chevy04
Full Member
Happy Thanksgiving All;
I know there are a bunch of post all over the forum with various mods and extra's to help make AV's perform and get better mileage.
In my search these are the answers I have come to conclude that help at least to start with bringing out the beast in and AV with long term benifits.
First I took the factory oil out after 1500 miles and replaced it with AMSOIL 0-30, and a SDF 32 filter. My opinion and testing has shown that mineral base oil is best for the first 1500 miles for seating purposes. After that, dump it and go quailty. IMHO there is no equal to AMSOIL. Mobil 1 is great oil, just not manufactured for extended use. The others are just variations of blended oil. That law was changed to allow oil manufacturers that have synthetic addiatives to advertise as synthetic. AMSOIL will go the advertised 35000 miles. I was assigned that test 4 years ago. The results sold me, and I am lazy in that changing the oil frequently is expensive and not necessary. I like to save money for other toys. The check valve oil fliters are the best, plus 1 micron filtering will stop any dirt from getting to the engines and sensors.
I next us a NAPA Gold paper air filter element. Great flow with good filter entrapment. I don't like dirt in my engines. K&N and AMSOIL air filters do not have the quality to do this. They flow a lot of air, and with a lot of dirt as well.
The Hypertech for 04 is out. It is is not needed on the new AV. Chevrolet has done a great job in tuning the 5.3 motor, and removing the limiters and changing shift points can be done at the dealer.
Exhaust is a personal issue. The resonator and muffler are one unit in the stock 04. I assume is was also the same for earlier models but I cannot confirm this, I did on the 04 model. The only reason to change the exhaust would be for sound. The Flowmaster 70, Borla, Gibson, Corsa, and so on are all good models, just please use and H pipe and not a cross with any of them, and please also put a resonator in front of the muffler. This will help with interior sound and back pressure, and still give a nice sound. A cross pipe acts as a scavenger pipe that is to aggressive and will lower performance. The low end torque loss will not happen if the 3 inch inlet remains, and the 2 3/4 outlet single stays. There will be no performance gains, but you will get a nice sound and no lower end performance loss.
I know I have only owned a AV a little while, and wish I had done it sooner. They are an amazing comfortable vechicle with lots of personal mod potentional. Everything I have mentioned I have done already. So I guess that means not much, but I am not complaining. I think I will focus on 3D grahics on my Silver Birch WBH for some added appeareance. Being an analyst has its advantages.
Just wanted to add my observations and test results for those to see. I hope they offer some value. I still say you gentlemen have a very nice site here for anyone with and AV to find out anything they want. As I get or find addtional verified test results I will pass them along.
Steve
I know there are a bunch of post all over the forum with various mods and extra's to help make AV's perform and get better mileage.
In my search these are the answers I have come to conclude that help at least to start with bringing out the beast in and AV with long term benifits.
First I took the factory oil out after 1500 miles and replaced it with AMSOIL 0-30, and a SDF 32 filter. My opinion and testing has shown that mineral base oil is best for the first 1500 miles for seating purposes. After that, dump it and go quailty. IMHO there is no equal to AMSOIL. Mobil 1 is great oil, just not manufactured for extended use. The others are just variations of blended oil. That law was changed to allow oil manufacturers that have synthetic addiatives to advertise as synthetic. AMSOIL will go the advertised 35000 miles. I was assigned that test 4 years ago. The results sold me, and I am lazy in that changing the oil frequently is expensive and not necessary. I like to save money for other toys. The check valve oil fliters are the best, plus 1 micron filtering will stop any dirt from getting to the engines and sensors.
I next us a NAPA Gold paper air filter element. Great flow with good filter entrapment. I don't like dirt in my engines. K&N and AMSOIL air filters do not have the quality to do this. They flow a lot of air, and with a lot of dirt as well.
The Hypertech for 04 is out. It is is not needed on the new AV. Chevrolet has done a great job in tuning the 5.3 motor, and removing the limiters and changing shift points can be done at the dealer.
Exhaust is a personal issue. The resonator and muffler are one unit in the stock 04. I assume is was also the same for earlier models but I cannot confirm this, I did on the 04 model. The only reason to change the exhaust would be for sound. The Flowmaster 70, Borla, Gibson, Corsa, and so on are all good models, just please use and H pipe and not a cross with any of them, and please also put a resonator in front of the muffler. This will help with interior sound and back pressure, and still give a nice sound. A cross pipe acts as a scavenger pipe that is to aggressive and will lower performance. The low end torque loss will not happen if the 3 inch inlet remains, and the 2 3/4 outlet single stays. There will be no performance gains, but you will get a nice sound and no lower end performance loss.
I know I have only owned a AV a little while, and wish I had done it sooner. They are an amazing comfortable vechicle with lots of personal mod potentional. Everything I have mentioned I have done already. So I guess that means not much, but I am not complaining. I think I will focus on 3D grahics on my Silver Birch WBH for some added appeareance. Being an analyst has its advantages.
Just wanted to add my observations and test results for those to see. I hope they offer some value. I still say you gentlemen have a very nice site here for anyone with and AV to find out anything they want. As I get or find addtional verified test results I will pass them along.
Steve
