Barely Beat an F-150.. WTF???? Please Help!!

[Ill_Born_SS]

Got a floor jack and a peice of chalk/tape,chalk the fronts (front and rear of) jack under the center of the rear end lifting the tires off the ground, mark one tire and fender at 12o`clock so they align (two marks) then reach under and mark the pinion input and the driveshaft (two marks). Put the trans in neutral and watching the driveshaft slowly rotate the marked tire all the way around, counting how many times the driveshaft rotates. 3 , 3.5 , 4 , 4.1 Thats your actual gear ratio. Tags and stickers lie sometimes!

PS remove and clean your throttle body real good and the air flo sens


Vortec 4800 4.8L V8 (LR4)


Displacement: 4807cc

Assembly Site: Romulus, Michigan

Configuration: Overhead Valve (2 valves per cylinder).

Horsepower: 295 @ 5600 rpm

Torque: 305 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm

Applications: Chevrolet Silverado, Express; GMC Sierra, Savanna

Features: Electronic Throttle Control

[akeyzoo]

Should have got a duramax if you cared about smoking folks, literally and figuratively. That puny 4.8 won't win you many races man.

I was LOL when a new RX-8 assumed he could beat me off the light and to a merge. I was in my 7800 pound Excursion. Jerk pulled in the "slow" right lane and I knew he was going to pull the a-hole pass on the right move. One step on the brake to load up the torque converter and get my turbo working was all it took. One puff of smoke and my turbo at 25 lbs of boost and that moron was in trouble. Embarassing trouble. I slowed down so that he was next to me at a light so that I could laugh at him. It's all relative I guess. He thought he bought a "sportscar" and yet the biggest SUV on earth schooled him. I could hear him shifting at whatever the ungodly redline is for that car... even over the joyous purr of my turbo....

When I am driving my vette I fear few, but damn well have respect for that z06 or Viper.... Oh, and Diesel trucks... you don't know what they have done.... My neighbor has a damned fast Duramax. Mustangs beware.

Chris

[CANUCKPREDATOR]

I love the diesel drags. When you see a 4x4 4 door, running a 110 mph+ in the quarter. Love that scene.

[concoursd]

my bet is that the truck you raced had the 5.4L 260 HP V8. It also probably had 3.73 gears. The Ford 5.4L is all about low end grunt torque that peters out at the top end. The heads and cam just dont flow well up top. Hence he beat you off the line.

Pluse, you have 3.42 gears. Easiest way to not make it a race next time is to 1. ditch the tonneau cover (you didnt know you were going to race i know) 2. save up and install 3.73 gears.

Also, you cannot just add up hp claims from different parts. take the hp claims from the parts you added, add them up, and then multiply that number by about .4 if you are using the 87 octane diablosport tune and .75 if you are running the premium fuel diablo tune. I bet that you have between 300-310 flywheel power. The 4.8L vortec is not a torquey motor and doesnt really come to life until about 3000 rpm to 5500 rpm. The vortec heads flow a lot better than the fords but the ford is tailored for low end port velocity and therefore low end torque at the cost of upper rpm power. This is another reason why lower rear end gears would be your best and least costly option to wake up that truck at this point. You want to get that truck out of the hole and get it as fast as you can to 3000+ rpm. Smaller OEM wheels and tires would have helped too.

[07Silvy]

my bet is that the truck you raced had the 5.4L 260 HP V8. It also probably had 3.73 gears. The Ford 5.4L is all about low end grunt torque that peters out at the top end. The heads and cam just dont flow well up top. Hence he beat you off the line.

I'm with concoursd, I bet it was the Triton 5.4, which would be a very good race with you. SuperCrew Fords are usually the upper models, equipped with the 5.4. If your building a truck to race, you picked the worst combo with the C.C. 4.8. However I bet you just bought a truck, and want all you can from it. I wouldn't sweat it, I bet you hung with a Ford that is supposed to have more power.

[Chevy_Power_06]

I'd love to help out with tranny support but, the model I have U7194, doesn't have TCM support

Thanks Canuck I appreciate it

Ill_Born_SS : Thank you very much for the info. I'll try that about the gear ratio sometime soon. By the way, Is changing the gears expensive?

akeyzoo:Beleive me man, I would have gotten the duramax if I had the money. But I am a college student with no job, and at the time that my parents bought it it was the best I could get. I was offered an F-150 V-6 single cab versus this one so I jumped into the Chevy dealership and got the 4.8 silvy. I can't complain man, I haven't paid a single cent on the truck, just the mods, and sound system. Also, for the cars that are around here in south Texas (there is like 1 ferrari in town only, MANY Mustangs.. haha) I have won several races, but this one I am thinking that my truck ran worst than ever and the ford like never before.

concoursd: I wasn'y aware of the low end torque of the Fords. I'll use thjis to my advantage next time:). I'll either race them while my truck is already moving, or I'll race them for a few blocks . I'm also looking forwar to installing bigger gears. DO you know like how much they cost? I'll try to race one of these days withouth the tonneau cover, with the stock rims, and withouth the 4 12's and heavy sub box. Maybe then the truck will come alive. Great advice about the gears and the torque man, I was really illuminated .

I'd love to help out with tranny support but, the model I have U7194, doesn't have TCM support

Thanks Canuck I appreciate it

Ill_Born_SS : Thank you very much for the info. I'll try that about the gear ratio sometime soon. By the way, Is changing the gears expensive?

akeyzoo: Beleive me man, I would have gotten the Duramax if I had the money. But I am a college student with no job, and at the time that my parents bought it it was the best I could get. I was offered an F-150 V-6 single cab versus this one so I jumped into the Chevy dealership and got the 4.8 silvy. I can't complain man, I haven't paid a single cent on the truck, just the mods, and sound system. Also, for the cars that are around here in south Texas (there is like 1 ferrari in town only, MANY Mustangs.. haha) I have won several races, but this one I am thinking that my truck ran worst than ever and the ford like never before.

concoursd: I wasn't aware of the low end torque of the Fords. I'll use this to my advantage next time:). I'll either race them while my truck is already moving, or I'll race them for a few blocks . I'm also looking forward to installing bigger gears. Do you know like how much they cost? I'll try to race one of these days without the tonneau cover, with the stock rims, and without the 4 12's and heavy sub box. Maybe then the truck will come alive. Great advice about the gears and the torque man, I was really illuminated .

07Silvy: You are right man, the 4.8 was not bred for racing but I just want to make the best out of it. At least the mileage has gone a little up. 12.5mpg from like 11, and heavy abuse 10.5. I expect a small increase with MonteSS's DSLogRedux adjustment that I barely made.

I'll try to look for another Ford and this time, I'll make sure not to commit the same mistake. By the way, any advice on safe parameters for the shifting time and pressures (somebody with TCM support... hahha j/k guys, you'll get it some day).

P.S. Sorry about the double post, somehow the quote messed up my reply. Please keet it coming. Thank you for all your support and humor!

[Ill_Born_SS]

If you shop around and buy the gears and kit yourself at cost. Then find a good shop that does this type of work all the time you may see it for 500.00. Another option is check with local wreckers you may be suprised if it was a factory gear your looking for and also you my even sell your shorter rear end to someone looking for the reverse of you. I have had luck in the past at the dealer where some is buying lot stock and don`t want tall gears.

[Redgto04]

I wish I could have someone buy me a truck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL

[CANUCKPREDATOR]

Someone bought me a truck, GMAC!!!

[07Silvy]

At least the mileage has gone a little up. 12.5mpg from like 11, and heavy abuse 10.5.

Ouch! That's seriously low! I've got the lightest combo available, regular cab shorty,besides the heavy factory 20's, but with the summer blend gas I'm averaging 18-19 combined.

[CANUCKPREDATOR]

DUDE you must have a lead foot!!! I have a 4" lift, 305/55/20s and I get 16-17 on the highway, 12-14 in town. I get 10 MPG with the trailer and ATV on. I guess racing Fords is expensive.

[sickREDsierra]

this was the funniest bunch of shit i have read in a while.

i forgot the mods you did, but your estimates are WAY off

lets talk rear wheel power, because thats REAL power.

muffler- maybe 2-4
k & n - maybe 6-8
i forgot the other "mods" .. but please be ralistic here. 4.8's dont make much torque, and if yours was a work truck, you most likely have 3.23 gears, there is a code inside your glove box that will tell you what you have.

also, yours is a heavy pig. couple that with heavy rims, high gears, and a 4.8 and you would be lucky to outrun a stock honda civic... not busting your balls, just being realistic.

get yourself some nitrous if you like to race people. very cheap power, and you can tune for it with your predator.

out.

[CANUCKPREDATOR]

Hey Red, how's the new motor. Haven't blown it up yet!!!!

[sickREDsierra]

Hey Red, how's the new motor. Haven't blown it up yet!!!!

LOL its nasty!

i actually got a freekin ticket last night for "Careless driving" i tried to say there was water on the road and thats what made my tires spin. the ass officer didnt buy it. oh well. $155 tire spin

it runs nice though, still getting 17 mpg avg. not bad for the power it makes and 4.11 gears. the other motor just had a fualty valve in the head. i have since torn it down and parted it out... damn valve just broke. everything else looked spotless. i could have gotten away with just getting a new head on that side and been fine, now that i have seen what was below it.. but i like this new motor. its all good.

[mikel]

this was the funniest bunch of shit i have read in a while.

i forgot the mods you did, but your estimates are WAY off

lets talk rear wheel power, because thats REAL power.

muffler- maybe 2-4
k & n - maybe 6-8
i forgot the other "mods" .. but please be ralistic here. 4.8's dont make much torque, and if yours was a work truck, you most likely have 3.23 gears, there is a code inside your glove box that will tell you what you have.

also, yours is a heavy pig. couple that with heavy rims, high gears, and a 4.8 and you would be lucky to outrun a stock honda civic... not busting your balls, just being realistic.

get yourself some nitrous if you like to race people. very cheap power, and you can tune for it with your predator.

out.

I KNEW you'd enjoy this thread.....LOL.