Grendel
09-04-2003, 09:04 PM
I thought I would share my experiences with the upgrades I have done to my H2 so far. Each upgrade I made I did independently and was able to run the truck for at least a week to see what improvements or gain was had. I also tried to drive the truck with a consistent driving style (not aggressive). One other thing that has helped with maintaining a fair assessment is that the weather here has been very hot and dry.
The first thing I did was to install the programming from the Predator programmer. I noticed a slight improvement in gas mileage. However the programmer recommends that you begin using 92 octane gas. The gain in mileage comes nowhere close to counteracting the increase in gas price. The most noticeable improvement was in the shift points. The frequency that the truck would down shift on hills decreased and the shift seems smoother and not so sudden. I could also tell the truck was slightly more responsive and saw an improvement of about .3 mpg to my weekly average.
I ordered a set of headers and new exhaust, but while I was waiting I got a frivolous spending idea and forked over the money for a new set of Nology wires. During installation, I noticed that the wires are slightly longer than stock and care needs to be taken on the rear wires to make sure they do not rub on the heat shielding and steering column. The wires also require grounding, but can easily be done on the heat shields of exhaust manifolds or you can get bolts to use on the unused holes of the valve covers (which is what I used later after I installed my headers) I was really surprised at the difference the wires made. The engine was noticeably smoother and my weekly mpg average went up another .3 mpg to 12.3 for a weekly average. I have read claims that the wires can give up 10hp. I cannot confirm that number, but I would say there is improvement there.
After a long wait or at least it seemed long I receive my Corsa sport off-road exhaust. Installation was easy and I only needed to raise the truck about 5 or 6 inches to remove the old exhaust and put the new on. The whole operation took about an hour. Corsa provided clear instructions and they worked flawless for me. The sport exhaust dramatically changed the sound of the truck. At highway speeds the sound is not much different than stock, but once you step into it, a whole different story emerges. The sound is very aggressive and may be too much for most. Response again improved but my gas mileage suffered. I truly believe this is because I am having a hard time driving with the same style as before. I love the sound and it is hard to keep my foot out of the gas.
Finally I was able to install a set of JBA shorties. Installation of these was the most difficult upgrade I have made so far, but still easy as long as you take your time. Installation took me a couple hours. I also had an issue with the bold that holds the dip stick tube to the block. The flange on the header was too thick to allow the bolt to tighten completely. I had to get a new bolt and add a spacer to that to get everything tight. The headers change the exhaust note slightly in that the sound was deeper in tone. Acceleration improved noticeably. I would venture to say this is due to the improvement in torque.
As far as mileage increases, all I know is that when I picked up my H2 I was getting roughly 11.7 mpg by the truck’s computer. After everything I did, I can consistently get about 12.4 mpg. I did try to drive very nice for an entire day in the city and was able to maintain 13.3 mpg as the average over about 60 miles. I am very happy with the acceleration of truck now and it seems to be more alive than the day I drove it off the lot.
2003 Pewter H2
The first thing I did was to install the programming from the Predator programmer. I noticed a slight improvement in gas mileage. However the programmer recommends that you begin using 92 octane gas. The gain in mileage comes nowhere close to counteracting the increase in gas price. The most noticeable improvement was in the shift points. The frequency that the truck would down shift on hills decreased and the shift seems smoother and not so sudden. I could also tell the truck was slightly more responsive and saw an improvement of about .3 mpg to my weekly average.
I ordered a set of headers and new exhaust, but while I was waiting I got a frivolous spending idea and forked over the money for a new set of Nology wires. During installation, I noticed that the wires are slightly longer than stock and care needs to be taken on the rear wires to make sure they do not rub on the heat shielding and steering column. The wires also require grounding, but can easily be done on the heat shields of exhaust manifolds or you can get bolts to use on the unused holes of the valve covers (which is what I used later after I installed my headers) I was really surprised at the difference the wires made. The engine was noticeably smoother and my weekly mpg average went up another .3 mpg to 12.3 for a weekly average. I have read claims that the wires can give up 10hp. I cannot confirm that number, but I would say there is improvement there.
After a long wait or at least it seemed long I receive my Corsa sport off-road exhaust. Installation was easy and I only needed to raise the truck about 5 or 6 inches to remove the old exhaust and put the new on. The whole operation took about an hour. Corsa provided clear instructions and they worked flawless for me. The sport exhaust dramatically changed the sound of the truck. At highway speeds the sound is not much different than stock, but once you step into it, a whole different story emerges. The sound is very aggressive and may be too much for most. Response again improved but my gas mileage suffered. I truly believe this is because I am having a hard time driving with the same style as before. I love the sound and it is hard to keep my foot out of the gas.
Finally I was able to install a set of JBA shorties. Installation of these was the most difficult upgrade I have made so far, but still easy as long as you take your time. Installation took me a couple hours. I also had an issue with the bold that holds the dip stick tube to the block. The flange on the header was too thick to allow the bolt to tighten completely. I had to get a new bolt and add a spacer to that to get everything tight. The headers change the exhaust note slightly in that the sound was deeper in tone. Acceleration improved noticeably. I would venture to say this is due to the improvement in torque.
As far as mileage increases, all I know is that when I picked up my H2 I was getting roughly 11.7 mpg by the truck’s computer. After everything I did, I can consistently get about 12.4 mpg. I did try to drive very nice for an entire day in the city and was able to maintain 13.3 mpg as the average over about 60 miles. I am very happy with the acceleration of truck now and it seems to be more alive than the day I drove it off the lot.
2003 Pewter H2