I have a 1998 F-150 with a six cylindar engine powering it. It drives well and gets great gas milage and the insurance is at a resonable price. I've struggled with the idea of ways to add more power to it and can't decide which the better option is. New engine or upgrade existing. Any thoughts or comments would be appreciated.

 

Engine swaps for the newer trucks are a little more difficult with all the computer controls and tight working areas. The problem with em is their expensive, are you trying to get big numbers or just a modest gain in power?

What size engine is it..4.2?

 

I know this probobly isn't what you want to hear, but my advice is get yourself a KN intake, put a new muffler (possibly a cat-back) on there and call it good. What I finally decided with the straight six was that it's got more than enough power around town, and it does 70 on the freeway. What else do you need? Do like me, buy an old truck with a big engine. You can dink around with it, burn out, tear around and when you're done, you get back in your nice, new truck. Everything works, it's quiet and reliable. Best of both worlds if you ask me.

 

YOu can modify your 4.2......4.10 gears, free flowing exhaust, a shot of nitrous oxide, if automatic a higher stall converter, free up the intake, and you should have something liveable. Look in the 4.2 section, there is a fella that has done these mods to an extended cab truck and ran it at the dragstrip. You can find superchargers for the 4.2 if you look around, it may never be a performance 8 but it should perform pretty well, I know I had a shortbed 4.2 with a 5speed, that thing moved pretty good for what it was. Good luck

 

Still gotta ask urself if it's worth it....lotta money.

 

Good point....I know when I was thinking it over.....my thought process was along the lines of........the 4.2 stock makes as much hp and almost as much tq as a stock 302, actually more hp in most cases, if all you want is a hot street engine then its probably not a bad option. Who knows?