1.How hard would I be for a novice like me to install the components in the stage 1 performance kit(the chip,intake and pulleys). Not including the muffler since I don't know how to weld.

2. Is it recommended that I use the Magnaflow muffler with this system. Currently I have a Flowmaster 40 SIDO with the exit in front of the passenger tire. What difference would it make?

Thanks for the help!

 

Hi 00,

Nice to see another V6 owner doing some mods!

The installation of the intake & chip are pretty easy, virtually anyone can do it with our documentation. The installation of the underdrive pulley is easy as well, provided you have the correct tool (a standard pulley-puller) & know how to use it. Anytime you;re changing a pulley (or I should say, almost any time), the process is generally a matter of "pressing off" the original pulley & harmonic balancer, using a standard "pulley puller" tool, and then pressing on the new replacement underdrive pulley & harmonic balancer. It's an integrated unit, so you're simply removing the stock pulley assembly and replacing it with our underdrive assembly.

People who don't have the tool and/or don't know how to do the pulley can easily have a mechanic do it in under an hour.

Yes, you'd be better off using Magnaflow over Flowmaster, specifically, you'll see larger power gains, you won't lose the low-end torque that Flowmaster & many other mufflers cause, and the sound will also be better, a more refined tone; it won't sound like a "raspy" V6, it will have a nice V6 "growl."

Please feel free to give us a call to go over this in proper detail, we love to see V6 owners stepping these trucks up, the 4.2 V6 can be a strong runner!

 

Thanks for the help!

Another question....

Would it be possible to change out the Superchips module for the Micro Tuner? For the novice would you recommend the superchips module or micro tuner? Sorry for these mundane questions.... Would there be a signifacant price increase(exact figures not needed, ya or nay would due) if the superchips module was exchanged for the micro tuner?

Thanks Again!

 

Hi 00,

The 4.2 V6's aren't in the Micro Tuner at this time. They will be added to the Micro Tuner later on, hopefully within the next couple of months, but they aren't in the Micro Tuner as of now.

One thing you'll want to remember about the Micro Tuner is that it's perfect for use when you do not have modifications that require custom engine tuning to compensate for, but if you do things like an aftermarket MAF, headers, larger fuel injectors, ported cylinder heads, camshaft changes, etc., then you'll need custom tuning, which we provide in the traditional Superchip module.

One important point to know right up front on the 4.2 V6 is that it has limited fuel injector capacity stock, so it's 19# injectors will run out of capacity rather quickly when doing a lot of mods. So for those with 4.2 V6's, we generally recommend using the traditional Superchip module anyway, because if you do *anything* more than our Stage 1 kit, you're going to have to step up to bigger fuel injectors (an easy mod, they just plug in), thus you need custom engine tuning, thus you have to use the Superchip module.

Now if you're wondering if we can do a Stage 1 kit for you that uses the Micro Tuner *instead* of the Superchip module, sure, once the 4.2 V6's have been added to the Micro Tuner we can do that for you, we'd just have to adjust the pricing upwards a bit, as Micro Tuners are of course more expensive than the Superchip module.

If you want to use a Superchip module now, and then trade it in towards a Micro Tuner when the 4.2 V6's have been added, we can probably work something out along those lines for you as well.

Give us a call to go over details,

 

Well the time has come for me to take the plunge into to performance mods. For now I have only done appearance mods and a flowmaster exahust. I now have the funds to make it happen. Mr. Troyer I will be giving you a call next week.

one question: It says that the magnaflow system would be installed straight out the back, would installing it with the exit like I have now in front of the rear passenger side tire have any kind of negative effect? I like the looks of the side exit. What size tips do you recommend for this type of exit? I currently have 2.25in tips on my flowmaster. One more thing, what size fuel inejctors recommend?

 

Hi 00XL,

For details like this you'll need to give us a call - this is the Computer Chips section, so this is really not appropriate for discussion here - besides, a proper consultation can't be done via typing anyway.

So let's try to get you some brief immediate info here for now, & then you can call us to go over this properly when you get a chance.............

What size injectors you need depend on how far you're going power-wise, there is no one set size for all applications. Your stock injectors are 19# units, 6 of which are capable of supporting as much as 250-260 HP in brief bursts. The next step up is 24#, which will support up to about 300 HP naturally aspirated. This is something we'll need to go over in detail, as you only want to upsize the injectors once if possible - so if you're eventually going to be going to levels above about 300-310 HP, we'll need to go larger than 24# units.

With regard to our #15997 exhaust, you can't just make it look like something completely different - it's going to always exit out the back. It exits straight out the back just like you see on our web site, in the classic "pickup truck" dual exhaust configuration.

My suggestion is to decide whether you want looks or performance most in your exhaust, as they don't always coincide. Having a shiny tip front of the rear wheels doesn't get you anything in the way of performance - that's just a "look." Now if that look is important to you, that's perfectly fine of course - just be aware that with exhaust systems, looks & best actual performance results don't coincide very often - that's why I say decide if looks or performance is more important to you on your exhaust.

You can do a very nice set of tips added to our #15997 exhaust system & get the classic pickup truck dual exhaust look - that's what it's designed for, not for exiting ahead of the rear tires - we do not carry exhaust systems for non-Lightning or Harley F-150's that exit ahead of the rear wheels, as that is not a particularly good location - just as Ford found out the hard way when they did the 1997 F-150's exhaust that way, and had to change it after having to replace hundreds (if not thousands) of right rear wheels that had turned green over time from having the exhaust gases exit ahead of the rear wheels instead of behind them.

In my own Lightning, I don't like the exhaust ahead of the rear wheels & on one side only - not at all. I prefer a traditional dual exhaust out the back, but the Lightning's body cladding is designed for that exit location so I'm sticking with it - only because it's easier to leave it be.

Another approach you could take, since you already have the exit ahead of the right rear wheel, is to just keep your current exhaust setup - but change out that Flowmaster muffler for a Magnaflow unit in it's place - we can adjust the price of our Stage 1 kit for you so you can do things that way, if you like your present exhaust setup.

Give us a call whenever you get a chance & we'll be happy to go over all of this with you in detail, so you can decide exactly which way you want to go, etc.

Talk to you soon!

 

btt