f1ss Posted May 16, 2014 Report Share Posted May 16, 2014 (edited) I have a Lingenfelter 180 thermostat on the truck. It is stock otherwise mechanically and very proud I have kept it that way all these years. I have debated in my head over and over again which mod I should go with next to help my current 180 thermo (and tune when I purchase). After being here a bit it seems obvious to go either CAI or muffler to help the tune (and go with my 180). Either mod would be GMPP, their intake or Borla muffler. Debate point: I will eventually switch to Corsa for the long haul for an exhaust. I do love the stock system (just wished it flowed better). Would it be a waste to get the Borla to only replace it later with the Corsa rather than go with the intake with the tune? I really want what is best and will gain me the most from the tune (which I think is the muffler and has me thinking muffler over intake). I think I am going nuts debating this with myself So would you purchase a muffler or intake to help the 180 making the most of the tune? Edited May 16, 2014 by 03mass (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blown 346 Posted May 16, 2014 Report Share Posted May 16, 2014 In my opinion, Ito make power and have it tuned. I would go this route. This all depends on what you want spend.... Headers, cold air and E fans. Leave the muffler for now until you can buy a catback. A muffler on the stock system isnt going to do much of anything except sound. Or if you dont want to spend the coin on headers, I would do the CAI and E fans, and save up for the headers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
f1ss Posted May 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 16, 2014 I like the idea of cai, e fans and headers. Will breathe a lot better. I think my route may be cai and tune, then e-fans, nextly I can debate Corsa or ARH. That was very helpful, thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blown 346 Posted May 16, 2014 Report Share Posted May 16, 2014 No problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOWN SS/T Posted May 16, 2014 Report Share Posted May 16, 2014 If it came down to a muffler or CAI I'd probably go intake espically if your set on a different complete exhaust system. Why not run a 160 t-stat instead? You'll get the most gains from a good tune. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
f1ss Posted May 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 16, 2014 I do not plan on going big with this truck currently (as I may be in the market for a SSS 2wd). The 180 is enough as I will not be going f/i or spraying, yet. It's just a vehicle to drive my handicap family member around in and enjoy on given days (this family member owned vettes so they love this truck but dislike z71s). I do not have a tune yet, but have put just under a 1k miles recently and I feel the urge asap to get the next mod w/tune. The truck has an appt for an emissions valve (thing is stuck open giving me literally around 10mpgs). I am possibly in the market for another SSS as it is easier for a family member to get around in this vehicle more so than their current vehicle. I would have to put the awd to the forefront as a daily driver vehicle due to the NorthEast weather. I am one to admit I never would thought I would put this vehicle through winter, but if I have a 2nd I cannot complain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOWN SS/T Posted May 16, 2014 Report Share Posted May 16, 2014 RWD trucks are more fun anyways brother lol I had bougth a 160 t stat to install in my truck then a the water pump goes out and I swap it out with an ls3/l92 pump I had in the garage. The 160 t stat that I bought wouldn't fit the new water pump so I just installed the t stat that was on the newer pump turns out it's about a 180 or so, but then figured out I could have just used the housing off my old pump and ran the 160 intended for it. I'll eventually get around to doing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelleyperformance Posted May 16, 2014 Report Share Posted May 16, 2014 the actual results from changing your t-stat to a lower temp. are WAY WAY exaggerated by most people... honestly the biggest gains you will see is a gain in fuel consumption lol. ask yourself, do these trucks have overheating issues.... no. could the factory have very easily put a lower temp thermostat in.... yes. and they did, in 2008 with the gen 4 LS motors- its 180 degrees in most of them. why? because this is the optimum temp for combustion, amongst other reasons. trust me, being a professional tuner and having my own dyno- you don't need 160 deg tstat in your trucks, very few cases do lol. if you want one, get a 180. if its up to one mod, get an intake. the OEM exhaust on the SSS isn't bad. the piping is great, and you would see no benefit in flow between a 3" corsa cat-back and a stock SSS cat-back with say a magnaflow muffler (straight through muffler types). another common misconception lol- "I need a dual 3" catless, straight-through muffler exhaust on my 400bhp vehicle, and it will gain me like 20hp" actually, it will LOOSE you low end torque. so get the intake. and if you have the money, then do some 1 3/4" long tube headers with some high flow cats. that yields a nice gain and has a nice sound on the stock SSS cat-back also yes e-fans are always good. free up some rotational mass, and a few HP. but better yet, it really frees up space even for basic maintenance under the hood, and gets rid of that cool dump truck noise when your driving at cold start-up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKSSS Posted May 16, 2014 Report Share Posted May 16, 2014 Just a heads up. One of the best put together e-fan harnesses I have used yet it from a company called "ls performance wiring". I just bough a second fan harness from him. He is a member on pt.net and very good at what he does. Search him out on Facebook. The cool think about his fan harness is it uses the factory mounting point under the factory fuse panel and the wiring from it looks completely stock. Very good products. He also makes some awesome stand alone harnesses! The fan harnesses are even a good price. I paid 95 for my fan harness and I got a set of electric fans off a junk yard 06 1500 for 150 bucks. Sure makes electric fans cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2003_SuperSport Posted May 16, 2014 Report Share Posted May 16, 2014 I just used a relay from my efans to the PCM and reprogramed my PCM to run the efans... Real cheap and easy to do... I think I spent less than $100 on my efan and relay setup... Went to the Junk yard and found some dual fans out of a TA or Grand Prix and they work flawlessly. Engine temp never goes above 195' sitting in hot traffic and never goes above 185 normal driving on really hot days... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
f1ss Posted May 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2014 Thank you all, I have my priorities set now. CAI w/tune soon, start collecting parts for the e-fans/harness and save up for the LTs/hi-flows from ARH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evandostert Posted May 21, 2014 Report Share Posted May 21, 2014 I would get a 4" el cheapo intake on ebay or one of these http://www.summitracing.com/parts/spe-9900/overview/make/chevrolet/model/silverado-1500 I used the spectre it grew with my mods. I changed the elbow and the 90mm TB works. I pulled the reducer and the 4" ls7 maf fits. I would just replace the muffler only. I went magnaflow straight thru design is ok. My two buddies with sss and tbss both have flowmaster and they sound amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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