We are getting closer to summer weather, and with that in mind, a lot of people are thinking about road trips, touring and track days. An easy way to wake up your engine and get a little more out of each tank of gas (if you keep your foot off the load pedal long enough) is to add a few simple bolt on upgrades to you truck or car.

For those who are looking for a little more fun out of your gas or diesel engine there exists the trifecta of bolt on power: Air Intake, Exhaust, and Programmer. These three simple additions can unlock the potential of your engine while also increasing fuel economy.

There exist many air intake systems out there. For most, a short ram system is the best option. These air intakes replace your stock air boxes and filters with smoother flowing, larger diameter air tubing and a larger high performace filter. K&N offers many custom options for almost all vehicles in their FIPK and AirCharger series. These systems can be used year round, and an excellent option for increased power and fuel economy by getting larger volumes of cooler, denser air to your engine. As an added bonus, K&N tests every system they build and post the dyno tested power gains on their website at http://www.knfilers.com. Check out to see what K&N can do for your truck or car.

Magnaflow offers custom exhaust systems that are catalytic converter back. These systems are full 304 stainless steel and will last a vehicle’s lifetime. They will not hurt your emissions and reduce the back pressure of your vehicle to increase tourque and horsepower. They also give an engine a deeper and louder exhaust note. The systems are tuned to not be obtrusive in regular driving conditions while providing the growl when you want it. Magnaflow has a few sound clips on their site, and you can look up to see if they have a customer cat-back exhaust for your ride. http://www.magnaflow.com

K&N and Magnaflow can physically open up the breathing and exhaust of your engine. Another easy upgrade is a programmer that can modify the ECU settings of your vehicle. Diablo’s predator is an easy to use system that has the best programming in the business. The programmer contains multiple performance settings that improve power and fuel economy. It also can adjust transmission shift points and adjust your computer for non factory sized tires. This is great for spirited driving, towing, or if you have gone with oversized tires for off-road use. It also can quickly restore your ECU back to stock when required. Diablo Sport has programmers for most domestic trucks and performance cars. It also has added options for Diesel Trucks to unlock the full potential of these workhorses. See http://www.diablosport.com for more details.

It is amazing just how different your truck or car can feel and perform with these simple upgrades. You get a more responsive, more powerful and more fuel efficient engine. These performance upgrades can all be installed if you are a backyard mechanic, and for those who want professional installation, all Action Van & Truck World and Action Truck Caps & Accessories locations can wake up your engine without hassle.