Fixed in and out air does not lock you down. These engines are capable of much more power as they are. The air is not fixed, the fuel mixture is, just to name one. The exhaust systems do not bottle neck as hard as after market muffler companies would like you to believe.
GM did a smart thing by developing the anti-abuse or torque management programs for these engines. They can provide warrantys and not have to get raped or an unreliable reputation.
Now days it is hard to break them down. The throttle by wire is another example. You floor it and the blade rarely opens more than 45%. Ever! With a cable operated unit you could at least peg it open.
So, you floor it, the PCM sees it and retards timing, drops line pressure to the transmission and cuts back on fuel. Example.
I had a 97 Z71 ECSB with a 185 HP 5.7. I could smoke the tires from a stop until it was ready to shift. Now, (before I installed the Radix), I have a 310 HP 5.3 that will not do a burn out.
Enter the after market tuners. They relieve the hold backs and do some enhancements to unlock the power.
An engine that runs proper timing gets better mpg's.
GM tends to run us on the rich side, the tuners relieve this to a safe point and this makes for better performance and mpg's.
Tuners go into the transmission program and firm up the shifts to your desired point. Less slip between gears is les heat and friction and wear.
They do more things than I know about for sure.
Now it is up to you to care for your drive line. If you want to start a spin in the grass and hit pavement, you are asking for it. A traffic duel or the need to get into traffic safely every once and a while will not hurt.
Call Allen Nelson, let him interview how you want to use your vehicle and get her done. Any of his tunes improve mpg's when driven like going to church on Sunday. You only pay when you play.
There were two of my coworkers who kept ribbing me about the BS program I wasted my cash on. One day after work they pounced on me and we ALL were surprised how much I pulled on them. We are all ECSB Z71's with 5.3's and 3.73 gears. I was in front at a light. Took a right on red and they followed close. I went to the outside lane and one stayed on my bumper and the other came up beside me when we punched it. I had no idea how much better my truck ran until then. The next day they were all wide-eyed wanting to know all about it.
My timing, fuel and line pressure did not drop and my shift points were higher. I believe he can get you 25 or better to the wheels and apply it without big brother GM's oppression.
therock
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