upgrades

[97gmcz71]

I have a '97 gmc Z71, I have owned this truck for approx. 2 yrs and it has about 100k on it. Looking to get a little more out of it now. I have put together a list of upgrades/changes I would like to make and was hoping to get some feedback on them.

1. 160 thermostate

2. electric fans

3. underdrive pulley system

4. ported TB with thinner blade

5. possibly westers pcm

6. TB spacer

I have read alot of the posts on here about these different items, but most of the post talk about mods to the newer 4.8, 5.3, and 6.0. I need to know about the 5.7.

 

thanks for the help

[SportSide 5.3]

you should ordre a subscription to my chevy truck magazine. In their latest magazine they installed Electric Breeze fans on a '97 Z71. It says "The Flex-A-Lite Monster Fan #280 is a dual 15'' fan that pulls 5500 cubic feet per minute. Flex-A-Lite's data from an independent Dyno test shows a gain of 12 hp and 16 tq."

 

They also said they dropped their 50-70mph time by nearly 4 seconds. Thats big there. Also mileage jumped from 13.44 to 14mpg. Bringing in all that cool air, you might wanna look into gettin it out with some exhaust, headers or mufflers for another quick and easy hp/tq jump. I'd go to performancecenter.com and type in your type of car and such and look at headers. Most of their headers are shorties tho. They also have a wide variety of other things to look at. (computers, cooling, electric, nos, superchargers, drivetrain and much more)

go to www.flex-a-lite.com and www.performancecenter.com

 

 

Hope this helps

[02denali]

try nelson performance for the tuning.

[97gmcz71]

I do have the K&N filter on the truck and a cat back system. Neither of these really offered a lot of noticeable gains. I'm hoping these other upgrades will. I live in WV and with the hills, crooked roads, and pulling a boat, I need more, also I just want more too.

 

Which is the better program wester's or nelson's ??

[99Silver6.0]

Id go with Nelson. I got LS1dit and tuned mine. Runs good but not an in depth tune like Nelson would do. I wanna get to Texas and have him tune my truck so bad!!!!! Also, the ASP underdrive pullies are certainly worth the cash!! They have netted some close to 12hp, no joke! If you want headers, look into TOG (The Other Guys), or ASM. I am wanting a set of either LaPole or TOG but I want them Jet-Hot coated, not ceramic. Long tubes are the way to go. Do not waste your money on shorties because the gain is next to nothing. If you do go for shorties, JBA makes the best. Be careful not to over port your TB. You will upset the IAC counts and your engine will surge or idle really high. TB spacers really only get you better MPG. I felt nothing with my PowerAid, so I took it off. Waste of money in my opinion. I did a few piddly things to my truck and it didnt feel good enough. So I got me a new burble stick. I just got my ASP underdrive pulley and havent put it on yet. If oyu get a pulley, make sure oyu get a longer crank pulley bolt. You dont want to strip the threads out of the crank!!!!!!!! Hope some of my mindless babble helps!!

[Wingnut]

I say skip that stuff.

 

-Do the heads

-Headers

-Then the PCM to take advantage of the greater airflow.

 

Those will wake it up very well. You would also get back what you probably lost on the bottom with that cat-back.

 

If you still aren't happy, you can always go with a bigger cam, and/or supercharge it.

 

But thats just my .02

[99Silver6.0]

Oh yea....... CAM IT!!!

[Mule]

Sportside 5.3,

Which magazine are you refering to when you say "subscribe to my magazine"? Sounds like something I would be interested in. I remeber a magazine called "Chevy Truck", but that ended a few years ago. I have all the issues of that one.

[SportSide 5.3]

Mule, the magazine is called My Chevy Truck

This is the website http://mct.truckmoxie.com/magazine/

 

I found it on the internet lookin for forums one day and subscribed to it. I've only gotten 1 issue yet and am expecting my next soon. It cost $21 for a years subscription. Its about 100 pages and they have some interesting stuff. I needed a mag. besides street trucks and truckin b/c i was tired of lookin at dodges and fords

[Mule]

Thanks, I subscribed, but I didn't like that you have to register to their site to buy it.

 

And I guess "your magazine" is "My Chevy Truck".

 

Thanks

[jdb1937]

Out of the list you present, I always do the 160 stat and electric fans, and i always use flex a lite, too. You will then never detonate or ping again, if your water temp is actually about 170-175 where it should be. Then you can install the Wester's or whatever, advancing the timing, and still run 87 octane. Try it, it works, and makes your engine last a lot longer too. J.D.

[augiedog77]

i like the Wester's better. if you ever decide to change your vehicle you get a credit towards a pcm for the new vehicle. plus Lyndon is awesome to deal with

 

I haven't heard anything on mail order pcm's from Nelsons, only people with dyno/driven tuned trucks seem to be bragging about it. comparing mail order to dyno/driven tunes isn't fair, they are not the same

my .02

 

Gerry

[99Silver6.0]

i like the Wester's better.  if you ever decide to change your vehicle you get a credit towards a pcm for the new vehicle.  plus Lyndon is awesome to deal with

 

I haven't heard anything on mail order pcm's from Nelsons, only people with dyno/driven tuned trucks seem to be bragging about it.  comparing mail order to dyno/driven tunes isn't fair, they are not the same

my .02

 

Gerry

Westers isnt a dyno tune. On the other hand neither is Nelsons. BUT, both use compiled settings that have proved themselves on and off the dyno. In my eyes, you couldnt go wrong with either company. The Hypertech and Diablo do not even compare to a custom tune!

[augiedog77]

I've agreed before that the tuners are pretty much equal

 

Just choose what warrenty and upgrade packages work best for you.

[Butch 02 Denali]

i like the Wester's better.  if you ever decide to change your vehicle you get a credit towards a pcm for the new vehicle.  plus Lyndon is awesome to deal with

 

I haven't heard anything on mail order pcm's from Nelsons, only people with dyno/driven tuned trucks seem to be bragging about it.  comparing mail order to dyno/driven tunes isn't fair, they are not the same

my .02

 

Gerry

Westers isnt a dyno tune. On the other hand neither is Nelsons. BUT, both use compiled settings that have proved themselves on and off the dyno. In my eyes, you couldnt go wrong with either company. The Hypertech and Diablo do not even compare to a custom tune!

Thank you Jared and Gerry, well said and I completly agree!

 

I HOPE this forever ends the "which is better battle"!

Of course untill there is an actual head to head, fair test between these two tuners!

 

Butch 02 Sierra Denali