I'm picking up a '92 F150 XLT ext. cab 4x4 with a 302 in it. The truck is all stock right now. THis is my first 4x4. I' have owned Ranger but not since '95 and I left it stock.
Just wondering what some of the first performance mods are that I should do. New chip? filtercharger? ??

Also, what about lift kits? Can you install a 3" or 4" kit fairly easily without to much trouble?

Thanks

 

The first thing you should do is a mass air conversion, any upgrades you do with out a mass air sensor would not take full advantage of power, and your gas mileage may go down. A chip is good but that’s only if you want to run premium fuel all the time. A filter charger is good but will not take full advantage of the power, without a mass air sensor.

A lift is not too hard to accomplish. What are you looking for a body lift or a suspension lift? 4 inches of suspension lift will work excellent. A basic lift is fairly easy to accomplish you will need a front-end alignment after it is installed. Plus camber adjustments will need to be done which can be done with the alignment.




Quote
"If the automobile had followed the same development cycle as the computer, a Rolls-Royce would today cost $100, get a million miles per gallon, and explode once a year, killing everyone inside."
Robert X. Cringely, InfoWorld magazine

 

Thanks Madman.
Pardon my ignorance but what does the mass air conversion involve and how much $$$ does it cost?

Thanks

 

Your truck currently is what they call "Speed Density" system. What this does is equate the fuel to air ratio by how fast you are going. It works fine stock but when you start adding upgrades the fuel to air ratio will stay the same when It usually need to be richer. If you put too many upgraded on you will probably experience power loss, bad gas mileage, and poor performance.

What a "Mass Air" system does is equate the fuel to air ratio by how much air is flowing into the engine. This allows for many upgrades and etc.

I finished my conversion about 3 weeks ago and it runs excellent. It cost about $600.00 all together and it comes with the Mass Air Sensor, New Computer, Overlay harness, and new air box lid. You can get this from jegs, Summit, Ford Motorsport, or PAW performance. I found summit to have the best price (Free shipping too).

1988 Ford F250, 4x4, 5.0L (soon to be roller 5.0 HO) AOD Mass Air Conv, 2.5 Duals, Hedman Hedders, 33" BFG mud terrains

 

Brett is correct, but he forgot to mention you can only do the conversion with the AOD transmission. What transmission do you have?



Quote
"If the automobile had followed the same development cycle as the computer, a Rolls-Royce would today cost $100, get a million miles per gallon, and explode once a year, killing everyone inside."
Robert X. Cringely, InfoWorld magazine

 

I am currently putting a 4 inch Superlift suspension on my 95 F-150. Presently, the truck is on stands with the rear end suspension off the differencial. I ordered mine from Desert Rat, cost 700 dollars w/o new brake lines. The lines from Superlift are crap rubber hoses for 80 bucks, I went with stainless for $120 from Skyjacker. You will need to get extended lines. I am putting most of the kit in myself. The rear is cake but the front is kind of hard for the average joe. I am having my mechanic do it because i do not have a garage or the tools. (Spring comressor and a torque wrench over 350ft-lbs) The kit comes complete with drop pitman arm, new coils, 4 shocks (unless you need 6), your choice of 2 1/2 inch blocks or add-a-leafs, shock boots, instructions, and all the hardware you will need. You can either opt for the "standard bracket kit" or the "superrunner kit." The standard bracket kit comes with some brackets to lengthen the radius arm which is not the best way to do it. In the superrunner kit, you get longer radius arms which allows for brindfree travel, however, it pushes the price to $900. I'm 17 and if i had the tools i could handle it so you should be able to handle atleast most of it. Hope it helps.

95 2wd F-150 Eddie Bauer
4.9L 300ci I-6 with 5 spd.
Gibsons dual sport, ram air, MSD ignition
All sitting on 32 BFG all terrains

 

 

As far as performance mods, there are only a couple of things you can do without doing the mass air conversion mod first. Due to the speed/denisty system installed the only real improvement you can do without risking poor engine performance is to put headers and a good free flow exhaust. The speed/density system is very dependant on the MAP sensor, and is looking for 15 in hg. If by changing the air filter with an after market filter (K&N)can have less than happy results. I have found that if you really want to, you can put a cam from a mid 1980 T-Bird (non H.O.)and increase performance a little. Also a stock 302 H.O. cam from a mustang can be used, but, it is kind of trial and error. You never quite know what you will get.

Pretty much, the first thing you mod under the hood should be the mass air conversion. After there are pretty no limits.

Good luck, enjoy

 

>Brett is correct, but he forgot to mention you can only do
>the conversion with the AOD transmission. What transmission
>do you have?
>
>
>
Why can't you do this on a stick truck? Didn't the 95 and 96 models all have Mass Air on them?

 

Hey Guys,

I have a question about mass air. How come it will only work with the AOD or AODE tranny?? What does that have to do with anything?? Also if this is true then what about 92 or 93 to 95 Lightnings?? I've seen under the hood of several of them and they are speed density, but why wouldn't a high performance vehicle like that have mass air? People who have Lightnings do all kinds of mods to them. Any thoughts???

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 18-Nov-01 AT 02:14 PM (EST)]You can always find a truck with mass air and remove the components from it. I believe all you would need is the computer, wiring harness(es) and the mass air sensor. You can find them on trucks built between 1994-1996, automatic transmission (4R70W and E40d), and either 5.8L or 5L.(The firing orders are the same for either w/ mass air).

If you don't plan to do any serious modifications, I wouldn't worry about swapping to mass air.

You should consider an exhuast system first. That's the a good mod, I think. Then go with a K&N Filtercharger, and then consider a ignition system. Personally, I think the best mod that I've done is the ignition system.





'93 F-150 loaded and modified!

Several other project vehicles

 

>>Brett is correct, but he forgot to mention you can only do
>>the conversion with the AOD transmission. What transmission
>>do you have?
>>
>>
>>
>Why can't you do this on a stick truck? Didn't the 95 and 96
>models all have Mass Air on them?


You can do the conversion on stick. I was just stating that the only automatic you can do it on is the AOD's.

Yes, some 94, and 95 and 96 models do have the mass air.

 

>Hey Guys,
>
>I have a question about mass air. How come it will only
>work with the AOD or AODE tranny?? What does that have to
>do with anything?? Also if this is true then what about 92
>or 93 to 95 Lightnings?? I've seen under the hood of
>several of them and they are speed density, but why wouldn't
>a high performance vehicle like that have mass air? People
>who have Lightnings do all kinds of mods to them. Any
>thoughts???


Maybe I can shed some light?

I think the Mass Air kit that is available for Ford is basically for 302 and 351's and is realatively general. I think it was derived basically from the Mustang 302HO and brought to the truck level, I think that also explains the Lightnings speed Density. I believe Lightning's are SVO production and not regular truck production. In other words, SVO is basically a conversion from a regular truck. Anyone know for sure?

Mass Air from a production stance came only on 302's 351's from 1994-1996, and some earlier in California. They were not available on 300's or manual transmissions until 1996. The 460 never got production Mass air.

Ford may have had a problem with the computer since Mass Air only came on electronic automatic transmissions.



'93 F-150 loaded and modified!

Several other project vehicles

 

Lightnings were 5.8 351's though, not 460's.

 

There is a specialty tranny company that makes a separate box to shift E40-D transmissions.I dont remember if it is Baumann engineering or someone else.I'll try to find out.