inline power
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 484
Likes: 0
From: St. Louis, MO USA
^ what he said
but heres some basics just for fun:
first thing you should do is rip out the exhaust system and build a new one, one of the cheapest and most effective ways to wake up these FI motors. maybe follow that up with some headers, though the stock manifolds flow pretty well on their own. after that is a 19lb injector swap, and a cam, with some possible computer tuning via a chip if its a little too rough. some head porting will also eventually give some more capability as will a bigger throttle body (theres even a post here about using a BB460 tb on a 300, look it up, pretty cool). its basically like opening up any other enigne.
also note that you dont have to do all of the above in one big swoop, and you can do it in just about any order you want, but i would start at the exhaust first, tends to make a much bigger difference for the least money/work. theres posts about all of this all over the six forum, do a search and im sure youll come out with something more detailed than i can possibly give you.
Good luck!
but heres some basics just for fun:
first thing you should do is rip out the exhaust system and build a new one, one of the cheapest and most effective ways to wake up these FI motors. maybe follow that up with some headers, though the stock manifolds flow pretty well on their own. after that is a 19lb injector swap, and a cam, with some possible computer tuning via a chip if its a little too rough. some head porting will also eventually give some more capability as will a bigger throttle body (theres even a post here about using a BB460 tb on a 300, look it up, pretty cool). its basically like opening up any other enigne.
also note that you dont have to do all of the above in one big swoop, and you can do it in just about any order you want, but i would start at the exhaust first, tends to make a much bigger difference for the least money/work. theres posts about all of this all over the six forum, do a search and im sure youll come out with something more detailed than i can possibly give you.
Good luck!
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 997
Likes: 0
From: Weston, Nebraska
Doesn't really matter on the cam you get b/c of what I've seen there's only about 5 brands or less out there for the 6. I think crane has one, but 4x4 has nothin to do with it. Anyway from what I've heard the cams make a pretty noticable difference, but since you have an 88 it might reak havic w/ the computer.
Redneck-Cowboy
Redneck-Cowboy
Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,545
Likes: 4
From: Coal Region
i swapped cams in my 93 and it wont idle right but i dont know if its the cam or not. im to lazy to actually whats goin on. i also broke to plug wires tightening my plugs down...again (for the 3rd time since i changed them). i also cant get the timing quiet right for it but if i did im sure it'll run much smoother. it did give it a new set (if u know what i mean)...
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 997
Likes: 0
From: Weston, Nebraska
A deeper cam and your computer aren't the best of friends when put on the same engine, that's your most likely rough idle problem, plus a deeper cam will make your truck run rougher anyway.
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Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,545
Likes: 4
From: Coal Region
it actually seems as its running retarded but i havent messed with it since i just tightened the dist. down and left. but it does idle rougher (i know it will due to the higher lift on the valve timing and the valves open longer, etc...). but other then the slight idle problem it hasnt given me any trouble.
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 484
Likes: 0
From: St. Louis, MO USA
hey optikal, been meaning to ask you, did you do that injector swap before you threw that cam in? i know you were debating it, dont know if you did or not, but ill most likely be doing the cam swap this winter, so was just wondering.
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