I was wondering if there are any good performance mods for the 4.9L I6 (cylinder heads)? I ask this because they don't seem to have a very strong aftermarket like the 302 and 351. Also I am going to be looking for a good 1993-1995 F-150 and I would like to know if the 4.9L is worth getting? I have a friend with a 1986 chevy with a 350 and I would like to keep up, but I don't want to gas up every 3 days. What would you guy suggest, should I stick away from the 4.9 and go for the 5.0 or 5.8.

Thanks

 

If you want to keep up w/ a 350 better go with a v-8. The 4.9 might keep with it just off the line but he'll just walk away from you after that. The 4.9 has a lot of torque but no hwy power, the 5.0 has torque + HP and the 351 has tons more torque and HP. The 351 will make a 350 stare into your tail lights. Maybe Im just biased though.

The 4.9L is a good engine, will last you forever. Just not a v-8. Somebody will be along for some mod hints on a 4.9L.

See fordsix.com forums for for more 4.9L mods etc. Just dont ask them about a v-8

 

The 4.9L isn't much of a speed engine but is one hell of a torque engine. There isn't as much of performance mods for it as like the V8's but with a little work you could hang with them purdy well. There's the usualy performance mods like Intake, Exhaust, and chip but they aren't going to keep you up with the V8's. If you want more speed then you would have to go internal like swapping cam shaft, shaving heads...ect Clifford Performance has some good stuff for the 4.9L.

Currently I'm getting about 14mpg with my 4.9L and I get up to 16mpg on the highway but my only performance mod is the intake.

There's a few guy's pushing 300 horses out of the 4.9L on other site's.

 

Also in the last Ford Racing Catalog there's a few thing's for the 4.9L that I'm drooling over.

 

Don't drool too much. That Alan Johnson crossflow aluminum cylinder head is a drag race only part (no water jackets) and costs something like $8000 a pop, plus you need a ton of other mods to support it.

Enjoy the 300 for what it is, a workhorse. You can modify it, but you'll have to home brew a lot of the bits and pieces. If you're just looking for bolt-on performance stuff you'll have to go with a V-8

 

Ya but still worth drooling over LOL.

 

Probably the best bang-for-the-buck mod for the EFI 4.9's is a Super Chip. A claimed gain of 15hp and 30 ft/lbs of torque. Now, think about it......30 ft/lbs, thats quite a bit! That puts the torque of that motor at just a fart skid under 300 ft/lbs. Next would be a good exhaust system, and an intake system (I can't vouch for any brand or performance gains in particular, since I dont use one, but they're quite a popular mod) from K&N, Air Raid, etc. Besides that, there aren't many "bolt on" mods. A header is just about worthless (especially for the price), the stock split manafold works fine.

The 300 wont keep up with a 350. But then again, neither will a 302. In fact, I'd say the 302 really isn't any better than the 300, maybe worse as far as truck motors go. IMO the 302 is just as anemic at highway speeds as the 300, with less low end torque.

Off on a tangent here.....

I know that personaly experiences are a dime a dozen, but I'll share mine anyway. My brother had an F150, same year as mine. It had a 302 with the AOD tranny. Stock, except for a nice Magna Flow exhaust. Less miles than my truck, too. We went on a trip about a year ago, each driving our own rigs. I had two dirtbikes, gas cans, tools, and some other camping gear in my truck. He was empty. Imagine the surprise on his face when we were dead even, side by side on the first long, steep uphill. Even on flat ground, crusing at around 75mph, if we both dropped the hammer, we were even again.

I can't vouch for the later 302's though.....I think they were rated at around 190hp. Probably a different story with those.

Ok enough already!

 

One more thing....

I get a little over 13mpg in town, anywhere between 16 and 18mph highway, all depending on how fast I wanna cruise. Thats with 3.55 gears, and stock size tires.

 

Kevin,
Do you actually have a super chip or have you even driven a 300 with one "before and after?" Nobody seems to have actually tried one on a 300.

They seem to work very well on some engines, notably the 4.6, and much less so on others. Personally, I'm not a believer. I had one briefly on a 95 Ranger 4.0. The change in my ET was exactly zero as was the change in my trap speed. All it really did was increase the cost of gasoline.

I'm interested in finding someone who has actually put one in a 300 and has either dyno sheets or timeslips to show what it did for him. Until then, I'm going to say spend your money elsewhere.

 

I don't think the 300 is really known for good fuel mileage, mine doens't get real good mileage (around 13, and I think a 350 might do about as good), but so far it is very reliable and from what I here it's one of the best motors Ford has ever put in their trucks.

 

Actually the 302 is the economy engine in trucks. It's usually worth a couple of MPG better than the 300 in similarly equipped trucks UNTIL you load them down, then the 302 starts using progressively more fuel.

The 351 has a drinking problem but it makes so much power that no one really cares.

Trucks aren't supposed top be economy vehicles. The 300 and the 351 are from the era when trucks were sold as work vehicles not cars with big open trunks like today's trucks.

 

When I bought my F150SC 4X2 in 93 the salesman tried to talk me out of the 5.8 and into the 302.
He then tried to order the 3.31 rear and I caught him in time to get the 3.55
It was the biggest engine for the F150
Today's V6 has as much HP but less torque
Times sure change

 

Well, I guess that makes me a "nobody".

Geez guys, have I been off the boards that much lately???

Kevin sums things up very well, and I agree. My JET chip made me a believer in a company I previously held in the same regard as Kmart half-off items, as far as quality is concerned. It ROCKS. It does so much more than simply advancing the timing at WOT, like several less informed people have told me. LOL.

The FIPK was an awesome addition as well. It gave me tons more top end. Locally, the Conejo Grade is the tough hill to climb. With the stock airbox, and no extra weight, I was in 3rd gear by the time I reached the summit. With the K&N, I can have two engines in the bed, and still take the whole grade in 5th, speeding.

I tried an aftermarket ignition box, and if anything, it slowed it down, but I still replaced the coil for preventative maintenance. I have also found that Champion Truck Plugs perform in my engine noticably better than any others, especially after trimming the ground electrode back so the center electrode is completely exposed. Taylor wires look good, but there was no difference in power.

I found that relocating the IAT sensor to the intake tubes just after the K&N helped too.

With 3.55 gears, I'll beat your V8 truck across the intersection, as well as 40 miles down the freeway. Don't count them out, gentlmen, you'll feel silly the next time one passes you.

A 350 Chevy will out accelerate me, but it won't outlast me.

Take care,
~Chris

 

Unfortunately, the positive feedback I've read since I've been lurking these boards for over a year is all my opinion of superchips is based off of. I do not have one. The only person I know who bought a chip was my uncle, who put it on his 4.6L v8. Worked great for him.

Interesting though, your experience with the chip for your Ranger.

 

Peckerwood,
I don't have any experience with Jet so I can't comment one way or the other. Kevin specifically recommended a Super Chip. I have experience with them and it was not positive, that's why I wanted to know if he'd run one.

BTW do you have before aand after timeslips? I don't trust anybody's seat of the pants meter, not even my own.