Hey guys, I'm new to this forum and I recently just bought an '04 Lightning. everything is stock except the exhaust, it has a flowmaster (2chamber) I'm looking for any recommendations on how to add a little over 400HP What can I do to acheive this?
any suggestions would be appreciated.

thanks

 

Are you talking 400 HP to the wheels, or 400 HP to the fly wheel?

the lightning you have puts out 380 to the flywheel, and about 330 to the wheels... if you want 400 to the flywheel get an intake, and a box tune... then your done...

if you want 400 to the wheels.. you need a 6lb pulley and a dynotune... or a 4lb pulley and a couple other things...

 

Hey man, welcome....

Pulley, chip, filter will be the easiest way to get what you want.

First you should change the filter/intake system to an open system. Examples can be found on vendor websites such as JLP, JDM, PSP, LFP, Chickenears, ect, ect. These systems use cone type filters with box shields and most come with lower fresh air intake hoses and scoops to help funnel cool air into the more open cone filter. commonly refered to as CAI, cool air induction.

Next should come the pulley. There are a 100 different combos and products available. Talk to a Lightning tuner and find out which pulley combo, along with the tune, will create the numbers you are looking for. The guys that tune lightnings for a living will be your best bet. They know them inside and out.

last and most importantly AND at the same time you put on the pullies will be the tune. The best and safest way will be the dyno tune no matter if you chip it or use a hand held device the tune should be created with a dyno run from your truck.....You can also use the mail order method and still be effective.

A good cat back system will help out a little and if you decide to run 15-16 psi it would be wise to send the SC to stieg and have it ported.

Of course there are more doo-dads out there but that is the best bang for your buck and will help you net more HP than most any other mod (for the money)

 

hey if i where you id find a local dynometer for your truck. Good to have one place to work on your truck and give you advise for HP gains.

Basic do it yourself - Intake, Throttle body, 90mm mass airflow, NGK plugs (may be hard to do yourself if your not patient)

This is my advise it may sound dumb to others but id stay away from the do it yourself hand held tuners and find a dyno to do a custom tune for you. well thats my input good luck on modding your truck!

 

i too just got a lightning and have a quick question. how do they tune it? say if i wanted jdm to do it do i give them my dyno results? im planning on getting a intake and 4lb pulley. i just dont get the whole tuning process.

 

The tuning pocess is done a few different ways, use a handheld programmer's canned or supplied tunes, not recommended, talk to a know tuner give them a list of mods and they should be able to get you a decent tune via mail or a downloadable version next and in my option the best option for those not in the know make an appointment with the tuner of your choice and get on the dyno, this way they should be able to get it dialed in just right.

 

Hey guys, thanks for the advise i really appreciate it. Its nice to feel welcomed.

thanks again.

 

In a nut shell the Computer monitors what your taking in and whats going out. Based on info from the Maf, 02 Sensors, and a host of other sensors and systems, the computer is constantly adjusting some pretty important stuff. Air, Fuel, and Timing are the most important for a Supercharged Vehicle, something as simple as too much timing, not enough fuel, or even not enough octane, destroys Lightning motors all the time.
So having the correct setting are EVERYTHING.

Once you change a Pulley (which you should) and once you add a nice Hi-Flow Filter (which you should) you need changes in your tune to not only maximise the new found power, BUT MORE IMPORTANT TO KEEP IT RUNNING SAFE. "IF" Performance is your thing you want to go with a proven safe method and that is the 4lb Lower Pulley, a Hi-Flow Filter, and a Hand Held Tuning Device like the X-Cal2 or Predator. You want that Tuner tuned by a Lightning tuner, the vendors here on this Forum can mail you these parts and even a hand held tuner with your tunes on it already.
They'll be pretty dam close to perfect, but nothing is better than having it tuned on the dyno.

Good Luck Hillman + Lakes (sounds like a law firm, hehehehe)
WELCOME AND CONGRATS

 

welcome! see sig for my results

 

The dyno is like a "stress test" at the doctors office. It acts kinda like an EKG where you can put your truck on the dyno and they tell you how much power and torque you are making. Most importantly they can tell if your air/fuel ratio is dangerously low or high. Now some places will dyno it for you but may or may not tune it. A dyno tells you what its doing, the tuner then has to make changes to the tune to get the most out of your truck while keeping it safe , or healthy. He (or she) can do this a couple of ways. Make you a tune and put it in a handheld device and upload it through the data port. This flashes your computer with the new tune. The other method is for the tuner to flash a chip and install that into the open port on the computer. The tuner will then run your truck on the dyno again to ensure that the newly installed tune is working correctly and the truck is running healthy. If it isnt then he will make the changes to the tune and repeat the process. Most importantly, when you leave the tunning session you will be lighter in the wallet but your peace of mind that your truck is running great with no problems will more than make up for it.

When you order a tune from a vendor such as JDM, JLP, PSP, ect, they will match you with a known tune that works with what your setup is. They know this because they have tuned so many trucks that they have tuned combo's like yours before and more than likely they even have one already saved and they just send it to you via email for your personal hand held tuner. They can also put it in a tuner or on a chip and send it to you. They really wont know what your truck is doing unless you can tell them how the air/fuel is running, ect. It is basicly a VERY (i do mean very) educated guess with the emphasis on EDUCATED. I dont know how but they get it dead on more times than not.

Some of this you guys may already know but thats basicly it in a nut shell.

 

ok so what if i dyno it and send the results and everything to jdm. will they get it perfect? the only performance place i know of here where they do cobras and stuff is hpp racing in lewisville texas. i live in the dallas area.

 

If you didnt buy a Hand Held Tuner and its not Dyno'd yet the smart way to do it would be call up your Lightning Vendor of choice FIRST. You mentioned JDM so for example you call him up and BS with Jim Jr on the phone (great guy) and order your Filter Hand Held and Pulley. He ask you some questions they put some custom tunes on the tuner and send you your parts.
YOU INSTALL EVERYTHING AT THE SAME TIME and load your new tune.

You then come here and start a post that goes something like....
HOLY FU#% I CANT BELIEVE HOW MUCH FASTER MY L IS
Then you get it on a Dyno that can provide you HP Tq AND "Air Fuel Numbers"
You e-mail JDM your Dyno Result and he'll take it from there (if any tweaking is needed). If it was you would simply mail him the Hand Held Tuner and he would make some slight changes and mail it right back. In most cases with the mods we speak of you wont even need tweaking, their that good


The one thing we havent mentioned yet is YOU MUST also change your Spark Plugs. You want NGK TR-6's, pretty much all of us run them me included.
The hardest part of the job is the Spark Plugs and they SUCK LIKE YOU WILL NOT BELIEVE TO CHANGE. A first timer can spend a day on them no prob so if it's over your head you need to figure out who's installing the plugs and pulley and even the filter and tune if your not familar

BEST OF LUCK

A Dyno Sheet looks like this
(thats an old one from my old Red L) you'll see the Air Fuel chart at the bottom

 

OK class, now that we have finished the lecture on tunes there will be a test Monday. Get a good nights rest, be here sharply at 8:00 AM and bring a number 2 pencil. Students who arrive late will not be allowed to test and will be required to take the course again.

Actually, I hope this detailed thread helped you guys out a bit. Good luck

Bruce

 

i would not recommend trying to change your own plugs if your not "extra" mechanical inclined and have the right tools. I learned the hard way. I had a professional fix my installation damage and install my new plugs and cost me around $250