This is a great site, I'm glad I found it.
My question concerns my new 2003 4.6 liter Supercrew that I recently purchased.

Although happy with it, I really feel it lacks performance such as passing power, and take off from a stand still.

The following experience really got me thinking that I desparately need to add some performance add ons.

My wife and I were driving on our way home from my mothers house; I was drving my mothers 1994 1.9 liter Ford Escort wagon, as I was taking it to my house to change the oil, and my wife was driving our Supercrew.
We came to our first stop light, my wife and I were taunting each other through our windows, initiating a race as we sometimes do, when drving different vehicles.
Well, to make a long story short, the light turned green, and I, in my moms Escort wagon, took my wife off the line by a car length and stayed ahead of her for about half a block, then finally my wife passed me up in our truck.
On the next stop light, I yelled out to my wife " did you have the pedal all the way down from the take off ?", and she assured me she did. Well, we took off from the second light, and yet again I took her off the line, and again it took her over half a block for her to pass me up.
WHAT GIVES ?? how could I have beaten my own new truck off the line with what has to be one of the most family oriented vehicles such as my moms 1.9 liter Escort ?
My immediate plans were to add the following perfomance add ons:

1) Volant cold air intake
2) BBK 70mm throttle body
3) Granatelli mass air flow sensor
4) JBA headers
5) Gibson cat back exhaust
6)Superchips computer reprogrammer

What type of performance improvements might I expect from these modifications ? Would these add ons give my truck more passing, and off the line power ? well, I hope at least enough to keep me from getting spanked off the line from another Escort wagon, or similar cars that come around !

Thanks,
Leo N.

 

Though I don't have a 4.6, I do have a little experience with getting a few extra ponies out of a SuperCrew. I wouldn't presume to tell you how to spend your money but I think that I would suggest that you hold off on the MAF until you are ready to upgrade the injectors and fuel pump, of course the chip will need a custom burn to go with a larger MAF. Though this mod offers a few H.P. they are fairly expensive to come by. In fact I would probably tell you to hold off on the headers and suggest you look into electric fans and an underdrive pulley set first. Don't get me wrong, I love my JBA headers (I have the JBA EVOL exhaust also) but believe that the fans and pulley set will provide larger gains and better fuel economy than the headers for about the same money spent. If money isn't an object then by all means go for it. I have all of the mods that you are looking into and am quite pleased with both the H.P. and the mileage. If I were suggesting an order to the mods it would be.

SuperChip or Tuner (I'm not sure but there may not be a tuner available for the 2003), Exhaust and Intake as my first set of mods. I think it makes sense to do all of these at once if funds allow. This group of changes will probably yield the largest gains.

Next would be a set of electric fans and underdrive pulley set.

Headers would be my next move followed by the MAF and other fuel related mods. As I indicated earlier this will require a reburn on your chip and I don't believe that a tuner will support the MAF mod.

The throttle body can be done anytime along the way but the way to get the most out of this mod is to port the elbow at the same time. This shouldn't require any custom chip changes.

There are alot of really good tuners on the board. I've gotten what a I consider to be great information from Mike Troyer. He might be one of the best calls you can make.

Anyway.... that's all I have to say bout' that.

 

Gearhead, thanks allot for the info, but I had a few questions.
How would the truck benefit from having electric fans ?? Would underdrive pulleys really make that much of a difference ??
Wouldn't the underdrive pulleys make the A/C compressor, and alternator turn slower thus affecting their performance ??

Money is an issue, so I would carefully have to watch where I spend it.

I guess I could go with the intake, exhaust, pulleys, and fans to start, and see what that gets me.

Thanks again,
Leo N.

 

Installing electric fans and replacing the mechanical fan will eliminate aprox. 11 lbs. of rotating mass which allows the engine to "rev" more freely. It requires less H.P. to turn run the engine this will help with fuel economy. Depending on your choice of fans they also have the ability to provide additional cooling capacity. Most dual fan set-ups have one fan that is activated with the A/C. It's hard to describe but the fans really make a huge difference. The underdrive pulleys do change the feel of the power steering slightly, it's a little stiffer. I actually prefer this feeling. I have noticed "0" problems with my electircal/charging system and my cooling system is as frosty as it was before. I have also read the same result from most people that have installed pulleys. The case where this might be a problem would probably be a monster sound system. This can also be compensated for with a higher output alternator and higher amp battery though I seriously doubt you would need it. The combination of underdrive pulleys and electric fans are good for at least 20 H.P. I have read estimates that are higher but I would think this would be a safe estimation. I would still consider the Chip to be one of your first and most benificial mods. It's probably good for 20 H.P. by itself, combined with a quality exhaust and intake it wouldn't suprise me to see you pick up 40 H.P.

 

Gearhead, I don't know if mentioning brand names and sources is allowed on this forum, but if it's allowed, could you please give me particular manufacturers and where to buy direct bolt on fans and underdrive pulleys for my 4.6 ??

In your opinion, which chip do you recommend for my Supercrew , Superchips or Hypertech ??

Sorry for all the questions, I don't know much about these newer computer controlled vehicles, although I do know quite a bit about older vintage musclecars......drag racing is in my blood.

Thanks again, you've been a great help,
Leo N.

 

I'm not a vendor and can only give you opinions on the things that I have tried. I haven't had a chance to give a heads up comparision between SuperChip and Hypertech. I can tell you that I've been very pleased with my SuperChip, I have two of them with different programs on them. I'm sure there are many who would make a case for Hypertech the same way I would SuperChip. I picked up a few of my first mods through various sources. I stumbled across Troyer Performance and liked what I found. I have purchased most of my mods from them since that time. I picked up their dual Derale Electric Fan kit and their ASP pullies. I bought my JBA's and Ford 90 mm MAF, Ford injectors, fuel pump etc also. I've really liked my AirForce One FIPK (intake) as well. It's tough to beat this intake for performance or looks. People don't talk about JBA's Catback system much but I have one and think it is a quality piece. I'm sure you couldn't go wrong with MagnaFlow exhaust either. I think the best advice I can give you is to contact a couple of the vendors find out who is shooting straight with you, if you feel like you can trust them, buy from them and stick with them. I ran into a problem when I had my computer re-flashed. My SuperChip needed a reburn. Mike hadn't sold this chip to me but bent over backwards for me with this problem. Situations like this make a difference I'm sticking with him.

 

Go with a Diablo Chip. You wont be disapointed

 

I have not had experience with all the components GearHead mentioned, but I agree with his advice. I have had the single program SuperChip (on previous truck) LOVED IT and now have the SuperChips microtuner LOVE IT TOO. If the tuner is available for the '03 yet (i think it is but am not sure) I would suggest it. It is very versatile and well worth the price IMO. The single program chip or flip chip is great too, just doesn't have all the user-defined options like the tuner. If you gonna do the MAF, I think you cannot use the tuner though.
I have not owned other brands of chips, so I cannot comment from experience, but I checked into Diablo and Hypertech thoroughly before purchasing. the SuperChip is in my opinion the better choice. You get power gains at all throttle positions, not just WOT. And Mike Troyer's knowledge, customer service and willingness to "help a guy out" is a bonus you cannot beat anywhere else. I have seen many times a person who bought a chip from ebay or somewhere secondhand recieve alot of advice and help from Mike T.
Underdrive pullys and elec fans are also great improvements for the $, just as gearHead stated, as well as a good intake and exhaust. The best thing to do is to read the exhaust forums to decide for yourself the best way for you to go with that part of your truck mods.

Happy modding!

 

Rebel Yell, Thanks for the advise, I guess I'm going with the Superchips micro tuner.

and gearhead, stupid me, after further reading through this site, now I know what you meant by installing elctric fans. When you said electric fans, I thought you meant in front of the a/c condensor, not as a replacement for the mechanical one, so I though to myself, "how would that help much?"

To take all the quess work out of it, maybe I should just but one of those performance packages from Troyer Performance....I loved their site.

Thanks again to all ,
Leo N.

 

When you call Mike tell him you like his site. It's brand new.

 

Hi Leo,

You're experiencing the same thing many other SuperCrew owners do, especially if they have the smaller 4.6 engine, as it has significantly less torque under 3000 rpm as compared to the 5.4 motor, and the SuperCew is one of the heavier F-150 configurations.

Some of your proposed mods are on the right basic track, so to speak, but I would recommend doing a few things differently. For example, I would go along the lines of one of our Stage kits, for a couple of reasons: First, we do a tremendous amount of testing to determine just which parts are actually making the most power, as well as issues such as basic raw materials quality, appearance, etc. So we know which intake kit provides the best power and performance gains, who's doing the best tuning, which exhaust system to use for best results, etc. We spent 23 months dyno street & track testing all the various "name brand" intake kits & cat-back exhaust systems alone, for example, as the exhaust is the single most often made mistake due to most cat-back systems causing a loss of torque below 3000 rpm. That is easily avoided with the right system. The end result of our testing is basically what dictates exactly which parts we carry and actually use on our own vehicles. We focus on 2 things: What is the absolute *best* regardless of price, and then what is the best bang for the buck solution, if different. We steer clear of all the cheap stuff and low-end products, as the quality is never there nor are the performance results. The other reason for going with one of our Stage kits is simply getting the lowest total delivered cost when you're doing more than 1 modification at a time, of course.

I don't know how much power you want to add, and we'll really need to spend some time over the phone to cover this in proper detail, but in general, I'd probably recommend starting off with one of our Stage 1 kits, as that gets you the Top 3 best bang-for-the-buck modifications, the Superchips tuning, the best intake kit on the market and the best exhaust system. The end result of that package is a larger total power gain than the sum of it's individual parts (which is why it comprises our Stage 1 kit).

In other words, the order of best bang-for-the-buck is generally to have the powertrain programming optimized, then reduce restriction in the air intake tract, and then reduce restriction in the exhaust system.

From there, it's generally on to things like reducing parasitic losses with our dual 16" electric fan kit and our underdrive pulleys. Those 2 mods combined get you almost 30 hp to the rear wheels *and* get you another 1.0-2.0 more mpg as well! Getting rid of the heavy factory mechanical fan frees up significant power and fuel mileage, too.

Now just which modifications or package you go with also depends on how the vehicle is being used, just what (if any) specific performance or power goals you have in mind, do you want to retain the ability to do towing, your location (as that affects fuel quality & possibly altitude), etc., etc. There are a number of things we should go over in detail with you, and this is why I say we really need to discuss this via phone to give you a proper consultation and our *specific * recommendation on what to do right now, as well as later on, and any other considerations that will raise their head, etc. in getting the performance of your vehicle where you want it.

I do agree with another poster in that I would *not* make an aftermarket MAF one of my earlier mods in these vehicles, simply because the actual bang-for-the-buck value is low compared to other modifications, and it require custom tuning as well. Now of course we can do the custom tuning, that's not a problem at all, but for a stock or close to stock vehicle, another 5-8 HP generally isn't worth a few hundred dollars for the MAF and then additional money for the custom tuning. This isn't any hard & fast "rule," we're just talking about the actual bang for the buck.

There are also some things I would change in terms of your actual brands selections, as some of them just don't do a very good job.

But again, we can talk about all of that in proper detail if you'd like to give us a call. Our phone number is listed below, & our hours of operation are Monday thru Friday from 10am to 7pm, Eastern time.

Hang in there & don't worry about the performance of your 2003 SuperCrew 4.6, as that can very easily be improved. We can literally make these vehicles run as strong, hard & fast as each vehicle owner desires, as we specialize in this platform and have for many years.

You've got a beautiful new truck, with lots of potential, and getting it's performance up is easily done with the correct selection of parts. Call us whenever you can & we'll be happy to spend time going over exactly how to best get it's performance right where you want it, in the most cost-effective manner.

 

Mike,

Like I said ......

 

Hi Gearhead_1,

Yes, indeed you did, & thanks as always!

 

Mike, I feel honored to have you reply to my post, you being the king of F-150's.

You can forget about those parts I mentioned, I'm going with one of your setups for sure. It's just that I never knew there was a company that specialized in F-150's.........I thought up those parts from reading truck magazines.

Let me tell you a little bit about myself. I'm a total speed maniac.
I've been street and drag racing since I was in high school.

This is our first time owning a truck as a family vehicle, our last vehicle was an 96 Aerostar, so no one really tried to race me in it.

Now with our Super Crew, it's totally different. There's allot of truck action going on here and we find ourselves side to side with many trucks, some who even want to race, and I hate loosing, but not a sore looser. I guess I was expecting more power from it in stock form.

I've had several fast project cars in the past, two Chevelles, One ran 13 second E.T's the other high 12's.
But my fastest project car that I've owned so far was a mid 11 second, LS-6 big block powered 79 Z-28 Camaro.
That sucker would run 11.50's at 123 mph. You would see me in it at the drive through at Mc Donalds, or Fridays in line at the bank, then smoking Stangs and Camaros on the weekend.

My current project that I'm working on is an 68 Camaro that I will be dropping in a 468 c.i big block with roller cam, aluminum heads, the works.

Well, enough of that already, now back to the Super Crews.
Will the Superchips readjust the shift points of the transmission ?

One thing that I think needs major improvements is the transmsion shift points.
I would like for the transmission to shift at 5,200 rpm rather than at 4,700 at wide open throttle.
When I smash the pedal from a stand still, the transmission feels a little flimsy, and sometimes lets the shift go too soon.....do you know why ??

I will give you a shout on Monday so we can talk over my options.

Thanks,
Leo N.

 

Hi Leo,

Nice to see another drag racer & genuine speed nut! I'm with you, gotta have at least an 11-second street machine. And in a 5000 lb. truck, it takes some serious HP to turn 11's.

Some of the best years of my life have been spent doing just that, rumbling thru McDonald's or wherever we cruised. U.S. American male 101, I think.

Yes, the Superchips tuning will optimize the WOT (wide-open throttle upshift points for quickest acceleration. Without opening up the intake & exhaust to let the motor breathe, there just isn't much available past about 4900-5000 rpm in these truck-cammed Modular motors. Once the motor can breathe, then you can take advantage of WOT upshift points anywhere from the 5200-5400 rpm range with the truck cams & stock unported heads.

So to answer your question, yes, taking care of the shift points & other aspects of the shift characteristics are also addressed by the Superchips tuning.

Thanks for your post Leo, & we look forward to talking with you!