I have a few questions about bolt on power.

Currently I have a 97 supercab 4x4 Lariat with a 5.4L.

I have put on a K&N filter, and widened the hole in the fender to 3" rather than the stock size.

I hear about electric fans, but I do not se how spinning a fan can take power away.

I hear about pulleys, and I wonder if I can get a smaller one for my A/C as well, or if I have to keep the one on it for the clutch and all to work. Also, will smaller pulleys on the water pump get me less cooling than what I have now? I do not want to risk overheating.

I have an email in to Troyer regarding what chip to buy, maybe a custom chip, we will see, but now I am leaning to the simple one program as it seems to be able to give me a boost, and I never tow or race, I jsut drive to work and back.

I am at a total loss for exhaust as there is so much bickering here about what will happen if the pipe is too large. I was leaning to true dual 3", but now I am leaning to a cat back 3" and 40 series flowmaster, as I do not want to loose torque.

Any advice for me? Or for that matter, any answers?

 

An engine is basically an air pump. The stock air intake and exhaust is too restrictive and needs to be opened up to increase performance. You have accomplished the intake side of it and need to “match” the exhaust side to get the most out of your air filter modification (you can also remove the silencer tube and do the “poor-man’s” intake housing mod to help it a little more). The “cat-back” systems that have been engineered by Gibson, Flowmaster, and others have been engineered to give max performance without a loss in low-end torque. The true duel systems that were so popular in pre-modular engines helped max HP but hurt the low end. These engines also could not develop the low-end power that the 4.6 and 5.4 are known for.

The electric fans increase HP by eliminating about 18 lbs of spinning weight on the water pump pulley – all of the accessories that the belt is turning have a HP drag on the engine. An old drag racing trick was to remove the belts and put a short belt to run only the water pump. The pulleys do basically the same thing by changing the ratio the accessories spin to decrease the HP drag on them – the alternator can be slowed down and still put out its max charging at normal cruising speeds, your AC has a very efficient clutch and has very little drag when it is not engaged. Power pulleys are more likely to give you charging problems instead of cooling problems because of the way they are engineered – If you have added a high-power radio system or any other high power draw accessory the pulleys may not be for your application.

Troyer is the expert on SuperChip/Tuners. A chip is the best bang for the $$ that you can add to you system. Be aware that the single program chips usually require 90 octane or better fuel. The chip will also help to maximize your other performance modifications to get the most out of them. You can also pick up used chip and tuners off of the classified and get them re-programed for you computer code at a great savings over the new price.

Also realize that your 97 SC 5.4 4X4 Lariat is the heaviest F150 produced for that year model - If you have oversized tires this will also have a negative effect. With all of the mentioned modifications you may see only a 1-3 MPG increase if you keep your foot out of it. My daily driver is a 99 SC 5.4 Lariat that was getting 13.5 mpg and after adding the K&N filter w/ airbox mods, Flowmaster Cat-back, E-fans, and SuperChip I picked up about 2 mpg. If I put my foot in it I drop back to 13.

Do your reasearch and don't be afraid to ask questions.

Good Luck.