I have $3000 to spend on my truck and need tons of advice

ok So I got this truck, it's a 2001 4.8 it has gibson cat back and headers, K&N intake, 6" fabtech sus lift. What do I need to do to the gears to get some power back from the lift? What else can I do to my truck to increase performace or what should I change. I was going to get a new car but instead I want to put the money into my truck and fix it up. Also what shocks and suspension should I get cause im not so sure I'm happy with the fabtech or what could I do to upgrade the suspension. I just want a tons of good ideas about the best way to get the most performace and the best suspension/shocks setup so I will be happy keeping my truck over getting a new car. I'm not interested in getting a supercharger or anything that has to do with forced induction. Thank you so much in advanced for any advice or help. Basicaly if you have 3000 to spend on the truck I just described what would you do to it.?

The way gas prices are going, you may want to use that money to fill up your tank

How 'bout a good mutual fund?

Yeah, spend ~$400 on a Nelson tune, and put the rest up. http://www.nelsonperformance.com

Save even more!!! :grinyes:

http://www.wait4meperformance.com/

$150

I bought my truck new, spent about $2500 total on bedliner, tires, tonneau cover, ect, ect. K&N intake, dual turbo exhaust and finally that little $150 tune. Least expensive, but the best thing I did.

Pay off your bills and drive the truck as is.

I would save the money, especially as Merlin said, gas is gettin up there. That lift and tires sure arent going to help with better gas mileage.

Not sure why you want a new suspension though. I mean a lift isn't going to ride that smooth. But i don't know anything about fabtech, but typically the more money you spend on a suspension kit the better the quality it is.

sorry poppajoe but until you can provide proof that waitforme tune is worth it, im sure we'll stick with nelson

drop a 502 in there. That'll make up for the power loss

Save even more!!! :grinyes:

http://www.wait4meperformance.com/

$150

I bought my truck new, spent about $2500 total on bedliner, tires, tonneau cover, ect, ect. K&N intake, dual turbo exhaust and finally that little $150 tune. Least expensive, but the best thing I did.

Yeah, we want him to get something good, u know? http://nelsonperformance.com

So im not supposed to do anything with the gears after lifting my truck? I have the hypertech proggramer is the nelson one better or somethign different? what shocks do you guys recomend? what other performance stuff can be done to our trucks without going the rout of forced induction. I know I know I should save the money and I am going to save alot of it I was just saying I would be ok with spending up to 3000 on it but only if it was on stuff I really wanted done to my truck. I need to get a new liner new shocks and I', having a problem with starting my truck. Sometimes I'll have to turn the key and hold it twice before it will start. So I need to get that checked out. anyone have any ideas about that?

Nelson tune is MUCH better than a hypertech. And it's a one time purchase; If anything changes (including how you want the truck to perform) you call Allen up and tell him how you want it different. All you have to pay is shipping. Free updates for life!

Low gears will get you even worse yet gas mileage on top of big tires. But if your willing to spend $3000 on your truck chances are your like me and dont give a shit about gas cost. If i were you i would get a cam, lifter and timing kit, new intake manifold, bigger throttle body, definatly a nelson tune and maybe some electric fans. Dont know what to tell ya about the shocks cuz any truck will ride rougher after a lift kit install no matter how good the kit is. My truck often has a hard start problem and almost every time it is looseness and/or corrosion on the battery terminals. My truck has the side mount battery posts which are the most retarded things ever cuz they always wiggle loose.

alright im sold on the nelson. But help me oiut with some other things. What mods give out the best performance ever little things like pulleys and such. Does anyone have any idea why im having trouble starting my truck?

sorry poppajoe but until you can provide proof that waitforme tune is worth it, im sure we'll stick with nelson


The proof is that compared to my stock pcm, I have more power, throttle response and increased mpg for $150. Hell....it'd only be $75 if I sent him my factory pcm to tune or as a core. I don't sell these things or have any interest in the business. I was just providing another option. One that works well and has saved money for a lot of folks.

Maybe I'm naive to all of this and if so I'm sure you'll let me know, but if you gave 3 or 4 tuners a list of specs would the finished product be so different?

Yeah, we want him to get something good, u know? http://nelsonperformance.com

What makes them better? The fact that it cost $250 more?

You seem so adamant about it.


No..... Really...... I want to know.

What makes them better? The fact that it cost $250 more?

You seem so adamant about it.


No..... Really...... I want to know.


Your missing the point. Our point is that Nelson has the rep and history to prove he has a quaility product. Wait4me might have a great product but with anything would you buy something you know nothing about that could be life threating or could cause expensive damages, to save a few bucks. The last thing any of us want is someone who may or may not know enough about what they are doing and grenading one of the fragile gm trannys. I made the point earlier in another thread that asked why are his tunes so much less than Nelson, Hypertec, Jet Performance, Diablo.

So not to hijack this thread. If you go with a fab tech 6 inch and 35 inch tires, I would move up to 4.10 or 4.11 gears in the diffs, that should put you back into what would be 3.73 stock gears with 265/75 tires. Going with these gears shouldnt affect you gas milege too much. Fab tech is the way to go.

Does anyone have any idea why im having trouble starting my truck?

If it cranks fine, but you either have to cycle the key twice or crank it a long time, my guess is that the fuel pressure is leaking off through the pump check valve in the tank. Can't understand why...they make such fine pumps. :rolleyes:

Try this. Before starting, turn the key on for a few seconds, turn it back off and then turn it back on again for a few seconds then crank it up. If it is a pressure loss, this will pressurize the system before cranking and give you and indication. A mechanic can double check with a fuel pressure gauge. :2cents:

poppajoe- its not only the finished product that makes a company worth a shit.....i called allen up and talked to him for a while and i called up wait4me.....allen knew what he was talking about and wait4me did not...and until wait4me gives free updates, free tune changing, and more knowledge about what they are doing, i wont do business with them

poppajoe- its not only the finished product that makes a company worth a shit.....i called allen up and talked to him for a while and i called up wait4me.....allen knew what he was talking about and wait4me did not...and until wait4me gives free updates, free tune changing, and more knowledge about what they are doing, i wont do business with them

MY POINT EXACTLY! :1: I'm coming up on getting my 3rd tune from Allen in as many months. Nothing has been wrong, but I have changed things on my truck. He also contacted me a little while ago and tells me that he has come up with a new formula to work even better with the type of tune I went after. Would the other guys even think about contacting one of their customers and saying, "Hey, we've come up with something that will work better for what you want?" I seriously doubt it. Allen does charge more than pcmforless and wait4me up front, but the different levels of customer service more than make up for that. Let's break it down... If I had gotten a wait4me tune, I believe poppajoe said they were $150? Ok, well, if I recall when I checked them out, they were something like $50 or $60 for each update thereafter. So, say $50 x my 3 updates thus far, and I'd already be at $300 with them.

Again, not to hijack this thread, but what twomorestrokes said holds water; I had an Oldsmobile that did they exact same thing. Wouldn't start if you got in and started cranking, but if you got in and turned the key on for a few seconds, it would start right up

99redilverado- he does provide free updates and tuning changes.
Blenderwizard- you recalled wrong.

You guys act like I showed up for church with my pecker out. Wait4me has provided quality tunes for a lot of guys. There is another forum that has a section dedicated for wait4me because of the high traffic. Yes there are some unhappy customers, just as there are some unhappy with nelson. I and many others are completely happy with our wait4me tunes. I’m glad y’all are happy with your nelsons. Your opinion is based on experience with the company. So is mine. Luckily we all had good experiences with our respective tuners.

Nsaladino- I apologize for the diversion of your thread. At least we all agree that the “highjack” was inappropriate.

Perhaps if y’all wanna continue gettn in my a$$ over this, you should go to http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=449820

Blenderwizard- you recalled wrong.


Then I apologize, I must have gotten them confused with pcmforless...

You guys act like I showed up for church with my pecker out.

HAHAHHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!! :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: