What can I do with a 2003 Tahoe?

[tx tahoe z71]

Shorty headers are a waste of money, people who have installed them said there is little to no difference. Money is better spent on a tune, intake, cam, diff, etc.

Cat back is more for sound. The stock exhaust isn't hugely restrictive, especially at stock power levels. I'm still running my stock exhaust piping with a welded in Magnaflow and making close to 500rwhp

 

[James417]

What is your budget for all mods and can you do the work yourself?

Shorty headers are a waste of money, people who have installed them said there is little to no difference. Money is better spent on a tune, intake, cam, diff, etc.

Cat back is more for sound. The stock exhaust isn't hugely restrictive, especially at stock power levels. I'm still running my stock exhaust piping with a welded in Magnaflow and making close to 500rwhp

My budget is just a few hundred dollars right now but I'm currently parting off a motorcycle and a ATV and should have about 2k soon to put into this. I can do mostwork myself but if it requires welding and pipe bending I'm not able to do so. I'm still a newb with welding. And wow that's alot of power with stock piping! I think I may just stay with the stock piping put a nice cat back for sound and be done with the exhaust because I do want to do audio inside as well. I'm thinking 350 amp alt and 4 15" sub's. But I want screaming mids and highs to not just bass. I just fiqured with the extra weight of added batteries and subwoofers and boxes I could use some more low end power.

 

[skbishop90]

I agree. The mid length and shorty headers are a waste. If you only have a few hundred bucks, Id get a CAI and a corvette servo. The servo will actually add life to your transmission so it isnt slipping into and out of gears. You'll like the feel of the shifts afterwards. Do a weld in muffler for the sound.

My long tubes have honestly been a pain in the a$$. I absolutely LOVE the sound and LOVE the power but I also had fitment issues and still do. They seldom tap the frame on the passenger side and rattle. Valvetrain noise is there. I had to wrap part of it with exhaust bc it was starting to bubble the rubber grommet around where the steering shaft comes out of the firewall. The WOT sound is irreplaceable in my opinion tho. Sounds nasty.

---------- Post added at 03:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:13 PM ----------

Forgot to add in a tune. You'll want a tune whether you do a CAI and servo or leave it stock. A tune will tell the computer you actually WANT those mods you just did. If you do a CAI and no tune, the computer will see the larger amount of cold air, and adjust it back to stock tune. You have to tell it that you WANT the extra air and to add fuel accordingly.

 

[ezdaar]

for a few hundred, and the most bag for the buck.

buy and install in this order.

Vette servo, billet 3/4 servo and cap. aprox 90$.

Build your own CAI, you gain significant more flow with the specter over a modified OEM. but choice is yours.

If you dont want to build one for dirt cheap, buy a Specter from autozone, 150$, amazon and wrap it as described below. then insulate the box with this stuff., use 3M super 77 to glue the insulation to the specter box.

Buy a straight 4" tube from ebay, a 4" 90* silicone coupler, a straight 4" silicone coupler, Fit it to your OEM air box.
one 17$ roll of 2" header wrap and wrap up the tube from one end of the silicone coupler all the way to the other end. watch you tube videos to learn how to properly use the wrap.
Cut out bottom of the oem air box, cut out as much of the bottom panel as possible while leaving the holes for the mounting screws. remove steel plate from below air box.
Drop in a K&N filter.
Dont forget the four 4" hose clamps. Total cost aprox 70$ or less.

Measure 2" before and past your OEM muffler, buy a ****** maxflow muffler and the pipe needed to fill the gap to your oem pipe. Be sure to get a 3"to 3" coupler (this attaches muffler to Oem intermediate pipe) and a 3" to 2 3/4" adapter to fit the pipe and muffler to your OEM over axle pipe, Dis-regard if going to dump before axle.
Weld it on. You can do it. Hit a local junk yard for some oem exhaust pipes. doesn't matter from what. cut that shit up into parts and then weld it back together for practice before you attempt your pipes. practice on actual exhaust, not plate steel. thin exhaust pipe blows out a hell of a lot faster then thick steel plate.

If you want to dump before axle. use a 45* turn down and point it at a 45* towards rear tire, this will reduce drone to almost none.
If you go over axle but dont want pipe hanging out the back. Use the same 45* turn down the same way, to stop drone.
Depending if you weld the turn down to muffler or oem pipes. get a 3" (******) or 2 3/4" (oem pipe). Total cost, less than 100$.

Speed engineering Long tubes and Y pipe. Aprox 370$ shipped.
two 2" 17$ rolls of header wrap.
Wrap headers to reduce valve train noise and dramatically reduce under hood and Intake temps.

Get tuned via Auto cal or in person Black bear tune, have Pin turned on for electric fans. Cost, talk to @JennaBear

OEM 05 electric fans and oem harness. Watch performance trucks.net, GMfullsize and Ebay for these.

Total cost depending on the fans or not. Aprox 600$ or less.
This will make a pretty big change in your ride.

Enjoy.

 

[James417]

for a few hundred, and the most bag for the buck.

buy and install in this order.

Vette servo, billet 3/4 servo and cap. aprox 90$.

Build your own CAI, you gain significant more flow with the specter over a modified OEM. but choice is yours.

If you dont want to build one for dirt cheap, buy a Specter from autozone, 150$, amazon and wrap it as described below. then insulate the box with this stuff., use 3M super 77 to glue the insulation to the specter box.

Buy a straight 4" tube from ebay, a 4" 90* silicone coupler, a straight 4" silicone coupler, Fit it to your OEM air box.
one 17$ roll of 2" header wrap and wrap up the tube from one end of the silicone coupler all the way to the other end. watch you tube videos to learn how to properly use the wrap.
Cut out bottom of the oem air box, cut out as much of the bottom panel as possible while leaving the holes for the mounting screws. remove steel plate from below air box.
Drop in a K&N filter.
Dont forget the four 4" hose clamps. Total cost aprox 70$ or less.

Measure 2" before and past your OEM muffler, buy a ****** maxflow muffler and the pipe needed to fill the gap to your oem pipe. Be sure to get two 3" to 2 3/4" adapters to fit the pipe and muffler to your OEM pipes.
Weld it on. You can do it.
If you want to dump before axle. use a 45* turn down and point it at a 45* towards rear tire, this will reduce drone to almost none.
If you go over axle but dont want pipe hanging out the back. Use the same 45* turn down the same way, to stop drone.
Depending if you weld the turn down to muffler or oem pipes. get a 3" (******) or 2 3/4" (oem pipe). Total cost, less than 100$.

Speed engineering Long tubes and Y pipe. Aprox 370$ shipped.
two 2" 17$ rolls of header wrap.
Wrap headers to reduce valve train noise and dramatically reduce under hood and Intake temps.

Get tuned via Auto cal or in person Black bear tune, have Pin turned on for electric fans. Cost, talk to @JennaBear

OEM 05 electric fans and oem harness. Watch performance trucks.net, GMfullsize and Ebay for these.

Total cost depending on the fans or not. Aprox 600$ or less.
This will make a pretty big change in your ride.

Enjoy.

Thanks for the suggestions. I just hate NY because I need dumb cats. Every inspection I have done they physically look for cats so I couldn't pass inspection. That's a great price though. I don't have to unbolt and lift the engine to fit long tubes right? If I decide to just go stock headers and y pipe and cats is it a waste to put on a nice cat back exhaust?

 

[ezdaar]

no its not a waste.
If you want, you can get some "fake cats" but you will need to cut and weld them onto the Y pipe. and given how tight it is. and your skill level. I wouldnt attempt it.
So you only option is to spend significantly more on LT's if you want them to get a set that comes with them.

As far as the LT instal. its as simple as it gets.
Soak the manifold bolts with "aerokroil" for a week before removal. hit them in morning before drive to work and in eve before bed. This is very important. as the bolts are known to break if you fart on the to hard. and given your up north. its Highly likely one or more will break if not soaked for a week.

Remove spark plugs.
support the transmission at the tail with your pos bottle jack.
Remove trans cross member.
Cut your OEM Y pipe 2" below the cats. Remove it.
Unbolt exhaust manifolds. pull them out from top or bottom, they will go eaither way.


Drop LT's in from top while you support them from bottom, have a friend screw in 2 "new" header bolts into the 2 middle holes.
Do both sides. then install rest of bolts. leave them loose.

Install the Y pipe. get it fitted as best you can and attached to Catback. then tighten up the 3" band clamps I forgot to mention in other post, you need 4 of them. then go up top and tighten down the header bolts.

Install 02's, plugs and your trans crossmember and your done.


There will be some pushing and pulling on the pipes to get them to fit and line up, but its straight forward and easy.

Power tools are your friend on this job.

 

[James417]

no its not a waste.
If you want, you can get some "fake cats" but you will need to cut and weld them onto the Y pipe. and given how tight it is. and your skill level. I wouldnt attempt it.
So you only option is to spend significantly more on LT's if you want them to get a set that comes with them.

OK cool thanks for the suggestions. I'm gonna definitely put these on. Seriously thanks though I had no idea I could do this stuff on a budget like that.

 

[ezdaar]

Np, GL.

Modding is fun as hell and very addicting.
Alot of my posts have been revised from the time you quoted them.

Before you know if, you will have installed enough of these parts to be able to tell someone how to do it in detail and all parts needed via memory.

 

[James417]

Np, GL.

Modding is fun as hell and very addicting.
Alot of my posts have been revised from the time you quoted them.

Before you know if, you will have installed enough of these parts to be able to tell someone how to do it in detail and all parts needed via memory.

Have long tube headers been known to hit things? I heard they hit the front driveshaft and stuff. Anyways thanks for the install explanation. It definitely isn't as bad as I though it would be. Wish I had a lift though lol.

 

[ezdaar]

mine just barely touched the front drive shaft.
I made the cross over pipe oval instead of round. then it cleared no prob.

no need a lift, just a good floor jack, 2 jack stands and your bottle jack.