5.3 truck upgrades
08-22-2010, 11:25 AM
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5.3 truck upgrades ok guys im new to the ls based engines (lt1 guy). i do however know a little bit about engines, but i would like some of your input on how you would build streetable power for a 4x4 truck that will do a little bit of tow duty for my trans am. heres what im thinking so far...
cold air intake
pacesetter long tubes into free flowing exhaust
electric fans/ electric water pump
port and polish throttle body
computer tune from trifecta performance
future mods:
lloyd elliotts 223/218 112lsa. builds power from 1500 to 6200 rpms
minor port work on the heads/mill them a little
maybe a 2500ish torque converter(i want something small so that it wont slip alot when towing) still on the fence witht the converter idea. wat do u guys think?
cold air intake
pacesetter long tubes into free flowing exhaust
electric fans/ electric water pump
port and polish throttle body
computer tune from trifecta performance
future mods:
lloyd elliotts 223/218 112lsa. builds power from 1500 to 6200 rpms
minor port work on the heads/mill them a little
maybe a 2500ish torque converter(i want something small so that it wont slip alot when towing) still on the fence witht the converter idea. wat do u guys think?
Last edited by kalebm22; 08-22-2010 at 12:21 PM. Reason: change of plans
08-22-2010, 11:56 AM
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stick with the stock water pump,money saved to upgrade valve train.use the stock rockers ,use comp cam trunnion bearings.you can't use a ls6 intake on a truck,the TB will will not clear the drive belt.the truck intake make great power up to 5500rpm.get a comp cam LSR cam 54-455-11 or a little bigger.or get a custom cam.your converter will lock up in 4th gear.
08-22-2010, 12:08 PM
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stick with the stock water pump,money saved to upgrade valve train.use the stock rockers ,use comp cam trunnion bearings.you can't use a ls6 intake on a truck,the TB will will not clear the drive belt.the truck intake make great power up to 5500rpm.get a comp cam LSR cam 54-455-11 or a little bigger.or get a custom cam.your converter will lock up in 4th gear.
08-24-2010, 09:56 AM
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If I were towing, I would not skimp or get clever with any
of the cooling system.
Truck intake ducts I have seen, look pretty "cold air" to
begin with - air box takes it in from the upper fender well?
If so then just look at opening up the inlet to as big as
your next downstream "choke" area and call it good.
There's plenty of hot-roddy performance you can pull out
of an early LSx truck with tuning, but it will end with much
poorer fuel economy (that's the goal for stock trucks that
leads to slow PE engagement, low timing under load and
mucho burst-knock timing pullout).
A converter will definitely help but you probably want to
be very careful with the lockup clutch, there are a lot of
performance converters that skimp on it. Pound on your
vendors about towing durability, clutch total area and so
on.
of the cooling system.
Truck intake ducts I have seen, look pretty "cold air" to
begin with - air box takes it in from the upper fender well?
If so then just look at opening up the inlet to as big as
your next downstream "choke" area and call it good.
There's plenty of hot-roddy performance you can pull out
of an early LSx truck with tuning, but it will end with much
poorer fuel economy (that's the goal for stock trucks that
leads to slow PE engagement, low timing under load and
mucho burst-knock timing pullout).
A converter will definitely help but you probably want to
be very careful with the lockup clutch, there are a lot of
performance converters that skimp on it. Pound on your
vendors about towing durability, clutch total area and so
on.
08-24-2010, 10:09 AM
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If I were towing, I would not skimp or get clever with any
of the cooling system.
Truck intake ducts I have seen, look pretty "cold air" to
begin with - air box takes it in from the upper fender well?
If so then just look at opening up the inlet to as big as
your next downstream "choke" area and call it good.
There's plenty of hot-roddy performance you can pull out
of an early LSx truck with tuning, but it will end with much
poorer fuel economy (that's the goal for stock trucks that
leads to slow PE engagement, low timing under load and
mucho burst-knock timing pullout).
A converter will definitely help but you probably want to
be very careful with the lockup clutch, there are a lot of
performance converters that skimp on it. Pound on your
vendors about towing durability, clutch total area and so
on.
of the cooling system.
Truck intake ducts I have seen, look pretty "cold air" to
begin with - air box takes it in from the upper fender well?
If so then just look at opening up the inlet to as big as
your next downstream "choke" area and call it good.
There's plenty of hot-roddy performance you can pull out
of an early LSx truck with tuning, but it will end with much
poorer fuel economy (that's the goal for stock trucks that
leads to slow PE engagement, low timing under load and
mucho burst-knock timing pullout).
A converter will definitely help but you probably want to
be very careful with the lockup clutch, there are a lot of
performance converters that skimp on it. Pound on your
vendors about towing durability, clutch total area and so
on.
the air inkate tube with the silencer needs to be replaced with a higher flowing tube and filter. so the cold air kit is forsure going on.
the truck will also recive a good tune after a few mods have been made.
if i do go with a converter it will probly be something from yank.
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08-24-2010, 12:24 PM
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You'd have to determine whether "high flow" per the
manufacturer, is higher than a stock belt driven pump.
Could be better, at low RPM, or not. Same with the
fans. There are all kinds of motor size, and they all
would have less ultimate power input than the belt I
expect. Whether that translates into cooling airflow,
you'd have to qualify.
Just don't let yourself be "sold" is all I'm saying.
manufacturer, is higher than a stock belt driven pump.
Could be better, at low RPM, or not. Same with the
fans. There are all kinds of motor size, and they all
would have less ultimate power input than the belt I
expect. Whether that translates into cooling airflow,
you'd have to qualify.
Just don't let yourself be "sold" is all I'm saying.
08-25-2010, 11:59 AM
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You'd have to determine whether "high flow" per the
manufacturer, is higher than a stock belt driven pump.
Could be better, at low RPM, or not. Same with the
fans. There are all kinds of motor size, and they all
would have less ultimate power input than the belt I
expect. Whether that translates into cooling airflow,
you'd have to qualify.
Just don't let yourself be "sold" is all I'm saying.
manufacturer, is higher than a stock belt driven pump.
Could be better, at low RPM, or not. Same with the
fans. There are all kinds of motor size, and they all
would have less ultimate power input than the belt I
expect. Whether that translates into cooling airflow,
you'd have to qualify.
Just don't let yourself be "sold" is all I'm saying.
08-29-2010, 10:20 AM
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if you get fans from a 05 u will have to get a radiator from a 05 too because there bigger, i think 38" instead of 34", most ppl just run f body fans as they are more than enough to keep it cool. as far as the water pump goes the factory one is fine unless u are just wanting to spend money. just get a specter cai from auto zone there 150 bucks and work well and if you take the plate off where the factory air box set it makes it almost a ram air affect. i built my 03 from the ground up with full bolt ons and a tune from blackbearperformance.com with 22's and towed my boat with it all day and then went cruzin on the weekends. just go to pt.net there is a lot of good info on there, and just to show u im not talkin out my *** here is a pic of my truck that will pull anything all day and has not ever broke down on me.
08-30-2010, 10:21 AM
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thanks guys i will check that sight out. i have a set of fans off of my lt1 fbody so i will probly use them. would it be hard to route the belt with the electric waterpump? i am a huge fan of electric waterpumps. the added performance with no driveablility loss is great in my opinion.
