Hi all, need a little advice. I am finally going to install a Lightning setup on my '03 and need suggestions as to the maximum safe boost level.

My truck is a Supercab with 45k on it, 30k on a new engine. I want as much go as I can get without being on the ragged edge.

More than one person has told me that 12 psi on a cool day is safe with a good tune. So my first question is, who is the preferred tuner? Mike at Madenterprise says that James at RWTD is good at this but then I have also heard that Mike Troyer is a whiz too.

I have a buddy that has a Lightning Blower on his '01 with a +6 pulley on it. He has been driving it pretty hard for almost two years with no problems but then he almost wants it to blow so he can get a built shortblock.

I can't afford to blow mine, at least not for a while but then I don't drive as wildly as he does. So should I go with 12 or be even more conservative at 10?

 

Well if your buddy is running 14# for two years,,I would find out who's tuning his truck!
Obvouisly whoever's doing it is doing a good job.

If I were you,,just to be on the safe side run 10 PSI. You could probably run 12 but why push it.
In the end,,it's up to you.

I can tell you that on my first set up I blew the head gasket with only 10&1/2 psi.And the motor had less then 15000 miles on it. So you just never know. Anything could happen.

Phil

 

shut up phil your making me nervous

 

Go for the 12# pulley. As stated it is ALL in the tune. I had mine tuned by the guys at HPP in Dallas but I'll be doing the next tune myself.

 

make sure you add a shift kit to your trans at the bare minimum

 

my vote is for 10...i think thats safe and it wont be hard to light up the tires when you feel like being a kid every once in a while!

 

Freaky,

I'm runnin 16 per the pulleys and all I have over an L is head studs. Motor is fresh, I have a good tune, but this is my daily driver and it never sees the drag strip.

So the short answer is it all depends. Yes more boost can get you into trouble, there are other factors that contirbute as well. Guys that have done L/HD superchrager conversions will run 10lbs on a non L/HD bottom end with no problems. To blame boost as the single reason a motor blows is not fair! I'ld go 12 with a good tune and not even think twice about blowen the engine.

Now depending on which tranny your running that another story. And never do a WOT downshift from overdrive!