Im looking into modding my truck i want to get a k&n i take the plastic kne because i heard the metal one obsorves to much heat from the engine i want to get longtube headers a good exhaust (recommend me one the gains power) thinking of getting a good dyno tune and camming it (what kind of cam is the best for this truck a big loud cam) what would you guys change give me your opinions & after all this then come looks looking into dropping it a little maybe 3/5 maybe a little more maybe a little less

 

With everything you're talking about here, it would be cheaper to swap a 5.4L in. If you want to go big, do a Lightning/Harley engine swap. Cams and a dyno tune are really the line in the sand for me when a larger engine can be swapped for cheap.

That truck is heavy and changing cams will alter where the engine makes it's power. You'd have to swap the torque converter to a higher stall to realize the benefit.

But if for some reason you decide to go down this path anyway, I'll tell you that the OE torque converter and flexplate from a later Crown Vic Police Interceptor will have a higher stall. But higher stall converters make more heat.

This is where you have to ask how much money are you trying to spend, and what is the best use of it? What do you use the truck for?

You sound like I did when I was 16. Lots of energy and thoughts, but it needs to be focused into a plan.

 

Well i mostly use it on the weekends to drive around and hang out with my friends but they have like big 6.0s chevys and fast chevys and always make me look like poop i just love the way my truck looks and i want make it stay up there with them with out getting totally smashed so ive thought about the 5.4 swap and i think im just going to get that and fix that one up the reason i wanted to keep this engine its because they tell me its the best engine to tune and that the heads can sustain a lot of boost and stuff but i think with a 5.4 the power would be easier to gain with less money i have about 3,000 to spend right now i traded in my 06 single cab chevy for this truck and i totally do not regret it so im new with ford so sorry if sound like i dont know anything im just new at this haha

 

Assuming your engine is as originally manufactured, it has the PI heads but they are not the best. The short plug threads makes for iffy conditions if you attempt to build around the heads. You would need to change heads. I'd talk with the folks over at Trick Flow about a set of their heads. They come as a blank and all machine work still has to be done but since you need to replace the heads anyway, they are better than a later version of the PI heads with longer plug threads. For a mild build you can go with a Comp Cam 264 and that will give you the choppy idle you're probably looking for yet you won't need a new tranny or even change the programming or injectors. Another option, but this will cost some bucks, is to install a blower from a Mustang or even a Lightning. You'd have to eventually change the tranny as the engine is going to eat it. You would have to have a custom program for the boost and the newer tranny. But a setup like that will smoke most 5.4s providing you don't get totally stupid with big tires. The 4.6 can make some serious power but like it's said above, you need to have a plan first. Anything you decide to change along the way can make some changes worse than stock, some can make it better. You also need to think about how you are going to drive it. All of the mods in the world don't mean squat if all yer gonna do is drive around town at 30 mph. Headers and an intake for an example are absolutely worthless at normal driving. It's only at full throttle and at high rpms does it come into play. And don't count on any power advantages that you think you are going to feel in the seat of yer britches. Adding power to the engine comes in small amounts. The biggest wow power you'll ever add is a set of lower gears. Everything else is an accumulation of stuff.

 

Ive decided to go with the 5.4 imma get it built and mod that engine slightly just to add some power how would the cam be on the 5.4 i dont really want to do i take anymore if its not worth it ill probably just get exhaust and lo tube headers and a tune for now and gears whats a good to go with gears i just made a call to my uncle and he said to do gears forsure but to ask for a recomandation on gears so how is this plan tell me if i should change or add

 

As long as you know that you're not just going to change the engine. You'll be changing the tranny and PCM as well. If it were mine, I wouldn't even consider a 5.4. Might as well move up to some serious HP and look for a junkyard 7.5 (460) with tranny and all of the accessories still attached. You can use the harness from the same truck to put in yours. Even stock the 460 will make more power than a modded 5.4. Put some heavier injectors in it and you can make enough HP to burn the tires off of it. Anything else you do to it will just burn the tires faster. 1997 was the last year of a 460 in an F150 and they were extremely detuned. A set of injectors will wake one up beyond yer wettest dreams.

 

Oh damn is that to hard to do i have limited time money is not really a problem but if its going to cost some money im just going to go with the s/c lightning engine