Your engine reaches it's maximum torque right around 2000 rpms, increased rpms won't do much for you. There are, however, mods that can make it quicker. What worked for me was a K&N FIPK, a Jet chip, and an Edelbrock RPM cat-back. I've made other changes, but those three made the biggest improvement.

 

300 I6 4.9l best engine ever made I have owned two myself

 

ok so apparently jet chip makes a "performance module" for the '93 I6, any ideas what that would be/do?

 

Honestly, you will never go fast with a I6. Everyone here is giving good honest advice but I am going to go againced the grain here, and If I get crap for it, oh well.

I OWN an 1987 F-150 I6. I have tried alot of the above and All of these things will give you more pep but that is about it. The I6 is a high torque, low horse power, low RPM motor, designed for towing and hauling.

Figure out the true cost of all of the parts that everyone here suggested and write them down. Add that price to what that truck is going to cost you to buy. And ask your self is it worth it? Seriously. Here's why....

There are many thousands of thoes trucks that came with 302's (5.0) and 351's (5.8). The I6 can not compete when it comes to speed or sheer horse power.

Now take the figure that you came up with above and get a Truck Trader. See what is available in your area. I am sure you will find the same truck with the 5.0 or 5.8 in it. I can almost guarantee it will cost less money than the I6 with all of thoes mods and will still be faster. With the money you save you can mod the v8 and be even faster.

 

The camshaft timing is the reason it signs off early.
Even the 5L is short cammed.
This engine is not meant to run like a V8.
Cammed for higher rpm and the low end is lost for truck use.
You can't get around this with any other mods.

 

ok then, one final question, will i see any power loss by removing the cat(s)?
btw, the truck is free for me (minus the title transfer) and it only has 45K on a rebuilt motor.

 

No power loss as long as the OX senor is hooked up, in the pipe and working.
Unhooking it causes the fuel to go rich and affects how the engine runs besides a CEL lamp you would have.
You should only have one OX sensor
If you have inspection requirements , that may be a consideration.

 

I own a 95, and have owned a number of other Ford straight sixes. I have just one thing to say-- leave it alone.

I hate to be a downer, but you need to keep in mind this engine was designed a good 40-50 years ago and has changed precious little since. It was designed to go in everything from industrial pumps to tractors and be reliable as the day is long. As such, this is a tough rugged workhorse of a motor, but it was never designed to go fast, rev high or be quick. There's plenty of things you could do to it to try to thwart the designers' efforts, but most all of them are quite pricey and involve a lot of time and effort. The majority of them also cut into the legendary reliability you will otherwise enjoy.

If you enjoy working on engines and redoing things, that's great! Have fun! There are plenty of things you could do to it and some of them might even improve performance. This engine has a lot of potential for someone who has unlimited time and money. But if you aren't a total gearhead and don't enjoy working on engines, and if you don't have the budget and the space to do things properly, I'd say leave it. If it ain't broke don't fix it.

Just enjoy it for what it is-- a reliable, easy to work on (in the rare occasion it ever needs it) motor that will get you there and back every time.

That is, of course if you don't explode it first. I don't usually go over about 3000 rpm and never, ever take mine above 4000. Ever. There's no need to. This is not a 4cylinder you have to rev to get the power, its power is low end.

A friend of mine and I were having this same conversation-- to illustrate my point I got up to speed in 5th gear, hit the brakes until it almost stalled, (about 12 mph) let my foot off the brake, and guess what it did? It accelerated. Almost stalling, at 12 mph in OD, it pulled out of it and accelerated. And I have the tall highway gearing. Try that with any other motor, you won't get the same results.

Moral of the story: keep it stock and the RPM's low, it will last you forever and do anything you ask of it.

Oh, and don't do my little test if you want your transmission to last forever.

 

does the "tall highway gearing" just include a diffeeent rear end?

and ur test reminds me of a friend of mine's dad who works on big rigs, he owns one that he's tuend himself that, with a full sized empty trailer, he can put it in first and dump the clutch, and the thing just starts accelerating (all 18 wheels). without so much as touching the gas pedal.

 

I looked it up, and I was actually wrong-- I thought I had 2.73 (which is the highest Ford ever put behind this engine) but I actually have 3.08.

Still high but not as high as I thought.


I tested it on the way home from work....

you can check yours herehttp://www.fordsix.com/tech/misc/truck_trani.php