i don;'t think you'll gain all that much from the intake stuff. it will probably help some, but these trucks already draw in cool air from the wheel well area. as for the exhaust....theres nothing out there that sounds quite like a small block chevy engine. depending on what type of muffler you go with you can get different tones, but it will always sound like a SBC. i was pretty happy with the flowmaster delta 40 series on my Z-71. other have tried and like magna-flow. i like those as well. if you have money you want to just get rid of, i have heard the borla exhaust set-ups are nice.

As for the gear ratios....the easiest way is to look in your glove box. there will be a list of three digit alpha numberic RPO (Retail Production Option) codes. these codes indicate everything on your trucvk from chassis set-up to color of carpeting and leather wraped steering wheel. any of the cotes that start with GU# or AT# can be for axle ratio. while you're looking, check for code G80....this is the designator for the limited slip Gov-Lock system. it is loving refered to as the grenade lock or simply as the G-80

 

Its deffinately got some sort of limited slip .... thats one of the first things i checked /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

an exhaust will help with the sound, but not much with the power. the chevy exhaust is free flowing stock. if you ran the truck on a dino, i'm sure you would see an improvement. every day driving, your basically not seeing a difference.

what does make a difference are shorty headers. i've got them on my truck, and you actually can tell. they bolt up to the stock y pipe. if you know what you are doing, and no bolts break off in the head like when i installed my headers, it is a job that can be done in a long afternoon with a friend.

stock, you have an electric front diff engaging system. it can fail. but you can replace it with something called a posi lok http://www.4x4posi-lok.com/ . again, not a very hard install.

i'd also lastly go ahead and replace your entire steering linkage if you feel any slop. there are many moving parts under there, all that do go bad. i recently went head and replaced everything with the acception of the steering box and it makes a world of difference.

 

I seem to have no y-pipe true duals with a cat for both sides back to the muffler and it exits as one pipe.. Has anyone with this setup just ran dual pipes with tips behind the cats w/no mufflers?

[ QUOTE ]
an exhaust will help with the sound, but not much with the power. the chevy exhaust is free flowing stock. if you ran the truck on a dino, i'm sure you would see an improvement. every day driving, your basically not seeing a difference.

what does make a difference are shorty headers. i've got them on my truck, and you actually can tell. they bolt up to the stock y pipe. if you know what you are doing, and no bolts break off in the head like when i installed my headers, it is a job that can be done in a long afternoon with a friend.

stock, you have an electric front diff engaging system. it can fail. but you can replace it with something called a posi lok http://www.4x4posi-lok.com/ . again, not a very hard install.

i'd also lastly go ahead and replace your entire steering linkage if you feel any slop. there are many moving parts under there, all that do go bad. i recently went head and replaced everything with the acception of the steering box and it makes a world of difference.

[/ QUOTE ]

 

Re: Just bought a new truck looking at some upgrad

[ QUOTE ]
I seem to have no y-pipe true duals with a cat for both sides back to the muffler and it exits as one pipe.. Has anyone with this setup just ran dual pipes with tips behind the cats w/no mufflers?

[/ QUOTE ]

It'll sound like ****. But if that's the sound you're going for - loud and ****ty, by all means, do it.

I'd suggest a decent muffler or two, you'll get quality sound and some volume, along with the headers and free flow cats. Watch your pipe size. You go big with that and you're not doing yourself any favors. Personally, I like the single 3" exhaust.

As for the setup that's on there, that's the typical GM setup '96+. Mom's Tahoe has it.

Oh yeah, adding mpg and pep, I doubt you'll get both. High teens for that truck is excellent. Realistically, the majority spit out 12-15mpg before mods.

 

Re: Just bought a new truck looking at some upgrad

What about the dynomax bullit type mufflers?

 

Re: Just bought a new truck looking at some upgrad

Picked up a never used K&N filter for it today for $15.. Clamped it on and just left the lid off the box seemed to pick up some pep and throttle response..

 

Re: Just bought a new truck looking at some upgrad

You'll wanna cover that back up or the truck will continue to suck hot engine bay air. That is not efficent performance or economy wise.

Covcer it or build a proper cold air intake.

 

Re: Just bought a new truck looking at some upgrad

LOL ... I'm thinking that being in Indiana, he's probably sucking in much cooler air than I am most anytime of the year, with my box lid on. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif But, yes, when it's remotely warm it's better to just run the lid on. I have, durring the winter months ran mine with the lid off too. But, being way at the end of a dirt road, I've come close to getting some muddy water spray up in there, and put it back on.

 

Re: Just bought a new truck looking at some upgrad

Aw heck, I din't even check location. You're right, the climate is cooler up there and that will help.

 

Re: Just bought a new truck looking at some upgrad

Hey, Shorts typed **** and the censor didn't catch it...hmmm, note to self; be careful.

Hey, welcome to this side of the forum, congrats on the truck. My cousin has a '97 GMC almost identical to your truck, he's got about 92k miles on it. He had a local shop install a new muffler and tailpipe on his. I think it is something akin to a magnaflow. Sounds real good with a throaty idle, light-moderate tone when accelerating, no drone on the highway.

 

Re: Just bought a new truck looking at some upgrad

hey,

first off dont go with a true dual setup, you'll loose power, not gain it because of the loss of backpressure. it'll only get louder that way. if you want the baddest exhaust out there look up an "extreme flow" muffler. they are based out of fresno, ca and will ship. i had one on my 93 chevy and i got all kinds of comliments. another addition should be a high-flow cat. they should only run you about 150-180 and they make your truck sound better and give a little better pep. intake i didnt notice any power from, only a little hiss from under the hood. headers are a great addition. well worth the money.

 

Re: Just bought a new truck looking at some upgrad

Nice truck liftedchevy /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

[ QUOTE ]
Hey, Shorts typed **** and the censor didn't catch it...hmmm, note to self; be careful.

[/ QUOTE ]

...hehe that's right baby, I can say all kindsa words /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

Re: Just bought a new truck looking at some upgrad

thanks, i love it too shorts

is your truck compatible with a plug and play progremmer or just the chip. i put a stage 2 hypertech chip in my 93 and felt a difference. downside was you couldnt change settings and it was set to run on 93 octane. either way that would also be a nice cheap upgrade

 

Re: Just bought a new truck looking at some upgrad

How is the crane powermax tuner anyone had any experiance with it??