_Nomad_

I have a 2009 GMC Sierra Denali with the 6.2L/378 L9H engine, 2WD, 6l80e Trans, 3.42 rear, and I'm about to start modding it. Before I do however, I have some questions about what parts to use, since many of you here have already done what I'm about to. I should start by saying I'm not trying to build a race truck. It's a daily driver and all I want is a little more pep in its step.First things I want to do is:

Exhaust
Do I stick with the 3.5" single pipe factory exhaust and just change out the muffler, or can I perhaps go with the stock 3.5" mid-pipe in to a Magnaflow muffler and dual 2.5" out to the back? Being a daily driver, I don’t want any drone in the cabin or to sound like a tractor, but I want proper air flow.

To header or not to header?
1 3/4 or 1 7/8? ARH? Kooks? Stainless Works? Also the drone issue, will it cause too much? I've never heard quiet long tubes. It seems the stock manifolds on these trucks are pretty good at keeping the torque in the low end where I would like it for a street truck, but will that be the case after I supercharge it? Also, I will be using this as a truck so I will carry and tow the odd loads, the odder the better.

Super Charger
I'm looking at the Edelbrock E-Force Model # 1579. Supposedly easy to install and virtually maintenance free, but I have read it has poor IAT, so it runs hot. I've read about Magnuson but they only come in 1900. Then there is the most expensive of them all Whipple, that has a 2900 and supposedly better IAT's, but have heard it's not as easy to install or have the care free maintenance of the Edelbrock.

Tune
I was thinking about getting a Black Bear tune with their Auto Cal. Are there any other reputable EFI Live or HP Tune tuners? There is no dyno around me so I will be stuck with this type of data logging and email tuning.

I'll eventually be lowering it as well, but I would like to get this laundry list completed first.
Any advice would be much appreciated.

FFDP

iTrader: (2)

Headers will make it loud and it WILL drone if you have the wrong exhaust setup behind it. The factory cat-back exhaust flows a ton of air, the size itself is not an issue. The factory muffler could be cut off and replaced with a aftermarket muffler. It seems almost anything with the factory cats won't drone because the 3 cat converters do such a good job at removing the rasp/drone and the muffler just makes it sound good under load.

If you did the whole deal with long tubes, high flow cats and cat-back, then picking the right muffler with a good resonator will be key. Some guys even have to had in a helmholtz resonator tube to remove the drone. You will pay out the *** for kooks and ARH stuff, other brands are more reasonable on price.


You said daily driver, so even the TVS1900 would do what you want. I thought they still sold the TVS2300 kits for the 6.2 but haven't looked in a long while. Even the 1900 would be a bolt on and go kit and should give you well over 100-120hp to the tire. I'm sure the edlebrock kit is the same horsepower wise and you can always drop pulley sizes.


Keeping with the daily driver and wanting it to be reliable and something you can drive everyday, just buying the supercharger without doing anything else would be fine too. You don't have to install headers and such, lots of people do just slap the blower on there and are happy with the instant horsepower and torque the supercharger gives.

Tune wise, I wouldn't suggest black bear on a email based supercharger tune. Seen a few recently that weren't happy customers, let alone past stuff. A few guys on here offer tuning services with Atomic being one of them, he knows his stuff. Perhaps even local people could do it depending where you live.





Also consider other supporting mods that may be required depending what you truck was equipped with. Factory flex fuel trucks have larger fuel pumps that can support around 500-550 horsepower. Non flex fuel trucks will need a larger fuel pump.

Some of those kits may not come with 2 or 3 bar map sensors. Rear drive shafts are really not suppose to exceed 100mph, so if you want to do that get the driveshaft built unless you want it to explode. The factory rear locker isn't the strongest, consider upgrading to a real one from like eaton or similar.