Thread: 2000 Tahoe Vortec street mods?

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Hi, Wife has a 2000 Tahoe Limited. This was the last Vortec engine rated at 255 hp installed in a 2wd Tahoe with the Z60 high-performance chassis package (commonly known as the police package) which places the body of the vehicle 2 in (51 mm) lower. Years ago we lowered it 2" more in front and 3" in rear. 20" wheels were installed on the front and 22" on the rear. The truck has been a very sweet everyday runner, has much better get up and go than the 4wd due to less weight, and has reasonable gas milage. This week I noted a lifter tick a couple of times upon startup during cold weather. It also happened several years ago when we were in Maryland. Since I am considering replacing the lifters, does anyone have a recomendation on a replacement cam that might give me a bit more power? I am open to other add on mods but want to keep it all compatable with the computer system and in line with a daily driver on the street. The only addition that has been done to the motor is a K&N air cleaner setup. Wife's other car is a GMC Typhoon which should give the knowledgable a frame of reference for her driving preferences. Suggestions on how to take advantage of the Vortec heads and make this run a bit better?Tahoe.jpg

How many miles are on it???Any cam changes will take some ecm tuning------------


And you might look at LT1 and LT4 type stuff-----you could use a modified intake so you could use a dist to get rid of the opti spark


all your exhaust would work--

Hi Jerry,
The Tahoe has 106,000 and still runs great. I have built a lot of engines over the years but all have had carbs on them. I love how the computers have improved the stock engines both in power and longivity but have never messed with one, hence my hesitation on changing the ecm parameters. In fact, you suggested to get rid of the opti spark, I thought in those years they were on the LT engines not mine. Is an intake change worth it or should I look at a cam change and have someone do the ecm?
I have one other option, years ago I bought a maganson supercharger setup off the same year engine. Like most used stuff, it almost came with all the parts, I think a sensor or two might be missing, the directions to install for sure are long gone. I contacted maganson about parts and a installation manual and got no where. The guy just wanted to sell me a newer kit. Would it be the easiest thing to pursue that installation?
Thanks for your opinion.

My comments about the opti was related to changing to the LT type engine but with a distributor or at least the LT heads and injector port injection--since the water flow is different it ll take some plumbing, however all your accessories, exhaust will work---we had a 95 Tahoe with that engine and the LTs are a lot stronger--


especialy with a stroker kit----------

In your place I would put in a call to the tech line at Comp Cams, explain what you outlined in the first post and see what they say. I would think that it shouldn't be too hard to find a tuner in the greater Albuquerque area that can tweak your OEM ECM a bit. Shouldn't need much, I wouldn't think. Are you going to refresh rings and bearings while you're at it, or just doing the cam & lifters at this point?