I have a '97 F150 XLT 2WD Supercab with 120XXX miles. I am considering installing a set of '99 or newer PI Heads on the otherwise stock engine. I understand this will give me a 10.5 to 1 CR or so.
Few questions:
1) What heads exactly should I look for? I prefer to buy some that have been refurbished rather than used from ebay, for example.
2) will the truck require premium fuel after this change?
3) I am not going to bother with a CAI but I will likely go with some new exhaust, headers and a dual cat-back system. Should I be looking for any other mods to receive any benefits from this change?

I am basing this potential mod of=n this article:
Ford 4.6 Engine - Junkyard Jewel Ford 4.6l 2v - Engine Build Up - Hot Rod Magazine

I plan on keeping the truck fuel injected, so which intake manifold am I going to need to fit the PI heads?

 

After re-reading the article in the link I posted I see that Edelbrock has an intake that retains the fuel injection. I believe I also want one of these units:
1997-2002 Ford F-150, Expedition 4.6L Supercharging Systems | Vortech Superchargers

 

1) I would try to find some 03-up revised heads with more than 4 plug threads in them. Sometime during the 03 year, they finally added more threads to keep the plugs from blowing out.

2) I'm going to say at least 89 octane. You might benefit from a custom tune from Diablosport after getting a Predator to get a good fuel/timing curve to work with the higher compression.

3) Magnaflow has the best muffler for sound and flow in my opinion.
A set of headers like these Summit Racing SUM-G9046 - Summit Racing® Truck Headers - Overview - SummitRacing.com and a pair of high flow converters will help as well.

I would use a factory truck intake from a 99-up truck with PI heads. The Edelbrock intake is going to move the rpm range up too high for a heavy truck. You need the long runners of the stock intake to help build usable low end torque to move the heavy beast.

 

OK, that makes sense. I would assume that I could go with the heads and intake from the same '03+ Truck rather than heads from a mustang? Compared to the stock heads on my '97, PI truck heads would still be a definite improvement and worth the cost of the modification? From their webpage Diablosport does not have an application for a '97 F150. Could I use an application that matched the year that the truck heads came from? I would think that the tuner would be specific to the year of the computer in the vehicle.

Also, are there any differences in application for the headers between a '97 and the PI heads? It's just the valves that changed, if I understand the Hot Rod magazine article correctly.

 

a lot of guy's on another forum i'm on have learned thanx to modular head shop they can actually run larger cans in the non pi heads than pi's { they both use different spec'd cams so beware swapping non pi's into pi's ! you'll have bent valvetrain peices to show for it ! } and after the non pi's are ported they flow within a very small percentage of the pi's . the edelbrock intake , and the pro products typhoon are both meant for high rpm use so you might want to rethink that . i hate the idea of a plastic intake , but have been convinced by the others on said forum to use a factory pi intake on my 95 4.6 bird with my non pi heads . on a street engine it's the cat's meow and very budget freindly .i have to run 93 octane in my bird and it's stock as a rock other than a module the previous owner added , as it will not run worth a d-m- on anything else . i got a whole list of improvements awaiting for it for it's designed future of beater / bracket racer when i get the 53 done , but till then just beating the hades outta it !!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Most aftermarket cams for non-pi heads are 500 lift. The PI's are 550 lift.

Superchips may have a tuner for the 97. It must match the PCM then you can play with the tunes for the mods that you have.
I would use the matching truck intake with the 03 heads. The car intakes have short runners and like the edelbrock units, will move the powerband up. Great for a Mustang/T-bird/Cougar, not so good for a 5500lb+ truck.
As far as I know, the exhaust ports are the same so you can use headers for the 97, but I haven't looked, if there are PI specific headers, then use those because the suspension/frame didn't change from 97-03. Not sure is the Y-pipe did or not.

 

SCT LiveWire Tuner (97-06 F150, 99-04 Lightning/Harley, 99-06 Super Duty) - Free Shipping!

I didn't see anything on the '97 F150 at the Superchips site. What about this item - SCT LiveWire Tuner?

 

LBF,with your year of truck,you'll need to replace the intake manifold when/ IF your going with the PI Heads.Summit sells the P I intake for $188.00,but when you use that intake you have to use the fuel rails off a 99-04 Mustang GT,It's the same intake that's on the 01 to 04 GTs according to what I've read,your intake from 98 and older,won't work on the PI Heads.Also you'll have a coolant hose that runs under the intake,the parts you need for that is also 99 GT stuff.The next problem you'll have is,you'll need the plenum and throttle body from a newer GT.Then the next thing is, on a GT the throttle body points to the right.I'm not sure about your 97,but my 01,the original location for the air filter off to the left side,(drivers side)with the throttle body facing forward..I'm going through all of this stuff right now myself,I had burnt a valve on CYL.# 3 so I thought I'd put the PI heads on it.Another thing you may consider is that the Exhaust manifolds on your truck are probably in bad shape like mine with about the same mileage and they'll need to be replaced.I ended up putting headers on my truck.I'm still waiting for parts so mine isn't running yet,I thought I'd let you know that the swap isn't as srtaight forward as you think it is.all I can say is good luck if you are going to make the swap.plan on replacing things like the emission tube that comes off the exhaust manifold,you'll have to lengthen the fuel line coming from under the truck to the GT fuel rail.Let me know how you come out,Maybe you'll have answers to some of my questions once it's ready to burn fuel.It's turned out to be a bigger project that I was expecting I know that.

 

I will prolly use a stock truck intake along with the PI heads. I do plan on headers, dual cats, and hopefully a true dual exhaust system with a crossover. This is a my daily driver so I have to get everything together before I turn a wrench.

 

INTAKE MANIFOLD 4.6 FORD EXPD. F150 VAN 2003-06:eBay Motors (item 270482762941 end time Dec-09-09 11:41:09 PST)

I was thinking that this intake would bolt up to the PI heads from an '04 4.6 engine.

 

Would bolt up, not sure if it will have the TB in the right spot as well as any sensors.