I'm wondering if having a speed density 302 with a aftermarket full exhaust and k&n would really open her up a lot more. not really lookin for power just want that extra response when tryin to get to highway speed. also thanks to the guys who helped me with my shift forks.

 

Exhaust yes it will help, especially long tube headers. the k&n I would skip, any power gain would be minimal. Are you talking just the filter or the intake? The intake will actually hurt because it picks up hot air from inside the engine bay. For extra pickup you may consider a set of 1.7 rockers, I think they would work with speed density and give a little extra airflow into the engine. Other than that the best option would be a set of gears. What ratio do you have now? A set of 4.11s would make that truck come alive.

 

Exhaust will help and a SD friendly cam like the comp 31-255-5 will make a huge improvement. I did both to my 88 and the acceleration and throttle response was greatly improved and I had no issues with it running poorly.

 

i didnt even think about rockers. i will look into that along with gears, im running 3.55s now. i will skip the k&n, was lookin to clean up the engine bay with removing the air scoop by the radiator

 

ive been looking for a sd cam. thanks bud.

 

So I know that every single person on this for hates k&n but I put one on my truck before I ever joined the forms or else I probably wouldn't have done it. I put a full K&N Cia on my 94 302 f150 and I feel like mine helps. Not a whole lot and probably not worth the money either. But the snorkel type deal/air scopp that goes up to the front of your hood is actually kept when you put in the k&n so you still get almost all the same cold air from outside and the heat shield is ment to get minimal engine heat. I don't recommend buying one, but if a free one comes your way, I'd take it. Also careful of what you do to your exhaust, I have a 4,1/4 inch exhaust of a 99 powerstroke and I went too big with mine. You want it to be big enough to where you engine isn't compressing the air into the tube, and pushin it out but. But you don't want it so big that your gasses have no velocity Because they just sir in there and then the next bit of air has to do the work that the first couldn't. When I shut my truck off on a cold day, if I hurry to the other side I can actually watch the last bit of exhaust escape from my tailpipe. The stock exhaust is actually a really good size and most compition exhausts are the same diameter. So I would just buy shorty headers (not as good as long tube but much cheeper and should still hook to your y pipe) (that is the cheeper to efficient ratio in my opinion) of course you can spend the 700$ and go full compition long tube headers with true dual header back exhaust but you won't pass emissions that way. also depending on weather your auto shops test for emissions, you can cut the cat off the truck and move the ending of the exhaust in front of the tire rather than behind and that would help. A lot of people frown at that too because of the emissions, but once again in my opinion, I think a truck that gets good mileage and doesn't waist gas is just as economic as a truck that doesn't let out many fumes but burns extra fuel doing so. another thing is make sure your fuel filter is nice and clean, my truck sat for almost 5 years with bad gas and i got way better throttle response after I changed it wish you the best of luck in your seach for extra performance on the highway.

 

ive wanted to put short tube headers for a long time, just seems more practical with fitment and i was thinking a half inch bigger on exhaust compared to stock, i was ganna gut the cat on my truck as well. no emissions here (live out in a rural county) so its not a problem. did tune up last summer so i have a new fuel filter but i have to change my plugs since i fouled em up a month ago (ran truck with vaccum line unplugged to MAP sensor). so if i ever decided to spend my hard earned money on a K&N i would have to keep the scoop no matter what?

 

Funny the last time I bought headers it was cheaper to buy long tubes for me, heck if your gonna get headers and you still have the stock exhaust your best bet is to cut out all of the old exhaust and take the cats in for some cash at a local scrapyard, then take that cash and use it to fund the long tubes and a full custom exhaust (homemade or from a shop of your choice) designed to what you want to hear. Just my two cents on exhaust.

 

Just get a drop in k&n and w the rest you could almost pay for some shorty headers. Do you have the scoop that is above your grill where the hood prop rod is? Mine had that too and I swapped it for a 460 or inline 6 style. Its the same thing on both of those. You cant see it and it cleans up the engine bay. It should help flow too bc it draws air from the drivers side middle hole in the grill.

 

I would totally agree w this thinking. I paid to have exhaust work done already w stock manifolds bc i didnt have money for headers at that time but i wish i would have done it all at once. I was also concerned about sound so i opted for the safe route doing it in steps. Now about a year later I am thinking of headers. I don't want to pay for another whole system so I'm opting for shorties but if I hadn't already had it all re done from the Y back to the bend behind the tire and out it was all stock no doubt I would do long tubes and get it all done at once. In other words I didn't have the money to do exhaust and pay for the headers plus install all at once so I've kind of had to separate it if that makes sense but I would prefer to have long tubes installed. Unfortunately it's too late now but I'll be happy enough w the shorties

 

sounds like your truck is actually in pretty good shape to me really.
No you don't have to keep the scoop, I like it personally just for fresh air into the engine bay, keeps it a bit cooler by the intake so it's more dense. Just my personal opinion. You can get rid of it if you would like and make yourself some space if that is what is best in your opinion. a half inch would be really good, nice and spacious but not to much. Keep in mind that your exhaust gasses are also going to depend on RPM forcin each puff out with the next. I can almost feel the exhaust gasses being at max velocity in my truck at like 3700 RPM which is way to late considerin my truck shifts at 4300ish. If your going for Highway Mpg, going a half inch bigger would probably work very well and be just right and have lots of nice low end exhaust velocity. Another thing people will tell you is bull are TBS (throttle body spacers) I will promise you nothing on them and I'm really just passing an idea buy you to see if you in any agreement, but manufacturers actually have systems in their intake that makes air swirl taking a long path into the cylinders (acting like a throttle body spacer at low rpm). and have more throttle plates where instead of taking a long path into the engine, they go straight in at high rpm (no throttle body spacer and lots of quick Bursts of air). So if for say if doing that gives you more torque at low Rpm even though it would take away some of your high rpm power, it should give you better mileage? But in turn your truck would actually be slower. I'm in no way sure about this and when you look into throttle body spacers, they tell you it makes the air colder or twists, whatever, makes no sense to me. So I don't think they do as they say they are, but I do think it makes the truck take long breaths of air at low rpm though you loose high cuz you can't switch back to quick bursts.
On this thread is the first time I'm hearing of selling your cat, but that sounds swell to me. I like his idea the best. Kinda wishing I hadn't destroyed my cat now haha.
Sorry for long posts

 

[QUOTE=anthonym92;15193175]

How an engine works - comprehensive tutorial animation featuring Toyota ...: https://youtu.be/zA_19bHxEYg

Skip to 4:40 in this video and it will demonstrate what I'm trying to describe to you. Acoustic induction system. I actually like this video and thought a lot is basic, some of it was really informational

 

Btw if your gonna mess with the factory intake, be smart and go to a junkyard and grab what we know as the I6/460 intake tube that goes into the front peice of the airbox and out into the front clip. Cheapest cold air intake you could ever get for our trucks and the best part. Its FACORTY! I still vote for all done in one shot on long tubes though, because its not just the manifolds that restrict, its the whole darn stock exhaust on these poor trucks.

 

I am not a fan of the KN drop in (it doesn't fit well) or the hot air intake. They are both a waste of money. The cleaning and oiling is a hassle. They can ruin MAF sensors. There is no gain from either. I would keep the stock intake and air filter setup. If you do anything get the I6 tube. I would not run it without one of the tubes, since it will just get hot air.

The best things for a 5.0 are a good exhaust, 1.7 roller rockers, and/or a better cam, and appropriate gearing. The last is actually the most important. The intake itself is actually bigger than it needs to be.