Performance Help

DeltonRushing

Original poster
Member
Apr 19, 2012
33
I want more power out of my 2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer LTZ. It has a 4.2 I6 Vortec and is a 2WD. I want to get more power (Without using a tuner) to have better horsepower and also to impress the ladies. Here is what I have done to it so far.

Full Synthetic Oil
Resonator Delete (Replaced with a 22" Chrome tip)
Spark Plug Replaced with AC Delco's
Lucas Deep Clean fuel system cleaner
Fram Toughgaurd Air Filter (I want a K&N CAI)
Cleaned the Throttle Body

Any help is appreciated.
 

HARDTRAILZ

Moderator
Nov 18, 2011
49,665
Dont do a K&N filter unless you want your motor to not last as long. They allow dirt through. Plenty of threads around about them.
 

Wooluf1952

Member
Nov 20, 2011
2,663
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
IMHO, there is nothing you can do that will increase HP as inexpensively as a tune.

Cat-back exhaust, headers (which, AFAIK, are no longer available), Nitrous and /or turbo charger, are all a lot more expensive than a tune. And a tune will be needed with turbo-charging or spray, anyway.

Changing to 4.10 gears won't add HP, but it will feel like it.
 

ScarabEpic22

Member
Nov 20, 2011
728
Add a tune, intake, exhaust, and efans (if you dont tow). Unless you want to start spending serious $$ and do cams or a custom turbo setup (also needs a tune), those are your options.

And we dont have "tuners" in the sense you're thinking, handhelds like Hypertech suck. Get a real tune from someone who uses EFILive or HPTuners and you'll be much happier. Reminds me, I need to buy that bench harness so I can tune a few of the PCMs I have here and sell em on the site. :undecided:
 

strat81

Member
Dec 29, 2011
399
DeltonRushing said:
I want more power out of my 2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer LTZ. It has a 4.2 I6 Vortec and is a 2WD. I want to get more power (Without using a tuner) to have better horsepower and also to impress the ladies. Here is what I have done to it so far.

Full Synthetic Oil
Resonator Delete (Replaced with a 22" Chrome tip)
Spark Plug Replaced with AC Delco's
Lucas Deep Clean fuel system cleaner
Fram Toughgaurd Air Filter (I want a K&N CAI)
Cleaned the Throttle Body

Any help is appreciated.

None of that really adds power - it's just keeping your engine well-maintained.

Send your PCM to PCM4Less. Or buy a GMT360 with a V8 engine (and send that PCM to PCM3Less).

Before doing any exhaust mods, go to youtube and take a listen. You may not like the sound of the I6.

Skip the K&N.
 

benz01

Member
Jun 2, 2012
53
Kansas
HARDTRAILZ said:
Dont do a K&N filter unless you want your motor to not last as long. They allow dirt through. Plenty of threads around about them.

The only thing I can find are issues with over oiling the filter causing issues with mass air flow sensors. So my question about it not filtering is this: Is this a fact or opinion?
 

BINGA

Member
Jun 8, 2012
238
strat81 said:
Before doing any exhaust mods, go to youtube and take a listen. You may not like the sound of the I6.

:iagree: Definately do the YouTube listen thing. When i deleted my res, and added a tip, i should've stopped there and left the factory muffler. I didn't, and had the guy at the shop put on a Flowmaster muffler. First few weeks, I liked it. The year or so after that? Got tired of that incessant drone. I'd advise leaving the stock muffler, or spend the extra dough and get a complete system that's tailored just for the vehicle. Just my :twocents:
 

strat81

Member
Dec 29, 2011
399
benz01 said:
The only thing I can find are issues with over oiling the filter causing issues with mass air flow sensors. So my question about it not filtering is this: Is this a fact or opinion?

How many cars come with it from the factory? None that I'm aware of. They kill engines because they let dust in. Manufacturers have to worry about warranties 36k and even 100k mile warranties now, as well as durability ratings.

How well do K&N air filters work?
 

MAY03LT

Member
Nov 18, 2011
3,420
Delmarva
DeltonRushing said:
want to get more power (Without using a tuner) to have better horsepower...

As others have said, a tune is the most affordable way to go.

DeltonRushing said:
....and also to impress the ladies.

Make the seats vibrate.:cool:
 

Boricua SS

Member
Nov 20, 2011
3,080
Ohio
I6 and "power adders" dont belong in the same sentence... :crackup::rotfl:

the only inexpensive way to add horsepower is a tune... and as for the K&N filter fact or fiction... i have never seen its results in person... but in my 4 years of being on the forums... 95% of the people that used K&N had the issues and or complained of something... i would compare it to the SS platform and there trannies... everyone knows theyre for s#!t, but some last, and most dont...
 

benz01

Member
Jun 2, 2012
53
Kansas
Sorry that I high jacked this thread, I'll cont this discussion on the other K&N filter thread.

The vibrating seats would be a nice touch though.
 

redleg6

Member
Apr 10, 2012
686
I've had K&N for the last 25k miles, used them before in plenty of cars with no problems...fingers crossed

benz01...are you my neighbor?
 

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