After covering over 6000 miles through the rockies and the plains I decided that my TV really needed a little help in the power department. I read all the pros and cons about the upgrade computer chips and finally settled on a Towmaster Chip from Harris performance.
I changed nothing else, just pulled the old chip out of the computer and put a new one in. WOW What a difference! My "test track" for evaluating performance improvements is a 1 mile streatch of road with about a 2% grade the entire length. I start out from a standstill, floor it and see how far I go up the hill untill I hit 60. Oh, I do this with the 5'r attached. In the past it would take me at least 3/4miles to hit 60. With the power Chip installed I knocked at least 1/4 mile off of that distance. We also went on a 600 mile round trip, to The CRossroads Chicken Nationals in Indianapolis and I was surprised at how much better the truck ran down the road. Much less downshifting going up hills etc. I expected to pay for this extra performance with a coresponding reduction in MPG. Surprisingly I gained a good solid 1MPG for the round trip, and most of the way back I was bucking a steady north wind. Best $160 buck I have spent on this rig, just wish I had done it before our long trip out west last summer. Oh well, there is always next summer!
The above is just my experience with one truck and one chip. YOur results may vary!
Jim D
1991 Chevy Western Hauler 454 engine - RV cam, Headers, Dual Flowmasters, K&N 100 Gall Aux Gas tank
2004 29' Crossroads Cruiser 5th wheel
4 Interstate GC Batteries + WM Caps
2 daughters, 1 cat, 1 sofa lounging Pug, 4 peacocks, too many horses & chickens!
I see in Jim's sig that he is running a '91 454. The newer versions do not use a prom/calpack that is removable. There are tunes out there for sale for the newer trucks. I run a SuperChips in my 99 7.4 with decent results. The truck pulls OK in stock tune, but the difference running the tune is very noticeable. I had a Hypertech in a 7.4 Sub, and didn't really feel that it was worth the money.
The next thing for your 454 is the exhaust system. At least do a better muffler, such as a Borla. Not as easy as a chip change, but the same value per dollar. More power and more MPG, for under $200.
'06 GMC C2500HD RCLB gasser 4.10:1, 4L80E, custom camshaft
'84 Trans Am 6.2 diesel, 700R-4, custom Class-3 receiver
'69 F350 dually. GM 6.2 diesel, turbo, 700R-4, NP208 all pending.
muck master mom wrote: After covering over 6000 miles through the rockies and the plains I decided that my TV really needed a little help in the power department. I read all the pros and cons about the upgrade computer chips and finally settled on a Towmaster Chip from Harris performance.
I changed nothing else, just pulled the old chip out of the computer and put a new one in. WOW What a difference! My "test track" for evaluating performance improvements is a 1 mile streatch of road with about a 2% grade the entire length. I start out from a standstill, floor it and see how far I go up the hill untill I hit 60. Oh, I do this with the 5'r attached. In the past it would take me at least 3/4miles to hit 60. With the power Chip installed I knocked at least 1/4 mile off of that distance. We also went on a 600 mile round trip, to The CRossroads Chicken Nationals in Indianapolis and I was surprised at how much better the truck ran down the road. Much less downshifting going up hills etc. I expected to pay for this extra performance with a coresponding reduction in MPG. Surprisingly I gained a good solid 1MPG for the round trip, and most of the way back I was bucking a steady north wind. Best $160 buck I have spent on this rig, just wish I had done it before our long trip out west last summer. Oh well, there is always next summer!
The above is just my experience with one truck and one chip. YOur results may vary!
I have a '94 TBI 454 I'm prepping to put in a '70 C10 that I'm restoring. I've been tossing around the ideas of a mild cam and chip. I'm not going to go as far as replacing the choked heads unless I have a cracked one.
2005 2500 Cummins/48RE/3.73, QCLB, 4wd, BigHorn, Edge Juice w/ CTS + Turbo Timer, ISSPro Oil and LP pressure gauges in cubby hole, GDP 20/2 filters on frame rail, Custom Diesel Steering Box Brace
'10 Forest River Shockwave Toy Hauler 21'
Honda EU3000I Genny
I have a '94 TBI 454 I'm prepping to put in a '70 C10 that I'm restoring. I've been tossing around the ideas of a mild cam and chip. I'm not going to go as far as replacing the choked heads unless I have a cracked one.
Very few cam options for you, playing with a 7.9:1 TBI engine at 4500' elevation. Your peanut-port heads aren't so bad up here, but your corrected compression is just 6.7:1
If you do the '91-'93 454SS exhaust but no other mods, your corrected output, at the crankshaft, is just 216 HP @ 4000 RPM, 343 ft-lbs TQ @ 2400 RPM. That's like a TPI 350 at sea level.
whisperide wrote: The next thing for your 454 is the exhaust system. At least do a better muffler, such as a Borla. Not as easy as a chip change, but the same value per dollar. More power and more MPG, for under $200.
Beat you to it! Already have a set of Hooker Long tube headers, going into mandrel bent 2-1/2" pipes "X" crossover with two big Flowmaster cans. You can hear us comming from a Loooooong ways off! Really not to bad in the cab untill you climb a mountain under full throttle at 4000rpm and go into a tunnel! Oh, MY we be loud!!!!!!!!!!
There is a way to quiet the exhaust...it will run you about $50. Grab a pair of cheap glass-pack mufflers, longest you have room for. Install them as resonators behind the regular mufflers, as close to the tailpipes as possible. The difference is amazing!
John and Elizabeth (Liz), with 3 nutty cats
My beloved St. Bernard, Marm, lost him 1/2/12
Current rig:
1992 International Genesis school bus conversion
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