More Power?
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Joined: Oct 2003
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More Power?
New to this forum, looks like a great place to find some help! I have a 97 F150 4x4 with the 4.6L. I use it to pull a snowmobile trailer in the winter and would like to find a little more lugging power in it. It seems that when going up a hill, it will shift out of overdrive when giving it the slightest bit of gas, and I hate to let it do that at interstate speeds - it really revs the engine. Is there any way to keep it locked in OD and let it lug up those longer hills? Are there any aftermarket products that will give this truck a noticeable difference in lugging power or torque? Any help is greatly appreciated.
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 22,436
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From: Louisville,Ky.
Hello and welcome to FTE 
There is alot of good info to be found here.
As far as towing, when I get into a hill I automatically lock out OD. It is easier on the tranny when it isn;t hunting for the right gear. I have the 5.4L and mine does it too.
It's hard to make enough torque out of these small engines to run loaded at the lower rpm's in OD with a load. You only have 281 CI and I only have 330 CI.
I would say a chip or reprogrammer would be your best be to add the extra power that you are looking for. It's not a cure-all but it should help.
A good cat-back exhaust system will help as well.
What rearend gears do you have? Mine has 3.55's with the 265/70R17"s which are just under 31" tall which makes it actually act more like a 3.00 gear.
Jimmy
There is alot of good info to be found here.
As far as towing, when I get into a hill I automatically lock out OD. It is easier on the tranny when it isn;t hunting for the right gear. I have the 5.4L and mine does it too.
It's hard to make enough torque out of these small engines to run loaded at the lower rpm's in OD with a load. You only have 281 CI and I only have 330 CI.
I would say a chip or reprogrammer would be your best be to add the extra power that you are looking for. It's not a cure-all but it should help.
A good cat-back exhaust system will help as well.
What rearend gears do you have? Mine has 3.55's with the 265/70R17"s which are just under 31" tall which makes it actually act more like a 3.00 gear.
Jimmy
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Joined: Feb 2003
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From: BC
Iasnowman: i would not encourage the idea of trying to lock your tranny IN overdrive, i always lock my trans OUT of OD when pulling or hauling a load, especially on hills and such, its better for the engine and the tranny!
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 543
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From: LA
You don't need more power, you need more torque. You get that by revving the engine higher. 
I, just like others, when getting to hill country, hit the od button on the shift lever. My truck has the 3.55 gears with stock wheels and I don't feel at all that it is revving too high.
George
I, just like others, when getting to hill country, hit the od button on the shift lever. My truck has the 3.55 gears with stock wheels and I don't feel at all that it is revving too high. George
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Thanks for all the input. My truck has 255/70-16s, not sure what axle ratio, but it turns about 3200 rpm at 70 mph in drive (3rd gear with the torque converter locked up) which sounds plenty fast to me, but it probably doesn't hurt it - just tired of being outpulled by those bowtie trucks - maybe this is a good reason to find one with a 5.4L.
Kerry
Kerry
