hello,

i am looking at buying a 2001 lightning and i dont know too much about these trucks, and was wondering if they are prone to any problems. this truck is in pristine condition and has low milage. can someone please help me out. aslo what are some mods that i can put on it that would increase my horsepower but at the same time give me a little better gas mileage?

thanks
matt

 

As far as problems with the L I don't no of any,There are a few things you can do for power and gas mileage,you could do a cold air set up and a chip.But I wouldnt expect a bucn of difference in mileage besides it a S/C truck screw gas mileage

 

Since this is a "low mileage" vehicle, I will assume there is still some warranty left on the factory 3/36. If so, I would not recommend chipping the truck if you expect to have powertrain warranty issues addressed.

There are plenty of mods you can make on the truck without being blatantly obvious about it. A caged 2# lower pulley is a stealthy mod that is often overlooked. Using a power tuner that accesses the PCM through the diagnostic port is another. HyperTech makes a power tuner and Diablo makes the Predator for the Lightning. The variable timing and air/fuel curves that the Predator allows makes it a better product in my opinion.

You can also swap out your transmission valve body for an Art Carr or Gregg Evans unit that will produce much quicker shifts. Shedding weight by dropping the spare and trailer hitch will net a .02 drop in your ET. Nix the back bumper for a roll pan and drop another .01.

Whatever you do, make sure you install some kind of traction control device. Lakewood 21715 slapper bars work well and will keep the differential from rolling up under the truck, thereby preserving the integrity of your drive shaft. Cal-Traks, Truk-Traks, and Ranchos will get the job done, too. The Lakewoods are just cheaper ($99.00).

 

When talking v8s , never talk about gas..haha my friend as a lightning and all i have to say is " gosh darnn , that thing is fast " but they , all that he can do with it is race. He cant tow great and he doent have much room to put stuff in the inside his truck