Bowtie Brody's Namesake 96 454

[BNielsen]

I've been running a combination of centric stoptech slotted rotors and NAPA select One brake pads on my K2500 Suburban and I'm pretty impressed. The pads have a low dust compound on the outside and a more agressive compound on the inside.
It doesn't stop as well as my wife's Grand Cherokee that weighs almost half with the same size brakes but I can make everything in the back slide forward if I have to panic stop....

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I'm hoping that after the cross drilled/slotted rotors, and eventually braided steel brake lines and a rear disc conversion my truck will stop on a dime. The hydroboost helps, but there's always room for improvement when it comes to braking.
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So I've been kicking around ideas of what I'd like to get done to the truck hopefully by mid summer; starting with the front end rebuild starting with hubs and rotors, then onto all the steering gear. Then move onto reworking some of the interior, deep cleaning it and making it nice again; upgrade speakers, add sound deadener, fix the power locks, add a DIC, and a bunch of other hodge-podge **** to make the interior nicer.

I'd like to add a few power adders, starting with an 0411 (I have to get a hold of Lextech to get a computer), a set of shorty headers (trying to decide which ones, will TBI headers work on Vortec heads?) possibly a full new exhaust, a shift kit in the trans, as well as a few other nit-picky things like a sealed CAI, deep pans for the trans and rear end, new fluid everywhere it needs it, maybe a bigger TB, and beefing up the ignition system.
I know I've

There's a few other things I'm trying to research too; one of them is a Walbro fuel pump, on a scale of 1 to "I'm gonna burn this ****** to the ground" how hard is it to install a pump/sender in the stock pump housing?
I know I've been over a lot of this **** before, but I always come up with different ideas as to what route I'd like to go with this truck; I can never seem to make up my mind with some of it.

 

[BNielsen]

Also, I have got to say; it's strange to see how far the truck has come, but it still doesn't look all that different from when I brought it home. Aside from a few paint issues, some wiring corrections I need to make, and the ever expanding list of mods/upgrades/other bullshit I want to do, I'm glad I haven't drastically changed the appearance of this thing.

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[Christian Steffen]

I'm hoping that after the cross drilled/slotted rotors, and eventually braided steel brake lines and a rear disc conversion my truck will stop on a dime. The hydroboost helps, but there's always room for improvement when it comes to braking.
------------------------
So I've been kicking around ideas of what I'd like to get done to the truck hopefully by mid summer; starting with the front end rebuild starting with hubs and rotors, then onto all the steering gear. Then move onto reworking some of the interior, deep cleaning it and making it nice again; upgrade speakers, add sound deadener, fix the power locks, add a DIC, and a bunch of other hodge-podge **** to make the interior nicer.

I'd like to add a few power adders, starting with an 0411 (I have to get a hold of Lextech to get a computer), a set of shorty headers (trying to decide which ones, will TBI headers work on Vortec heads?) possibly a full new exhaust, a shift kit in the trans, as well as a few other nit-picky things like a sealed CAI, deep pans for the trans and rear end, new fluid everywhere it needs it, maybe a bigger TB, and beefing up the ignition system.
I know I've

There's a few other things I'm trying to research too; one of them is a Walbro fuel pump, on a scale of 1 to "I'm gonna burn this ****** to the ground" how hard is it to install a pump/sender in the stock pump housing?
I know I've been over a lot of this **** before, but I always come up with different ideas as to what route I'd like to go with this truck; I can never seem to make up my mind with some of it.

I believe tbi headers will work - at least the head ports are the same pattern, but I'm not sure if the primaries will be the same size. Also I don't know if the egr connection is the same on a tbi, but if you're having more tuning work done you could delete the egr anyway. If you ever see road salt, make sure the headers are stainless, and ceramic coating is nice to have. If you're thinking about doing full exhaust, I'd do it all at once. It will be easier doing it all new at the same time.

Transgo would be worthwhile I'm sure.

When you say beef up the ignition system, are you talking about the coil/plugs/wires?

Are you having any issues with your pump? If not, I'd probably keep it stock. Unless I'm wrong, I believe the stock pump should be able to keep up with the power you might be able to get from the motor. Someone please chime in if I'm wrong.

If you're having issues with the pump, it is possible to swap just pump in the factory carrier for a walbro 255 but I would recommend buying the walbro full carrier with the pump installed. I swapped my pump for the walbro in the factory carrier and had some issues with getting the fuel pickup hose (from the pump to the top) coming off. I damage the factory tube so got some in tank rated line, but it is a pain getting a hose clamp tight in there. It just isn't worth the headache to save $100 or whatever the difference is.

 

[BNielsen]

I believe tbi headers will work - at least the head ports are the same pattern, but I'm not sure if the primaries will be the same size. Also I don't know if the egr connection is the same on a tbi, but if you're having more tuning work done you could delete the egr anyway. If you ever see road salt, make sure the headers are stainless, and ceramic coating is nice to have. If you're thinking about doing full exhaust, I'd do it all at once. It will be easier doing it all new at the same time.

Transgo would be worthwhile I'm sure.

When you say beef up the ignition system, are you talking about the coil/plugs/wires?

Are you having any issues with your pump? If not, I'd probably keep it stock. Unless I'm wrong, I believe the stock pump should be able to keep up with the power you might be able to get from the motor. Someone please chime in if I'm wrong.

If you're having issues with the pump, it is possible to swap just pump in the factory carrier for a walbro 255 but I would recommend buying the walbro full carrier with the pump installed. I swapped my pump for the walbro in the factory carrier and had some issues with getting the fuel pickup hose (from the pump to the top) coming off. I damage the factory tube so got some in tank rated line, but it is a pain getting a hose clamp tight in there. It just isn't worth the headache to save $100 or whatever the difference is.

The headers is something I've noticed, it seems most of the TBI headers I've looked at have slightly smaller primaries; so now I'm torn between a set of Hooker shorties, or coughing up for the Gibsons; and I for exhaust I was gonna have one of my buddies weld up a full stainless exhaust for me then assemble it on the truck.
I'm also 100% set on a Transgo kit, I'm just nervous about what kind of shape my trans is in, I'd like to get the fluid in it and my T-case drained and refilled with Amsoil synthetic.

I do plan on having EGR and rear O2s tuned out of the 0411; I also want to run high flow cats to keep the exhaust smell down. Ignition wise I was wanting to do a billet shaft, a FirePower ignition kit, and a GM HD ignition box.
The fuel pump is just something for foresight when I tear the engine down; plus it's the original pump, so at almost 23 years old I figure it's one of those things I probably should upgrade before it becomes an issue.

 

[454cid]

...Ignition wise I was wanting to do a billet shaft, a FirePower ignition kit, and a GM HD ignition box.

I have no experience with upgraded ignition, but I keep hearing that it's not really going to get you anything over stock. It's not like the old days when going from points to HEI.

... it's the original pump, so at almost 23 years old...

Yeeesh, yeah I'd make some plans for that is some way.

 

[BNielsen]

I have no experience with upgraded ignition, but I keep hearing that it's not really going to get you anything over stock. It's not like the old days when going from points to HEI.




Yeeesh, yeah I'd make some plans for that is some way.

I've heard decent things about this company; I think there was a few OG members who used these tune up kits and were impressed with the difference;
Here's the kit I'll be going with, a little pricey though - http://performancedistributors.com/product/vortec-firepower-ignition-kit/

 

[Supercharged111]

Upgrading the ignition is a waste. 88GMCTruck was running his 454 with blower on stock pump, so I'll try the same. 98+ have a different pump carrier and the pumps are sold as an assembly with the module. If I need an upgrade my 97 will be easier.

 

[Christian Steffen]

The headers is something I've noticed, it seems most of the TBI headers I've looked at have slightly smaller primaries; so now I'm torn between a set of Hooker shorties, or coughing up for the Gibsons; and I for exhaust I was gonna have one of my buddies weld up a full stainless exhaust for me then assemble it on the truck.
I'm also 100% set on a Transgo kit, I'm just nervous about what kind of shape my trans is in, I'd like to get the fluid in it and my T-case drained and refilled with Amsoil synthetic.

I do plan on having EGR and rear O2s tuned out of the 0411; I also want to run high flow cats to keep the exhaust smell down. Ignition wise I was wanting to do a billet shaft, a FirePower ignition kit, and a GM HD ignition box.
The fuel pump is just something for foresight when I tear the engine down; plus it's the original pump, so at almost 23 years old I figure it's one of those things I probably should upgrade before it becomes an issue.

Do you know what size they are? Personally I wouldn't go cheap - I tried that and had to replace them within 2 years. They also didn't seal very well from day one.

You have 160k ish on the truck? I wouldn't worry about throwing an hd2 at it.

+1 for keeping the ignition system stock. If you do decide to upgrade anyway, you should try to keep track of your mileage before and after to see if there's any difference. You could take the ignition money and put it towards the more expensive headers?

Not sure how you plan to do the exhaust, but I would recommend using v-band clamps to piece it all together so there is as little welding to do under the truck as possible.

 

[BNielsen]

Upgrading the ignition is a waste. 88GMCTruck was running his 454 with blower on stock pump, so I'll try the same. 98+ have a different pump carrier and the pumps are sold as an assembly with the module. If I need an upgrade my 97 will be easier.

Is there any upgrade to be done ignition wise? There's gotta be something out there that adds a little pep?
And I thought Dave had a Walbro pump installed in the black truck? I could've sworn I saw it somewhere in his thread;

Do you know what size they are? Personally I wouldn't go cheap - I tried that and had to replace them within 2 years. They also didn't seal very well from day one.

You have 160k ish on the truck? I wouldn't worry about throwing an hd2 at it.

+1 for keeping the ignition system stock. If you do decide to upgrade anyway, you should try to keep track of your mileage before and after to see if there's any difference. You could take the ignition money and put it towards the more expensive headers?

Not sure how you plan to do the exhaust, but I would recommend using v-band clamps to piece it all together so there is as little welding to do under the truck as possible.

I was looking at Hedman TBI headers, but honestly now I'm pretty well sold on the Gibsons because I can't find anything on the Hookers; and it's got 163K but the trans fluid looks a little dark, I'll double check it again to be sure.
I was gonna have my buddy weld the system out of the truck, then remove all the stock garbage and install the new; it'll be down pipes/cats to a flange, flange to 3" intermediate pipes and an H-pipe, V-band to a set of Magnaflow mufflers, then ball/socket flange to 3" tail pipes and then turned out behind the tires with 3.5" tips.

I'm hoping with the 0411 and a decent tune, full exhaust, good ignition system, Amsoil synthetic all throughout the drive-train that I can squeak the truck to a high 13 MPG, I get 9-10.5 now on a Black Bear tune, and mostly stock exhaust, it's got a Jones muffler and 2.5 in dual tail pipes out the back now.

 

[Supercharged111]

Properly working stock ignition is fine, you're not starting with a points ignition system here.