Hi there guys, I search teh web and signed up to this web forum. Pretty good infos on the Lightnings. I just got a 2001 lightning from this guy who barely drove his truck. Its a 2001 lightning but only got 12,000 miles and he sold it to me pretty cheap too............since I am new to Lightnings, I was wondering what to add to my new toy? Does anyone have any info on some good mods to start with? Which Intake system? Which Chip system is best and easy to play with? Its a daily driven truck but want some extra power when I go down the track as well.......hee...........hee...............beside I live in Sacramento, Cali, we have a lot, I MEAN ALOT, of modified imports that messes with my truck already, thinking they can smoke a lightning............

 

Welcome and enjoy your lightning because there won't be a new model until they change body styles again, maybe in 2009. As for mods, the big three are cold air intake, chip or programmer and pulley, #4 pulley is most popular and reliable for daily driving. At the very top right hand corner are our supporting vendor's button just click, and for further info is our search button, lots of info there. Enjoy the site and explore.

Bert.

 

Do a search for Dante. He's over there near you and can get your L moving for you.

 

Welcome,
you've asked what has got to be the most FAQs! Just hang around and do some searching on items that interest you... starting with "chip, filter, pulley".

Rich

 

hello and welcome to the club and say goodbye to your money.


we can help you spend you're money right hte first time!

what do you want to do with the truck? Drag race, street race, auto-x,

No particular order
cold air intake
4# lower pulley
Apten porting of the supercharger
NGK tr-6 spark plugs
Electric fan
Phenolic spacer
port upper intake
single blade throttle body
Factory Tech valve body (best shift kit available)
traction bars
DYNO TUNE your truck, don't buy a mailorder chip.

If that isn't fast enough, we'll get you there.

What do you want to run?
stock it'll do 13's in the 1/4 mile
a few mods will put you in the 12's.
quite a few more will get you 11's
a built block is required to get you into the 10's.
there is only one guy running 9's, but ist's a full on race truck.

you ahve a few superchargers to choose from
porting the eaton
Magnum powers
Kenny Bell
WHipple 2.3
whipple 3.3 (not completed yet)
Procharger, centrifigal supercharger
Add a turbo

Many many owners are using nitrous


let us know what you want your truck to run and we'll get you there.

 

Welcome! I just wanted to give you a quick heads up regarding a dyno day that NorcalLightning and I are trying to put together on January 8th at a local shop. If you're interested check out the post (Dyno Day for Sac Area Lightning's). It's going to be over at Force Fed Performance. Post a reply or shoot me an email!

 

Thanks guys for them fast inputs. I just got this truck and even my garbage truck driver asked me about it, so did my neighbors......... I guess I did got a good truck......... I will be driving this truck daily, but still wants to go on the track from time to time to support the Lightnings. That is why I am asking about the starting mods I can do to my truck. I will do a search on what are the popular starting mods other lightning owners do and see what its best for me...........hee........hee..........

 

for starters chip, lower pulley (wouldn't go over 4# for starters) and a DYNO TUNE.

then add a factory tech valve body (shift kit) and traction bars.

THen an electric fan to free up some power and slicks.



If I had to do it over that is the order I'd do it.




If you want to save money, you can keep your stock air intake and simple put some holes in the bottom of it and add a K&N panel filter.
If you want a ram air set-up, there are a TON of people who've made their own.

 

Welcome aboard and say goodbye to all your money. Like has been said earlier, there's a lot of info already out there, just use the search button.

My truck was also a daily driver, and I did the basics of CAI, single blade TB, FTVB, Predator, Plugs, Ported Eaton, and Tune. The L hauls a$$ and hasn't skipped a beat on the road. No reliability issues or problems of any kind.

Good luck

 

Thanks guys for the support and infos, I am not good with installing stuffs like this, I will also have to look into a local shop that is specializing in Lightning mods, does anyone know a good local shop around Sacramento?

 

Did yo not see my first post to you? Dantes Modular Performance can get you in the right direction.

 

I was browsing through the old posts and came across this one and thought I would resurrect it from the dead

Anyway, Dante is down in the San Diego area, that's not close at all (10+ hours away).

You can check out Force Fed Performance in Sacramento. Keith is the owner and tunes Lightnings. He's a little pricey but he's your best bet for a local guy. If you want to travel you can go out to Santa Clara and use Apex Motorsports (don't know much about them though).

As far as servicing your Lightning I've had nothing but good luck with Suburban Ford on Madison @ Hwy 80 in Sacramento. I didn't care for Future Ford in Roseville. To put it bluntly, they SUCK! Also, don't use Harrold Ford on Howe Avenue. I've taken several work vehicles to them and they've fu(ked them all up (in one way or another).

Oh ya, and by the way, welcome to the insanity (being an L owner that is)

Steve

 

I think most of it has been said

A 4# lower pulley, filter, and a chip or programer. If your truck has never been chipped before go with a programer.


Anyways welcome

 

thanks guys for the infos, What is the best programmer out there and are they user friendly? What chip is best? I am thinking of a drag program and a switch to flip it back to stock if I need to, do they even make one like that? Sorry, I am a newbie with Lightnings.........