smallblock500 Posted January 2, 2010 Report Share Posted January 2, 2010 Hello im a SSS noob here not new to cars at all just to the SS platform. I have what I think to be a bone stock 03 SSS I would like do do a few little things to it just to bring it up to what I think a SS should be. The truck pulls hard in 1st gear then it lays down in 2nd and 3rd so im sure I need a tune to get rid of the torque management? Would a hand held tuner do this with out paying the big bucks to have it tuned by somebody? I can tune and have tuned my girls 2000 Bonneville SSEi but my tuner software only works on 97-05 GM v6's. I would like to get a HPT set up so I could tune both with one program but I'm not wanting to go super wild with the truck. right now I'm just thinking about replacing the stock muffler with 2 after market ones (not sure what ones yet) and a CAI of some sort. I have seen a few people on here say they they punched out their cats so does this truck not have down stream o2's or did those people have the MIL's? What is a good sounding muffler to go with on these trucks? I don't want to loud but i do want it to sound like a SS. I think when I get it done I will have the exhaust dumped before the axle for a nice smooth no exhaust tip look for the back of the truck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sierra ss Posted January 2, 2010 Report Share Posted January 2, 2010 First thing i would do is get a custome tune by Wheatley. Got one in November and wish i would have done it when i first got the truck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punisher Posted January 2, 2010 Report Share Posted January 2, 2010 Hello im a SSS noob here not new to cars at all just to the SS platform. I have what I think to be a bone stock 03 SSS I would like do do a few little things to it just to bring it up to what I think a SS should be. The truck pulls hard in 1st gear then it lays down in 2nd and 3rd so im sure I need a tune to get rid of the torque management? Would a hand held tuner do this with out paying the big bucks to have it tuned by somebody? I can tune and have tuned my girls 2000 Bonneville SSEi but my tuner software only works on 97-05 GM v6's. I would like to get a HPT set up so I could tune both with one program but I'm not wanting to go super wild with the truck. right now I'm just thinking about replacing the stock muffler with 2 after market ones (not sure what ones yet) and a CAI of some sort. I have seen a few people on here say they they punched out their cats so does this truck not have down stream o2's or did those people have the MIL's? What is a good sounding muffler to go with on these trucks? I don't want to loud but i do want it to sound like a SS. I think when I get it done I will have the exhaust dumped before the axle for a nice smooth no exhaust tip look for the back of the truck. Get a custom tune. Those handhelds are shit. Talk to Zippy, Wheatley, Blackbear any of the tuners on the forum. Yes they do have downsteam O2Ss. If you get a custom tuned get a constant open-loop tune. They don't make CAIs for our truck. Closest thing you will get is an intake from Volant with a ram-air scoop. I wouldn't ask for opinions on mufflers, everyone has their own opinion and its going to be different. I would just youtube Silverado SS videos for different exhaust, i.e. Silverado SS Flowmaster Exhaust. Looking through all of that should form your own opinion to something you like, not someone else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zachm89 Posted January 2, 2010 Report Share Posted January 2, 2010 Get a custom tune. Those handhelds are shit. Talk to Zippy, Wheatley, Blackbear any of the tuners on the forum. They don't make CAIs for our truck. Closest thing you will get is an intake from Volant with a ram-air scoop. i completely agree, go with a custom tune...im getting one in 2 weeks and i can hardly wait! and realistically it is cheaper than a hand held and WAY better. As far as CAI's go...since when do they NOT make a cai for our truck? are you thinking RAM air intake? that i can see being harder to find but there are plenty of CAIs for our trucks...K&N, Volant, AEM, GMPP, the list goes on. Just get ready to spend some $$ because once you start youll get addicted! Welcome to the club, haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superslowss Posted January 2, 2010 Report Share Posted January 2, 2010 Welcome to the site! If I could go back in time and start over with modding my truck I would def make trans mods my 1st goal. I would say start off with a shift kit / servos along with a tune. Then go to a CAI / cat back exhaust. And on a side note if the truck has higher mileage I would start changing some fluids (front and rear diffs and T-case.) Good luck with modding! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallblock500 Posted January 2, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2010 My truck has 85K miles on it so i'm sure fluids would be a good idea I have not checked or done anything to it yet but drive it. I know what the mod bug feels like and i'm trying to stay away from it with this truck as long as I can. my first car was a 94 Lincoln Mark VIII that I took from a 10.8 1/8th mile down to a 9.0 1/8th mile on slicks all motor. My girl has a bonneville with a supercharged 3.8L that is our money pit right now its about to come off the road so we can build the motor and trans as well as a supercharger by pass ad a turbo. I would love to heads/cam my truck but its just not in the budget right now my girls car comes first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2bfast Posted January 2, 2010 Report Share Posted January 2, 2010 (edited) Welcome! Justin (Blackbear) has tuned mine and did an excellent job. Also from what I hear, the other tuners/venders Zippy and Wheatley do an excellent job as well. Spend the extra money and get what you want out of a tune with them. As far as mufflers, Corsa and Magnaflow have been the favorites as far as sound and performance. I have a Magnaflow and if I was to do it again, I would go with the Corsa Sport. Good thing about this site, usually when you post questions like this there is always 3-4 knowledgable people jump in and answer. Also there is the search button option at the top of the page. Happy modding, once you start theres no limit! Edited January 2, 2010 by 2BFAST (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fireman31 Posted January 2, 2010 Report Share Posted January 2, 2010 Don't waste your money on a handheld, they stink. A quality custom tune from someone like Wheatley will run circles around any handheld, not to mention it costs less!. The DHP software you use on your GF's SSEi will not work on the truck, if you wanted to go this route, you will need HP Tuners or EFI Live. Torque Management is a real killer, and you will not believe the difference once your truck is finally tuned.......unless you are planning on a shift kit/servos, I wouldn't recommend having anymore then 50-60% of the TM removed from your tune. Guys punch out cats for a few reasons, one being that they are making big HP and cats don't stand up well on these applications, and they can rob a few HP too. The big reason guys gut the factory cats is that they are junk, there have been a whole bunch here on near stock SSSs that have gone bad. There are high flow cats available too, but it is easier and more reliable to just gut them, or remove them totally. The tuning software available for these trucks, which is used by the tuners here on the forum, allow for you to delete all of the DTCs for the rear 02s, eliminating a CEL for punched out/deleted cats. As for mufflers, it is just a matter of personal preference, Flowmaster and Magnaflow are probably the most popular here, with Corsa being the most popular cat-back system. As for CAI's, check out the CAI Wars sticky in the "bolt on" section, it will outline which kits produce the best results. As for popularity, K&N, Volant, and AEM are the most popular. welcome to the site Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1quicktruck Posted January 2, 2010 Report Share Posted January 2, 2010 Couldnt agree more with the fireman. Had six diff muffs and when u add or delete something up stream it changes the whole picture. A fairly loud muffler may sound great with cats but if u delete them omg do they get loud. U may lose some low end but I am supercharged so I really dont know if I did or didnt . It still pulls hard enough for me. The trucks came with too small of a servo on the tranny. Change to a corvette or a bigger servo. When I added the super 2nd gear didnt want to hook up without slipping. New corvette servo and shift kit solved the problem. Taking off the cats will require someone to tweak the computer where your check eng light will not come on and will not dump extra fuel to scrub the cats(this eliminates the gas smell that u get sometimes after cats off) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinthegreat Posted January 2, 2010 Report Share Posted January 2, 2010 welcome to the site Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperSportSilverado Posted January 2, 2010 Report Share Posted January 2, 2010 (edited) Part i would suggest that work well and alot of guys here are running are a Volant cold air intake Corsa exhaust Pacesetter headers Custom tune either by Nelson Wheatly Blackbear or FILE lower degree thermo and if its a older ss get some electric fans. after wards get a stronger tranns cause this is the weakest part of the truck and eventually you will have to build it up or get stronger one. Just these parts alone will make that ss move pretty good. Then after you get tired of that power like everyone here does and canont say that they dont is throw on a procharger or maggy. Good luck with the truck you should have alot of fun with it Edited January 2, 2010 by SSTruck1 (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wody Posted January 2, 2010 Report Share Posted January 2, 2010 (edited) welcome personally, cutouts were always the closest thing to the "muscle car" sound with stock exhaust. if you really want the retro sound of power, then a cam + exhaust is the way to go. trust me, once you throw a c.a.i., exhaust and tune at the truck, you'll want more, and a cam would be the perfect addition after the intake and exhaust have been addressed. supporting mods make it easy to spend money, "can't have one without the other." Edited January 2, 2010 by WODY™ (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallblock500 Posted January 2, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2010 (edited) What trans comes in these trucks? I thought it was the 4L85E btw I have a AWD 03 SS. Plans for right now is just a CAI and exhaust if I can find someone close to me that can at least lessen the TM and remove the stupid 109mph speed limiter I would be golden. Whats the point of getting a full cat back exhaust ive only been under the truck once. The exhaust that I saw looks to have very smooth bends and is descent size until you get to the muffler thats almost the size of the gas tank. Would I be ok by just replacing the stock muffler with 2 and dumps? What can I get electric fans off of would LS1 f-body fans work or should I go after market? BTW if I ever boost this truck its going turbo. blowers are nice but I like the idea of a turbo better. ive been looking at the STS kits i had a buddy that had one on his 97 firebird formula and it was a pretty nice kit. Edited January 2, 2010 by blue-03-SS (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fireman31 Posted January 2, 2010 Report Share Posted January 2, 2010 (edited) What trans comes in these trucks? I thought it was the 4L85E btw I have a AWD 03 SS. Plans for right now is just a CAI and exhaust if I can find someone close to me that can at least lessen the TM and remove the stupid 109mph speed limiter I would be golden. Whats the point of getting a full cat back exhaust ive only been under the truck once. The exhaust that I saw looks to have very smooth bends and is descent size until you get to the muffler thats almost the size of the gas tank. Would I be ok by just replacing the stock muffler with 2 and dumps? What can I get electric fans off of would LS1 f-body fans work or should I go after market? BTW if I ever boost this truck its going turbo. blowers are nice but I like the idea of a turbo better. ive been looking at the STS kits i had a buddy that had one on his 97 firebird formula and it was a pretty nice kit. Your truck has a 4L65E, these trucks never had an 85E, although it would have been nice. The stock piping is stainless and is more then sufficient, you can replace the muffler with a brand of your choice. For e-fans, get in touch with Danny(sprayed99) or Mr. P., their company is a vendor here (HP Motoring) and makes an awesome e-fan kit for our trucks..... Edited January 2, 2010 by Fireman31 (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheatley Posted January 3, 2010 Report Share Posted January 3, 2010 If we can assit you for some custom tuning,send us a PM. We will get you goin at a great price!! Thanks guys Wheatley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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