After looking around at the other trucks, it seems the Ford 4.6 has the lowest hp rating of all the other 4 litre engines...it took me a pile of money and time to bring my 4.6 up to a decent hp..it would have been nice if it had a better base to start with...

I know the 4.6 is a thing of the past but I never really understood why a company like Ford would have not boosted the hp up somewhat...

I like the Eco Boost but not a big fan of that much technology to make hp...seems like the more technology you put into something, there is more that can go wrong. There was a time when turbo engines were all the rage and then they started to fly apart..march on the Buick Grand National...I know older technology was used but the prinicple is the same.

 

because you can only make X amount of reliable power in a sohc 2/3 valve engine..

 

I hear ya there...I have done a pile of work to the truck to make a bit more hp and it is Ok but it would have been nice if Ford did some of the work for me...my friend's Toyota with the small 8 is quite a bit more powerful than my truck...and of course he has to rub it in all the time...he used to have an FX 4 and after it broke down all the time her ditched it for the Toy...

If the old beast wasn't paid for, a new truck would be in the works..

 

Yeah bring back grass fed horse power... those were the good ol days huh?

 

The answer to fords shortcomings is Trick Flow Specialties top end kit K-519-380-375. Very expensive but a quality kit. What did you do to yours and how much of a increase did you actually gain?

 

I put on a true duel side exit exhaust system with shorty headers, a CAI, programmer, polished the intake runners and keep my maitenance up including cleaning the MAF and intake regularily....seems stupid to mention the maintenance but it sure helps...

I have driven similar trucks and I and their owners can really tell the difference between their trucks and mine..I'm not sure of the actual numbers of hp increase but there definately is some...when I get on the gas, my truck really screams...some of my troops think my truck sounds angry...

 

Not stupid at all to mention maintenance. If everyone did those small things they would be amazed. Looks like your on top of it. I'm not sure where your horsepower started at, but you surely have picked up a good increase with those mods. My truck is a 2010 stock 248hp/292tq. I would like to do some mods in time also.

 

Maintenance is my thing...I have just returned from Afghanistan and the Canadian military pays for storage and and thing called preservation maintenance...I had my oil changed, front diff, transfer case, brake fluid, power steering fluid and tranny flushed all covered by the military...it sure was a great thing to see all the pretty, clean fluids and to feel the difference in the drive train now....

The 'ol crate has everything I want in a truck...it is paid for!....the rest is just gravy...

I have looked at new trucks but just can`t get past the payment thing...my truck has about 70,000 miles on it so there is lots of life left yet.

 

did you notice any difference with the shorty headers?? im looking to get headers for my 4.6 and really want long tube, but cant find them anywhere. but i too plan on doing the whole thing cai, tuner, exhaust all the way back, maybe pulleys if i can find them.

if anyone know where i can get a set of longtube headers for a 4.6 2wd, let me know please

 

I kind of did all the mods at the same time so I didn't get to experience any individual changes in any of the mods I did...

I got my headers and CAI for nothing from a neighbour who was going to put them on his truck but it was stolen and he bought a newer model so they wouldn't fit...his loss is my gain...