just bought a 09 silerado and have a few questions

**chuck75** · 02-03-2011, 06:00 AM

Hey guys,
I bought a 2009 silverado lt 5.3 2wd extend cab. it already has a cat back on it with no mufflers at all. Iam going today to have one put on. my question is when I'm driving down the interstate, about 75 mph, the tacs reading right at 2 grand. is that the normal overdrive rpm? it has the stock 20s and tire size. the other question is as I'm crusing I noticed that the exhuast note changes. I know about the cyl. cut out thing but this does it all the time. am I just being paranoid or do I need to look at maybe the trans for a problum? the truck has 39,000 miles on it. thanks for your help.

**Deezl SS** · 02-03-2011, 06:20 AM

If your truck has stock 275-55-20 tires, and 3.73 gears, mated to the 6l80e with a .667 6th gear you'll be at 1950~ rpm at 75 mph so that sounds correct. If your not getting and check engine lights and your truck feels fine I'm going to say the exhaust noise is normal. I just traded in my 03 Yukon Denali for an Escalade and can tell you my new truck does the same thing.

**chuck75** · 02-03-2011, 06:58 AM

ok thanks it just seems a little weird. guess I'm just so used to driving junk, I dont know how to act. thanks

**konigandy6** · 02-03-2011, 01:16 PM

It's completely normal. The DOD system is constantly switching in and out of 4 cyl mode at highway cruising speeds. Since your exhaust is louder, you'll just notice it more.

**chuck75** · 02-04-2011, 03:08 AM

Thanks for the reasuring. I had a muffler installed yesterday and already noticed a big diffrence. my K&N cai came in late yesterday so I hope to get it installed today.
Let me ask this question, Is there anything else I can do to improve the fuel mileage on my truck? I have put a msd box on all my older trucks with great results, I cannot find any thing for this truck except the coils which I have heard are not worth the money. Is there any truth to this? Which hand held would you recomend for economy and towing? I pull a pretty heavy trailer pretty often.
Thanks again guys.

**Deezl SS** · 02-04-2011, 06:23 AM

Don't waste your money on the MSD coils. If anything, give it a tune up with new AC Delco 41-110 plugs and MSD wires. As far as tunes go, don't bother with a hand held. Get yourself a Westers Tune and you'll never look back. They custom taylor the tune to your needs. I had one on my 03' Yukon Denali and it was the best mod I ever did and made the biggest improvement. I'll be getting one for my Escalade very soon.

**chuck75** · 02-04-2011, 08:20 AM

were does one obtain a wester tune?

**Deezl SS** · 02-04-2011, 08:55 AM

Google Westers Garage. They specialize in truck tunes. Also, give Frost a shout. He's a sponsor on the board and tuned my 98' SS. He does great work.

**chuck75** · 02-04-2011, 11:07 AM

Thanks alot. you've been a great help.

**konigandy6** · 02-04-2011, 11:32 AM

Originally Posted by chuck75

Thanks for the reasuring. I had a muffler installed yesterday and already noticed a big diffrence. my K&N cai came in late yesterday so I hope to get it installed today.
Let me ask this question, Is there anything else I can do to improve the fuel mileage on my truck? I have put a msd box on all my older trucks with great results, I cannot find any thing for this truck except the coils which I have heard are not worth the money. Is there any truth to this? Which hand held would you recomend for economy and towing? I pull a pretty heavy trailer pretty often.
Thanks again guys.

Like Deezl said, don't throw a handheld at it. You'll get much better results with a custom tune, and I believe they're cheaper than the handheld.

The coils, plugs and wires on the truck now are excellent, and will last you 100k miles no problem. If you're going for fuel economy, it's all in how you're going to drive the truck. There isn't a magical device out there that's gonna bump you up to some rediculous mpg number... if there was, the auto makers would be using them from the factory. What you've done so far to the vehicle plus the tune is pretty much the extent of fuel economy you're going to get, which you should definitely see an increase.

Obviously towing heavy trailers will not help your cause much. Why didn't you go with a 2500 or a diesel if you're towing heavy loads frequently?

**chuck75** · 02-07-2011, 03:14 AM

thanks for the reply. heres the deal on the truck, before I had two trucks. the everyday truck was a 98 mazda b2500, 4cyl, 5 speed. it was a good little truck, seeing as I drive 25 miles to work one way every day. it was getting crappy after a while though. the other was a 1997 f250 hd with a 460 in it that was my pulling truck but at 5 miles a gallon was not getting it done. so I bought one truck to do both as I only pull the trailer maybe once or twice a mounth. plus I got a good deal on the truck. its a 2009 silverado lt with the 5.3 black leather interior factory 20s. 39,000 miles on it for a little under 18 grand.
sorry for the war and peice reply but I like to throw as much info as needed to explain my reasoning.

**chuck75** · 02-07-2011, 11:30 AM

I didnt go with the deisel cause I only pull my mud truck or race car about once a mounth but drive the truck everyday. just seems overkill to me.

**awray** · 02-08-2011, 10:11 AM

Chuck75 - what kind of mileage are you getting? I drove a 2008 Silverado CC 4x4 for 85k miles and it got about 17 mpg. Most of those miles were highway at 75 mph. I pulled a UHaul trailer for one 300 mile trip and got less than 10 mpg.

**wheeliE-maxx** · 02-09-2011, 07:04 PM

A soft tonneau might net some mileage. Bumped my '05 gmc up about 1-1.5 mpg on the highway. It's a regular cab long bed however. Keeps people from throwing trash in the bed though. Stock tune on these things is pitiful in every way possible. Ask about having "lean cruise" put in your tune

**pajeff02** · 02-09-2011, 07:07 PM

Is the truck still under warranty by chance? If so, you may want to hold off on mods that will void the warranty.

**chuck75** · 02-16-2011, 11:20 AM

sorry for the late reply guys, awray, I'm currently doing the math on mileage cause I recentlly installed a k&n cai.
Wheeli, I am looking into a cover for it.
pajeff, yea it has an extended warranty on it which is why I want to hold off on the tuning. but I called the dealer and they said the cai or the gibson headers wont void the warranty so I went ahead with those.