Hey every one yes I am a noob on this forum. I just purchased a 01 lightning out of Florida. I am in basic training now and have not seen the truck in person yet. I do want to send the truck to a local shop to have some work done when I go off to my tech training for 7 weeks before I am stationed. This is what I am working with. I am sending the truck to a local shop in Roanoke VA. I am only looking to spend about 3K on the truck and don’t want any thing to extreme. The truck is bone stock so what I was thinking headers, exhaust, intake, TB, and pulley. With some light tuning. I don’t no any thing about the truck or what the best bang for your buck is and there is no one around here that has built one up so any help or input would be helpful.

 

No need to spend your money on the headers, intake and TB. You said you didnt want to get to extreme. Unless you are going to push the horsepower way up those items will not gain you anything.

The TB and upper plenum will flow ok for now, No real Hp gains with headers until over 500.

You will get many different opinions...here's mine, after the last 4 years and too much $$$ I can tell you what NOT to do.

6 # lower pulley
cool air kit with cone filter, all Lightning vendors have them.
High flow cats
E-fan
FTVB or Level 10 (shift kit)
DYNO tune.....

Dont put all this stuff on and drive it around town for a while before going to get it tuned. If you have never had a super charged vehicle you will be suprised how easy it is to upset the A/F ratio. Get your mods and take it to the Dyno asap. There a ton of other mods out there but you will need more cash. I started where you are in '01 and now I have a JLP built motor and a KB...... I wasnt going to get extreme either.

 

Yeah thats what i said about my rx7 too but thanks any more info. So stay away from the headers. stick to the basics. What about air by pass and all that? Thanks for all your help

 

But like i said the truck will be at We Go Fast in roanoke for the next 8 weeks so they will be doing all the work and the tune. I will not have the chance to drive it untill after i get to come home around oct. . But that the way it goes. It will be worth it when i get back any way .

 

I still don’t know much about the truck or the svt line. But the forums are helping a lot. I used to have a 02 2500HD with the 6speed and the 8.1L BB with a little work <filter, headers, and good exhaust>. On the dyno it put down 247hp on its best run... So yeah I am a little on the excited side.

 

Welcome to the site
I would start off with a 4 or 6# pulley, a chip or programmer dyno tuned of course, a cold air kit, high flows and a catback (I prefer Bassani), and a transmission performance valve body (what everyone here is referring to as FTVB). You also want to get some better plugs with this combo, probably some Denso IT22's or the NGK's.

 

Thanks for all your help. I do have some more questions. Ok does any one know of any good shops on the east coast or virginal area that could work and tune it for me until and have it ready for me when I get back? The guys that I was going to take it too are having a lot of break in problems and I don’t find them as trusting as I used too. I am willing to have the truck shipped an up too 500 miles from Roanoke VA to a good shop that could take car of the truck for me. The second question I have is about the trucks stock horse power and torque. I have read people running 312hp to 361hp on bone stock lightings. That’s a big difference is this due to where and tear? Not keeping up with the truck? Or just bad dynoing? Thanks for your time any more info or help I am thank full for.

 

This is a very good place to start. I would add lowering springs and shackles as well.

 

Depending what year model you have.....Your true stock RWHP is probably around 350-360. The HP goes up quickly with the mods, to bad you are not going to get to drive it before the mods because you will not see what a difference it will make.

The E-fan will free up about 10-15 HP. Your truck is already making that HP but turning that big *** fan takes a few horses.

The cool air induction kit from any vendor will make a big difference in throttle response. I would go for a forced air kit from JLP or Chickenears, not sure about JDM or PSP but check them too....The full kit will include Tube, filter, hoses and scoop.

Again, a dyno tune is a must. I have a diablo chip dyno tuned by JLP. I also have an Xcal 2. You can do either but this is what makes your truck perform at its best and stay healthy....so It does matter.

With more air coming in, more needs to get out. Again, the exhaust flows pretty good like it is but you can improve it with a bassani system or another system from one of the major lightning vendors. This will be good if more mods follow later.

I would use the major vendors off this forum. They have their own following but one thing is for sure, they are all pretty much proven in the L community.

The rods and plugs are the weak point. Keep a close eye on the plugs and keep them tight or you'll blow one out. Dont push the stock block too hard. The connecting rods should be OK up to about 450 hp. I have seen them hold up under more HP but thats walking on the edge. Aagin its all in the dyno and keeping the truck healthy.....There are stock block guys on here really pushing it, you might hit them up and see what they are doing. I was about 450 HP when I blew both rear cylinders out while layin' the smack down on an LS1.....I had a bad tune in my xcal 2. It had to much timing and I had been in contact with the vendor about burning the tips of the plugs. I took them out and took a digital photo and even called him, he acknowledged getting the photo and said he would look at it and get back with me. but he didnt respond and I kept driving it....yep, it wasnt healthy and its probably mostly my fault for driving it. I really didnt understand what the burned plugs were telling me..

I have learned over the years the hard way and probably twice the money than it really should have took. There are a handful of people on here that really know their stuff...it wont take you long to figure out who they are.

I primarily use JLP now but have used all vendors......Good luck.

 

Here's a great deal for an air kit.............
and no its not mine

http://www.nloc.net/vbforum/showthread.php?t=132237

 

Question to you Fast Gator what kind of SC intake is that? It looks so clean and pretty we like it very nice. It adds a hole new look to the truck. What kind of advantage do the upgraded superchargers have over the stock one other and is it something that I should be looking into since the truck will be at the shop for the work any way. I do realize this will put me over 3000 bucks but I wouldn’t mind spending a little more say 6-7 k if it would give the truck a little more steep to work with. Also I am still looking for a shop to work on and tune the truck. I want the truck done Wright. I also need to send my girlfriends 01 mustang in for a little tune up. I put a flowmaster exhaust system on it last year. Now she is hooked and wants to put a little more into so I want to surprise her with a ford racing intake and headers and I would like to send the car to the same place that does my truck. Thanks for all the help I love this forume and the people on it you all are awesome.

 

http://www.btgmotoring.com/Merchant2...PL_FORD_HARLEY

 

WELCOME AND CONGRATS


http://www.rpmoutlet.com/lightning.htm

Cheapest place to buy what you need, they have many packages available
for whatever your after.

HOWEVER if it was me and I had to do it over, NO DOUBT the first Mod would be a KB or Whipple Supercharger. That plus tuning will INSTANTLY put you in the 11's, but cost closer to 5K before all is said and done.

As for what shop unfortunately most take 6 months to do a few hours work (they're so backed up) so if times not an issue pick a good one everyone knows and tell him you need it right away, that way you'll have it in 6 months


Oh ya, watch out for that Gator guy he's real shady.....

If your in Florida this is the only one I personally know AND TRUST there,
Terry is the owner and he's a great guy

http://www.southfloridapulleyhq.com/

 

thank you for ur service and welcome to the site. hope u enjoy the Lightning. If ur that close in virginia, might look up troyer performance in covington. mike really does a good job tuning. ive been dealing with him with my trucks for goin on 7years now and never had a complaint.

 

Covington is about an hour's drive .Florida is not totally out of the question if he's that good at it. And no time is not an issue. I would like to get the truck back by the end of March. But yes i want to get the best bang for my buck starting out and i dont mind spending the extra cash if its worth. it my very top of my limit is 8 grand which is most of my sign on bonus. But any way i am trying to stay in the 6 range but like i said i dont mind paying for a good deal. Once again thanks for your help.