Posted a simmilar question in the 97-up f150 page. Seemed to be told that CAI, chips, and ex systems don't really help the 4.6 much. So what does? Have an 01 f150 2wd auto. Truck has 50k new plugs 3.73 lsd runs and drives well but would like to wake it up some.
Was thinking CAI and headers to a single 3" flow through cat to glasspack.
How much is to be gained by a different intake manifold? Enough to be worth the swap? Seems unlikely. A chip? How much to be gained vs the initial cost? Whats out there? Whats been done? Whats worth the $$$?

 

A tune from somebody that actually knows what they're doing will make a world of difference. More gear will also wake it up. I drive an '01 F150 supercab auto with a 3.55 every day back and forth to work,and I worked on the tune for it over a few weeks to get it right. It's a night/day difference in how it runs and drives.
JL

 

I have the 4.6 alos on a supercrew 07 4x4, just changed the exhaust system with a flowmaster super 40 si/do. It gave a noticeable difference, not big but noticeable, now the motor breathes better at the back, but now needs to be balanced with a af1 3" CAI, then will increase again... afterwards a tuner is required to set all this up correctly and get the most out of your motor, these 3 mods will make the best bang for your buck... it all depends on your budget, and what you wanna achieve..how far do you wanna go?

 

Adding a cai and exhuast with an aftermarket chip will not do enough to make it worth your while. All the chips do is burn up engines. I have seen alot. the 4.6s are tuned to get the optimal fuel to power effeciency. if you want power get a v10 or a big block muscle car. the money you will spend on the 4.6 is way more than the gain in power. the gearing on the other hand
is a better way but you must know who is doing it, do the really know what they are doing.

 

Facts would be nice,and data to prove it is better. I know better,as do others that do this for a living.
JL

 

I do work on fords for a living acually. you may get an extra 20-30hp out of a chip but the engine will start to run hotter. the low friction rings used in the 4.6l are designed for very specific heat ranges the higher temps will burn up pistons and rings. yes putting on a 3 inch exhuast will open up the back end so she breaths better. you will get more power but the cost of completely rebuilding your exhuast and praying that you dont set the mil due to backpressure issues or running your cats to cold is a big issue. yes i see this alot. They sound cool but run like poo. Adding a CAI will make your intake system look really cool when you open the hood but again will not increase your hp by much due to the intakes are pretty much open already and without retuning your pcm your throttle body will not open any more than before so your still getting the same amount of air.

 

It's painfully obvious that you are clueless about how the PCM functions.
You do not get higher temps by using a "chip". Idiot tuners create higher combustion chamber temps by leaning the fuel mixture and advancing the timing to a point that it can cause damage over time,but not all tuners are this way. If you're lucky-you'll see 10-12 hp with a tuner that's programmed correctly,and driveability will be greatly improved. Better throttle response,crisper shifting and an improved shift schedule,etc.
Changing the exhaust will not help it breathe better-the manifolds and catalysts are the most restrictive part on the exhaust,and even those restrictive manifolds are more than sufficient for the choked intake manifold that the truck engines have on them.
You will not get a MIL from lack of backpressure-I see this garbage spewed all over the web,and it is false. The PCM doesn't care, nor does it have any way to measure backpressure in the exhaust system. You get a MIL from exhaust work when you damage the catalysts,or when the idiot muffler shop guy cuts off the old pipes with the torch and splatters debris all over the o2 sensors because he was too stupid to remove them before cutting.
I agree that the CAI are a waste,but retuning the PCM will yield you nothing in the manner of increased airflow-the mechanical components of the engine are not capable of increased airflow,and tuning will not do anything in that respect.
JL

 

Yep, this is the truth!!

 

I did not specify why the engine over heated, I just said that it did. And the idiot tuners are the most common chips people will buy, and once installed
will not be satisfied that they spent 3hundred or what ever they cost for an extra 15 hp. I dont know what they acually produce more cause i dont have one in my truck. But they push the limits of the engine to far like you said and stuff breaks, same with the "crisper shifts", they will cause premature wear to the trans.
Second. I did not say lack of back pressure. I said Back pressure, any one of the instances you mentioned will work clogged up cats, kinked exhaust pick one.
Retuning the pcm is possible but not cheap. Not from ford or any shop of course but still possible.
over all though I agree with you, maybe..

 

Crisper shifts eliminate slippage between the gears which reduces wear.
The crisper shifts from a programmer just ups the speed of the shift solenoids. It isn't a hard shift, just firm like they should be. I don't like my tranny taking 3 to 5 seconds to change gears.

Most of the programmers come with a safe tune. It is when you start manually changing timing and fuel trim without knowing what you are doing that causes problems. I was quite happy with the 93 octane tune in my 01 F150 5.4L. It had more power and got 2mpg better and the crisper shifts were much better when towing 7000lbs.
I no longer have the truck is why I said HAD. It still runs strong to this day.

 

instead of a whole cai system, throw in a high flow filter that just replaces the oem one.

if you dont mind paying, long tube headers do provide some decent torque gains