5.4 power increase
 

I have a 2006 F-350 SC/SB 4x4 with a 5.4 and auto 3.73 gears and 33's. I pull my 7-8k lb boat and notice the 5.4 is working OT to move that weight. I have been told to change the gears, but that is more work than I can do and seems to be a lot of money (about $3k) for both rears + parts for a small gain. I hear alot about chipping, but I don't know a lot about them and I am not looking to void my warrantee or have problems passing emissions. I have thought about a bolt on supercharger, any other ideas?

A programmer is the quickest and cheapest route to more power IMHO. You can fine tune it to do more of what you want to do. You have to take in consideration that with a 350, you may be pulling more truck and boat than the motor is ever gonna be happy with. My 150 pulls a 16ft trailer with any and everything that the trailer is capable of hauling. Mine was programmed by a previous owner, so I don't know which one was used, but it's a LOT stronger than a stock version. It shouldn't void your warranty and you can always go back to stock programming when you need or want to.

Look for a shop that specializes in Ford performance and get a good Dyno tune with a piggy-back chip for your PCM, If you have to get warrantee work you can remove the chip before thaking it to the dealership.

:-X06hi if your pulling a lot of weight you need gearing all the profmance mods that you can do are not going to impact you towing like the gear raito will. With 33 and heavy towing you need around 4.10 to 4.56 geras.
Towing requiers high rpms in a rever like the 5.4l
i have and 03 sd extra cab long bed 4x4, with the 5.4.I regrly pull loads at the max gcvwr and have no problem with exceleraton or merging and runnig 70+ mph on the high way.I recently redid the top end with trick flow twisted wedge cylinder heads, comp cam,and profmance 5.4 intake. i run 38 in super swamper ssr with a 6 in lift with 5.13 gears and detroit lockers front and back. But, the most noticebale up grade is the 5.13 gear. Without the gearing even with all the mod my truck would be a pig.
On a budget you can get front and rear gears with the install kits fo around $600. If you are mechanicly inclined just read up an r&p swaps and take you time and do it your self. Programers are good but in my opinon on a gas motor dont do much. Unless you have engine mods and get a custom program to match.I use a deoblo tunes with a custom progam from from rpm outlet ( THE MUSTANG GUYS). Most of your upgrades will come from mustang guys doing 5.4l swaps. Cuase truck guys now adays are mostly running hopped up powerstokes. I perfer the 5.4 for the rpms and weight advntage. I will hook bummpers with any powr stroke out there and beat most in a tug of war. And off road the less weight on the front end and overall lets me go places they can't. Good luck and ther is always a suppercharger :)
pic and dyno sheet coming soon !

Dont think that changing the gears is a "small gain". That is one of the biggest things you can do to improve performance. Especially with that 5.4, dont be afraid to spin some RPM's to get it into its powerband. My last 2 trucks were sitting on 35's geared at 4.56, and I wished I went a little deeeper. So what I am saying is 4.56's amd 33's would be a great combo to make up for some power loss. Also I have heard very good things about 5-star tunes and I am thinking about pulling the trigger on one for my truck (in my signature) after I gear to 4.88 with 35's. Like I said, dont be afraid to spin that OHV motor a bit- she aint an old pushrod motor.

OOPS! I thought I had a signature set up. My truck is an 08 F-250 5.4, 6spd, 4X4, with 4.10's.

#1-You cannot "piggyback" a chip onto an '06-there's no service port to plug it into.
#2-You'll have to flash the PCM with a tuner since there's no service port for a "chip".
#3-What you're discussing is fraud, and is the main reason dealerships and the auto manufacturers are taking a militant stance on aftermarket mods and warranty claims.
If you want to play-you risk breaking something,and you should man up and pay for it.
JL

Are you serious? I just through mine out. It was BRAND NEW, couldn't find anyone just to give it to.:-X15

I wish I would have gotten the V-10 with 4.30 gears then this would all be a moot point.:-banghead

Yes,I am.
I absolutely despise the droning aftermarket crap that the previous owner put on my truck.
JL

JL - couldn't you just replace whatever muffler is on there with a stock muffler to tone it down? I used to work at a muffler shop and we did several jobs where the customer wanted the duals but didn't want the noise, so we stuck stock type mufflers on.....

The "kit" that's on there is a 3.5" Magnaflow with 3.5" pipe welded onto the OEM flange right behind the cats. I need to replace all of the crappy 3.5" tubing that's present now with the OEM stuff. The truck actually has a pair of mufflers on it now-the Magnaflow and an Edelbrock Victor series 3.5" inline with each other. That quietened it to a tolerable level, but I'm still tired of the obnoxious droning.
JL

Ditch those mufflers and try a dynomax superturbo.
You sure it's 3.5"? That's an odd size for exhaust.

No, It'll have OEM or nothing else.
And yes, I'm sure it's 3.5", and no, that's not an odd size.
JL

Just a thought if you haven't thought of it...

Run an ad on craigslist for a trade. Someone out there wants the exhaust you've got and can't afford it. Split the cost at the muffler shop for the welding. Then you'll be happy and they will too......

Superturbos are very quiet for an aftermarket muffler, figured I'd throw it out there. 3.5 seems rare to me, but whatever.