I am posting for a buddy of mine who has a 2006 F150 with 5.4. He is going to be getting these Pacesetter Long Tube headers for his truck, now heres the catch, we have been chatting about what type exhaust setup to do on his truck, and he is very adamant about going with a true dual off the headers. But for some reason I get nervous for him on his truck because i don't think it is necessary, I think if he got these headers, and install that big ole Y-Pipe on there, and did a single 3 inch muffler, and a dual 2 1/2 inch out he be all set, he would gain more torque, and get almost just as much top end horsepower if he had went with a true dual. The thing is too is he currently already as a single in dual outlet muffler, so he would be able to keep his set up from the outlet of the muffler to the tailpipe, and just get a piece of 3 inch off the y pipe and into a new muffler that was 3 inch inlet. What do you guys think, should he go single in, dual out? or true dual, and i would suggest nothing more than 2 1/2 inch off the headers if he went true dual as well.

 

I wouldn't waste my money with Headers on the 5.4 or 4.6 motor in the truck. It's a waste of time and money unless the motor is Supercharged.

 

how come? Wouldn't u want to do anything you could to a motor that lacks superior power? His truck is quite powerful and i think with a set of these headers and a properly tuned exhaust this truck is will one to be reckoned with.

 

it's not a matter of power. it's a matter of head design. The modular motor 4.6 and 5.4 (2v and 3v) have horrible flow characteristics.

The 4.6 and 5.4 4v motors are a decent design.


Bolt ons don't work on the mod motor like they do on the traditional push-rod motor. For instance, you can spend upwards of $3,000 to gain 20 hp (Stage 3 Heads and cams).

That's why I say the headers are a waste of money. You need a reason for using headers to actually make power with them. A Supercharger is pretty much the only reason to use longtubes. Otherwise it's a PITA install that usually requires removing the motor to just gain some louder exhaust noises


a better way to gain some power would be custom tuning...or Edge Evolution. I personally would install 4.56 gears first. Gears alone will make that truck a real street demon.

 

Oh, well that makes sense then. He has wanted to do headers since I had on my 460, and saw incredible gains along with the bigger cam, but I think it prob is a waste of money to then, because i get nervous seeing someone trying to take off manifolds on a new truck because it could void resale values and bad things do happen when you try and squeeze stuff in, I know my head chipping when install mine, but i attribute that to old a 10 year old motor, any how, thank you. What does a modular motor mean?

 

mod motor is the new rage with Ford.

the 4.6 and 5.4 have a cam in each head now. I know the 5.4 has variable cam timing...and I think the 4.6 3v does also. Not sure about the 4.6 2v though.

here is the wiki on them. Mod Motor is a nickname

Ford Modular engine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

Well if he hasn't done this already I would go for a programmer/tuner or a chip that with intake and exhaust should make a difference

 

Yeah hes got both, and I think thats why headers would help match his intake side of things. I don't agree with tylus, no offense, I think people underestimate headers. Anytime you can take off restrictive stock manifolds and put something on there that is designed to pull exhaust gasses out of the engine is going to help, especially if you got something pushing more air in

 

go for it. If I'm wrong I'll admit it. But I think you and your friend will regret the install.

make sure to post up the pain of install though. one of my future mods will require longtubes

 

Yeah that sounds right tell him to give it a shot if thats what you think and if he agrees