More Add-ons For My Truck!

alwcurlz · January 8, 2009

FINALLY FOUND and picked up what I was looking for.....a chrome, one piece grill guard tonight! and, had a great conversation with a great gear-head. He told me to get a racing throttle body/air passage system. I forget what size he said. He put one on his truck, configured like mine except his is 2WD and he's presently getting 24MPG with a 5.3LV8 with just that upgrade! I need to get more clear info on what exact parts he was talking about as I forgot most of it. I think it's like this 80mm throttle body here 99-02 CHEVY SILVERADO GMC SIERRA 80MM THROTTLE BODY TB6 . He mentioned getting a performance race engine kit with the larger throttle body and matching tubing, hooked up to a K&N filter. He also said the cold air intake jokes and to ignore them, like I always suspected.

Gotta like these American trucks....6,000 lb, V8 and getting 24mpg . The one in my truck is apparently the same on the bottom end as a Corvette. I'm getting 21MPG on this 4x4 so it'll be great to see what mpg I'll get after installing the larger throttle plate and components! Was very interesting hearing about the differences in the 4.8, 5.3, and 6.0 engines and how the swapping would be done if need be. I asked about the huge boat in his driveway and he said he found it worked better for him when towing the 6,500 lb monster boat in his driveway to have it in tow/haul mode at first initial startup on the road then, switching it to normal mode once up to highway speeds. Especially after the throttle body/intake tubing change.

This guy, the one I bought the grill guard from used to work for GM and has connections in the assembly plant/hq and will hook me up with some tips/helps/parts for my truck! He knows quite a few up and up people around here! While we were outside chatting, some cop drove by, sounded his siren/lights and waved at him. Friend of his! Also, he told me about some FBI/CIA friends around the block he knew. He has parties at his place and they show up there at his house!! I'll have to see if he'll invite me next time.

I'll have to get some updated pictures when I get the guard installed. Also put on more stuff. New tailgate handle with power lock.

97SierraGMC · January 8, 2009

get a room!

also a throttle body isnt going to get you 24 MPG

alwcurlz · January 8, 2009

get a room!

also a throttle body isnt going to get you 24 MPG

Get a room???

I was told there is air restriction with the existing design, and especially with the air coming from the fender well I've wondered about that. Seems like a way to drag more dust into the filter. Makes sense to me! I do know that airflow makes a big difference. I get 21mpg as it is without any modifications. Wouldn't be surprised if I get better mpg after increasing some air flow. He also told me this kind of change only works on the cable controlled throttles and not the electronic ones, 2003 and after which are drive by wire.Trying to remember what all he was telling me as he was talking quickly and it was noisy outside. Forgot to mention the MAF would be changed, as well.

Schmids5.3l · January 8, 2009

no, no, no, no....and no.

tobias · January 8, 2009

Please post your results.

alwcurlz · January 8, 2009

Please post your results.

Would be happy to. Always love squashing the nay-sayers.

Schmids5.3l · January 8, 2009

I'm a little more than a nay-sayer. Not trying to be an ass but your going to waste your money. It's probably nothing more than a stock ported and polished throttle body, which is not even worth 5hp. Not to mention the cost of the throttle body + MAF + air intake...even if you gained 1 mpg it would take a long long time to offset the price in fuel for the price of the parts. If you want to gain power and economy custom tune, the stock induction system is far from a restriction for you.

The swapping between 4.8/5.3/6.0 is absolutely nothing outside of a tune.

alwcurlz · January 9, 2009

I'm a little more than a nay-sayer. Not trying to be an ass but your going to waste your money. It's probably nothing more than a stock ported and polished throttle body, which is not even worth 5hp. Not to mention the cost of the throttle body + MAF + air intake...even if you gained 1 mpg it would take a long long time to offset the price in fuel for the price of the parts. If you want to gain power and economy custom tune, the stock induction system is far from a restriction for you.

The swapping between 4.8/5.3/6.0 is absolutely nothing outside of a tune.

From what I've heard, the 4.8 and 6.0 are easily swappable. The 5.3 if swapped with a 6.0 requires a different bracket. The 5.3 is quite different from the 4.8 and 6.0 as far as their placement design. Something having to do with a rearward block design of the 4.8 and 6.0 as apposed to the centrally located 5.3. Trying to remember what exactly this guy was telling me.

dlstewart01 · January 9, 2009

The guy is full of it. 4.8 5.3 and 6 blocks are the same. just different configurations of bore and stroke. Also intakes are the same. And the throttle body will not help. Your engine will not pull in more air than it can use. The restriction is in the tube going to the throttle body. Don't you think that if all it took to get better mileage was to change the throttle body, GM would not have already done it???

Don

alwcurlz · January 9, 2009

The guy is full of it. 4.8 5.3 and 6 blocks are the same. just different configurations of bore and stroke. Also intakes are the same. And the throttle body will not help. Your engine will not pull in more air than it can use. The restriction is in the tube going to the throttle body. Don't you think that if all it took to get better mileage was to change the throttle body, GM would not have already done it???

Don

I have much to learn but, knowing who knows what is still making me confused. This guy worked for a GM assembly plant and his father was plant manager in Georgia when he was growing up. Anyway, the air flow products he mentioned I can't remember now. I have a poor memory/ADD issue. Anyway, airflow to me seems important to me when I examine the setup. If GM were to put the very best air/fuel delivery system in these trucks, they would probably get upwards to 30mpg which would send the whole industry in chaos and cause the oil industry to go under. Not that we would care. Like I said before, I'm getting 21MPG right now, highway, speeds between 60-70mph! NO modifications at all! STOCK. Factory air delivery and paper filter. An extra 3mpg would seem VERY possible with computer tweaking and fuel/air delivery changes. I've read up for a while on SuperTuners.com forum postings and it is like stepping into a science lab at NASA or something. Those guys are pretty amazing what they do with that software. I read on there that GM's computers are "oddly easy to bypass for altering settings" compared other mfgrs. Intake systems should match diameter/volume capacity as what comes out the tailpipe I've read. I've read that guys putting 3" exhaust systems are seeing decreasing mileage and performance due to reduced back pressure which I don't believe totally. Having a wide open intake with no air tube/filter/air cleaner I KNOW is much different.

jrrod2004 · January 9, 2009

I think jenna gets around that BUT she has TONS of cash in her HOE

dlstewart01 · January 9, 2009

Not at all trying to be a smart azz. We on this forum will try to help anybody that will listen. There is a great deal of misinformation out there. I have been a manufacturing manager in a tier 1 GM supplier and have worked in GM dealerships three different times, and I am not an expert. Trust me with the Government on the automakers butts the way they are, if they can get 1/2 MPG better they will be on it like stink on shit.

There are no miracle cures. If something sounds too good to be true it probably is. Just take your time and listen to these guys. We are full of it sometimes but we will not steer you wrong.

Back to the ball game,

Don

jrrod2004 · January 9, 2009

I would like to see his results

66nova · January 9, 2009

Not at all trying to be a smart azz. We on this forum will try to help anybody that will listen. There is a great deal of misinformation out there. I have been a manufacturing manager in a tier 1 GM supplier and have worked in GM dealerships three different times, and I am not an expert. Trust me with the Government on the automakers butts the way they are, if they can get 1/2 MPG better they will be on it like stink on shit.

There are no miracle cures. If something sounds too good to be true it probably is. Just take your time and listen to these guys. We are full of it sometimes but we will not steer you wrong.

Back to the ball game,

Don

Well said! At the track and around a number of shops I hear all kinds of BS...this is to only way to make power, this will increase your mileage, this that, this that. It can be very hard to determine who is full of sh... But the fact remains, it is very hard to keep a secret. If you could get an extra 3-4 mpg or even 1-2mpg everyone would be doing it.

And dlstewart01 is right, if GM could get any extra mileage they would do it. Look at the XFE it averages an extra 1 mpg and they are promoting the crap out of it.

If you want change out your throttle body go for it, but don't get your hopes up too high. I will be interested in the results. Good luck on the 24mpg goal.

alwcurlz · January 9, 2009

Not at all trying to be a smart azz. We on this forum will try to help anybody that will listen. There is a great deal of misinformation out there. I have been a manufacturing manager in a tier 1 GM supplier and have worked in GM dealerships three different times, and I am not an expert. Trust me with the Government on the automakers butts the way they are, if they can get 1/2 MPG better they will be on it like stink on shit.

There are no miracle cures. If something sounds too good to be true it probably is. Just take your time and listen to these guys. We are full of it sometimes but we will not steer you wrong.

Back to the ball game,

Don

Well said! At the track and around a number of shops I hear all kinds of BS...this is to only way to make power, this will increase your mileage, this that, this that. It can be very hard to determine who is full of sh... But the fact remains, it is very hard to keep a secret. If you could get an extra 3-4 mpg or even 1-2mpg everyone would be doing it.

And dlstewart01 is right, if GM could get any extra mileage they would do it. Look at the XFE it averages an extra 1 mpg and they are promoting the crap out of it.

If you want change out your throttle body go for it, but don't get your hopes up too high. I will be interested in the results. Good luck on the 24mpg goal.

Well, I am CERTAIN I could get 24 MPG without adding anything BUT, rather removing some things. If I were to remove my topper, box, spare tire, rear bench seat, front passenger seat, front differential and transfer case, put 6" wide magnesium wheels on with 225/65 tires, remove the battery, air filter, clutch fan, A/C pump, and drive under 55mph I would probably hit that MPG for sure and more, and the motor would last 300,000+ miles. Reducing weight, engine workload, and eliminating aerodynamics.

I've read in other forums, such as a Dodge Ram/Hemi forum and they are crying about mileage problems. They are finding out that those wheels/tires are too much for those trucks even thought stock. They're trying to get better mpg by putting narrower tires on which has to look funny, and driving way slower to discover very little improvement. On the flip side, there's a lady at work who has a 2007 F150 ext cab 2wd that gets 24mpg stock. It has the small V8, not sure of the size but, nothing to complain about there!