need more torque from 5.3

[S-10GUY]

I mostly tow and plow snow with my 99 5.3 powered silverado. I am looking for more torque and thought I'd throw out some ideas. Cold air intake, bigger cam but with short duration i dont want my power moving up the rpm range. LS6 heads and long tube headers. I could do a torque converter if needed but don't really want to. Im not looking for top end power my truck rarely goes past 4000 rpm unless i'm messing around with it. What are your thoughts?

[chevy6490]

Custom Tune?

[turbogunz]

yea man i second the custom tune !!!!!!!!!!! id start with intake, headers and exhaust with a custom tune and it will feel like a hole new truck

[oldred95]

Lower gears or smaller tires.

[gmc406]

Forced induction, and then you won't have to disassemble the engine. You want torque.....you'll get torque.


Not so sure if detonation would be a problem while towing though. Seems to me other guys have done it.

[S/C Z71]

Gears and a custom tune.

[t_p_lee05]

What do they do in a “custom tune”?

Are there really any noticeable gains?

I’ll like to squeeze more power out of my anemic 5.3 but I’ve long been skeptical of the intake kits and some of those other so called “performance mods”.

I’m gonna post this in a separate thread so I don’t completely hi-jack this one… but my biggest problem is with my tall 3.42s & my 285/70/17’s (33”)

I’m wondering which gears I should run… the 3.42’s gotta go… but would 4.10s be too much?

On a side note… I bought my truck used, but anyone who special-orders a 4wd truck w/ 3.42s ought to be kicked in the balls…

[dc96819]

I dont think the LS6 heads will work for what you want on that 5.3

[daved931]

Originally Posted by dc96819

I dont think the LS6 heads will work for what you want on that 5.3

LS6 is definitely all about being able to breathe at 7000 rpm. Then again, those engines also make no less than 300 ft lbs from 1000 rpm to redline.

[mabutler]

Tune, Thorley LT's, and gears would be your best mods. A small cam could help as well, something around 208-212.

[DarkCharisma]

Forced induction. I'm sick of ****in' around with little mods, time to go for the big fish. Gears are really killing you, and the 5.3 wakes up a bit with a tune and an exhaust.

[C & A s Dad]

Be careful with the exhaust mods. Do your homework before freeing up the flow. I think you will find a really nice free flowing exh set up will likely hurt your low end a little and move the tq curve up in the upper RPM range. As you said, this is not exactly what you are looking for.

[DarkCharisma]

Originally Posted by C & A s Dad

Be careful with the exhaust mods. Do your homework before freeing up the flow. I think you will find a really nice free flowing exh set up will likely hurt your low end a little and move the tq curve up in the upper RPM range. As you said, this is not exactly what you are looking for.

Felt a good bit of low-end with my Magnaflow. I didn't do a cat-back, just replaced the oil drum.

[S-10GUY]

were would i get my comp. tuned and whats the average price of that? I bought a hypertech for my last truck but it seems like more could be done with the computer. You really think i need deeper gears? It has 3.73 already. forced induction is expensive and i was just taking a guess at the LS6 heads.

[dc96819]

Do you know what compression ratio you will have with thoes heads.Are you sure valves wont be hitting anything.
Get a cam made for what you want with a good valve job.
Ask EdCurtisFTI@verizon.net for a cam but$$$

[gmctrucks]

Tune job with a lap top and long tube headers to start with then gears no might do gears before the tune.

[turbogunz]

gowheatly.com awsome tuner

[S-10GUY]

i think ill skip the heads and i dont have the money for a regear at the moment, I think ill buy a K&N FIPK, call wheatley and buy a really good tune and put on a electric fan. Sound like a good plan? Im just not sure if i want an mpg tune or get an all out performance tune and screw the mileage i dont have to drive it that far anyways. let me know your thoughts anyone