Couple questions

[C_Note]

Since we live 20 minutes from town now, my wife is tired of filling the tank on the Tahoe and has taken the Subaru back (which is no problem for me because the base is just 2 miles from our neighborhood). She doesn't exactly appreciate the TLC that goes into maintaining a vehicle so it's due for a little face-lift to spruce things back up.

It's an LT 4WD with the 5.3L and coming up on 110k miles.

My first question concerns oil. With this many miles I was thinking about making the switch to a synthetic, and found a place down here that carries the German Castrol (Castrol Syntec 0W-30, if you don't know, but it's imported). They say the GC is as thick -- or thicker -- than some brands' 10W, so I was wondering if it would be ok to run down here with the higher ambient and operating temperatures.

My second question is about power programmers (once I get a few other upgrades done). So far, for my engine, I've found the: Superchips Flashpaq, Hypertech Power Programmer III, and Jet Chips Power Programmer. Then I found the Granatelli Predator Flash Series Engine Programmer. Is the engine programmer the same thing as a power programmer? I only ask because they were listed as 2 different categories on the same web site. And is there a distinct difference between them, or do they all pretty much do the same thing?

Essentially what I think my goal will be is to achieve around 450HP and 500lb.ft. (currently 285HP 325lb.ft.) and 20MPG (currently 13, though realistically I'd be happy with 18).

I was wanting to street it out a little but there's so many Tahoes here that are blinged, I don't want to blend in with them. So I guess I'll put a small lift on it (3-4" max, since the wife & daughter are short) with some new wheels & tires and play around on the vast amount of trails in the area.

[Jay]

If youre giong to lift it check out Kumho's new mud tires.
http://www.kumhotireusa.com/Products/Pt ... =PtnDetail (http://www.kumhotireusa.com/Products/PtnDetails.asp?mainCatID=2&PtnID=KL71&refAction=PtnDetail)

Buddy of mine lifted his Jeep an sit it on these. Very little road noise an they look damn good.
Also the price cant be beat. For 33" he had I believe $120/pc in them.

As far as programmers I think I would peruse some forum's specific for your ride an see what they have to say. I havent had any experience w/them.

[ramrod]

why not ask parish (http://turbotruck.toolbarnracing.com/KRP.wmv)

[C_Note]

Thanks, that's a nice looking tire.

It's currently wearing 265/70/16s which comes in around 31" (30.8 is what I came up with) but I was trying to picture it in my head and I think if I put any lift on it, then 16/31s are going to look puny. 33s would only put me at, what, about 6.5% off on the speedo (about 5mph at 65)? Think those would be big enough?

Is he running his on a 16" rim?

$120 per is a good price, too. I found some nice looking Generals that were comparable to the BFG T/As in reviews and performance for $90.

It's tough, though, deciding what to do. The hot rodder in me wants to street it, but then thinking about it weighing 5000lbs makes me wonder if that'd be a waste.

[Jay]

Thanks, that's a nice looking tire.

It's currently wearing 265/70/16s which comes in around 31" (30.8 is what I came up with) but I was trying to picture it in my head and I think if I put any lift on it, then 16/31s are going to look puny. 33s would only put me at, what, about 6.5% off on the speedo (about 5mph at 65)? Think those would be big enough?

Is he running his on a 16" rim?

$120 per is a good price, too. I found some nice looking Generals that were comparable to the BFG T/As in reviews and performance for $90.

It's tough, though, deciding what to do. The hot rodder in me wants to street it, but then thinking about it weighing 5000lbs makes me wonder if that'd be a waste.


Youre going to have a small fortune in it upping the HP numbers. Then even once you do youre going to get outran by Hopped up civics lol. They just weigh too much to justify tryin to make them fast.

a 4" lift with 33's looks about right. Tho in a 33" tire it looks like they only make it for a 15" rim.
They make kick's for an 18" rim but you have to up it to a 35x12.50
Personally if it were me an I was willin to drop some cash yet still have a useful vehicle I'd go 6" suspension lift, 18" wheels, and the 35" tires.

Of course if you wana go all out with one badass ride you could do the 37x14's on 24" wheels.
That would be bitchin!


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This is where a programmer comes in handy..
Im nto sure which ones, but I know some of the new programmers have settings to change your speedo reading according to dif size tires.

What gear's did your boat come with from the factory?
33's you wont notice much dif, 35's you will some.
Alot of new trucks come w/4:10's as a towing package or somethign stupid.. If you had that gear ratio you cuold do 37's an not have to worry bout changing anything.

[C_Note]

Of course if you wana go all out with one badass ride you could do the 37x14's on 24" wheels.
That would be bitchin!

Bitchin, most definitely, and expensive... Maybe once my wife finishes school and starts working I could upgrade but for the time being I'm trying to keep it moderate

I also have to keep in mind my 6 year old girl and the fact that my wife is only 5'1". I don't want to have to offer a foot-up every time we go somewhere.

I could probably find more tires in a 33" by looking for a standardized size. 33" on a 16" rim would be 17" of tire, so that's about 432mm which is 216mm of sidewall. Playing around with some numbers, a 315/70/16 would come pretty close -- assuming they make a tire in that size.

I guess a wider tire would put a bigger patch on the ground for more rolling resistance. I wonder if that would have much of an impact in fuel economy?

Pardon my ignorance, but why would the final gearing have any bearing on the speedometer? I'm not sure what this came with (3.73 is coming to mind but I might be mistaken) but wouldn't an increase in tire circumference have an effect on distance per revolution anyway?

[Jay]

Of course if you wana go all out with one badass ride you could do the 37x14's on 24" wheels.
That would be bitchin!

Pardon my ignorance, but why would the final gearing have any bearing on the speedometer? I'm not sure what this came with (3.73 is coming to mind but I might be mistaken) but wouldn't an increase in tire circumference have an effect on distance per revolution anyway?


I was reffering to the factory gearing being suited for different tire sizes.
If yuo have say 4:10's an are runnin 35's it's gona be about the same as if yuo had 3:73's an were runnin 31's. Not exactly but close. You see what im gettin at now?

[andy5.0]

I think Jay was talking about being able to notice a significant difference in take off and performance when you switch to a bigger/heavier tire depending on what rear gears you have. The correction for the speedo, like what Jay said, should be able to be done using a hand held tuner/programmer...however the change from 31's to 33's wouldn't be that much of a difference anyways (once again depending on which rear gears you have).

[andy5.0]

ooops...sorry Jay... I was answering him and didn't see that you already had...but...yeah..I agree with what u said anyways.. :)

[C_Note]

Ah, ok, rotational mass and what-not. Thanks, fellas.