Woundering how to add horsepower to 5.3 Silverado? well we got your covered. It can be done in several ways including, ECU Tune Up and Upgradation of Performance Chip, Improvement in Air Intake Systems, Replacement of Throttle Body , Installing Intercooler, and Install Superchargers. Each Upgrade has its own advantages, limitations and boost it can give To 5.3 Silverado in terms of increased Horsepower.
The Chevrolet Silverado 5.3 is famous for its superior transmission system, great engine, and solid performance. Its a is a 5.3L truck for which most users often wish that their 5.3 truck horsepower could be increased a little more.
There is a good news for those Silverado drivers that is they can add horsepower to the 5.3 Silverado with some simple upgrades. You can do several tasks and upgrades to upgrade Silverado HP and we are going to cover all those.
How Much Horsepower Can a 5.3 Silverado Make?
A standard 5.3 Silverado with a 5.3 liter, Gen V, and V-8 gasoline powered engine came from EcoTec3 Engine Family. It can make a total of 355 HP that is 265 KW at 5600 rpm. It has ability to deliver 383 lb-ft of torque (519 N-m of torque) at 4100 rpm.
This engine can easily give 15 miles per gallon in city and 22 to 23 miles per gallons on highway. 5.3L Gen V V-8 is an eight cylinder engine with bore of 96 mm and stroke of 92 mm and complete cast aluminum body.
How to Add Horsepower to the 5.3 Silverado?
There are multiple options available on the question of how to add horsepower to the 5.3 Silverado. For a quick review on the options available following is the list of different upgrade you can do on 5.3 Silverado.
- ECU Tune Up and Upgradation of Performance Chip
- Improvement in Air Intake Systems
- Replacement of Throttle Body
- Installing Intercooler
- Install Superchargers
Each option add horsepower but differently and on different scale. You can do all at once but need to consult a professional specifucally from Silverado dealship. This is to make sure that can engine take that much HP increase or not.
To help, we have added a comprehensive information for each of the above upgrade so you decide better.
ECU Tune Up and Upgradation of Performance Chip
ECU tune Up and upgrading the perfprmance chip is the first option as it does not need to add any complex or heavy weight hardware. It also does not need removal or replacement of parts as needed in all other upgrades.
This upgrade only require you to add some new codes into your truck computer so it can manupulate setting to boost horsepower. ECU controls inflow quantity of air fuel mixture and it can be manupulated to increase torque and HP.
Depending on the code you have selected, ECU can increase air fuel mixture flow, increase fuel quantity in air fuel mixture, adjust ignition timing and set other factors to increase 5.3 Seliverado horsepower upto 20 HP.
This upgrade is ideal not only for 5.3 but also for V6, 6.2, and 5.7 engines. The most convenient thing is that this upgrade is neither very difficult nor very time consuming to do.
Upgradation of Air Intake Systems
Slightly improving the air intake system of a vehicle increases its performance a lot. Upgrading the air intake system means chaning old setup with ine that allow more fresh and cooler air intake in engine.
There are several aftermarket air intake systems are ready to provide adequate power to your truck. These aftermarket parts are akways better than factory installed air intake system for boosting vehicle Horse power. These systems will provide power to your needs whenever you want with a compatible control. Because no matter how much power there is, without control it is nothing.
While improved airflow can be ensured in the engine, the truck will provide more improved gas mileage. In addition, carbon monoxide emissions are reduced due to less fuel dissipation in combustion.
Replacement of Throttle Body Spacer
Yes, replacing the throttle body spacer has considerable effect on the improvement of 5.3 Silverado’s horsepower. Installing a throttle body that is relatively give more room to air than the currently installed one, increases the amount of airflow into the engine and also reduce effort needed for this.
Upgrading the throttle body not only boost horsepower with more air, it also improve more vehicle millage as it enable complete burning of fuel for more power. This upgradation is time consuming and need an expert as it need replacement of parts with perfection.
Install Intercooler
To ensure the ideal performance of the vehicle, it is necessary to ensure that cold air enters the engine. Air usually heats up before it enters the engine and its mainly due to engine own heat and radiator.
Warmer air has lower density as compared to colder air and thus contain less oxygen. The role of an intercooler is important in this case. This cools the air before entering the engine.
Cooler the air, more oxygen it can take and more oxygen air has, more will be its ability to burn fuel effectivel and this produce more power with same amount of fuel. So that’s how an intercooler contributes to the output of the engine by increasing the air density for horsepower boost.
Install Superchargers or Turbocharger
The turbocharger or supercharger is one of the aftermarket components that play a significant role in increasing the horsepower of your 5.3 Silverado truck. While installing these parts may seem a bit daunting, there is nothing to worry about.
Turbocharger and supercharger both work to compress air and force it enter the engine combustion changer. This compression increase the density of air by many folds and thus the oxygen quality in the engine.
As explained above more oxygen more the horsepower. Trucks on which superchargers are installed can withstand any type of competition. As a result, you don’t have to worry about getting it.
Expenses to Increase Horsepower to 5.3 Silverado?
Adding horsepower to 5.3 silerado and cost of adding that horse power are proportional to each other. More horsepower you want to add, more you have to pay for that. Cost of increasing horsepower to 5.3 Silverado is also associated with local labor cost and equipment cost.
For your convenience, here are some after-market items of Silverado 5.3L. Keep in mind that the prices of these items may vary over time.
- About $250-$500 fir ECU tune up
- About $200-$400 for installing an intercooler
- About $89 to install a compatible innovative performance chip programmer
- About $105 for an MBRP XP Series 3″ Muffler Bypass
Conclusion
So, from this article, you know how to increase the horsepower of a 5.3 Silverado truck. As we have said, these processes apply to the power of 5.3 as well as a few other types of engines. That is many benefits at once.
A 5.3 Silverado truck naturally has enough power and great performance. Yet in some cases people want their trucks to be a little stronger. However, increasing the horsepower of a 5.3 truck is not that difficult if you pay full attention.
