Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) $2K What mods? Best bang for buck?

[DJWyckoff]

23 mpg hiway 20 city

#1 gauges $20 used big truck bone yard wile picking up exaust

#2 kdp self hammer and punch

#3 call dunrite and get a trans buddy/valve body kit ($270 for mine) with lock up switch

#4 napa 6637 air filter $35-$40 bucks

#5 cut your oun plate-free

#6 exaust bigger is better $270-$300 or build your own mine was $120

#7 head bolts when your boost reads 30psi they should already be in there!

I have spent a grand total of $850 on my truck and can't find a stock 325hp truck that will out run or pull it yet. but Im still looking.

 

[biggy238]

Here's my experience.



Have a stock Automatic Transmission Sucks... It may not be so readily apparent now with low mileage and stock power... but it really really blows when some highschool kid with his dads truck and a box on it can outrun you because your transmission is about dead.







So... My angle of attack on this would be:

Gauges... They are relatively cheap for the amount of help they provide. . really. . you can't run a modded truck without them. . at all... you'll destroy your ride's engine without them.

My suggestion, Pyro (Not Optional), Boost (Not Optional) Transmission Temp (Optional-but I recommend it)



Before you add any power. Buy a Torque Converter and a Valve Body. Unless your truck has been driven hard, One would think that the transmission internals should be safe. The Torque converter is where all of your power goes down the *&^% Tube. The Valve body will give you appropriate shifts and raise the hydraulic pressure inside the transmission to reduce slipping.

There are days of reading on transmission upgrades.





If you don't upgrade your transmission now... You might make it a month with your power upgrades that you bought with your 2K, but then your trans will die and the power and mileage will be gone because the truck won't move under it's own power.





Good Toque Converter $800-$1300 Depends on what you like the looks of.

Valve Body to match. . Almost everyone gets $450 with a core for theirs.

Gauges $200-??? I have $450 in my Dakota digitals.



That should bring you up to $2K





Freebies... Once you've done the trans and gotten gauges, you can remove the fuel plate (cam plate) and grind it into a 100 or Zero plate (near maximum fuel from the plate) and the good thing is, you will have built your trans, so the power will meet the ground.



I would Couple a plate with a GSK Governor spring kit because your factory governor defuels at 2100rpm... The motor will rev past that point, but it is losing fuel beyond that point. GSK's fix that. Read up on those options.



Then I would go intake and exhaust work... ... And lastly, injectors.







But hit the Trans first and save yourself a HUGE dissappointment.



Kyle

 

[RDelissen]

even though there's little to add, I went with the less expensive and needed mods first (with stock auto transmission):

- straight pipe/BHAF with Outerwears

- KDP tabbed

- pyro/boost/transmission temp gauges

- 3k GSK (without it the auto transmission really sucks)

- timing at 16*

- Mag Hytec deep transmission pan

- DSS

- PSC gearbox



Goerend Brothers auto transmission with Triple disk TC to be installed in 2 weeks

Then: fuel plate, injectors ... . ???? :-laf



Besides having Jeeps there are other rigs out there that drain your wallet :-laf

 

[Matthug]

^ You have 4:10 gears, 3k GSK is almost mandatory!



Grinding the stock plate is a free 80+ HP!