Help A Newbie Choose Mods!

[drakon543]

my 97 currently has a k&n intake, muffler swap, and better than stock tune up parts(coil, cap+rotor, plugs and wires). the exhaust can either be super cheap or super pricey. i put in a jonas 2 to 1 y pipe and a thrush welded muffler and a summit stainless tip. total was like 89 bucks since i can do the work myself as i have my own welder. if you have the funds i would recommend the exhaust first. i like the thrush i chose myself but by the sounds it will be too mellow for you. after that get an intake on it. the exhaust will be for everyone else to hear you coming and the growl from the intake will be for yourself .

 

[drakon543]

the better tune up stuff doesn't do much for power if anything but i like a smoother idle.

 

[1BADI5]

I just installed these shorty headers, 304 Stainless steel and bolt up to the factory exhaust..... NOTE you will need new bolts as the OEM manifold bolts will be too long. Under $300 shipped.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/MAXIMIZER-...m=182530604954&_trksid=p2045573.c100507.m3226

I also do a fair amount of porting work...... porting the MAF and TB actually make a nice addition. Since I have the tools they were freebie mods for me. I have a spare OEM MAF and TB I will be porting and selling soon; 30 minutes to install the pair of them

Check out my IG page: 1BADI5, its a locked account, just let me know your sending a request and I'll add you!

 

[My99Yukon]

Welcome, Mary!
As Jon said, make sure the basic mechanical stuff is in good order before modifying things. Then as your budget/time allows, add the mods that make sense for your usage (street, towing, off-road, etc.). Since you mentioned it, no harm in liking the ricer stuff, just realize that it has no impact on performance. That said, aesthetics plays as much a part in enjoyment as performance. ;-) Have fun and enjoy your new ride.

Jon,
I've made most of the changes you mentioned (see the link in my signature) and some you haven't...latest was the gearing (3.90s).
The gearing is nice off the line, but the top end suffers a bit. Fuel economy has actually improved with the gear change - easier to get things moving with the mechanical advantage.

Hey TigerEyze3,

Sorry, but I didnt check your profile and don't know your name off the cuff...anyway,

I regeared to 4.10's and for sure the top end suffers with higher RPM's. If you are not pushing 80mph, it is not a terrible trade off for MPG. I keep it around 77 which is slow in the west on the 75MPH highways, but the balance is fine between time to arrival and cost of travel.

Also, I have found that even with slowing down a bit to 77ish, I need to change motor oil more frequently and I use a full synthetic that I change myself. Again, if I were to drive at 63MPH, this would not be an issue but the higher RPM's demand a quicker oil change.

Life, as always, is a delicate balance.