...what would be some good choices?

Since it appears that my transmission is on its way out and I will likely have to borrow a little cash to get it fixed. I am considering going ahead and making some other upgrades to my truck. I am seeking opinions on some moderate upgrades to things like the air intake system, transmission, performance tuning system, and exhaust that will: 1. make the truck perform better in regards to fuel mileage and towing; and 2. make the truck more fun to drive as my daily driver.

I am not trying to build a super truck. I just figure if I am going to spend some money on it anyway, I might as well go ahead and add some additional equipment that will help with gas mileage and towing my camper.

I am considering having Tim at TRE rebuild my stock transmission with a couple upgrades, but what other reasonable additions could I make to improve overall performance without going over the top $$$ wise.

Thanks in advance for any help/advice you can provide.

 

- Don't worry about the aftermarket cold air intake "system". Save your money and just add a good replacement filter in your stock housing.
- keep in mind that your stock exhaust is a 4" system (plenty big for your needs). If you want to change the sound, find a good donaldson replacement for the muffler. (tons of advise on here for part numbers and such...
- Programming: Get a Smarty Jr (again, tons of info on here with regard to the advantages of the Smarty)
- get some gauges (autometer, ISSPRO, etc...) These are key!
- lastly, contact Lary Ellis at the DTR store for additional suggestions/ pricing on some (or all) of these parts. He's a great guy and will steer you in the right direction based on your needs.
- *You may also want to consider changing out your filters to Fleetgaurd (oil & fuel filters)

There are some fairly cheap suggestions that will improve your trucks driveability & reliability. Plus, they will make it a heck of a lot more fun to drive! Good luck...

 

Right! Welcome to the slippery slope.

 

The intake mods don't do anything but help the spool up a little. IMO, stock turbos are the first thing that needs to go. The oem muffler was terribly restrictive on my 03. The cat plugged on my 97 CTD at 19k miles - I don't know if the newer ones are any better. Then, lift pump mods and 2 micron (on any diesel) and tuner/chip. I just went from a tuner to a TST PMCR. I love having change on the fly, gauges and all controls in one tiny module. It's also the first thing I've ever tried that made a significant improvement in mpg. Craig