Ford F150 question?

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Yes because helping it breathe with better air filter/ cat delete/ muffler is only for time above 4000 RPMs where you aren't, often.

The rear gears like everyone says are what you need.

Your motor already does well at higher RPMs from the factory and the rear gear change will help you get into this range.
 
Swap the rear end with a junk yard one, count the teeth on the gears and divide to see the gear ratio. K&N filters are just noise makers.

If you want good power, find a 96-98 Chevy pickup with the 5.7L Vortec. Lots of power, my stock 96' could make 2 long black stripes with sticky all terrain tires. Dont get a 5.3L in the newer gen trucks, they're gutless. 6.0L are good.
 
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Swap the rear end with a junk yard one, count the teeth on the gears and divide to see the gear ratio. K&N filters are just noise makers.

If you want good power, find a 96-98 Chevy pickup with the 5.7L Vortec. Lots of power, my stock 96' could make 2 long black stripes with sticky all terrain tires. Dont get a 5.3L in the newer gen trucks, they're gutless. 6.0L are good.

The 350 Vortech is only rated at 255hp and 330 torque. Not exactly a powerhouse. I've owned two of them.
 
Originally Posted By: cb_13
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Swap the rear end with a junk yard one, count the teeth on the gears and divide to see the gear ratio. K&N filters are just noise makers.

If you want good power, find a 96-98 Chevy pickup with the 5.7L Vortec. Lots of power, my stock 96' could make 2 long black stripes with sticky all terrain tires. Dont get a 5.3L in the newer gen trucks, they're gutless. 6.0L are good.

The 350 Vortech is only rated at 255hp and 330 torque. Not exactly a powerhouse. I've owned two of them.
Were the in too big of a truck? Or had too tall of gears? Mine was a 1500 with 3.73 gears.

It could run circles around my grandfather's 2003 1500 with the 5.3L or my aunt's 2005 Tahoe with the 5.3L, which I've driven a lot. Both of those are slugs.
 
despite my earlier comment regarding a cam - if I knew you were towing a lot - there's not a lot you can cheaply do. the 5.4 is much more suited for heavy lifting. the 4.6 is simply too small for a working truck. when I was looking for a ford to tow my 6000 lb boat, the 5.4 was the only way to go. (in a Ford; at the time)
 
Will one of those plug-in computer chips give me a little better performance? If so, which is the best one to get for the money?

Originally Posted By: tomcat27
despite my earlier comment regarding a cam - if I knew you were towing a lot - there's not a lot you can cheaply do. the 5.4 is much more suited for heavy lifting. the 4.6 is simply too small for a working truck. when I was looking for a ford to tow my 6000 lb boat, the 5.4 was the only way to go. (in a Ford; at the time)
 
Last edited:
No! You are barking up the wrong tree. There's no gadget that will give you more torque. You need torque, not horsepower.

Rear gears will multiply the torque you have.

Gadgets won't. You have to open up the engine or do similarly major surgery.
 
Originally Posted By: lawnguy
Will one of those plug-in computer chips give me a little better performance? If so, which is the best one to get for the money?

Originally Posted By: tomcat27
despite my earlier comment regarding a cam - if I knew you were towing a lot - there's not a lot you can cheaply do. the 5.4 is much more suited for heavy lifting. the 4.6 is simply too small for a working truck. when I was looking for a ford to tow my 6000 lb boat, the 5.4 was the only way to go. (in a Ford; at the time)

Tuners do not do much for this gen truck. It will not give it much if any more power, even if using a premium fuel tune. It does give it better shifting characteristics, but no more power.
So you could spend $300-400 for a tuner and tune and see no real difference except for firmer shifts and maybe have it set to hold gears a little longer, and if you get a premium fuel tune, more expense when you fill up.
I have a tuner for my 5.4 (SCT x3)with 87 octane tune with the mid level transmission shift program. I feel no power difference, but do like the improved shifting (and ability to adjust tire size). I got mine for $200 used. While I don't regret it, not sure if I would do it again.

As said multiple times, the "cheapest" thing you can do that will really make a difference is a re-gear, which cost will vary depending on location ($600-1200)
 
And think of it this way, they geared your truck so you could cruise on the highway at 2000-2500 RPM. You're probably going from house to house in suburbia with numerous 0-45 MPH starts and stops. Steeper gears would help!

I have a 95 F150 with 2.73 gears and the 300-6 and it's a dog. I also have an 85 3/4 ton Dodge plow truck with a doggy 318 but good gears and it scoots!
 
Originally Posted By: lawnguy
Will one of those plug-in computer chips give me a little better performance? If so, which is the best one to get for the money?

Originally Posted By: tomcat27
despite my earlier comment regarding a cam - if I knew you were towing a lot - there's not a lot you can cheaply do. the 5.4 is much more suited for heavy lifting. the 4.6 is simply too small for a working truck. when I was looking for a ford to tow my 6000 lb boat, the 5.4 was the only way to go. (in a Ford; at the time)


No.

If you want to remove restrictions from the air inlet (which is free but will yield next to nothing), there are two silencers, one in the tubing after the MAF that necks down pretty good and one at the end of the filter housing where it goes into the fender. Rip the former out completely and replace the latter with a piece of PVC pipe of the appropriate diameter. The factory filter is a big cone that flows more than enough air to feed a much larger engine.
 
Originally Posted By: blupupher
Originally Posted By: lawnguy
Will one of those plug-in computer chips give me a little better performance? If so, which is the best one to get for the money?

Originally Posted By: tomcat27
despite my earlier comment regarding a cam - if I knew you were towing a lot - there's not a lot you can cheaply do. the 5.4 is much more suited for heavy lifting. the 4.6 is simply too small for a working truck. when I was looking for a ford to tow my 6000 lb boat, the 5.4 was the only way to go. (in a Ford; at the time)

Tuners do not do much for this gen truck. It will not give it much if any more power, even if using a premium fuel tune. It does give it better shifting characteristics, but no more power.
So you could spend $300-400 for a tuner and tune and see no real difference except for firmer shifts and maybe have it set to hold gears a little longer, and if you get a premium fuel tune, more expense when you fill up.
I have a tuner for my 5.4 (SCT x3)with 87 octane tune with the mid level transmission shift program. I feel no power difference, but do like the improved shifting (and ability to adjust tire size). I got mine for $200 used. While I don't regret it, not sure if I would do it again.

As said multiple times, the "cheapest" thing you can do that will really make a difference is a re-gear, which cost will vary depending on location ($600-1200)


I think that a proper SCT tune, gears, and converter would do a lot for the truck.

I owned a 98 Roush Edition F150 with the 4.6 and auto trans it ran VERY GOOD with 373 gears, converter and tune.

Before I sold it, I was considering going to an electric fan as well.

Mine ran on 87 pump gas also with no issues.

On the 2000 model you can even put the PI cams or PI heads on it, and it would destroy a 5.4L truck.

It should have the 4r70w transmission, you can do the Jerry Modification to it, and make a very fun truck.

I would actually like to buy another 4.6L truck in the 2001+ vintage and toy around with it.
 
Originally Posted By: JustinH
Originally Posted By: blupupher
Originally Posted By: lawnguy
Will one of those plug-in computer chips give me a little better performance? If so, which is the best one to get for the money?

Originally Posted By: tomcat27
despite my earlier comment regarding a cam - if I knew you were towing a lot - there's not a lot you can cheaply do. the 5.4 is much more suited for heavy lifting. the 4.6 is simply too small for a working truck. when I was looking for a ford to tow my 6000 lb boat, the 5.4 was the only way to go. (in a Ford; at the time)

Tuners do not do much for this gen truck. It will not give it much if any more power, even if using a premium fuel tune. It does give it better shifting characteristics, but no more power.
So you could spend $300-400 for a tuner and tune and see no real difference except for firmer shifts and maybe have it set to hold gears a little longer, and if you get a premium fuel tune, more expense when you fill up.
I have a tuner for my 5.4 (SCT x3)with 87 octane tune with the mid level transmission shift program. I feel no power difference, but do like the improved shifting (and ability to adjust tire size). I got mine for $200 used. While I don't regret it, not sure if I would do it again.

As said multiple times, the "cheapest" thing you can do that will really make a difference is a re-gear, which cost will vary depending on location ($600-1200)


I think that a proper SCT tune, gears, and converter would do a lot for the truck.

I owned a 98 Roush Edition F150 with the 4.6 and auto trans it ran VERY GOOD with 373 gears, converter and tune.

Before I sold it, I was considering going to an electric fan as well.

Mine ran on 87 pump gas also with no issues.

On the 2000 model you can even put the PI cams or PI heads on it, and it would destroy a 5.4L truck.

It should have the 4r70w transmission, you can do the Jerry Modification to it, and make a very fun truck.

I would actually like to buy another 4.6L truck in the 2001+ vintage and toy around with it.


If a person was going to the trouble of doing the PI heads/cam swap, they'd, IMHO, be better served buying the TFS stuff, which will make more power.

If we are looking at PI to PI, the 5.4L had a solid 30HP and 57lb-ft on the 4.6L and the 5.4L got the upgrades in 1999 IIRC, so there's no way that a 4.6L is walking a PI 5.4.
 
I'll pile on with the guys who say to just regear. If this is your work truck then it keeps it bone stock and reliable.

Heck, it might not be so bad on the highway, if you are pulling your trailer, the mpg hit that is.

But if you must, I'd figure out your budget for upgrades, then figure out the value of the truck. Seems the word here is to simply not on this, so figure out what you could get if you flipped this truck.
 
And the thing is when you shop for used trucks they'll 99% be "old man specials" with tall gearing and stupid options not suited for actual work. The "good ones" with better gearing/ tow packages will be held back by dealers for themselves or their buddies or beat to death in their first lives. Fix what you have.
 
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