[DebtLife Projects]

What does this even mean? A correct tune is a must just like the many other mechanical things in a vehicle. A correct tune doesn't make up for bad fuel, an injector getting plugged or many other mechanical issues that could cause an engine to get hurt.

My stock block went with an Amazon tune, I hurt a head gasket on my MMR block with Randy's tune beating the rev limiter like Chris Brown beat Rhianna on the 3-4 shift at the track. I hurt a plug another time racing because of my IC cooling issues I caused. To show how safe that tune was, my IC line got cut out of state and I putt putted home with 265°+ charge temps without an issue. I finished the head gasket off with Korn's tune many years later. (I didn't realize it was hurt in the first place).

None of that was the tuners' fault. Every issue I ever had was caused either bad judgment on my part or taking bad info from other people. A lot of "unknown people" have tuned my truck or trucks I know of and they have been fine for years. But what do I know, I don't tune.

I didn't mean that mechanical things don't matter, or that a good tune will make up for any mechanical weakness, but a good tune is critical, you can be as mechanically sound as possible, but if the tune is shit, then things go to shit, which was referring directly to my personal situation. My truck was sound, put 8k miles on it, then I switched tuners...It then met it's demise, with thinking 18 degrees timing on 93 pump gas was a good idea, with very little datalogging behind that decision. Melted two plugs, lifted the heads, and detonated everything to shit. But oh well, ya live and ya learn. Had it rebuilt, tuned by Korn, and everything has been solid since...well kinda, it is currently sitting, waiting on a tune now, but nothings hurt, down for the blower upgrade lol

 

[stoffer]

Some of you guys with high power builds... at about what level did your truck stop getting more fun on the street and started becoming more of a handful? Doing some long term dreaming about my stock 02 Harley, wondering whether a pulley and a port puts you at (or close to) that level. Maybe I'm out to lunch, but I know a guy with a beautiful old blown ford pickup he hasn't driven in 15yrs and I strongly suspect it's because it scared him good... how much instant torque is managable, how much is usable?

Also, greetings! New to the forum.

once they get hard to keep the tires planted




i have a twin turbo 32 valve setup in my Gen 2 and it’s fun just not in the rain / on gravel etc


now my Eaton swapped supercab is always fun to drive

 

[Striker01]

Well, seeing that you are in Canada like me, having over 150whp over here gets you jail time if you hold the throttle just a little too long

It all depends on what you want. If you’re trying to compete with new vehicles, it might be tough. If it’s a street car I don’t think stock or a few light bolt ons will make it non streetable.

I’ve got a bone stock c6 z06. Car weighs nothing. In my opinion- that car in stock format is a beast. Roll. Highway. Dig. On the street it will break loose the 325 tires it wears out back.

Having a stock lightning currently, it wouldn’t hurt to change some things to make the driving experience better (exhaust and intake for noise) because these are heavy boys and any mods will have to be serious for you to even notice.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[cbxer55]

Take mine. Magnum Powers blower. Cogs with a two pound lower, but the upper take one back, so nine pounds. JLP sheet metal intake. Accufab throttle body. C & L elbow. K & N powerstack filter. All running the stock tune. Breaks loose M & H 345's it wears on the back without a problem. Been rolling it like this since mid 2019, never had a problem. So I believe I'll keep on keepin on. I have fun every time I drive it. I don't drive it often, so it's like a new truck when I do. Will be rolling 74,000 in about 100 miles. Not bad for a 19 year old truck.

For the record, I know a lot of the things I've done are totally unnecessary for a truck in the power range mine is. It's all done just for me personally. When I lift the hood, OOH LA LA! And the comments I get are all FUN! Is a 16 quart Mag-Hy-tec trans pan necessary? Of course not. How about a six quart Mag-Hytec diff cover? JLP long bars and a panhard bar are nice to have. Or the George C tubular transmission crossmember. The Broncobeater drive shaft safety loop has already save my driveshaft once, so worth every penny.

Worth $1000 for cogs? I have two sets. LOL! Some people love them, some don't. One lady asked if the truck had a jet engine under the hood. I'm serious, it happened. As for lowering it? Nope, NOT FUN! Driving a lowered vehicle is a PITA! One day there was a car behind me, at night. I was in the left lane, him the right. He started getting close, then all the sudden jumped into the left lane and followed me for a few miles. Then he pulled up next to me and signaled me to pull over. "Hey man, the view under that truck is awesome. That red differential cover is beautiful. Transmission pan is the same?" It's happened more than once. If I lower it, that's gone.

I haven't lost the fun driving mine. Hopefully never do. Not trying to break any records, never will. But, when strangers come up to you in a parking lot and tell you what a beautiful truck you have. Then you open the hood, and their eyes bug out. It's all worth it, every last penny. I keep the underside super clean. Some people notice. Was at a Valvoline the other day getting the oil changed, didn't feel like messing with it myself. When I rolled over the pit, the guy down there said "guys, you gotta come check this out!" Then I opened the hood, and they were all taking pictures.

Yup, loving it! I'm a LIGHTNING guy til the day I die. They can bury me in it.

A little history. One day back in 1999, walking through a Costco in Lancaster Ca, saw a red diecast pickup in a box. Under the hood a blown engine. Bought it for my collection. Looked it up on line and found out it was for real. Told my wife (past thing) I would own one soon. Fast forward to mid 2000, and an old dude pulled out in front of me while I was driving a Toyota mini truck. Slammed him hard. Had no air bags. Knees got hurt bad under the dash. Truck totaled. When my knees were better, I was at the Ford dealer buying my first white LIGHTNING. Had to sell it two years later due to loss of a job due to 09/11. Had a little over 34,000 miles on the clock.

Fast forward to late 2009. My 98 Ranger had been giving me hell starting and I couldn't figure out why. Did some browsing on line and the local Ford dealer has a 2004 White LIGHTNING with a little over 34,000 miles on the clock. Seemed like a match made in heaven.

Just for the record, I don't know if the lady was serious or just hammered out of her gourd. She effin offered me &70,000 for it, and I told her "No, this truck is me. It's the truck I've always wanted, bar none. It's priceless to me." She shook my hand, hugged me and told me she totally understood. But, she gave me her phone number in case I change my mind. LMAO!!

Got another guy who is begging me to sell him my 2008 Suzuki B-King. There's not another one around here like it, it's a one year vehicle in the U.S. Only has a hair over 11,000 miles on it, looks showroom new. So far, I have refused to do so. Stock it was a 10 second vehicle. Mine has a Yoshimura exhaust, K & n filter in a ram air box, and a Dynojet Power Commanded V tuning it all up to slightly over 200 hp. It's a land bound ICBM. I probably should sell it, but it's one of those vehicles that is a true pleasure to look at when you can't ride it. Beer in one hand, cigar in the other. I'll keep it for now.

 

[Certified Drunk]

Robert, you need to service your brake fluid.

 

[cbxer55]

Robert, you need to service your brake fluid.

It's a two or three year old picture. I have. Guess what, every time I do, it keeps coming back green in a very short period of time. Can't seem to stop it from happening. Different kind of brake fluid? I change the fluid using a vacuum system, and a month or two later it's green again. I give up!

I've got 3 one gallon bottles of used brake fluid holding down my garage floor. From the Ranger and the LIGHTNING. What do I do with this shit? I don't want or need any more of this crap in my garage! I'm frankly surprised none of the bottles have rotted out their bottoms and leaked all over my garage.

 

[Certified Drunk]

Might need a new cap.

 

[cbxer55]

Well now, that would be an easy fix. LOL! I'll try it! Thanks for the tip.

 

[Dusten]

That color is often contamination from the rubber lines.

 

[cbxer55]

That color is often contamination from the rubber lines.

I was wondering if that may be the case. You know, I've changed the brake fluid in that beastie twice in the 14 years I've owned it. Most people never even do it once. Same with the old Ranger. I got people I see here driving on bald front tires, no tread at all. One is a very beautiful young lady whomI have helped with her vehicle in the past. Told her, "You're skating on thin ice on those tires. If you can'[t afford them, let me buy them for you and you pay me back when and if you can." (No, I am not trying to hit on her, I'm WAY TOO OLD FOR THAT ONE!) The number of nice vehicles I see here being ignored is amazing. The place I live recently had to tow out a rather nice Mercedes SUV, that had been sitting with flat tires for months, and an expired tag. Sad. Told the office of three other vehicles today, sitting with expired tags and flat tires. One doesn't even have a plate period.

I try my best to take care of my rides. All of them.

Sorry to be off topic. But the conversation kind of meandered in this direction.

 

[Ct.TOPGUN]

Sorry to be off topic. But the conversation kind of meandered in this direction.

I think this is the best things about forums. It is an actual discussion. It can wander in any direction. So much better than a simple "like".


Jim

 

[GEN2LIGHTNING]

I had a lot of fun with my 6lb Pullie tune full exhaust combo of coarse that consisted of a caí vb and all the other bolt ons.

then I added a KB 2.3 lasted 10 years of abuse and it was freaking fun. So much fun I recommend a 500hp stock block lol until it blows not so much fun

currently I’m about to put my built motor in

Bullet cams Ported TF Heads Cobra Jet Crank Manley Rods and Pistons and idk how much fun this will be but I’ll report back

 

[slow94]

Personally I have had fun at every level. Stock powered truck to 1000 HP truck. Enjoy the build and the progress. If it's your daily then don't go crazy. If it isn't then do what you want. I also don't get the comments regarding how much power people have and it being useless on the street. Double adjustables and good tires work on the street too lol. Set the truck up right and you can manage the power just fine on the street.

Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using Tapatalk

 

[cbxer55]

I think this is the best things about forums. It is an actual discussion. It can wander in any direction. So much better than a simple "like".


Jim

Yes sir, you got that right. It's why I stick around forums, rather than places like facebook. There's a forum for each vehicle I own, five of them, and I'm on all of them every day. The one for the 2008 Suzuki B-King is slower than f-ck. And it's because they are a super rare motorcycle, only available one year here in the states. Currently in discussion to sell it to someone who wants it more than I do. I love the bike, but man, I need to lose a vehicle or two. Maybe get down to the three I've owned the longest, 98 Ranger for 23 years, 04 LIGHTNING for 15 years, and my 06 Suzuki M109R for 17 years. Lose the B-King and the CBR600RR.

 

[Dusten]

I had a lot of fun with my 6lb Pullie tune full exhaust combo of coarse that consisted of a caí vb and all the other bolt ons.

then I added a KB 2.3 lasted 10 years of abuse and it was freaking fun. So much fun I recommend a 500hp stock block lol until it blows not so much fun

currently I’m about to put my built motor in

Bullet cams Ported TF Heads Cobra Jet Crank Manley Rods and Pistons and idk how much fun this will be but I’ll report back

if you keep the kb, a ton. that's my old combo

 

[GEN2LIGHTNING]

if you keep the kb, a ton. that's my old combo

That’s the plan just probably need to go over it and have it checked

 

[2001.NY]

Some of you guys with high power builds... at about what level did your truck stop getting more fun on the street and started becoming more of a handful? Doing some long term dreaming about my stock 02 Harley, wondering whether a pulley and a port puts you at (or close to) that level. Maybe I'm out to lunch, but I know a guy with a beautiful old blown ford pickup he hasn't driven in 15yrs and I strongly suspect it's because it scared him good... how much instant torque is managable, how much is usable?

Also, greetings! New to the forum.

For what it's worth: the number of wrecked 2nd Gens being parted out tells you all you need to know.
When you can order a 2023 F150 2wd 2 door short bed with a 400hp 5.0 and plop a KB gen 5 blower on it for $34k (with the necessary upgrades) to get 775hp, it becomes moot to spend the same amount on a Gas/alcohol street Lightning. Steeda even has financing for their Thunder. In 1 more year, '99 Gen 2's will be state safety inspections only, and the remaining couple of hundred will shed pounds of Emissions components. But in 12 more years, gasoline stations will be a memory. So that's all the real time we have left with our trucks.

 

[Steveousmc]

The experience I have is that I did a big whipple on my cobra and now I am a slave to Torco and 680rwhp is way to much.. I won’t do that with the lighting I want 500rwhp.

 

[cbxer55]

For what it's worth: the number of wrecked 2nd Gens being parted out tells you all you need to know.
When you can order a 2023 F150 2wd 2 door short bed with a 400hp 5.0 and plop a KB gen 5 blower on it for $34k (with the necessary upgrades) to get 775hp, it becomes moot to spend the same amount on a Gas/alcohol street Lightning. Steeda even has financing for their Thunder. In 1 more year, '99 Gen 2's will be state safety inspections only, and the remaining couple of hundred will shed pounds of Emissions components. But in 12 more years, gasoline stations will be a memory. So that's all the real time we have left with our trucks.

Not in CA. Ca requires all vehicles, no matter there age, to meet the emission requirements they met from the factory, forever.

I live in Oklahoma, we have no emission or safety inspections. Mine has already shed the EGR system. My 98 V-6 Ranger is minus the EGR, EVAP and the converter doesn't convert any longer (can tell by the smell). And it runs better than it ever has, and gets better gas mileage than it ever has in the 23 years I've owned it. I roll it with a one inch black circle over the CEL. Which, oddly enough, doesn't come on at all. It comes on at key on engine off, but when running doesn't show itself at all. ODD!

Probably going to delete the EVAP off my Lightning in the near future. As I figured out with the old Ranger, it's a YUGE problem waiting to happen.

 

[2001.NY]

But this 2035 cut-off date imposed on gas & diesel passanger vehicles is still just 12 years away.