I need more power!

[H-Unit]

I have a K&N intake already and i'm looking for more power without jumping right into a supercharger. I don't think an exhaust will make much difference, but maybe? Does anyone make a header for the H3 yet? Will a performance header from a Colorado work?

Cheers!

[timgco]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by H-Unit:
I have a K&N intake already and i'm looking for more power without jumping right into a supercharger. I don't think an exhaust will make much difference, but maybe? Does anyone make a header for the H3 yet? Will a performance header from a Colorado work?

Cheers! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

That K&N kit and catback exhasut is all you can really do until Hypertech or someone comes out with more. I know you siad you didn't want to go big with a Turbo or SC kit, but there is a turbo kit and a couple of SC's out there already.

[H-Unit]

I don't have a problem going fast, it's fine at hwy speeds because most of the hwy driving is coming off the mountain. For some reason it just seems like the transmission can't decide what gear it wants when i'm driving about 35 to 40 mph. I think if it had a little more torque it wouldn't do as much gear searching. I'm thinking that a header would make enough of a difference that it would stay in a gear.

evomind, guppy and darthkarl...I should have picked a better name for this thread. After looking back, I guess the first impression I gave was that I was power hungry and that is not the case. The title should have been more like I need a couple more ponies!

Cheers1

[StarsnBars]

It's all about crusing and looking cool in these bad boys.I let em fly by and watch em crane there necks checkin out the 3.

[Guppy]

I am confussed about something. Why in the world do I keep seeing posts about people wanting more power and to go faster with the H3 or any Hummer?

I thought this vehicle is a SUV that is designed to go off road. Are people trying to just go fast enough to JUMP over things instead of going slow and climbing them?

I just dont get it. I have owned 4 different SUV's in my live and none of them were bought to race with. Even the V8 SUV's will not beat a Mustang or Vette in a race.

I can understand when people modify the HUMMER with lift kits and larger tires because this will help for major off roading. But to take the time to write up a post to ask "Duh, how can I get the HUMMER to go faster" is not only a waste of our time but also is really not the right forum for it.

I would suggest trading in the Hummer and getting a sports car and then joing the proper forum for it.

[H-Unit]

I have a K&N intake already and i'm looking for more power without jumping right into a supercharger. I don't think an exhaust will make much difference, but maybe? Does anyone make a header for the H3 yet? Will a performance header from a Colorado work?

Cheers!

[hmer]

yup for those that mention not beeing at Slevel a SC will work . same thing is use on small airplanes like the few i use for school a SC is installed from factory . yeah bomb my post i know hummer is not a plane but the SC will help.know a bunch of guys that live in places like that and have a SC on just for that .NOT TO GO FAST.

I know it's the American way, thankfully. You cannot have too much horsepower or too much money!

Most of these mods seem like more trouble than its worth.

I am considering a dual exhaust system because it looks cool and hopefully sounds slightly better than stock. Any horsepower increase I'm sure will not be noticable.

S.

[evomind]

if ur looking for "fast," u bought the wrong vehicle.
even with a supercharger, its not "fast." it would then be "fast" for an h3, or maybe even an suv, but not "fast."
im not sure but i dont think a header from colorado will work..well, maybe. ull need an exhaust that will reach up to it though, and thats where i think the problem is.
take a look at a colorado header and determine if it fits. then maybe go to a muffler shop and see if they'll custom make u an exhaust that'll work. they should be able to.

[evomind]

well....cant fault a guy for wanting to mod his truck i guess. hell i might do it too.
just realize the truck will never be "fast."

[ChevyHighPerformance]

H-Unit,

An exhaust will give you about 8ish at the wheels, and the back pressure reduction will help highway MPG slightly. B&B/SMA's exhaust elmininates the resonator. Magnaflow's and Borla's have their own resonantor to replace the stock piece.

You can port match/contour your K&N kit to help flow slightly. You can alos help the K&N get more cold air and less hot engine compartment air which will help ~1% power increase range.

Also, the throttle body can use some "light work" to clean it up and flow better - there's easily 4-5 HP in this. The TB is worse than the LS1's. The intake manifold needs some work in the TB area - if you feel like a challenge.

There are some electronic mods that I haven't done yet: modify the IAT to put the PCM on a more aggressive timing table, alter the MAF output frequency signal to lean out the WOT A/F ratio, etc.

Remember in Truck Trend's 2nd annual ultimate challenge, the H3 took second because of power, and perhaps it could have taken 1st with some of the bolt-on power adders. Also, it may have got a better run for the hill climb with the mods and an auto.

[Huck BB62]

I would like to get a little more power too. I think I'd REALLY like a tow/haul mode for the tranny to make it hold shift points longer. I too live in the mountains and usually just leave it in 3 to keep the tranny from hunting.

So:
1. Exhaust mods help. Does eliminating the resonator? How bad is the drone without the resonator?
2. The K&N intake helps. How much? Does it affect water fording?
3. Has anyone tried a chip? Is there one available? How's it help hp and mileage?
4. Any specifics on the throttle body mods?

[timgco]

H Unit, what elevation are you at?

I have 35's and had three people and all of our gear yesterday and went up to A Basin. I had no issues at 80mph going up I70 (13,000ft.)and 55mph over 10,000ft past Keystone. Yes it was in overdrive and to the floor, but that was really no different than when I had the H2. I too would like to see another 50-60hp and it woul dbe perfect for me.

[jsw029]

I live in the suburbs and NEVER plan on taking my H3 off-road. I know, for the hardcore Hummer fan, it's a shame but I bought the H3 because of it's style. It's a bad-@ss looking truck. I am a Graphic Designer and I appreciate this attribute. The fact that it ALSO can outperform most other vehicles off-road is merely an added bonus for me. With that being said, I would prefer to have more acceleration and top-end speed since that is where I would most benefit.

Sometimes this forum pisses me off. Am I not a member of the Hummer community because my H3 stays on the street and I want to modify it accordingly?

[f5fstop]

Actually, given all things equal, static hp at 7K on your 220 hp H3 is actually outputting 169 hp, at 10K it is outputting 151 hp. However, remember that there is less air restriction at that altitude and for dynamic purposes, you need less hp to move the vehicle.
However, I fail to see how any "so-called" item that supposedly increases hp will help due to altitude changes. (I won't go into my tests on K&N filters as dyno'ed on Corvettes.)
To increase airflow sufficiently to increase hp sufficiently due to altitude, you really need to force more air into the engine. Only method I know that works great is a SC or a TC; but these tend to void the warranty.

[ChevyHighPerformance]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Huck BB62:
I would like to get a little more power too. I think I'd REALLY like a tow/haul mode for the tranny to make it hold shift points longer. I too live in the mountains and usually just leave it in 3 to keep the tranny from hunting.

So:
1. Exhaust mods help. Does eliminating the resonator? How bad is the drone without the resonator?
2. The K&N intake helps. How much? Does it affect water fording?
3. Has anyone tried a chip? Is there one available? How's it help hp and mileage?
4. Any specifics on the throttle body mods? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

1) I don't know how the stock exhaust sounds without the resonator. I have the B&B/SMA (no resonantor) and the sound isn't that bad. Deeper but no V8 sound. B&B told me they measured a 8 wheel HP increase with their exhaust on a stock H3. This gain seems typical.

2) I think WhiteH3 posted some of his dynos done by K&N on his H3. I think the gain was over 15 hp at the wheels. I have the Airaid (the price was right) with my own pipe that bypasses the intake resonator. The K&N system seems pretty good. I can't answer the water fording, but my guess is that not much different. The filter element may be exposed to more splashing than stock. The stock system breaths from the passinger fender. With the Airaid system, the metal bracket can be removed and the stock lid put back on in about 1 minute for off-roading. Teh K&N and Airaid system will produce more noise.

3) NO chips - programmers are in works to reflash the PCM. I haven't seen any out yet.

4) The throttle body needs some cleanup. You'll need a die grinder or a dremel to reshape the TB input and output. The input needs some slight-medium reshaping. The output needs more work. Some people knife edge the throttle blade too.

[f5fstop]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by H-Unit:
I don't have a problem going fast, it's fine at hwy speeds because most of the hwy driving is coming off the mountain. For some reason it just seems like the transmission can't decide what gear it wants when i'm driving about 35 to 40 mph. I think if it had a little more torque it wouldn't do as much gear searching. I'm thinking that a header would make enough of a difference that it would stay in a gear.

evomind, guppy and darthkarl...I should have picked a better name for this thread. After looking back, I guess the first impression I gave was that I was power hungry and that is not the case. The title should have been more like I need a couple more ponies!

Cheers1 </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I have found when in the hills, it is best to keep the beast in 3 versus D. It hunts and downshifts less. In addition, going down hill requires less brake pedal operations on small hills.

[KenP]

Our last H2 had some power, but we kept breaking things from it. Tons of power is great for the street, but not necessarily good for offroading with all stock components.

I guarantee we had a much easier time driving to Moab on I-70 with our old truck then everyone else, but we threw the T-case, too.

There's plus's and minus's to both, but follow fstop's instructions. He's on the money.

Me. 60 mph is at 12 o'clock.

[KenP]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Steve-SanJose-H3:

Pimp that ride! Don't worry about it, just enjoy your H3 regardless of where you drive it. Don't forget that the Hummer sales generated by H3 buyers that never go offroad are important to the Hummer divisions survival and success. Hummer is part of GM and needs to perform to avoid the fate of Oldsmobile and eventually Buick and Pontiac.

S. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>I can't believe Buick is still around.

H, enjoy the truck.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by jsw029:
I live in the suburbs and NEVER plan on taking my H3 off-road. I know, for the hardcore Hummer fan, it's a shame but I bought the H3 because of it's style. It's a bad-@ss looking truck. I am a Graphic Deigner and I appreciate this attribute. The fact that it ALSO can outperform most other vehicles off-road is merely an added bonus for me. With that being said, I would prefer to have more acceleration and top-end speed since that is where I would most benefit.

Sometimes this forum pisses me off. Am I not a member of the Hummer community because my H3 stays on the street and I want to modify it accordingly? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Pimp that ride! Don't worry about it, just enjoy your H3 regardless of where you drive it. Don't forget that the Hummer sales generated by H3 buyers that never go offroad are important to the Hummer divisions survival and success. Hummer is part of GM and needs to perform to avoid the fate of Oldsmobile and eventually Buick and Pontiac.

S.