Used or new for blower?
Ive seen complete decent mileage TVS1900's as low as 2500, but thats Rare. most the time 3-3500, with out fuel pump.
If you get post count up on performancetrucks.net and post a WTB. You will be Flooded with offers.
For the power to $ gains, its the cheapest way to go. upwards (on a stock pulley) of over 100hp is very easy to achieve.
@JennaBear for new price.
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gears,
Even going from a 3:23 to a 4:56 you will only see a raise in cruise RPM by 500Rpm or so.
You want some pop off the line and towability (is that a real word? lol) with big tire, fat pig. 4:1X or bigger.
Rearend,
They are different. 2500 has bigger stronger rear end and 99% of the time has a 4:10 or 11 in it. I always get them confused. kinda weetarded like that.
NNBS intake,
Yes the throttle body is a 4 bolt and bigger vs the NBS 3 bolt.
There are a few manufactures that make a adpater plate to use your 3 bolt TB on the NNBS intake, if needed.
Typical gains are aprox 15-25HP, this comes down to many factors. Tune, headers, etc.
Its worth it! no other
mod to your engine next to a cam gives as much power to $.
I have seen them sell complete with Throttle body and injectors as cheap as 150$, but usually average 200-250. If your patient. you can get one complete with Flex fuel injectors for 250.
You will want the FF injectors, as soon as you do the intake and headers. you will max out your stock injectors. The FF injectors gives you plenty of headroom on your IDC (injector duty cycle), as not to max them out.
Cam,
HELL YEA you want one! easy 35-100HP gain with a cam swap!
Obviously the more power gained = the more radical it is and more supporting mods it needs. This brings us to converters. the bigger the cam, the bigger the converter number.
Your stock is aprox 1800, a typical daily driven, small cam wants a 2600-3k.
But you Can get away with the oem convertor with the right cam.
Combine these parts with even a small cam and you drastically change the power profile of your ride. it goes from boring, even with a good aggressive tune, to a HOly shit this is Nice! This is how GM should have made these vehicles from the start!