Just bought upgrades and need help! [Archive] - Diesel Place : Chevrolet and GMC Diesel Truck Forums

: Just bought upgrades and need help!


4HUN
01-28-2005, 09:51 PM
First let me say I am fairly new to this site. I registered when I bought my truck a year ago and visit from time to time. I own a 2004 GMC SLT 3500 Crew Cab Dually with the LB7 Duramax/ Allison. I love the truck and have put 33k trouble free miles on over the last 12 months. I tow a 20' car hauler and a 21' Wakeboard boat on a regular basis (almost 50% of the trucks road time).

Now what I need help with..... First, let me say I have spent alot of time looking through the forums and I still dont feel confident in what I want to do. I hope to exlpain what I want and hear opininions of what I should do next. I would love to just use the search option, but frankly I just dont understand some of the terms everyone is using frequently on here.

I recently purchased a Bullydog Propane injection kit, A-pillar gauge pod, pyrometer, and boost gauges. The reason I bought these items first is because I got a deal from a guy who was hard up for some cash. The best thing is all these items are brand new and never even taken out of the box.

My first questions concerning the propane injection........... A buddy of mine will be doing the install for me. He has never done this but spent some time on the phone today picking peoples' brains. He is a mechanic for a living so I do trust him with this. Anyways, the directions do not give enough detail for where to mount the "propane valve". It really looks like there is no place to put if for a clean install. I was wandering if anyone had any pics that would show where this thing gets mounted under the hood. Also, I think I decided on using BBQ grill tanks mounted inside a toolbox in the back of the truck. I am thinking of using 2 connected together and keeping a spare in there for if I run out. From what I have read and who I have talked to, I think this will be the best way for me. Does anyone have any negatives why I wouldnt want to do this?

I took my truck to the track last weekend to run it stock. I ran a 17.1 @ 77mph. I only ran only once and am pretty confident I would have gotten into the 16.9's if I were to run again. I have a goal of mid 14's with this truck. I am thinking of getting a programmer with an exhaust/ intake. I am kind of looking for opinions on what I should do next. The only thing for sure is what I have already, the Propane injectino. Also could this truck be capable of mid 14's without any tranny upgrades? Would this be considered stacking? Any other information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Shawn
SPV1JR@hotmail.com

GMC-2002-Dmax
01-28-2005, 10:00 PM
Well Welcome,

The next best advice I can give is before any other mods are added..............UPGRADE THE TRANNY...............:eek:

Without a tranny it does not matter...............you will not get it to the ground

There are plenty of guys running stacks with pane and NOS and Water Meth........

I am running a TTS XTreme with a Suncoast tranny.

If you search the Allison forum a ton of tranny topics are there and will answer most if not all your questions........

So buy a

TRANNY,TRANNY,TRANNY,TRANNY,TRANNY,TRANNY,TRANNY,T RANNY,TRANNY,TRANNY,TRANNY,

T:cool: NY

Got Juice?
01-28-2005, 10:38 PM
Mod#1
GAUGES!
Mod#2
How much power you gonna run?
Mod#3 Module/ECM/Flash EEPROM tuner and a trans to hold it
MOD4 Exhaust
Mod5 air intake
Mod 6 TWINS

4HUN
01-29-2005, 12:07 AM
There are plenty of guys running stacks with pane and NOS and Water Meth......
Does this mean they are just "stacking" modifications on top of one another? I probably sound like an idiot, but I first thought "stacks" were reffering to the exhaust going through the bed! :rolleyes: I know, pretty sad....

Anyways, here are some pics.... I know everyone likes pics...

McRat
01-29-2005, 12:33 AM
For mid-14's you are pushing the limit on the stock trans. It will probably do it a few times, but it will start to slip.

Bang for the buck on HP is the tuners. A propane kit will not give you the HP a hot tune will, and cost as much or more.

A single tuner will take you into the mid 14's no sweat for under a grand.

john@dps
01-29-2005, 01:50 AM
What you guys are missing is, that his truck is a crew cab dually. Mid 14's is a whomper in cost on a truck this heavy. EC/SB, CC/SB, EC/LB those times are workable. If you could get a CC/LB dually to mid 14's easily, I would be at mid 13's now, but I'm not. Read the my signature, that gets you 14.4 any day of the week and a best ever time of 14.1. I am not racing YOU, I'm racing my own weight.

dpower
01-31-2005, 12:40 AM
Well...first off welcome! Second....your truck is really sharp....I like the sandstone...its the first dually I have seen that color. I think mid 14's are not that far off....even in an lly dually. Be patient and upgrade your tranny first thing. Let the box and programer market develop for the lly....and after you recover from the tranny upgrade I would bet there would be something available to get that dually to a mid 14!

Dmax Tim
01-31-2005, 06:06 AM
Well...first off welcome! Second....your truck is really sharp....I like the sandstone...its the first dually I have seen that color. I think mid 14's are not that far off....even in an lly dually. Be patient and upgrade your tranny first thing. Let the box and programer market develop for the lly....and after you recover from the tranny upgrade I would bet there would be something available to get that dually to a mid 14!
He has an LB7, read his first post.

I'd go tranny and extreme and 5" exhaust be done w/ it.

4HUN
01-31-2005, 10:08 AM
What is the extreme? What tranny uprgade should I do? Should I just scratch the Propane upgrade? I could sell it on ebay and make a little money on it.....

GatorRam
01-31-2005, 10:35 AM
4HUN,
Hey, I've done upgades on some DMax trucks and might be able to answer some questions for you. I go out to the Gainesville track every now and again, it's a good time. I do agree with the guys on here that propane might not be the best thing to start out with. I don't have much experience with LP on these trucks but I think there are other alternatives that are safer to start out with and will give you more power for the money spent. While that choice is up to you I can tell you one thing for sure, once you feel the difference ONE upgrade makes you will be hooked and it will probably end up doing a lot more before long.:D Anyways I can shoot the bull about Diesels for hours so if you want to give me a call (386) 566-9438 maybe I could help you out.

Adam

Dmax Tim
01-31-2005, 10:36 AM
TTS extreme program, john@dps sells them.

As for tranny and living in Florida, suncoast would be a good choice, seems they are having an open house this week.