My 1999 Silverado truck walk around

Discussion in 'Warbirds International' started by -ALW-, Dec 8, 2008.

  1. -ALW-

    -ALW- Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 1, 2001
    Messages:
    2,087
    Location:
    Minot, North Dakota, USA
    Wow, you've done quite a bit on that truck! That's a nice GMT400. If you havn't already, you'll have to join some of the truck club websites I'm on. Mainly I'm posting on GM-Trucks.com because there's more going on there but, there is also GMTrucksClub.com.
    I've been working on mechanical fixes and aftermarket cosmetics primarily. I have HPTuners software/controller and am a bit lazy on getting to that. I'm going to try changing some things on it like the transmission shift points & fluid pressure, engine timing/spark control, fuel/air mixture, etc. The main point for me getting the software was to make the truck more responsive in the transmission and efficient on the motor side. I am getting 21MPG on the highway and shooting for 24. It's all stock yet.
    Things I've done to it so far:
    Installed 2005 Silverado rear springs
    Rebuilt Front 4WD Differential
    Add-ons:
    Fiberglass topper
    Chrome nerf bars
    OEM painted/chrome door handles
    LED Tail Lights
    LED Front Turn Signal/Day Lights
    Angel eye/Projection headlights

    Nope, not a real Texan at heart anyway. :p
     
    Last edited: Dec 13, 2008
  2. Jacobe

    Jacobe Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 28, 2002
    Messages:
    3,340
    Location:
    Suomi,Finland
    and that will take you to heaven
     
  3. -ALW-

    -ALW- Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 1, 2001
    Messages:
    2,087
    Location:
    Minot, North Dakota, USA
    Oh, here are a couple pics of the LED/Projection lighting. I REALLY like how it looks!
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  4. Uncles

    Uncles Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2005
    Messages:
    3,787
    Location:
    Post-American USA
    Your car is very clean, lol :)

    BTW, hello, Vasco. How are things?
     
  5. -al---

    -al--- Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2005
    Messages:
    6,848
    Location:
    Poznań
    hey at least LED's are "green" ;)
     
  6. looseleaf

    looseleaf Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 11, 2006
    Messages:
    5,028
    Well not quite...but it beats drinking aquavit, eating crayfish dancing around all night, throwing-up and picking fights for six weeks of night......

    Hey, most of us are going to Hell, so might as well enjoy the ride the best way one can!

    :cheers:
     
  7. looseleaf

    looseleaf Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 11, 2006
    Messages:
    5,028
    Cool. I installed a Flex-a-Lite electric twin fan kit with thermostatic control, taking-out that water pump driven fan. That helped a lot.

    I went crazy again right afterwards: put in a quad row all metal radiator and the high flow alloy water pump and the under-drive pullies. Lowered the overall drag, picked-up a few ponies and saved a few MPG and the motor still runs cooler that before. (put in a stainless steal thermostat of lower temp too).

    You should get that 24mpg with those tricks and a cold air intake/filter kit. Just make sure that it really really gets colder outside air and not any chance of engine bay air.

    A full flow exhaust will also get you back some milage too.

    TCI made some great tranny kits too.

    I got the billet corvette style 4th gear servo and the higher pressure TV valve.

    When I did that I changed the throttle and trans cable to the "Lokar" stainless braided set-up. Real smooth and looks great too.

    I did a lot of shopping on eBay and Summit Racing.

    Also I went to the "3rd Gen" Camaro and Firebird website, very knowledgeable group on engine and trans mods.
    Check out the Craig Moates website for reprogramming chips.
     
  8. -ALW-

    -ALW- Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 1, 2001
    Messages:
    2,087
    Location:
    Minot, North Dakota, USA
    Wow! You've done a lot already! I've been thinking about an electric fan as well and getting it hooked up to the truck's controller computer system. With HPTuners software I can adjust what the cooling fan does as far as when it powers on and off. The cool air intake systems work ok if you are able to bypass the computer's compensation for air temp. I've heard the cool air intake configurations don't help enough to notice anything. I've heard of guys with K&N filter / cool air intake systems getting worse MPG than my stock configuration. The intake system on my truck is already pulling cooler, outside air the way it is designed now. These computers are designed to work for oil companies...economy prevention. One other thing I'm going to work is to design my own "Firestorm" plugs. Or, the HaloPlug The ones that create a plasma spark have been known to dramatically improve power/economy. It's proven that race car circuits use spark plugs similar in concept to the firestorm plugs that didn't make light of day(due to the oil companies).
     
  9. looseleaf

    looseleaf Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 11, 2006
    Messages:
    5,028
    Well, I bypassed the whole computer control to the fans.
    I kept the temp sending unit to the computer but I set the temp for the fans to go on and off with the Flex-a-Lite controls only. It's a sweet system: at the trigger temp, fan goes on at about one third power, if at so many minutes of fan-on time the temp does not ramp down fast enough, the fans goe to higher and higher power levels. There are over-rides for full fan power and for full system off too.

    Yes, I heard many cases the the "ram air systems" actually don't work that well as they let in ambient engine room air and it spoils the purpose. Make sure the design of the cold air box is really really really sealed and air comes in only from ahead or around the radiator.
    Best bang for the buck is to buy the K+N washable replacement filter for the stock air filter box.

    When I did race car consultations/fabrication we built some wild and crazy spark boxes.
    Jacobs made some nice units.
    There is a considerable more to do with spark plug tech than presently available. We used four tip electrode spark plugs made by Lodge with our custom amplifier/transformer and coil units.
    We discovered from dyno sheets that for every degree off of optimal timing equaled ten per cent loss of HP!

    My friend had made-up some titanium needles welded to the base of a regular spark plug for some high speed motors. I think we had Champion N3 and N3Y with three and four pins welded facing the electrode.
    In 1978 We got 195 HP @ 12,800 on a little 1100cc four banger.
    Just make sure of the welding and the thinkness of the needles. One broken titanium needle bouncing around inside can really ruin your whole month of engine building...real fast.

    OH yeah, NG made some really great racing two stroke surface firing plugs for the two stroke racing bikes; single and twin titanium side electrodes. Of course you need some long duration, multiple discharge ignition to get the full benefit.
     
  10. -ALW-

    -ALW- Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 1, 2001
    Messages:
    2,087
    Location:
    Minot, North Dakota, USA
    Well, I took some pictures today. The video was pretty awful in quality. The pictures do much better justice. :)

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  11. airfax

    airfax Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 10, 2001
    Messages:
    3,222
    Location:
    Tampere,Finland
    I don't think that even led lights would save mine ride....

    [​IMG]

    :D
     
  12. -al---

    -al--- Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2005
    Messages:
    6,848
    Location:
    Poznań
    pimp my garbage can
     
  13. gandhi

    gandhi Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 17, 2005
    Messages:
    1,613
    185 views on that vid

    i must say i was expecting more, but then again the forum isn't what it used to be
     
  14. -nicae-

    -nicae- Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2000
    Messages:
    6,363
    Location:
    Brazil
    210! is it now? :x

    hey look! that dude is alw! *hats off*
     
  15. -ALW-

    -ALW- Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 1, 2001
    Messages:
    2,087
    Location:
    Minot, North Dakota, USA
    Yeah, just waiting to see another video of some of you other guys! :dura:
     
  16. rudeboy

    rudeboy Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 3, 2006
    Messages:
    1,786
    Location:
    Tower of power.
    [​IMG]

    DON'T drop the soap!!!
    :p












    I would remove those fuckin licsence plate numbers, if I were you.
     
    Last edited: Jan 2, 2009
  17. -al---

    -al--- Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2005
    Messages:
    6,848
    Location:
    Poznań
    lolz!!! :D
     
  18. pirake

    pirake Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2008
    Messages:
    136
    Location:
    Rio de Janeiro-Brazil
    great :super:
     
  19. -ALW-

    -ALW- Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 1, 2001
    Messages:
    2,087
    Location:
    Minot, North Dakota, USA
    ????
     
  20. rudeboy

    rudeboy Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 3, 2006
    Messages:
    1,786
    Location:
    Tower of power.
    Wow. Where ya been?
    Maybe I am gettin old or worse?
    Listen, around here, if you show off yer rear end like that, someone might say, "Don't drop the soap......"
    Um, still need the sayin explaned? Who knows? Some people are from good families, I guess......
    In the British Empire, "bugger" is an everyday word.