Power Upgrade Ideas?

clstark7 · Feb 3, 2023

Hey everyone! I am just curious for ideas on reasonably priced power upgrades that a guy like me with mild mechanic skills can do himself? I have a 2021 LT Trail Boss with the 6.2L engine. I know I can get more juice out of this motor while keeping it naturally aspirated lol. So far I have done:

K&N cold air intake
Canned tune from Superchips (which doesn't allow for long-tube headers without throwing codes)
Magnaflow cat-back exhaust, then muffler delete
Functional ram-air hood from Dawn Enterprises

What have you guys done? Curious if the difference with going with a custom tune and long-tube headers is worth the money for potentially small gains.

scotman623 · Feb 3, 2023

Your build is very similar to what I have done, not sure what else can really be done besides adding headers or spending big money on a supercharger.. Your truck looks great

clstark7 · Feb 3, 2023

scotman623 said:
Your build is very similar to what I have done, not sure what else can really be done besides adding headers or spending big money on a supercharger.. Your truck looks great

Thank you! Yes yours does look similar! I have even done the same Z71 badge as you since I took this photo above lol. I would love a supercharger someday. Which one would you do? I was originally looking at Whipple, but now I am leaning towards that newer one from Magnuson/Lingenfelter.

scotman623 · Feb 3, 2023

I would actually go with the Magnuson one, have heard great things about them.. Hopefully in the near future I will add one, working on getting my wife to agree I NEED IT

Grey · Feb 11, 2023

From what I can gather, these trucks are stuck with the same sort of issues that most enthusiast vehicles for the last several years have been. Most of the "bolt on" mods you can do to see power gains have already been done at the factory. Save for a strong flowing cat back system and a CAI, there isn't a ton that can be done to gain power without getting really serious.

Compare that to my 2000 z28; replacing headers and exhaust could gain 40 at the rear wheel. Your could also replace both the intake lid and intake manifold (which I don't see happening on the truck yet) Then still you had options for under drive pulleys, and the fuel system could be upgraded to match. With a manual transmission, you could gain close to 80rwhp over the advertised level WITHOUT getting into the engine. I don't see that happening on an engine where Chevy has has 20+ years to perfect the basic format.

Im sure heads and cam packages are available, and the tuning community will have make progress, but I don't think any of those are going to be a quick Saturday afternoon project.

scotman623 · Feb 11, 2023

I AGREE with you.. Gone are the days when I built my 67 Chevy c10 with a 327 motor… But my new truck is ALOT more reliable too..

clstark7 · Feb 13, 2023

Has anyone done a custom tune and long-tube headers on these newer 6.2's? That would be about the only thing available right now, that is within my budget, that I could do. Just wondering if it is worth the money. Already have the cat-back exhaust and cold air intake, with a canned tune.