after months of reading and thinking, i have found the courage to fork over money for exhaust and intake or a tuner.

first, i'm mainly wanting a faster truck, so i'm looking for performance. will just getting a tuner give more performance than having both exhaust and intake, or will a combination of exhaust and intake give more perfromance than just a tuner.

if i go with a tuner:
xcalibrator or wait for xcalibrator2

if i go with exhaust and intake:
i have settled on the magnaflow and AF1, but money is tight since i'm in college so, i'm looking for the best deal. i'd like to order from troyerperformance.com b/c he supports us, but with the hottexhaust coupon, it's almost a $100 difference for the exhaust. do you think troyer will match that much of a difference? i'm going to order them both at once (both from troyer, or exhaust at hottexhaust and intake from troyer). looks like i'm going to have to wait until my b-day to get the other.

i'm wanting a faster truck, so any suggestions on what to get (2004 f150 xlt supercrew 5.4L 3.55ls)

thank you in advance

 

The worst that Troyer can say is 'no'. I have a hunch that they'll work with you on it though...

As for just the tuner, you'll notice a significant difference. You'll notice more with the intake and exhaust IMO.

I'd go with the tuner over the other two... just my opinion though... but, be reminded, I have all three.

RP

 

Intake & Tuner ... would by my vote for most perf/$

 

If you want to have a faster truck, you are going to need to have some type of exhaust. If you go with a tuner and intake, you are going to have all that power with no where for it to go. Exhaust is a key essential when making any car perform better.

My vote goes for the Intake + Exhaust.

 

The tuner will do far more than the exhaust. Factory exhaust is not as restrictive as you would think. The tuner will do away with the 98 MPH top end. The exhaust won't. The tuner will firm up and optimize the transmission shifting. The exhaust won't. The exhaust makes for better sound, and small horsepower gains, but doesn't mean a whole lot on mildly modified engines...Kevin

 

No matter what you are eventually going to have to do aftermarket exhaust for performance. This is just a thought. My magnaflow muffler is 24 inches long.... the stock exhaust is roughly 48inches.... you cant tell me that that stock exhaust isnt that bad....

 

Ok ... As supportive reference for my above opinion and Kevin's statement about the stock exhaust that I agree with:

An acquaintance with an 04 Screw 5.4 first got a Hypertech tuner ... VERY obvious gain in performance. Recently added an Airraid ... not obvious like the tuner though note’able... Then added Magnaflow as he figured the exhaust was holding the air intake back from making gains like the tuner gave ... only thing noticed was the sound and just maybe … a bit more power at shift points but not real sure. It does sound faster though!

No, not a dyno comparison but that is what we observed on his truck both in SOTP and side-by-side runs with an all stock one (holding out for the 36kmi). Performance guru I am not ... just sharing an experience as is related to this post ... as food for thought!

I know of a few other new 5.4’s, that I get to see and talk to the owners regularly, that are going through changes of various choices. It's been interesting comparing things and riding in each as we make changes.

One of the trucks has a K&N intake and Flowmaster exhaust much like the above posts reference for purchase. The above with tuner (pre air intake) truck walked away from him off the line. That encounter will result in a tuner purchase here soon I'm sure (I think it's waiting wife approval). His flowmaster is loud and it sounds fast but doesn't deliver much performance!

My performance order of observation:
1) Tune
2) Air intake
3) it depends!

I'll stop here as this could go on and on with reasons and theories why ...

 

thanks for the replies,

rp - i do plan on calling troyer first before i make any purchases

it looks like i'm back at square one, seems like there are equal amount of people thinking intake and exhaust is better than tuner and a equal amount thinking tuner is better than intake and exhaust.

anyone else want to give me their opinions? maybe even reasons to believe one is better than the other.

thanks again, i hope to order by next monday, i'm going to let this thread ride out for the week, hopfully enough people will give me their thoughts where i can make a decision.

 

i also dont think the stock exhaust is THAT bad. the 48 inch long muffler is because its designed to get rid of the noise AND flow well. hell they could have made it as quiet with a muffler that was 20 inches long, but think of the restriction in that!

My first vote would definately be a Tuner. I bought a Volant intake first, because i couldnt beat the price, then the exhaust because i wanted a little noise. and then finally the tuner.

Its true that down the line youll have to go with some type of upgraded exhaust, but if you want the order of things that ford could have done BETTER its

Tuner
Intake
Exhaust
E-fan / pullies

 

Ok, I bought the tuner first, then an AirAid, and now have a magnaflow SISO on the way. BUT since you are doing all 3 fairly close together.....I'd say get intake and exhaust first, THEN the tuner. The only reason I think to do this is so when you order the tuner and select all your options, you can have the tune made for your intake and exhaust additions. If you get the tuner first, and then get the other stuff, you will want to reprogram it later for these mods to get the most out of em. I do think the tuner will give more power than intake an exhaust, but doing it the other way just saves you a step in the long run.....

 

eventually i will have all three, but not till early november . thanks for your input and anymore input is greatly appreciated

 

[QUOTE=#LT]- i do plan on calling troyer first before i make any purchases

Good plan!

 

Saturday I had a Mack cold air intake and a Magnaflow SIDO exhaust installed on my 04 Lariat 4x4. My truck now sounds great. Has the sound you want at take-off, but no (notta-zero) drone at any crusing speeds. Can not even hear the Mack intake (with the windows down) at any speeds. MPG has increased approx. 2-3MPG. Total satisfaction.

 

What size muffler is your magnaflow?

Thanks
Travis

 

Get the Xcalibrator first, it’s the “biggest bang for the buck” mod there is!