Hi, got a 04 Silverado 1500 4x4 work truck, 90k miles, 5.3L, 3.73s, auto, bone stock bought it as a surprise for my dad so he can get back into the woods with his health issues, keep his spirits up. I think I found a set of used tires for $400, and if so Im going to ditch getting new MTs and new rims, stick with stock ugly steelies, and then Ill have approx $800 saved that I thought might be worth bolting on some stuff. If you had a 5.3L, and your budget was $800, what would you spend it on?

Cold Air Intake, cat back exhaust, hi flow cat and just a new muffler not the entire cat back system, tuner? If so which brands and in what order, since I am thinking I might be only to get 1-2 out of the 3? Other suggestions? It does need a tune up and engine light is on for "evap canister plugged" or something like that...was gonna have friend help me change oil, t-case/tranny/diff fluids, plugs, wires.

Its going to be used for hunting, so my dad probably wouldnt want it loud, Id just like him to have more guts or a little better MPG.

THANKS!

 

tune from Charlie Wheatley and longtube headers. Those two will give you above 30rwhp gain.

 

Agreed...

CIA is almost worthless. Until someone proves me wrong I still believe there is no such thing as a "hi flow" cat, at least not one that flows much more than a stock one. So I just took mine off. As far as mufflers go you won't gain much other than sound from any of those either.

 

Tune and Headers are always the best 1st mods

 

Thanks guys...glad I posted here...guess I have some reading to do on selecting headers and tuner which Im sure Ill find on here. Im very green so excuse my ignorance, but why the heck do all the magazines and many of the off road websites, even auto shops when you stroll in asking questions, always seem to give the standard answer about an intake and cat back being the first things to get??

 

Probably because they make a bunch of money off of that stuff even though the reality is you might only see about 10 extra hp from adding a CIA and catback.

 

if your dad is anything like mine...

tint, radio, detail, new air filter, new fuel filter, and an oil change hahah. exhaust is annoying to him and he drives like....well. an old man. why have more power when it will never get used. save your money IMO.

do yourself a favor and stop reading magizines and listening to exhaust shops.

 

defiantly...cant go wrong with either of them...

 

besides the fact that those companies sponsor the magazine? I'd say it's because they don't really know anything about tuning.
How many magazines have you read that mention anything about tuning your vehicle? Possibly because most people think tuning is changing the plugs and wires.
A CAI helps the engine breath a little but nothing you'll notice.
They also try to do something that most readers could handle alone. a CAI and a Catback is easy. Although, so is swapping a pcm.

 

Stewart hahah....you might have hit the nail on the head...my dad probably wouldnt want loud noise...maybe Im thinking too much of making it "cool" for my dad even though he wouldnt need the power I guess, just maybe Im tempted for the few times I might drive it wanting to goose it ha....

its getting detailed right now and undercoated. I was going to do tint, but looked up in PA where my folks like and its so strict the tint shop said they cant even do it that light, basically only thing allowed is stock tint.

Yea now got me laughing...he does drive like an old man...especially since he has health, he isnt going to be flooring it...he would enjoy MPG, jeeze he measures that for sure, and I was misled from the mags that the intakes and exhaust help MPG too. Maybe I should go back to the idea of getting new rims and better tires!
Yes new air filter, fuel filter, oil change, all the other fluids for sure.

A tune might not hurt especially if I change tire size which I plan to.