I've had good responses from all my posts on here so far, and with that said, I want to add a little more horsepower to the truck, and have plans for a flowmaster and maybe a throttle body spacer. Is it worth installing an aftermarket intake system? Is there anything else that you guys would recommend that's not some stupid gimmick? I'm definitely not going to install a supercharger or anything crazy - just something cost-effective, and that actually works. My truck has 131,xxx miles on it, so it's time to get some power back.

 

please start by doing some research, you are currenty thinking supercharger is a waste of time but a throttle body spacer isn't








then you need to put down the keys and back away from the truck













very very slowly as you don't want to startle it

 

Full exhaust with long tube headers and straight-through mufflers (not Flowmaster)
Gotts intake
Custon dyno tunes
UD Pullies
E-Fans
Aftermarket intake manifold for Mustangs?
Cams
Gears

 

Boost.

 

I didn't mean that the supercharger was stupid - I meant that I'm not gonna spend that much money on a truck with the amount of miles that I have on mine.

 

Long tube headers
Headwork(porting, cams, etc)
Supercharger
4:10 gears

There is not a whole lot you can do to make any decent hp/tq gains unless you want to spend money. If there were cheap options for making nice hp then everyone would be doing it. Throttle body spacers, "intake turbines", electric turbos, cold air intakes, and aftermarket MAF's are all gimmics. Only way to make more power is to force more air into and exhaust it out faster. Mods like electric fans and under-drive pulleys are OK, but they are more effeciency mods than hp/tq gainers. Modifying vehicles is an extremely expensive habit.

 

Just out of curiousity, have you done anything to it thus far?

I haven't done this yet, but I know something as simple as changing your spark plugs can help keep your engine running strong. That's a rather quick cheap change. Also make sure your air filter is clean/replaced if it needs it. I remember I bought a high mileage dakota a few years ago and when I checked the air filter, it looked like it hadn't been changed since it rolled off the line.

It's great to buy new stuff (I.e. dual flowmasters), but just making sure what you have is in tip top shape can go a long way!

Good luck!

 

Just out of curiousity, have you done anything to it thus far?

I haven't done this yet, but I know something as simple as changing your spark plugs can help keep your engine running strong. That's a rather quick cheap change. Also make sure your air filter is clean/replaced if it needs it. I remember I bought a high mileage dakota a few years ago and when I checked the air filter, it looked like it hadn't been changed since it rolled off the line.

It's great to buy new stuff (I.e. dual flowmasters), but just making sure what you have is in tip top shape can go a long way!

Good luck!

 

Sorry about the double post. Internet issues.

 

but you're willing to spend twice as much for half the performance??

 

My spark plugs are fine, and in fact are almost new. I haven't done anything to the truck yet - it's completely stock. The truck is definitely in excellent mechanical condition, but I'm not sure if I can afford a supercharger, AND I'm not sure if putting one on a high mileage truck is a good idea. By no means am I a mechanic, which is why I'm asking knowledgeable people who have had success installing other things that may cost less. If a supercharger is the only "real" way to get horsepower, then I'm probably gonna have to live with what I've got.

Thanks for the replies.

 

Forced induction is not the ONLY way to make good power, but it is one of the easiest and arguably cheapest. An exhaust would definitely help, but I am talking headers, cats, and mufflers. If it means anything, I just put my truck back up on the dyno last week with 192k on it, and it has a procharger. My truck did fine, and I put the blower on it when it has a little over 160k I think. Then again, I have had this truck since it was nearly brand new and I knew exactly what I was getting into. If you dont think you will be able to put another engine or trans into it after pushing the engine then I would not recommend trying to put a supercharger on it. Some times, you can baby an engine forever and think its going to last but because the engine isnt used to it then it goes. Other times, you can drive it like you stole it forever and it just keeps on kicking.

 

Looking back if I had to do it all over again (mods), I would have saved up all the money I spent on little stuff like e-fans, LT's, intake stuff, etc...and just gotten her blown b4 I got so high in mileage...Something to think about.

 

Tarajerame is a useless poster and should just stick to tech writing and leave sarchasm under the truck.