Haven't been on here too much recently. Between getting hurt at work a year and a half ago, and then losing my job of 15 years 6 months ago, modifying my truck was the least of my concerns...

But....

Got a new, much less stressful/B.S. job, closer to home, working in a shop by myself and my back is 90% better than it has been in a long time...

Anyway....

You can see in my Ebay header thread that is linked below in my sig, that I have had several different exhaust combos to go with those infamous Ebay/Chinese headers. The latest exhaust consisted of the muffler shop bent 3" piping, back to a 14" Dynomax Super Turbo 3" into dual 2.5" tailpipes. Why I bought another POS Dynomax exhaust product is beyond me as any of their mufflers or pipes that I have ever used has always been either poor fitting, or short lived...same as this last one. It basically turned into an open chamber that made my truck sound like an old farm truck with a glasspack muffler that was rotted out, lol.

Since my new job allows me to use the shop lift on my off time, I decided to order a complete stock replacement exhaust ($140 including 1 universal hanger & 2 new clamps), from the Y pipe back. The brand is AP and is the stock 2.75" pipe at the muffler, but actually measures 3" on the two pipes.

As expected, the truck is MUCH quieter and I also expected it to both run better at low rpm, but probably hold back at higher rpm...this was not the case though. Low and mid rpm is a LOT stronger than it's been in quite some time, but top end feels the same, if not better also, which was a nice surprise. On highway drives, going up a long hill would have the truck downshifting and upshifting at will, but now it will just pull right up without any computer generated downshifts...Truck also feels plenty more responsive at any rpm...also a plus. It still has a mild deep tone to it since it has headers and no cats, but I can't be happier at how much better it runs now.

I'll try to get an idle and rev video up tomorrow, assuming I can figure out this new "smart" phone, lol.

FWIW, truck is just a simple, bolt on, HPTuners 87 octane self-tuned, lowered 2002 Z71. Nothing fancy. Just has longtubes, ported throttle body, homemade cold air using 4" pipe and modded stock airbox, and LS1 electric fans. Used to get a mixed driving 13 MPG's with the winter blend 87 octane gas, and after waiting several months for CalEditor@PCMCalibrators to write me a MPG tune he has bragged about (and never getting anything but excuses), I gave up and did some tweaking myself to get a 3mpg increase without any loss whatsoever in all around performance. Should get 18-19 with the summer blend gas, which will be a nice change. Stock, it got 17 at best, also with mixed driving.


EDIT..........................................
Here's a video that finally uploaded....
Keep in mind it was recorded with a phone, in a large shop, from 4 or 5 feet away. I think it sounds a lot better in person, although not bad considering how it was taped...

http://youtu.be/e20GjsdB__c

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Glad to here you are doing better.

He is no longer a Sponsor so I guess you will never see that tune... LOL

What are using to tune with these days???

I average 12-14 around town and 17 is usually a good high way number. I have gotten as good as 19 But I have to go 80+ to achieve that with the factory 3:42 and a roughly 32 inch tall tire.

 

I put stock back on mine after having a 40 series flowmasterand I couldn't be happier. Funny about the CalEditer, I sent an email to him about a tune and got a response and that was it.

 

Thanks. I have HPTuners. Scored an old original serial based setup a few years back, when I still had my 2000 SS Camaro, for $150. Updated to the MPVI Pro when that option was available, so I have $350 total invested in it. I only play around with the truck's tune to stay somewhat fresh and in practice and that's it really. I never touched the tune after the newly added exhaust, and since it runs great and has gotten a mileage increase, don't plan to.

All my mileage numbers are mainly city type, stop and go driving as the new job doesn't have me doing any highway at all. Mine seems to get the best highway results at 70 or so, with my stock 373's and stock height 265/70/17 tires.

 

I am also very pleased with the new setup...I probably have $1500 into my $140 exhaust, LOL.

If I had it to do over, I'd have just swapped on the headers, and left my stock stainless exhaust alone...live and learn...

I bought the truck bone stock
Had a Flowmaster muffler welded in, sounded great.
Swapped on a Dynomax complete "dual" kit.
Fit so bad I literally drove to the muffler shop and had him cut it off and custom bend a Flowmaster 40 based "dual" setup.
Swapped on the Ebay Longtubes........
Was way too loud, so I added a Summit "Bullet" muffler.
Was still too loud, so added in a Hooker AeroChamber.
Was too quiet, so I removed the Flowmaster and replaced it with a straight "Y" pipe into the existing tails.
Was again way too loud and raspy...
Put a Dynomax Super Turbo in place of the open "Y" pipe, then too quiet...again.
Removed the Hooker AeroChamber and then it was a little loud, but "ok"...
Less than a year later, the POS Dynomax is louder than the 2 chamber, raspy azz Flowmaster ever was...
Sawzalled the whole thing off and replaced it with the current, very quiet, but nice rumble-ing stock replacement stuff...


Yes, the CalEditor guy "seemed" knowledgeable, but from what I could find out, had NEVER tuned anyone's truck here at all. He boasted on more than one thread that getting 3 mpg's out of any tune was "easy", and I PM'ed him about that claim. I asked if he could "help" me attain 2-3 more mpg's, and if so, how much it would cost, since it was an email the tunes back and forth kind of thing...He said if I gave him a "positive feedback", it would cost me nothing. Said once he got my tune, he'd jump right right on it....after a few months of me asking about the progress, and getting nothing but excuses, I finally gave up and chalked it up as him being just another internet expert/bullshitter...

 

Well you need to get a vid of that bad boy up .. Glad you are getting back on track with life again. Folks down the point got a raw deal. Where are you working at now ?

 

Thanks John and you're 100% right. All the local politicians get their "Point" and the Port gets it's waterfront. I personally got screwed out of about $35K worth of severance, 4 weeks worth of vacation, and lost my health, life and other benefits with little warning...Yet the management team got everything they were owed and then some...There was already plans drawn up for a resort style town to be built there....

I fell into the briar patch and am working for a local electrical company as their fleet service manager/mechanic. He has several toys that I get to wrench on and test drive. ...69 and 09 Shelby GT500's, Hemi Cuda, 66 Vette, two 50's Hemi wagons, and an SSR pickup. Not to mention it's only 10 minutes from home, and I get to store my car here inside a heated building. Very nice change of pace from the last 15 years in that shithole I was at.

 

I would have to look but I think that's what I installed 265/70/R17

I switched to the Tahoe/Suburban 6 spoke factory wheel and I think that's the tire size I went with.

 

Yessir, that's the factory size tires on the factory 17's with 4 wheel drive. I scored some 500 mile chrome steel wheels/tires for $500, but am looking for some beat up 17's to Plasti-Dip. I can't use my stock 16's anymore due to the lowering spindles I have.

 

Any pointers on the tune to help with MPG's? I have been tweaking some things on my 02 Avalanche and am trying to get a little more power and MPG's if at all possible. I sent you a PM a little while ago about but maybe you haven't had a chance to respond.

Thanks!