96-99 454 Vortec owners?

[elkhunter]

After reading these last few injector posts, am I correct in thinking I need 1998 LS 1 injectors for my 454? My nephew was in a head on motorcycle accident, he was on the motorcycle, so I forgot about calling on the Wait4Me tune but will try and get it done either today or tomorrow. While I have it down I am also changing the fuel pressure regulator. It sounds to me like I should go with the GM rather than aftermarket. Any thoughts on this?

[N0DIH]

I don't think the FPR being a GM or aftermarket matters, GM ones failed too. NAPA and Autozone use the IDENTICAL part (I bought both, and took the NAPA one back, saved me a ton of cash....)

As for injectors, you can just use any injector that will fit, just need to tune for it. IF you don't wanna tune for it, you need to use Cadillac 4.5L/4.9L, TPI 305, or 99-00 LS1 injectors (still need to look at the 97-98 LS1 injectors to confirm). The LS6 injectors (which are used on 01-up LS1's), and LT1 are larger yet (24 lb/hr @3 bar, 28.8 @ 4 bar). The L98 are in the middle, they are 22 lb/hr @ 3 bar and around 25.5 @ 4 bar). The L29 is a 4 bar fuel system.

Yes, if you have the opportunity, get the stock L29 injectors out and toss them in the trash, witchhunter said they are not even cleanable with his equipment.

[dietzster]

Just my opinion on the Wait4me tune, you DO get what you pay for. I had a W4M tune in my truck last fall, I did get more power but it continuously set knock sensor codes, rich codes on both banks and lean codes on both banks. I called him and he was trying to blame other things on my truck not the tune (my truck was perfect before his tune)I could have spent ALOT of money changing the parts he was telling me to that would have made no difference, after a bunch of empty promises I got my money back and was so mad I became a Westers dealer and have now tuned a few big blocks including my own and I can tell you it is a better quality tune. Before I got a custom tune I think I read every custom tune thread on here before I made up my mind, I tried to save a few bucks and it bit me in the ass. Bottom line is pay a bit more now to save problems later.

[bankspowered98]

I have not had any problems with cdp tuning. service is amazing

[DeMartino17]

so i got a question.
today when i was driving my truck i noticed that 1st gear seemed to drag out a little big longer then it normally does...
its fine under normal acceleration, but say merging onto a road in traffic, if i step on it, it hangs up in first gear up to about 45-50MPH or if i let out it shifts.
i have 4.10 gears if that makes a difference,
but it has NEVER done this before.

[elkhunter]

Originally Posted by dietzster

Just my opinion on the Wait4me tune, you DO get what you pay for. I had a W4M tune in my truck last fall, I did get more power but it continuously set knock sensor codes, rich codes on both banks and lean codes on both banks. I called him and he was trying to blame other things on my truck not the tune (my truck was perfect before his tune)I could have spent ALOT of money changing the parts he was telling me to that would have made no difference, after a bunch of empty promises I got my money back and was so mad I became a Westers dealer and have now tuned a few big blocks including my own and I can tell you it is a better quality tune. Before I got a custom tune I think I read every custom tune thread on here before I made up my mind, I tried to save a few bucks and it bit me in the ass. Bottom line is pay a bit more now to save problems later.

Well, I thought my mind was made up. After this post I think I had better find out how the other 454 owners feel about Wait4Me. Has anyone else had any of these problems or is it an isolated incident? Does anyone have a preferred brand other than Wait4Me?

[N0DIH]

I had some similar problems with my 454 tune. Some things were pulled out that if I towed heavy, would have likely destroyed my engine.

I do my own tune, so I am slightly biased. The more I learn about Lyndon Wester and Ed Wright, you can't go wrong. Most other tuners, learned from them, they are the oldest in the business, Ed being the oldest I am aware of. Diesels, Lyndon and Steve Cole are your experts.

For the $, you do get a tune from some tuners, you get what you pay for, but finding a local tuner is STILL by far the best you do. Avoid mail order if you really want a good tune that is truly safe and powerful.

Save up, do it right, don't skimp on tuning!

Originally Posted by elkhunter

Well, I thought my mind was made up. After this post I think I had better find out how the other 454 owners feel about Wait4Me. Has anyone else had any of these problems or is it an isolated incident? Does anyone have a preferred brand other than Wait4Me?

[N0DIH]

Let me look at my trans stuff if I can find it. But hard to say, the PCM uses 2 values for WOT shift, rpm and speed. But less than WOT, it goes to the shift table. Any changes to anything recently?

Or stone stock? 454's don't like to rev much over 4500 rpm and make any power, below that they are ok, but over that, is just a waste.

Originally Posted by DeMartino17

so i got a question.
today when i was driving my truck i noticed that 1st gear seemed to drag out a little big longer then it normally does...
its fine under normal acceleration, but say merging onto a road in traffic, if i step on it, it hangs up in first gear up to about 45-50MPH or if i let out it shifts.
i have 4.10 gears if that makes a difference,
but it has NEVER done this before.

[DeMartino17]

100% stock, only thing we have ever done to it is normal regular maintenance.

We did recently(about 8 to 10000 miles) ago take the differential cover off and drain out all of the oil in there because it was making a really loud clunk every now and then, but hasn't done it since. we cleaned everything out with brake cleaner and put new seals in and made sure none of the teeth were chipped, and they were all fine.

is it possible that it has something to do with the heat? its usually around 100 or so, and i only now noticed it in the heat.

[xx_ED_xx]

dietzster
Did you do a cam swap on yours?

[N0DIH]

Did the dealer reflash PCM? GM's factory tune to the lastest is quite different, they added the Towing Improvement Program and that will raise shift points and TCC lockup too. Great for towing, but bad for mpg.

[DeMartino17]

Originally Posted by N0DIH

Did the dealer reflash PCM? GM's factory tune to the lastest is quite different, they added the Towing Improvement Program and that will raise shift points and TCC lockup too. Great for towing, but bad for mpg.

not that i know of, we've had the truck since it was brand new in 1999, but this is my first year driving it. it's the only time i ever noticed it. i do know that we used to tow a camper and boat though, o it could be tuned. and it does get 9.2 MPG.

[dietzster]

Originally Posted by xx_ED_xx

dietzster
Did you do a cam swap on yours?

Not yet, am still researching cams, I have a few in mind. I am just trying larger injectors first to see what happens, I'm having a hard time finding a whipple so I may do a cam swap in the meantime and take some time to find a s/c. Are you running factory cam? If not what did you use.

[bankspowered98]

I'm still looking for ya dietzster. Its a hell of a process trying to hunt one down. Do a cam swap, rocker arms, and some internal work in preparation for the SC

[dietzster]

Thanks BP, I'm in no big hurry for a s/c. The engine has about 220,000 kms on it so don't know how long it will last with a s/c but it's worth trying, (I have another vortec 454 sitting in the garage!!) I want to try a cam swap before the s/c just to see the difference why not for a few hundred bucks and a weekend of work.

[bankspowered98]

If you ru nacross another vortec 454 block let me know. I will even come get it within reason. I am in the process of collecting parts to build a 496. All I am lacking is the block and a couple other components. My goal is to hit that 1000lb/ft mark. :)

[dietzster]

Nice goal, that would be sweet!! I don't know of another block around but I will keep my ears and eyes open. Why a 496? I wonder if you could just buy a 502 shortblock and put vortec heads on it? I haven't done alot of research into that but I thought they were a GEN 6 block, I don't think they are a tall deck block either.

[N0DIH]

496's should be cheap, 502's aren't, 496's are factory in trucks, 502's are dealer sourced only or aftermarket blocks. IIRC all 454's and 496's and 502's are tall decks.

[bankspowered98]

496 I believe is a 8.1 vortec. However, thats a LS based block and will not work for me.

[N0DIH]

Nope, it is not a LS based block. It is a Gen VI BBC. The bottom end is shared with the Gen VI 454/502 (502 has larger bore), but of course longer stroke. It has 6 bolt heads, so 454 heads will not bolt on. There are some aftermarket heads that can go on both IIRC.

The only thing they did is borrow the port chamber design from the LS1, else it shares very very little with the LS engines and more with the Gen VI BBC. Think of it as a Gen VI.5 BBC.

Originally Posted by bankspowered98

496 I believe is a 8.1 vortec. However, thats a LS based block and will not work for me.