I have a '00 F150 with a 5.4L engine. I moved from sea level to 8500 ft. What can I do to get some of the power back in my truck.

 

Hi kuduhunter and welcome to FTE

I dont suppose you want to spend the money to put a supercharger on your truck eh? That's the best high altitude cure but I think we have a few guys on here that are higher up that will probably have some other, cheaper suggestions for you.

 

Thanks for the welcome. My old '86 F150 engine just went out so I bought a '95 Bronco and will be setting it up so most of my money will be tied up there. A supercharger would be nice but that may be way down the road.

 

Mass air flow sensor will accurately measure the atoms of air flowing, and computer will put 14.7 parts air to 1 part fuel. Max power can be achieved at 12.5 to 1 ratio, so if you can figure out a way to slightly increase the fuel delivered you might feel a bit more power. Problem is that the feedback O2 sensor will alert the computer and it will readjust the fuel delivered.

Adding more air, as previously suggested, is the only sure way.

Changing rear end gear ratio might be a mechanical solution to get more delivered torque for your application.

 

How about not using the 85 octane gas? I don't know your fueling habits, but the cheapest gas isn't the right stuff for your truck. The owners manual should say at least 87 octane, so that would be 88 in your area.

If the gas isn't the prob, then you shouldn't see a change in performance. Even though the air is thinner, the computer should compensate and you should be getting the same fuel air ratio you had before.. therefore the same power.

-Kerry

 

You get the same air fuel ratio for sure, but its the actual number of oxygen molecules moving through the engine that determines the power. According to data from http://www.coolingzone.com/Guest/New...(Jan%2003).htm, there is a 26% reduction in air density from sea level to 3000 meters elevation.

Within reason, the normal throttle opening range should give some compensation for the higher altitude. You might be at 50% throttle at sea level for a given load, but 70% open at 8500 ft. If you are at wide open throttle (WOT) to move your load at 8500 ft, that's all she's got.

 

Thanks for all the input. Do you think a larger throttle body would help? Do you think the trottle body spacers do anything? What about the "Tornado" that fits in the air filter line going to the throttle body?

Tthere is alot of items on the market which says increases HP but I have never known anyone to use them.

 

A larger throttle body only helps if you are at WOT to move your load. The engine only demands as much air as you need.

I am most skeptical about things like the vortex generator. In the old days, when air and fuel were mixed by a carb, creating a tumbling or spinning air-fuel charge might have been beneficial.

How a spinning volume of air without fuel in it helps is not clear to me. The fuel is injected at the intake valve area, and by that time the air has made lots of twists and turns through the air filter, tubes to the manifold, manifold, and finally the last turn at the valve opening of the head. The head and valves are designed to promote good swirling charge flow already. The spark is very hot, and the plugs are gapped to provide a long spark. How a vortex generator can help is again, beyond my comprehension.