My 08 5.3
11-13-2011, 10:06 PM
#1
Staging Lane
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My 08 5.3
So I have been a member here for a while and done a few posts and threads but this is my first build thread. Felt it was my time to contribute and show off the truck.
Well here is the truck:
2008 Silverado 1500 LT ECSB 4x4
5.3 flex fuel
4l60e
I picked up the truck about two years ago from a local dealership. I am currently searching for some pictures of it completely stock but I have gone through a computer since then so i'll have to track down my old hard drive.
First thing to go was the stock wheels. Went to a local shop and picked up some black with a polished lip 22" Boss 330s. Just my .02 for anyone looking into these wheels, the polished lip is a pure b*tch to keep clean. Any amount of water practically stains it. The only polish I have found to work is this: Gords Aluminum Wheel Polish Chrome, Cleaner, Polish & Sealer
I went ahead and had the guy lower the rear end 2" to try and level the stock rake out.
Next was some 8k DDM HIDs for my low beams and fogs. About the same time I installed the HIDs a buddy of mine and I put an SLP loudmouth II on it along with the SLP quad tip. I love the sound of the truck and cannot wait until I get some longtubes and a 3" Y pipe and see how it sounds.
This is how the truck looked after that.
Drove the truck for a while like that then decided I was wanting a little more performance. Read through all the very helpful threads on this site and decided to start giving the transmission a little attention. I bought a corvette servo and installed it using the write up on here. It is amazing the difference in shifts. I bought a new K&N drop in filter on Amazon for around $25 shipped.
I found a good deal on a work truck grille and thought I would try it out. I figured since I didn't spend much on it I would try it out and get rid of it if I didn't like it. Put it on and and I actually like it quite a bit, but has to have a black emblem. With the original gold one it just doesn't look right. I bought a set of paintable mirror caps and had them painted white. They make a big difference if your truck has the black plastic ones that most LTs come with. I also went ahead and took my side moldings off, de-badged the tail gate, and took off the z71 emblem on the bedside.
It now sits just like this
And here is a picture of the exhaust while i'm at it
I made a big purchase a few months ago of a P1SC procharger head unit and pulley. I thought it was a good deal and decided to go ahead and buy it. I should have done a little more research on the cost of building a 60e (which could still fail) or converting to an 80e. An 80e for a 2wd doesn't seem to bad, but I can't see myself spending around $3k on an 80e to work with my transfer case so boosting the truck is now out of the question. You guys may see a P1SC head unit in the classifieds pretty soon.
I do use the truck as a truck and have done lots of yard work and lumber hauling with the bed (which has a spray on bed liner). My father also owns a 14' enclosed trailer with a guttering machine in it and tools that I occasionally pull on the weekends. After discovering how pitiful the 4l60e's are, I decided to purchase a Tru-Cool 40k. I actually just installed it this weekend, once again using the write up on here. Here is a picture of it mounted. I went ahead and bought the adapters from NAPA auto parts to use the factory lines.
Since the procharger idea went out the window, I decided to stick with doing a CAI, long tubes, and a custom tune and hope that it gives me enough power to keep me and my transmission happy. For the intake I did some research on here to discover that most guys are simply doing a MIT or building their own and using the stock air box. I decided to do some measuring while I was installing my Tru-Cool and ordered my 4" 90 degree elbow for the throttle body, a foot long section of 4" aluminum piping that I am going to cut to size and paint flat black. And a 4" to 3.75" reducer for the pipe to the MAF. I ordered all the parts from siliconintakes.com and will do a quick write up on it since I haven't really found one.
Here is a quick exhaust clip I took tonight when I got home from work. Unfortunately it is now dark by the time I get home.
I'll update once the intake is done and the long tubes get ordered!
Well here is the truck:
2008 Silverado 1500 LT ECSB 4x4
5.3 flex fuel
4l60e
I picked up the truck about two years ago from a local dealership. I am currently searching for some pictures of it completely stock but I have gone through a computer since then so i'll have to track down my old hard drive.
First thing to go was the stock wheels. Went to a local shop and picked up some black with a polished lip 22" Boss 330s. Just my .02 for anyone looking into these wheels, the polished lip is a pure b*tch to keep clean. Any amount of water practically stains it. The only polish I have found to work is this: Gords Aluminum Wheel Polish Chrome, Cleaner, Polish & Sealer
I went ahead and had the guy lower the rear end 2" to try and level the stock rake out.
Next was some 8k DDM HIDs for my low beams and fogs. About the same time I installed the HIDs a buddy of mine and I put an SLP loudmouth II on it along with the SLP quad tip. I love the sound of the truck and cannot wait until I get some longtubes and a 3" Y pipe and see how it sounds.
This is how the truck looked after that.
Drove the truck for a while like that then decided I was wanting a little more performance. Read through all the very helpful threads on this site and decided to start giving the transmission a little attention. I bought a corvette servo and installed it using the write up on here. It is amazing the difference in shifts. I bought a new K&N drop in filter on Amazon for around $25 shipped.
I found a good deal on a work truck grille and thought I would try it out. I figured since I didn't spend much on it I would try it out and get rid of it if I didn't like it. Put it on and and I actually like it quite a bit, but has to have a black emblem. With the original gold one it just doesn't look right. I bought a set of paintable mirror caps and had them painted white. They make a big difference if your truck has the black plastic ones that most LTs come with. I also went ahead and took my side moldings off, de-badged the tail gate, and took off the z71 emblem on the bedside.
It now sits just like this
And here is a picture of the exhaust while i'm at it
I made a big purchase a few months ago of a P1SC procharger head unit and pulley. I thought it was a good deal and decided to go ahead and buy it. I should have done a little more research on the cost of building a 60e (which could still fail) or converting to an 80e. An 80e for a 2wd doesn't seem to bad, but I can't see myself spending around $3k on an 80e to work with my transfer case so boosting the truck is now out of the question. You guys may see a P1SC head unit in the classifieds pretty soon.
I do use the truck as a truck and have done lots of yard work and lumber hauling with the bed (which has a spray on bed liner). My father also owns a 14' enclosed trailer with a guttering machine in it and tools that I occasionally pull on the weekends. After discovering how pitiful the 4l60e's are, I decided to purchase a Tru-Cool 40k. I actually just installed it this weekend, once again using the write up on here. Here is a picture of it mounted. I went ahead and bought the adapters from NAPA auto parts to use the factory lines.
Since the procharger idea went out the window, I decided to stick with doing a CAI, long tubes, and a custom tune and hope that it gives me enough power to keep me and my transmission happy. For the intake I did some research on here to discover that most guys are simply doing a MIT or building their own and using the stock air box. I decided to do some measuring while I was installing my Tru-Cool and ordered my 4" 90 degree elbow for the throttle body, a foot long section of 4" aluminum piping that I am going to cut to size and paint flat black. And a 4" to 3.75" reducer for the pipe to the MAF. I ordered all the parts from siliconintakes.com and will do a quick write up on it since I haven't really found one.
Here is a quick exhaust clip I took tonight when I got home from work. Unfortunately it is now dark by the time I get home.
I'll update once the intake is done and the long tubes get ordered!
Last edited by mr.mustang214; 11-15-2011 at 07:21 PM.
11-14-2011, 08:20 AM
#4
Staging Lane
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It really wasn't too bad. I just used the mounting hardware the cooler came with and only had to drill one hole in their bracket to get it to work. The factory lines took a little bit to get lined up correctly but those NAPA adapters made it a pretty easy install.
11-14-2011, 08:22 AM
#5
Staging Lane
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I used an eraser type wheel that you can pick up at most auto part stores near the body work supplies. It goes on the end of a drill. It took the sticker right off no problems. Then just some polishing to clean the eraser debris of. I used the same thing to get the glue off when I removed the side moldings.
11-14-2011, 07:37 PM
#6
Did you have to bend the lines any to make them reach the ends of the new cooler? Also what are the PNs for the NAPA adapters?
I like the WT grill, looks just like how mine is after I sprayed it with plasti-dip. Would also love to hear how your truck sounds with the SLP exhaust.
I like the WT grill, looks just like how mine is after I sprayed it with plasti-dip. Would also love to hear how your truck sounds with the SLP exhaust.
11-14-2011, 08:03 PM
#7
Staging Lane
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Did you have to bend the lines any to make them reach the ends of the new cooler? Also what are the PNs for the NAPA adapters?
I like the WT grill, looks just like how mine is after I sprayed it with plasti-dip. Would also love to hear how your truck sounds with the SLP exhaust.
I like the WT grill, looks just like how mine is after I sprayed it with plasti-dip. Would also love to hear how your truck sounds with the SLP exhaust.
I got the part number off of this thread:
https://www.performancetrucks.net/fo...thread-470284/
Once the intake parts arrive and I start installing that i'll get a quick sound clip of the exhaust. Revving still doesn't give you the full effect of actually going down the road.
