Useless "performance" mods
 

With everything out there has anyone bought somthing that was pretty much useless? The tornado/vornado thing always seems to be in debate. Also what about spark plugs, plug wires etc... They make all these big claims yet alot of people say it's basicly a waste with noone really taking the other side.

So to save people money and stress feel free to list mods that aren't worth the money, etc....

RE: Useless "performance" mods
 

Air Raid cold air intake, Flow master 40 series exaust 3', Super Chips power programmer

RE: Useless "performance" mods
 

Lol, well with those I notice a big diffrence over stock.

RE: Useless "performance" mods
 

Just kidding! But I would recommend a custom tune instead of your programmer.

RE: Useless "performance" mods
 

I've really been thinking about that latley. There seem to be ALOT of people that swear by there custom tunes. My Super chips was bought in 2005, I think it was a 2004 so it's getting just a little old.

RE: Useless "performance" mods
 

I originally used a Hypertech in my 2001 Silverado. Then I got a custom tune from Wheatley. I wish I had never bought the Hypercrap. There was no comparing the two.

RE: Useless "performance" mods
 

I'm gonna look at calling them after I get a new bumper, airdam, and a stage2 since my stock clutch is somehow still alive. I think it died one night in Hawaii and came back, I got some zombie **** in my truck ;)

RE: Useless "performance" mods
 

Velocity stack. Maybe not useless, but, certainly not worth the 30 bucks.

RE: Useless "performance" mods
 

Is that one of those things that goes into intake area?

RE: Useless "performance" mods
 

http://www.vararam.com/product-images/vr3/vr3sm3.gif
yep

RE: Useless "performance" mods
 

Most of you may not agree but after running slower times at the track I'd say putting exhaust on these trucks is a useless mod. I mean I love the way it sounds and quite frankly I wouldn't get rid of it for that little bit of extra torque.... but it definately didn't help at all.

RE: Useless "performance" mods
 

Really? I got my exaust the second day I had the truck, I have no memory of pre flow master. Like how much slower?

RE: Useless "performance" mods
 

Well the best I could get when it was stock ( plus drop in K&N air filter ) was a 10.61 in the 1/8 mile. Now with all of my mods the best I can run is a 10.66! I know for a fact the red neck ram air helped out a lot but once I slapped my exhaust on I could immediately tell a loss in torque. Especially when towing. I mean obviously we're not talking dire loss here but the redneck ram air and the throttle body spacer combined don't make up for the difference in the torque loss obviously. But like I said, I love the way it sounds so I wouldn't undo it. Especially since I'm not gonna race it anymore.

But this backpressure issue is obviously a universal issue cause the Supra I bought had straight pipe exhaust on it when I got it. I put a high flow cat and muffler on it and gained a lot of torque in that thing. Runs smoother too.

RE: Useless "performance" mods
 

Not gonna race the truck anymore? :( Sucks at the power loss but yeah it does sound great, love dumping on certain types of cars too.

RE: Useless "performance" mods
 

Yeah I decided after the last time I went to the track that I definately wasn't going to race it anymore. That rough start problem didn't start until the last time I was at the dragstrip.[&:] I've also got a transmission fluid leak I can't locate.... no leaks on the tranny anywhere and it doesn't seem to be getting into the coolant. Not leaking anywhere as far as I can see but I have added a half a quart of tranny fluid to it2 times now over the last 3 months or so and I'm sure it needs moreright now.

So yeah, that's why I bought the Supra. If I'm gonna break something I might as well break something I'm not making $275 a month payments on still, LOL!:D

RE: Useless "performance" mods
 

back in college i too was suckered by the tornado and "zmax with linkite" i noticed a significant gain with my exhaust but all i did was have a performance muffler put in place of the stock one with no mods to the pipes.

RE: Useless "performance" mods
 

Gee where do I start. Im an idiot and bought alot of useless crap over the years.

1. Velocity stack like Cracker said.
2. Tornado intake thing, throttle response maybe but I,ve never noticed fuel mileage increase.
3. High flow MAF unless the truck is cutomed tuned for it.
4. Hypertech Programmer unless your running a stock engine.
5. JET Chip on anything but a V8.
6. Magnetic fuel conditioner (that magnet you strap to your fuel line).
7. Flex fan, I've never noticed any difference over clutch fan.
8. Headers if you don't change the heads first.
9. From what I understand, exhaust on our trucks won't do much. (Charger and Quick02, maybe the difference in in the weight of the truck as far as exhaust gain? Charger has 4wd and Quick02 has a much lighter 2wd.)
10. Any spark plug that is not recommended by the manufactureer (Like E3).
11. 8mm high pro or 9mm plugs with a stock ignition.
12. MSD ignition system on a stock motor (unless carborated)
13. Oh and those electric fans you plug into your intake tube, friend of mine did this, it sounds cool but you might get 1 maybe 2 hp out of it.
14. Any kind of preformance chip on ebay that sells for $3 to $20 thats called a "speed chip" or "gas saver".
15. True Ram Air on any vehicle with MAF- Im sorry to say this but on my 91' GMC and my 89' Nissan, the 91' GMC worked but it ran lean (a better tune would have solved this ), on the 89 Nissan (with MAF) it would stall at highway speeds when you got off the gas. I had the intake piped into the bumper with a velocity stack before the filter and it was pretty straight shot to the MAF. Maybe it was overkill for a 4 banger but i couldn't get it to work.

RE: Useless "performance" mods
 

I second that E3 Diamond Fire Spark Plugs suck.

RE: Useless "performance" mods
 

wo, jcsbt12, that is quite a list lol... i still want headers just because if nothing else they will make my truck just a smidge louder

RE: Useless "performance" mods
 

I should note I never bought a "speed chip" or electric supercharger but the rest I have done.

RE: Useless "performance" mods
 

I don't have a 4WD. I have a regular single cab/step side 03 Sierra with the 4.8. Actually my truck is nearly exactly the same as quick02's except I have the electronic throttle body where as he has the old school throttle body.... LOL, that sounds bad doesn't it. Everybody is switching to electronic throttle bodies now.

RE: Useless "performance" mods
 

Note to self, need to get electronic throttle body. How much does the GMC weigh in at? I'm under 3900lbs dry.

RE: Useless "performance" mods
 

wow... thats a huge difference from extended cabs... i didn't realize the gap in weight was that big

RE: Useless "performance" mods
 

Quick has a stepside, it's lighter.

The beast on the left wieghs +5400lbs.

RE: Useless "performance" mods
 

wtf i have a 2wd and my door says mine weighs 6200... did they get lighter for the new ones?

RE: Useless "performance" mods
 

I custom ordered mine in the military. Stepside is a lighter composite as are the outside door skins and other pieces. Hood and front are american steel though, or aluminum either way the front is metal. Took an 89 civic head one 2 weeks ago, I still drive my truck to work till I get 200 to fix it, sentra is crushed by now no doubt. My truck is a compromise of a 2002 Trans Am WS.6. Had I known 911 was going to happen 2 weeks later or just hadn't got a vehicle yet I would have had the TA. Truck makes me smile every day so it's doing a great job with room to go, bitch to drive when wet though :)

RE: Useless "performance" mods
 

My bad Josh. Well, the bed def has something to do with it. My 91' was a stepside with the fiberglass bed and thats prob the only reason it would move. It used to piss me off tho cause I could NEVER launch the damn thing (open diff ) without one legging it.

Chevy112488: Isn't curb weight different from GVW? Mine has the GVW as somewhere around 6000 but Motortrend says 4,000 some odd pounds (Prob closer to 4,500) for curb weight.

RE: Useless "performance" mods
 

oh... could be... i thought that was the weight, but thats just something i randomly heard from one of my buddies so i could be wrong

RE: Useless "performance" mods
 

My truck weighs a little over 3600 but I have the work truck with manual windows n that hard plastic flooring,no cruise control n have 2 reach over 2 unlock the passenger door which is a bitch doing.
Got rid of the back bumper n got a roll pan but got 20" rims and tonneau cover so I'm not sure how much it weighs exactly.

RE: Useless "performance" mods
 

I hear ya on the doors and windows, I've heard but not really sure but it's "supposed to" save 50lbs in weight. Of course being 5'6 is a bitch reaching over to unlock the door/ roll down the window. What really gets me is people/girls that want to talk to me while I'm driving always try it on the left side! There's quite a few people that think I'm a dick for not rolling down my window to talk to them, if they only knew.....

RE: Useless "performance" mods
 

Damn bro that gets 2 me every time 2.One time at a stop light this girl in her mustang pulled up next 2 me she was ****in hot looked like jessica alba but anyways I noticed she was tryin 2 talk 2 me I reached over 2 roll down the window but could barely reach by then the light had turned green n she had had 2 make her turn.I couldn't believe it I was hella mad.

RE: Useless "performance" mods
 

That's why I'm looking to retro fit. Our trucks are wired for all of it just don't have motors servo's etc... A salvage yard that specialises in trucks and is less than a mile away :) Will be able to get me LT door panels servo's parts etc... Plus power window's, someone somehow stole the glass out of my passenger side mirror. Now when you try to get your vechile home via boat they make sure it's as safe as when it left. They wouldn't let my truck leave the ****in island! We got some glass and made an epoxy I wish I remember how because it's lasted 4 years! I basically have a cheap fake mirror, basically my truck has a glass eye, so why not upgrade those too. It would run us from $200-$350, and for not much more we can have one of those fancy compass temperature mirrors all these guy's have in there "luxury trucks" :p jk guys

RE: Useless "performance" mods
 

LOL, thank God for good ole electric everything! The only thing manual in my truck is the passanger seat. I've got the compass/temperature rear view mirror as well, LOL! Actually I think the only option my truck doesn't have is leather seats if they were even available for an 03 Sierra. I have an SLE. Don't know if that means anything as far as what stuff it should have.

RE: Useless "performance" mods
 

I remember my ex girlfriends brothers 2002 GMC, his was straight base model and stock interor wise his was much nicer than mine. Passanger seat had a weight sensor plus key disarm, he even had the same stock CD system mine did I had certain LS and LT features like the LT sound syetem but he had the CD player out of the LS model. GMC by far gives you more for the model plus an extra model, my folks were going to get an 07 CMC HD but got they chevy because they aren't fans of the GMC grille.

RE: Useless "performance" mods
 

The only thing I didn't like about my truck was the tailights so I switched them out 2 the 05 Silverado tailights they look so much better.I was thinkin about changin the front end 2 that of a denalis the honeycomb grille looks real good or should I leave the billet grille?

RE: Useless "performance" mods
 

I like both. The only thing I don't like is the fact that there are only 2 routes to go with the grill. Either billet or honeycomb.... every pretty'd up GMC has the same grill as the next. They look good I just wish there were more options.

RE: Useless "performance" mods
 

they have some with flames and tribal designs and such... i personally think they're ugly but it would be something different... i think i've even seen dice

RE: Useless "performance" mods
 

72 charger,do u have the Sierra tailights or the Silverados? If u have the Sierras u should switch em to the Silverados they look really good all my friends with a GMC have switched them.

RE: Useless "performance" mods
 

step side taillights are the same, aren't they?.... the only taillights that changed in 03 were straight bed chevys i think

RE: Useless "performance" mods
 

Yeah my tail lights are the same as a silverado's. I thought about getting some Altezza clear tails but they aren't really worth it to me right now. I wanted to do a bunch of crap to it but now that I got the Supra some things are more important.;)