I've recently "inherited" a 1994 GMC Sierra K 1500. It has a 4.3L vortec 6 and manual transmission. 110k miles. Not a bad truck despite the fact that my father took very bad care of it. I've been sanding and painting it so that it doesn't look like a total beater. I like that it's a 4X4 since I do a lot of outdoors recreation. Eventually (when I get some money) I'd like to put in some lifts and bigger tires.... BUT... it has no power. On level ground it's fine the 4wd has gotten me out of the ditch more than once. but as soon as I run into a hill when I'm on the highway I start losing speed very quickly and have to downshift everytime, on very steep hills sometimes I have to go to 3rd even. I'm afraid I'm going to start getting nasty speeding tickets for running at the base of hills at top speed to make it to the top =) My theory is that the cheap muffler my father put on it is choking the life out, though, I'm beginning to wonder if I should just say to hell with it and wait till I can afford something with a V8.
Anyway I was wondering if anyone had some advice for me to give this thing a little more ummph so that I can visit my friends who live uphill from here. I'm on a very tight budget and not much of a gearhead so I'm looking for cheap solutions. I've read some of the other articles about 4.3L trucks and they were very informative but I'm wonding which are the best for a poor person like myself. for example will a K&N filter and new exhaust add enough power to be worth the cost with a smaller engine like this?
Thanks!
Anyway I was wondering if anyone had some advice for me to give this thing a little more ummph so that I can visit my friends who live uphill from here. I'm on a very tight budget and not much of a gearhead so I'm looking for cheap solutions. I've read some of the other articles about 4.3L trucks and they were very informative but I'm wonding which are the best for a poor person like myself. for example will a K&N filter and new exhaust add enough power to be worth the cost with a smaller engine like this?
Thanks!