I don't think your going to be able to get though , it has to be 5-6 in thick.....Lew

 

I will put my truck on a dyno in a few months to get a baseline and then do my msd upgrade to see if there is any difference in hp. I have seen gains on small engines from the simplest things, even indexing a spark plug showed increases on the dyno. Cost effectiveness if you are prioritizing horsepower is a different story (Ignition systems usually do not give any seat of the pants difference but usually do bring in a few hp).


I prefer modifications that increase horsepower while having a positive effect on fuel economy. Headers, better flowing exhaust, better ignition, maf, wideband o2 sensors+tuned, cold air intakes, underdrive pulleys, electric fans, ect. are a few of the modifications I would refer to as a double mod, increase in hp and mpg. Most of the "double mods" do not yeild impressive horsepower improvements but all of them together on a daily driver can add a little extra punch while improving fuel economy.

My 5.8 SD EFI is identical to the OP setup and I will provide results on this topic in a few months. I'll guess a 5whp gain on ignition?

 

Ahhh.... the indexing of the plugs... haven't heard of that trick in a while (the objective is to aim the flame front towards the center of the cylinder to maximize the speed of the burn) Don't forget filing the electrode into a point too... all little tricks used to gain every last bit of power from an engine.

 

....That would be great if you could give us the dyno results , im with you , every little bit helps , i use the underdrive pulleys , e fan , air intake , msd 6al , so on , i put everything on when i built the motor , so i can't say what helped the most on my truck , but i built a couple of 5.0 stangs and can say , the exhaust was the biggest gain , its hard to tell a 5hp gain but the pulleys , e fan , ignition , mass air meter and using an aftermarket air filter was really a good jump....and a very good improvment in the way they run in general , and i guess alot of the stuff for highperformance also helps with fuel milage , but i never think about that part....Lew

 

The problem is the increased ponies makes it hard to keep your foot out of it, LOL!

 

Yeah !! thats why i never check my milage , don't want to know.....

 

Ya, I agree that I'm going to be running genuine race car..... especially with a recreational truck I'm using for training events and range time. I'm really looking for little tweaks here and there to have a clean running truck. Headers are next on my agenda, but after that she should be a wrap. To be honest, the thing is running great with what I have on it, and has a totally different feel to it than it did without the tweaks. It has nowhere to go but up.

 

It's a 2006 Ford F-150, XLT, 4.6L, with 40k, I bought off of an older gentleman. I bought it because of the number of times I found myself saying "I wish I had a truck" everytime I was headed to a long gun range, a training event, or doing some work to my house. Thus far, I love the thing. The little tweaks I've done have definitely changed he tune of the truck. Like I keep saying, Ford Racing headers are next, and will most likely be the final addition. Just want this thing to be a legit clean running rig.

 

Ha, I hear that.. The only time I can behave enough to get an economy reading is if I'm towing something heavy.... The rest of the time I seem to prefer listening to my exhaust note instead of the radio..

This thread has got me right on the edge of buyin a box early for this engine to record the difference... Although I'm sure that would get argued to death too...lol

So who's run a Mallory box? Ward, I noticed a few times that you mentioned them as your preference.. Can you expound on that a bit... Just curious as to any differences good or bad between them or MSDs stuff..

Too bad Motorcraft don't build one..

 

Dude, you should be talkin to the guys in the Modular sub-forum.. This section is for the antique's

 

I have a few reasons for running the Mallory vs. the MSD.

1) The box I have (Mallory 6AL) has a built in rev limiter rather than the pills that the MSD needs.

2) The Mallory also puts out a bit more juice that the MSD (480v MSD vs. 520 Mallory).

3) The Mallory is a digital box vs the MSD being a analog box.

4) Also, when I originally built the motor, I used a Mallory distributor, so it made sense to use their box.

5) The first high performance motor I ever built was a 12:1 390 FE series, and I ended up using a Mallory dual point distributor on it, and have used Mallory parts over the years on other engines I have done and they have always worked well for me.

6) The Mallory products have been cost effective vs. the MSD line... same or less price with equal or better features.

As for running MSD components, my best friends 406 Chevy 3/4 ton that used to race in the same class I did ran all MSD components and had no issues. Personally I prefer the Mallory, but I would not turn down a MSD unit if it was given to me, and if I was in a pinch and needed a box and all that was available was a MSD, I would run it with no worries about it.

 

Not to add to the debate but when I first added an MSD 6A, along with a Blaster coil, I had all sorts of issues with idle and missing so I unplugged the 6A until some time after I upgraded to a FR MAF conversion. I forgot the MSD was still sitting there under the hood.

While the MAF made my truck run a lot nicer (slight MPG but no real HP gain), after I reconnected the 6A there was a noticeable improvement especially in the lower end. I am a true believer when it comes to Motorcraft plugs. Actually more of a disbeliever in gimmick plugs. Especially after an epic fail with Bosch plugs. Lucky they didn't ruin my motor.

I'm told if you really want to see some good gains you should get their ignition kit that also comes with their distributor. I could have just been getting a sales pitch though.

 

The newest MSD 6al is digital, puts out more energy among other improvements...such as rotary dial rpm limits.
MSD Part # 6425.

With Soft Touch Rev Control
Higher output with 530 primary volts and 135mJ of spark energy
Efficient components use less current to produce more power
Set an rpm limit on the 6AL with two rotary dials
Same bolt pattern as the original 6AL with a lower profile housing
Built-in LED for system checks
All wires exit the same side through a locked, sealed connector