What's up fellas!! Thought I would share with you the day I had, that way I can vent to people who understand my frustration. I had recently spent over 800 dollars in performance mods for my new 2001 Ext Cab 4x4 5.3L, and this morning the last item arrived. I called my buddy, BigTexasChevy, and we went to the auto skills center on the base we're stationed at to put the mods on. You know how it is, the feeling I mean. Man, I felt like a kid on Christmas morning ready to open some presents!! Well, the first thing we did was take off the factory intake system to get to the intake. We put the throttle body spacer I had purchased on with no problems. NOTE: This is the only ****ing product that fit!!!! So next, I took the old thermostat off and was ready to install my new Hypertech 160 stat!! Guess what, I didn't fit. So I drained all my coolant for no damn reason, but I suppose I could look at it in a positive way, in that I flushed my radiator![:@] So I put the old stat on and we began with my brand new intake!! I was a little pissed at this point, but I thought, oh well, at least the CAI will work right? **** no, it did not fit what so ever and it was pretty cheap quality might I add. It was a Granatelli CAI, so I do not recommend purchasing one for the 5.3L because they do not seal up correctly. I think Granatelli makes excellent MAF sensors, but their intakes are pieces of ****!! So, I had to put the factory intake system back on so I could drive the damn thing. Finally, after almost having a stroke, I attempted to beef up my truck with my brand new Superchip Flashpaq tuner. Notice I put the word attempted in there! Well we're answering the simple questions and it uploading the new performance and I'm so excited and then..."Vehicle File is Not Stock...Call Superchips! Use Code #-43. So out of all the mods I was going to install, the TBS was the only one that did not give us problems. Well, my two 40 series flowmasters came in too, but I'm pretty sure the exhaust job will explode with my truck in it!!

Finally, I got up this morning ready to put some more horses and torque on my truck and all I most likely got was 1-2hp with the TBS. I'm going to call the online supplier in which I purchased the items, to see what the hell is up and if they will work with me. I don't want to say their name just yet, because I consider myself a decent man and I don't want to destroy their reputation. However, if try to screw me, you can rest assure I will let you know who it is and to stay away from them. Thanks for letting me vent guys and I hope the next time things go a little smoother. I really hope none of you guys have to go through the frustration that I had to endure today, I really do not! Take care ya'll and I'll talk to you later.

 

Man that really sucks, I was drooling when i read about all the stuff you bought.
That reminds me of the movie Christmas Carol when the kid finally gets his red ryder bb gun and shoots his eye out.

poor ralphie.

hope they work with ya.

 

My buddy Josh had a tahoe with a 5.3 and he installed an Airaid TSB. Said you could barely tell any power increase, like if somebody did it without his knowledge, he wouldn't have noticed until he popped the hood. He did say, however, that his fuel economy improved tremendously. He said it used to take him almost a fulltank to get from Shreveport,LA to Houston. He said after he installed to spacer it only took him just under 3/4 tank.

 

I'll let you know if I see any improvement with MPG, but I did notice a little faster throttle response. Once again, I appreciate you guys listening to me! If this happens to me again, I'm going to get second job and just bolt on a damn super or turbocharger! Hopefully things will work out for the best. I'll keep ya in the loop!

 

Hey man, make sure you don't mention all these problems to your wife or you will never get that supercharger! That really sucks for you and I feel for you man. My work stuff has seemed to be going the same way. I would say there is something in the air, but you are a long way from here for it to be that (I hope). Whatever you do, do not say "OK, What's next", or "bring it on" cause I keep doing that and it just gets worse. Sooner or later I will learn. By the way I got my stuff from www.performancecenter.com and they were great, also the best price I found. Keep your head up though, you wil get there.

 

man i hope you get everything straightened out, i'll come over and help you get the rest of the stuff on if so.

 

Thought I would give you an update of my ****ty week. I called Superchips today and explained to them the Error message I received and they said I'll have to go to a GM dealership and have them reflash the PCM back to stock. So I called my Chevrolet dealer where I purchased my truck and they said it would cost approximately 125 dollars, and that is all labor!! They said it would take an hour and a half. Yougot to be ****ting me right? One hour and a half to change a PCM back to stock? Maybe so, but man it seems like I'm spending a lot of damn money for minimum gains. Have any of ya'll ever had the PCM reflashed back to stock and if so, how much does it cost??

 

I don't know about cost from the dealer but it takes about 20 to 30 min for me to write a program and about 15 to flash the PCM, that being said they don't have to write anything they just re-flash the PCM to stock. Might just be what they get paid to get the equipment out. Sorry to hear about all ofthe problems you are having, and good luck at the dealer.

 

I appreicate it HemiKiller. The dealer said the hour and a half is all labor. This GM dealership charges around 80 dollars an hour for labor!! I wish I could find some place that is cheaper. Oh well, after all is said and done and I upload the performance with my Superchip tuner, if I don't notice any power increase, I'm probably going to throw the damn thing against the side of a wall!![:@]

 

I just installed a flashpaq tuner and found it worked great. Here is what I have....

-TBS spacer (from Jegs)
-Airaid cone filter, with adapter and descreened MAF (using stock air tube)
-Pacesetter cat back 1 to 2 exhaust system with both outlets on the same side
-new set of spark plugs
-running 93 octane gas
-coolant bypass to throttle body

I have all the shift pressures up 20 PSI, rev limit and top speed limit raised, and the highest setting on all the transmission shift points. If pulls way stronger everywhere exept off the line. I also was able to fix my speedo. It was out cause I am running 285/70/17 on the stock wheels. Probably not what you wanna hear though.