Cheap, easy engine mods

[AcesFreak]

What would be the cheapest, easiest little things i can do to improve power/performance?

 

For example, with the Dodge 5.7L V8's, adding a cooler thermostat helps a LOT

 

This is in a 5.3L 2005

[redvett]

Get a custom tune.

[thecraft]

http://www.wait4meperformance.com/

[MrLM7]

Throttle body bypass, unbolt your exhaust, remove the engine cover and the pads that are under the intake manifold and above the lifter valley in the front and the back. Also, you can cut a hole in the airbox, under the line where the top seals to the bottom, in the front. Make it as big as you possibly can without affecting the way it seals. You can remove your passenger-side headlight if you want. You can also de-screen the MAF sensor. These mods are all free. Depending on the configuration and weight of your truck, and given the fact that you have electric fans, it wouldn't suprise me if these things alone put you in the 14.9's or so. You can also take off your spare tire, tailgate, floor mats in under 10 minutes, too. Don't waste your cash on an intake. Just get a K&N drop-in filter. You won't notice a difference. Next, I'd get a 160 degree thermostat, Pacesetter headers and a tune from PCMforless.com, it's only Like $250. Maybe a throttle body spacer. That's about the limit for CHEAP performance. After that, it gets to the wallet pretty quick.

[TheClassic]

Good call on those pads. I pulled them this morning after reading your post. Can you say BS emissions device? Definately not good for air flow. I think they're there to heat up the intake air a little more to some how reduce emissions. Something you'll want to do.

[Billdog350]

Throttebody spacers are usless except in a TBI or carb application.

 

A custom tune is by far the best "bang for your buck". Easily proven by $250 tunes that are producing 50hp/50ft lbs more than stock!

 

Next in line is a cam for cost effective hp increase (combined with a tune).

 

All other crap like headers, exhaust, CAI, etc are all minimal gains and are usually quite pricy.