Question on 5.3 and improving performance

CRSilverado · January 22, 2012

Maybe this has been touch on but did not find any posts. There are three cats on my 2011 5.3 Silverado. Will gutting the third, seemingly redundant cat, improve power? Any with dyno before and after?

Carder09 · January 22, 2012

You will hear about this alot but these new trucks are built with high flow cats nowadays. Same goes with the manifolds. But maybe it will increase sound a very tiny bit ? If you want performance possibly some long tube headers with custom exhaust and a tune will def benefit you more, also if your into it a cai but from what I hear these new trucks get plenty air so its up to you.

GMstrong · January 22, 2012

I cant see you gaining anything more then 2-3hp if that,you wont be able to feel that.Like the above post says it probably will be a bit louder,I also agree on longtubes and a good tune,drop in k&n filter too.

CRSilverado · January 22, 2012

Unfortunately longtubes would require tuning. 5 year warranty out the door then. Just interested in simple things to help me catch my sons 5.0 Ford crew cab. His 5.0 Ford is pretty powerful compared to my 5.3.

Stevens03 · January 22, 2012

Long tube headers and a custom tune should take care of the fords 5.0

What gears do you have now? If you have the 3.08's, a gear swap to 3.73's would most likely take care of that too by its self and not kill your mpg. But... both will need a tune.

CRSilverado · January 22, 2012

Hard to get past that tune. Guess I will just have to race him with my Corvette! LOL!

SouthCo · January 23, 2012

Wow, I didn't even know ford had a 5.0 in their pickups. I must live under a rock.

GMstrong · January 23, 2012

Yea,i hate ford but those 5.0 trucks get up!

CRSilverado · January 23, 2012

The Ford 5.0 has 45 more hp. With 360 hp vs. my 315 for my 5.3 Silverado. Takes quite a good bit of mods to make up 45 hp difference.

GMstrong · January 24, 2012

Yea especially with the warranty and tune,LTs will get you atleast 30+ hp.IMO its all about torque.

SouthCo · January 26, 2012

Yea especially with the warranty and tune,LTs will get you atleast 30+ hp.IMO its all about torque.

Yeah what's the torque difference? More HP is always nice but, in my trucks, I'll take torque over hp. Being that they are gas, I'm guessing the 5.0 is ahead there too. What rpm are the torque and hp numbers at? That matters too. I don't rev to the redline.

tyhuck · January 26, 2012

Ford used to focus on a low end torque number, but since everyone else is all about the number being high for advertising purposes, I am not sure its not up there in he higher RPM like GM is.

If it was all about HP numbers, then my sisters '11 Hemi Ram would kick like a mule. I drive it like it was stolen, and wasnt impressed. My wife's Tahoe has several hundred lbs on her Ram, and the Tahoe feels like it would blow the Ram out of the water. We never lined em up, but Im pretty sure Ide smoke her.

CRSilverado · January 26, 2012

Yea especially with the warranty and tune,LTs will get you atleast 30+ hp.IMO its all about torque.

Yeah what's the torque difference? More HP is always nice but, in my trucks, I'll take torque over hp. Being that they are gas, I'm guessing the 5.0 is ahead there too. What rpm are the torque and hp numbers at? That matters too. I don't rev to the redline. Would be interesting to see the torque difference in the towing rpm range of the 5.0 Ford vs. our 5.3. I think towing a car trailer for example around 60 mph, 2000+/- rpm, the 5.3 would produce more torque in this part throttle range than the Ford. Or an example, pulling on a grade with only 1/4+/- throttle.