Relatively new to modding

I've been thinking about putting some money into my truck. I looked around some on the forums on what would be a decent way to gain some power outta my truck on a budget, but didn't find quite what i was looking for. The truck is bone stock right now.

My buddies have been telling me do a CAI, Throttle Body Spacer, Headers, and Exhaust. Those seem to be the common types of mods out there. I'm not too worried about gas as long as I can keep an average above 10 MPG city. I was just curious if there are other mods besides the above mentioned that i can do without killing the bank.

I'm into trailriding and mudding, if that helps any with ideas. My truck is 98 4x4 1500 Sport 5.2.

Thanks for any input!

No to the CAI, no to the throttle body spacers. Both are wastes of time and the TB spacer is a COMPLETE waste of time and money....unless you throw it at your friends that suggested it.

Anyway. Headers aren't needed until you have more serious internal mods and exhaust from the cat back is actually okay on these trucks. If you're going to do ANY exhaust work at all, keep it in front of the cat. The factory y-pipe on these trucks is pretty restrictive, so by replacing it with an off road y-pipe you can free up some low end.

Besides that, make sure everything is up to ***** first. Check your plenum and do compression and leak down tests. Then make sure your spark plugs, wires, cap and rotor are good.

THEN.
And only then, you can think about modding.

Why not do headers. If you can get some go right ahead. I put headers on my old 79 truck which probably barely make 175hp. So why not.
TB spacer is very useless. And CAI really doesn't help if it is an open box design, which just sucks in hot air not cold air. Get a good drop in filter, like a K&N or a green filter (can't remember the brand, just google it).
You also may want to get a tuner, such as a superchips 3865. Or contact Hemifever who is a vendor here and have him get you a custom tune for all mods you plan to put on with it.

Biggest bang for your buck SCT tuner, next dual exhaust, then headers. Then you start to mod your motor, not worth putting parts on the motor that makes it breath better when the exhaust is holding it back.

As posted CIA not worth it, same goes for the tb spacer. You need to make sure the motor is in good shape before any of this work is done, so comp test is a must do first.

TDWS90 said:

I've been thinking about putting some money into my truck. I looked around some on the forums on what would be a decent way to gain some power outta my truck on a budget, but didn't find quite what i was looking for. The truck is bone stock right now.

My buddies have been telling me do a CAI, Throttle Body Spacer, Headers, and Exhaust. Those seem to be the common types of mods out there. I'm not too worried about gas as long as I can keep an average above 10 MPG city. I was just curious if there are other mods besides the above mentioned that i can do without killing the bank.

I'm into trailriding and mudding, if that helps any with ideas. My truck is 98 4x4 1500 Sport 5.2.

Thanks for any input!

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Dont waste your money on a CAI and TB spacer. TB spacers are such a freakin scam! Why on earth would a space between your intake and TB give you more power? It doesnt! On a carb or tbi set-up there can be possible gains in the right set-up but never in an EFI set-up. Ever. Its impossible. Sorry to rant lol, seeing people get scammed for them kinda ****** me off. CAI is the same really no gains other 1 or 2hp at 6k rpm to be gained, its a waste of money. Stock intake IS a CAI btw! Actually better than most aftermarket "CAI"'s at anyrate because it draws cold air from the fender, not warm engine bay air lol.

Merc has you on the right path here, an SCT tuner, true duals (1 in 2 out is a waste of money IMO), then headers would be great first upgrades. Then you can get into a set of Harland Sharp 1.7 ratio roller rockers. ~ $350 shipped, dyno proven for 10HP/TQ at the wheels. Sorry no links. After that your lookin at internals really and thats where your wallet starts to deteriorate FAST LOL.

Why has noone told you to tune-up before mods? Best bang for your buck is a tune-up! Fresh cap rotor plugs and wires along with an oil change is always a good idea. Done your plenum yet? Better do that before any other mods, pretty common problem with these trucks and theres a great write-up by Merc225hp and DD94 at the top of this page! Read it and do that before you spend money on ANY mods. Honestly best money I ever spent on my truck so far!

Welcome to the addiction, post up pics of your rig if you havent yet!

Thank for the input fellas! So which would be better though, true duals or offroad y-pipe? This paycheck I'm going to do a tune-up and the plenum. How much should a compression test run? Which should come first? tuner or doing the mods?

Another thing I was told if I want to free up some power to go with an electric fan instead of a belt driven one, and If i really want to take out the A/C, I don't use it at all even in the summer.

Also I was looking around the forums and its popped up a few times is that the heads are pretty weak on the truck, Any recommendations for that?

True duals

Have the shop do the comp test when they do the tune-up but before they take the intake off to fix the plenum not after. I would expect a shop to ad an hour to your bill to do the comp test.

Edit: Don't skip the comp test, you would be some pissed if you put lots of money modding only to find out later you have a low comp motor.

I would do the duals then the tuner just me. Also top of your list is a wideband 02 gauge, this is a must have gauge to get proper tunes written for your truck. Take this into consideration when you are having the exhaust work done and they can weld in a extra 02 **** and just plug it until you get the gauge.

Taking out the A/C is a very good way to gain hp and mpg's, I have not had the a/c system in my truck for years now. I use a bypass pulley and it works great, this lets me continue to use the same belt. As for efans I am not sold on the whole idea, never have been, so up to you.

So duals, wideband 02 gauge, tuner.

What brand should I go with for exhaust? magnaflow or flowmaster?

Magnaflow

TDWS90 said:

What brand should I go with for exhaust? magnaflow or flowmaster?

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Pick one that you like the sound of and go for it, it makes no nevermind as to what brand you get.

Merc, how much of an increase would i notice taking out the a/c?

I would guess 2-3 mpg, hp I have no idea. Some places on the web will show a gen hp lost chart for each belt drive accy IE alt, A/C comp, water pump, oil pump, things like that. Each can start at 5hp and go up.

I know I got bumped up from 8.5 to 9.2 this fall when I was running windows up and no A/C.