I just got a Ford F-150 4.2 V6 Standard and am interested in towing a boat but mostly use it to go to work and back (65-85 mph). Would it be worth it to put a computer or tuner on it to get better mpg??? Or should I just put an intake or different air filter in it and leave it like that?

Thanks,
Mike

 

Hi Ban37,

It's a matter of who does the tuning - we've specialized in F-150 tuning far longer than anyone else in the aftermarket, and are well known for getting the best overall results, which is why most people here come to us for their F-150 tuning & so many come to us for all their F-150 performance needs.

For example, if you want, we can make a tune that is focused strictly on MPG for best possible MPG improvements - see, we provide a set of 3 different custom tunes, set up however each individual vehicle owner prefers, so they can have maximum flexibility. So out of those 3 mods, your best bang for the buck for better performance, as well as having the most potential for mpg gain, is our custom tuning.

While I'm a big fan of doing intake & exhaust mods, the 2006 F-150's exhaust breathes fairly well for a 4.2 V6 - and doing an the intake kit, while gaining some power, is generally not going to get significant mpg gains - usually the combination of an intake kit & a cat-back exhaust gets you maybe 1.0 mpg overall at best, in our testing.

This is of course up to you, but what I would suggest is to take advantage of our current Group Buy that is now running on our custom tuning in the XCalibrator 2, the most advanced hand-held tuner available - here is a link that will take you to that info: https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=227214

See, what it gets down to in this regard is what adds the most power - the more power you add, and specifically, the more part-throttle torque you add, the more potential yo have for mpg gains as the engine doesn't have to work as hard to make the power required just to do your normal cruising. In terms of the single best bang for the buck performance enhancement, hands down that is always the tuning, as nothing else will gain as much performance for the same or less cost.

Now another route you could potentially take would be to go with our electric fan kit - converting to electric fans gets you about 10-15 more HP to the rear wheels, and because you are reducing parasitic losses, it has good potential for mpg gains as well - thought in terms of getting the best bang for the buck and highest potential for mpg gains on a stock truck, I would still recommend our custom tuning.

If you would like to go over any of this in further detail, please feel free to give us a call at our number listed below & we'll be happy to cover this with you, with no sales pressure, so you can make your decision from a fully informed position.

Thanks for your post, & congratulations on your new F-150!