Last summer my girlfriend’s dad gave me his old truck (2005 XL half-can 4.6l) cause he knew I was truck shopping. Very well taken care of, the transmission had been rebuilt about 15k miles ago and the only thing I had to do was buy a new engine for it since it had a hole in the block. Got a remanned engine from Jasper through the shop I work at. It had 263k on the odometer and my goal is to watch it tick over 400k. I love the thing and it’s clean and cosmetic wise I have big plans. HOWEVER, the thing is mad slow. So my question is what’s the best and most cost effective way to make power without losing reliability? I know boosting it is easy but 1. Can reliably hit 150k on my current engine without spending loads on forging the block 2. It already guzzles enough gas, I’m fine with losing a little but of mpg with bolt ons but a feel like a supercharger is overkill (I will boost it one day though when I have play money like that). My goal is to try and hit around 300hp or atleast squeeze as much as I can out without forged internals or boost. So my question is what all do I need to do that? I know the basics on what’s needed but I’m looking for specifics relative to my engine. Basically what’s every single bolt on part I’m going to need?

Also is a full K&N intake a waste of time since it just sucks in air from the engine bay?