95 Chevy 2500 question

[Texasmark]

I agree with everyone else here - the 350/5.7 won't make power you want without a lot of work/money. Years ago, a friend of mine had one and he rebuilt the engine with higher compression pistons to get the power he wanted. I had one too, ran great, just had no power. I now have an'03 with the 5.3 - no comparison. It's all stock, gets better gas mileage, and has a lot more power. Mark.

I have a 2011 Silverado with the 4.8 V8, just a plain Jane, MPI V8, no fancy valve manipulation. Since engines are basically air pumps, to get more performance you need to move more air. Comparing my current engine to some 350 and 400 cu in GM engines over the years I have had, this little engine has been internally gutted (air passages enlarged) along with the air in and air out passages. Result is superior acceleration and 50% or more increase in gas mileage....as long as I don't do too much accelerating. I am thrilled with it and it has been trouble free.

 

[JMOR]

This 350 makes POWER!

https://imgur.com/sys4TGG

 

[Mobuck]

I have a 1998 K3500 with the 5.7 Vortec. and 5 speed manual. Years ago when I was pulling a trailer with it quite often, I added a 'performance controller'. Didn't gain much as I think the factory tuning of the 5.7 had it about maxed out by that time. Would it improve the 95 model? Maybe a little but not as much as one would hope for. Different gearing? Gonna cost way more than you might gain and cost ?? gas increase.

 

[504]

The 95 has a throttle body completely different setup. About the only thing that is the same is they are both 350 ci

 

[Tx Jim]

I have a 2011 Silverado with the 4.8 V8, just a plain Jane, MPI V8, no fancy valve manipulation. Since engines are basically air pumps, to get more performance you need to move more air. Comparing my current engine to some 350 and 400 cu in GM engines over the years I have had, this little engine has been internally gutted (air passages enlarged) along with the air in and air out passages. Result is superior acceleration and 50% or more increase in gas mileage....as long as I don't do too much accelerating. I am thrilled with it and it has been trouble free.

My '08 K1500 with 4.8L, 3:42 gear ratio gets a whooping 8.7 MPG puttering around my farm.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

I have a 1998 K3500 with the 5.7 Vortec. and 5 speed manual. Years ago when I was pulling a trailer with it quite often, I added a 'performance controller'. Didn't gain much as I think the factory tuning of the 5.7 had it about maxed out by that time. Would it improve the 95 model? Maybe a little but not as much as one would hope for. Different gearing? Gonna cost way more than you might gain and cost ?? gas increase.

Any "performance gains" you get from sticking some gizmo or doodad on a gasoline engine is purely from YOU SUBCONSCIOUSLY PUSHING THE SKINNY PEDAL FARTHER! Even if it actually makes a difference it only makes it up top, not in the RPM range where you normally drive.

Same deal with gearing. All you're doing is pushing the skinny pedal farther to go the same speed as you did before. The truck isn't making a lick more power, you're just higher up in the power band.

The cheapest option here is to just push the skinny pedal farther, and let it eat. Exceeding 2000RPM is not going to reduce the lifespan of the engine appreciably. In the heyday of the TH400, running 3000RPM for hours at a time just getting from point A to point B with no load at all was the norm. We also didn't have tachometers on every vehicle, and they were loud to begin with, so we didn't notice.

 

[Texasmark]

This 350 makes POWER!

https://imgur.com/sys4TGG

Jesse....is this your toy?????

 

[Texasmark]

My '08 K1500 with 4.8L, 3:42 gear ratio gets a whooping 8.7 MPG puttering around my farm.

Jim, don't have one of those Kxxx things to run around on in my farm in. I have no idea as to whether you are on the plus or minus side........ I had worn out lawn mowers for get around things on the farm but just acquired a Kawasaki Prarie 360 4 wheel ATV that is a whole lot of fun for an old man to play with. Some times I just crank it up and run around the place.......just to be doing it......Grin

 

[Mobuck]

I bought my first Chevy 350 V8 in 1970 (2 door Chevelle with a so called 350 x300 HP). It had a lot of 'spunk' so yeah all you had to do was push the go pedal harder. Several 350/5.7 pickups later I'll say that there's more potential to be had with cams, fuel delivery, and exhaust than just pushing that pedal harder.

 

[timcasbolt]

I bought my first Chevy 350 V8 in 1970 (2 door Chevelle with a so called 350 x300 HP). It had a lot of 'spunk' so yeah all you had to do was push the go pedal harder. Several 350/5.7 pickups later I'll say that there's more potential to be had with cams, fuel delivery, and exhaust than just pushing that pedal harder.

That engine had more compression, more cam and better heads than 90% of the 350's ever produced.

 

[JMOR]

Jesse....is this your toy?????

My son's. built several years ago. Next project: has a Cobra body and some Mustang running gear, but far from having it built.