers in the future save and spend the extra cash and get longtubes headers, they give you lots of power. ASP pullies are OK but not worth the 250 dollars. Hope this helps you out.
First off you have a 4L60e trans. The cold air intake will give you minimal gains not that noticable, but they do look cool Airid or KN FPIK are good choices. Keep the catalytic converters you will lose a lot of low end power removing them. Flowmasters are OK, but they put sound before performance. You will gain a lot more power going with a straight through design muffler like a Magnaflow, Borla, Dynomax, or Corsa. And they all do sound good. Dont get a throttle body spacer, they are a waste of money and will give you no gains, it might take power away. If you havent bought a Hypertech I would go with a Nelson Tune www.nelsonperformance.com. He sends you a new computer, then you swap em out send him back yours and your done. He has done alot with our trucks and he knows how to tune them. He will hive you more horsepower than a handheld programmer will give you. Plus you have free updates so if you decided to get headers he can program for them. He can also rid alot of Torque Management in the computer (TQ management takes ignition timing away from the motor on the take off and during shifts. He has taken trucks that before would chirp the tires off the line to them leaving 15 foot black marks off the start and spinning them on the 1-2 shift. He knows what he is doing. If you get headers in the future save and spend the extra cash and get longtubes headers, they give you lots of power. ASP pullies are OK but not worth the 250 dollars. Hope this helps you out.
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11-22-2004, 10:08 PM
#8
Damn were did all of this come from? When I got on this thread there were no post. Then I got done tying then bam, we all said the same thing. F8L is right the best bang for the buck is a stall converter. All of our post is 2 mins between each other.
Thanks.