On my previous truck (95 F150 302) I added JBA shorties and noticed MAYBE 5hp at the top end. I noticed MORE of an increase simply from adding a K&N Panel filter to that near stock truck than the shorty headers which cost a small fortune. I then added a Gibson catback.. same thing, MAYBE 5 hp. Truck sounded good but didn't go much quicker.


If you're not going to do an intake/heads/cam or LT headers and true dual exhaust, the biggest gain from anything you could do is to A) Bump the timing and start using 93 octane gas, B) add underdrive pullies, C) up the gears. Everything else from my experience is not really worth it..


Jerry

 

Thanks for the info. Do you know a website where I can order the FMS headers from?

Jerry K, I will eventually do all those things, but as for now I am just trying to do all the inexpensive bolt ons I can. I am going to do the headers and a true dual setup, maybe at the same time, because the FMS headers are much cheaper.

Quick question, when I get my exhaust done, can a muffler shop open up a 2.25" pipe to fit a 2.5" muffler, or is that too much?

And I have a chip, so my timing is advanced and I have ot use premium. I was thinking about the underdrive pulleys, but was wondering if I would have charging problems at idle.

What do yall believe i would see more of an increase with:
- Shorty headers, front cat, and a flow 40
- Stock manifold, 2 Magnaflow Hiflow cats, Maganflow DI/DO (built in crossover pipe) is the piping from the stock maifold 2.25 or 2.5"?

 

The stainless FRPPs are a sweet piece. They had a set at the dealer the last time I was in.

Just my .02 on the truck headers.. just about anything will improve the output some, but at our power levels nothing will do a whole lot. I've seen posts with people using Summit truck headers and getting improvements and good life out of them. Naturally to some extent you get what you pay for, but I've yet to see any dyno data to back up the claims of the ceramic coated equal length headers.

They don't do it on a higher flowing engine, so I'm sure they don't do it on ours. Don't get me wrong... most have proven to given very slight power increases over "lesser" headers... but just not enough to justify a couple hundred extra dollars IMO.

 

Muffler shop can easily open up the exhaust from 2.25 to 2.50, no problem there.

Pulleys: I bought a set of used underdrive pulleys and they added an OVERdrive alternator pulley that I bought from RPM Outloet for like $24. Been on for over 1.5 years w/ no issues and it was a NICE seat of the pants improvement, especially at low rpms..

http://www.rpmoutlet.com/frame.htm

On your two exhaust options (its 2.25 btw), I did #1 but kept both cats, not impressed when both cats where there and using a Gibson 3" catback.

Of the two I'd have to say #1 would probably net more... BUT, two problems:

1) You're gonna have a hard time finding an exhaust shop that will do it: legally they have to replace EVERY cat they remove. They can't remove 2 and install 1, its "illegal". At least in areas of the country where they do emissions tests etc..

2) The other problem is how are you going to go 2 into 1? Where is your Y pipe? The factory cat (the first one) is a dual inlet/single outlet.. very non-typical but it does merge the two banks. If you replace both cats w/ a single high flow, you need to fab up a Y pipe of some sort.. that is beyond most exhaust shops..

More to chew on.. that Long Tube setup is looking easier eh

Jerry

 

Did you see more of a power increase from your pulleys, or from you exhaust setup? Where is the overdrive pulley, I cant find it LOL

I am going to use 2 cats, 1 for each bank, and run them into a DI/DO muffler. I will get everything replaced from the stock manifolds back. Just like your setup, minus the long tubes, or maybe now that I am think of it, I will just get the dynomax long tubes, they are cheaper than the shorties, and offer more power.
So I guess this is what I will get:
- DynoMax Long Tube Ceramic Coated Headers WLK-86054
- http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=16945
- 2 SS Maganflow Hiflow Catalytic Converters 94306 94316 (Air)
- http://shop.ivalueinternet.com/bigex...uct_id/537.htm
- 1 SS Maganflow DI/DO Muffler 14468
- http://shop.ivalueinternet.com/bigex...duct_id/16.htm
- 2 3.50" Maganflow SS tips 35105
- http://shop.ivalueinternet.com/bigex...uct_id/515.htm

Well I guess I will go with 2.50" because the header collectors are that size. Or can they be reduced? Is it worth while to go with 2.25 instead? Thansk for all the help guess, I know I am asking alot of questions, but I want to do the exhaust right this time.

Oh and will I have to do anything about the spark plugs, or will the Densos fit. I have heard some people say that they need a shorter or longer plug, I cant remeber, but I think that was for the headman headers. I just spent $80 on the Densos, and I am not oging to change them.

I will order these next Monday
ASP520120 46% Reduction Crank Pulley, 15% Water Pump Full Charge 1100 RPM
ASP520004 1 7/8" Overdrive Alternator 32% Overdrive
Will the stock sized belt fit this? Thanks for the help.
Will overdriving the Alternator actually make it more than 95A, or will it just make thta 95A at a lower RPM?

 

Did you see more of a power increase from your pulleys, or from you exhaust setup? Where is the overdrive pulley, I cant find it LOL

--> Get the ASP520124, this is full charging at 700rpm, it has a 1 7/8" alternator pulley, that is the overdrive pulley. The underdrive pulleys are worth about 10-15hp.. a full exhaust system on a stock truck is worth about double that at 5x the price..

I am going to use 2 cats, 1 for each bank, and run them into a DI/DO muffler. I will get everything replaced from the stock manifolds back. Just like your setup, minus the long tubes, or maybe now that I am think of it, I will just get the dynomax long tubes, they are cheaper than the shorties, and offer more power.
So I guess this is what I will get:]


--> I'd recommend the aluminum reuseable gaskets, both at the engine and at the header collector, you'll pay about $40 more total but you'll never have to replace gaskets.. trust me its WORTH every penny. The gaskets are stocked by Summit and Jegs.

- DynoMax Long Tube Ceramic Coated Headers WLK-86054
- http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=16945

--> Those headers look sweet and have a good size collector, wish I had those The Hedmans as you saw in my pics rust and look terrible and the 3" collector is not ideal for the truck...


- 2 SS Maganflow Hiflow Catalytic Converters 94306 94316 (Air)
- http://<br /> <br /> --> Good, you...id/537.htm</a>
- 1 SS Maganflow DI/DO Muffler 14468
- http://shop.ivalueinternet.com/bigex...duct_id/16.htm

--> Nice, never thought of that setup.. keeps it simple and allows balance, I like it!

- 2 3.50" Maganflow SS tips 35105
- http://shop.ivalueinternet.com/bigex...uct_id/515.htm

--> That'll look good..

Well I guess I will go with 2.50" because the header collectors are that size. Or can they be reduced? Is it worth while to go with 2.25 instead? Thansk for all the help guess, I know I am asking alot of questions, but I want to do the exhaust right this time.


--> My Hedmans came w/ reducers for both size exhaust: 2.25 and 2.50". Go w/ 2.25" and keep the velocity up.. I tried 2.50 and if I did it again I'd probably try 2.25 so what the heck, its a small (low risk) experiment.. The exhaust shop can tweak the reducer up or down w/o much problem.

Oh and will I have to do anything about the spark plugs, or will the Densos fit. I have heard some people say that they need a shorter or longer plug, I cant remeber, but I think that was for the headman headers. I just spent $80 on the Densos, and I am not oging to change them.

--> Spark plugs should be no problem, since you paid $10/plug I'd recommend you remove them and put the old ones in there while doing the work (to block any dirt getting in).. I've been known to bust the porcelin part of a plug when working header bolts..



I will order these next Monday
ASP520120 46% Reduction Crank Pulley, 15% Water Pump Full Charge 1100 RPM
ASP520004 1 7/8" Overdrive Alternator 32% Overdrive
Will the stock sized belt fit this? Thanks for the help.
Will overdriving the Alternator actually make it more than 95A, or will it just make thta 95A at a lower RPM?

--> The ASP520124 already has the overdrive alternator pulley in it, price is $73. Full charge at 1100 is not good since your truck idles at 900 or less.. trust me, been there done that, watched my lights dim as the truck idled down.. Belt, I just went and looked: 960K6 (96" belt). I know I had to try a few to get it right so if your pulley sizes end up slightly different you may have to go up or down 1/2" or so (whatever is the next size up or down). The 1 7/8 pulley combined with the small crank pulley only gets the alternator BACK to the speed it spins at now w/ yoru stock pulley config. If you kept your stock pulleys and put the 1 7/8 alternator than yes concievable you are upping the output some.. Hope that answers it all and best of luck, its a fun project!

 

Thanks for the info. The pulleys set you recommended is for the mustangs. Will it work on the truck? The kits are also different:

ASP520124 79-93 5.0 25% Reduction Crank Pulley, 15% Water Pump, 1 7/8" Alt. 700 RPM $ 72.95

ASP520120 87-97 5.0, 5.8 46% Reduction Crank Pulley, 15% Water Pump 1100 RPM $ 62.95 + the Overdrive Alternator pulley
- why is the crank reduction so high on the trucks?

I talked it over with my dad, and he still says no long tubes, so I am going to run the same setup as we had mentioned, just it will bolt up to the stock manifolds, and ehrn I save up some more money, I will bolt on the Ford Racing SS shortys. Thanks for all the help. Now I just need to find a good muffler shop to do the install.

 

If you call them they can tell you the differences but I'll bet you they are identical. The reason I say that is the truck from the factory has a HUGE crank pulley (likely for extra cooling capacity/ac/etc). The Mustang on the other hand comes from the factory with a smaller crank pulley. Both kits have the same size crank pulley I believe and because the truck comes w/ such a big pulley stock that is why it lists such a large reduction w/ the pullies. Know that you will lose some AC cooling capability at idle since the compressor is spinning slower but I've never seen an issue w/ water temps. It works for me and I'm in Texas.

Jerry

 

Sorry I screwed up

 

Beatie,

Don't worry about the pulleys being a Mustang part number. I have the FRPP set and it's listed as a Mustang part set. I used the regular alternator pulley that came with the set and have no problems, but with an electrical load at idle my charge drops to the lower end of the "normal" range on the guage.

Using the smaller alternator pulley would be cheap insurance.

Overall pulleys are probably about the best bang for the buck you can get in terms of easy HP. Cost is cheap and they work. I even got a very slight (approx .5 mpg) mileage gain on my truck.

Personally I thought the gains were more in the mid to higher revs, but I have tried as much as possible to strengthen the low end on my truck. Differences in mods could be why Jerry felt gains more down low... or it could be that our Buttometers are just calibrated differently.