i have a 2001 f150 4.6 extcab 4x4 and what i want to know is if i get a programer will i have more or less power than a stock 5.4 will i be able to uot run one and what is the best programers and were should i get it is ebay ok or do i not want a used one

 

The period is your friend, my friend

As for the question(s) you have there... a 4.6 with a programmer will not be the same as a 5.4, in any way. Expect to spend $2,000~ on mods to get it to be where the 5.4 is at WOT. Although casual driving may not seem like a TON of difference between the two, on a full-blown race there is a more noticable difference.

You will likely need the best intake, tuner, regearing, and possibly exhaust to get it up with a 5.4

And of course, that's a STOCK 5.4...

As for what is best? There is about a 50/50 debate on the EDGE tuner (somewhat canned) vs the www.troyerperformance.com custom tuning files with the xcal2.

Look troyer up...he sells both and will be able to get you going in the right direction.

 

With the mods I have listed in my sig, you can see that I'm laying down just as much RWHP as a stock 05 5.4L. You can't go wrong with custom tuning by Troyer Performance. Pricing can't be discussed, but i will put it this way; in total, I have spent roughly 1300 for ALL the mods listed in my sig.

 

Has there been a in-depth study of the stresses imposed on engine/tranny after different stages of tuning ?
Specifically: EGT,compression,valve rebound;spectrographic oil analysis,
shear/strain of crank/torque convertor/driveline ?

 

IMO the XCal2 with custom tuning is the way to go. The tunes are custom built specifically for your trucks PCM code, driving style, local gas supply, etc, etc. Personally, custom tuning has been the best *bang for the buck* performance mod I’ve ever done. It’s hard to imagine driving around without it once you’ve had it; it would suck. My tunes of choice are an 87-octane performance, a 93-octane tow and a 93-octane performance