Originally Posted by CD in NM
Yeah, it IS a mouthful. I did all the installs myself. All are actually easy to do. Just about time and money, and they were done over the 3-1/2 years since I bought my truck new.
I just recently installed the Fab Shop Header and the Opie Bypass. Have $625 in the header and $400 in the Opie. I suppose the header took me about 4/5 hours to install it, and the Opie was about an hour. The first thing I noticed after installing the header was cooler idling temps, faster spool-up, and cooler running temps. It is really well made, the exhause flow is much better over stock, even though it still outputs to/through the turbo which is almost like what you could call a restriction in flow in some ways, but better spooling also probably contributes to needing a little less skinny pedal to achieve the same results in speed. I have yet to run a full tank of fuel since the header install, but let me say that with the mileage I have put on so far, I am using less fuel to go the same distances, my fuel gauge is not dropping as fast.
The Amsoil Bypass was around $250, couple hours or a little less to install.
The GDP fuel filter and the big line kit were right around $250, couple hours, maybe a little more to install.
The MagHyteks were a little over $500 for the pair, install time is really not relevant, you have to pull the stock covers to change the oil, now just a drain plug.
The Fast Coolers were about $125 for the pair, did them when I changed fluids as well, maybe about an hour to install them.
Ice Box - $300, Blue Hose - $100, GDP Intake Horn - $275, BD pipe - $100, and the ME was a birthday presant from a good friend-I think they are about $100. About 3/3-1/2 hours to intall everything.
The KORE Leveling Kit was about $400, and the rear Bilsteins were right around $175. I probably had 4 hours into install this stuff.
The Firestone Air bags were right around $250 and an hour to install. About the same for the Helwig sway bar money and time was similar. The steering stabalizer bushings and the steering stabalizer, plus I also added the MaxxLinks at the same time was a couple hours install too. Total for all of them probably right at $200.
Stuff adds up over time. not that hard on the wallet when you do them here and there. But when you look at what it costs to replace the things that most all of this protects or helps, it is probably only about 10-15% of the price of what could actually be damaged without this stuff. And you could still have some things fail and be costly repairs. I looked at all this from the viewpoint that the added possible longevity had a greater value over what I bought or would have to repair.
Next on my list is the stock injectors. I will probably only go up a notch, maybe 50hp?? So, time to start researching this stuff. I think many who had injector issues, kept going to the dealer, get on replaced at a time, etc would have possibly solved their issues before a meltdown had they gone up some in the injector capabilities. That 3rd injector stuff, timing stuff, all of it appears to be more the culpret to problems that get WAY TOO expensive over what it might take to have a better pre-remedy. I think the Smarty Jr runs some better timing events over the stock programming, which I really believe that the stock programming underlies all those injector issues people have had.
I have stayed away from major engine mods because of the 100K warranty on the engine, but once that warranty period is over, I am going to then do the injectors and also a cam. Until then, the Smarty Jr will be what changes the timing events to save my injectors.
CD
|