Hello everyone,

As it says I am a novice, but I have been reading some of the posts in this great site. I would like to put a msd-6a ignition system on my 96 ford f-150 4.9L in6cyl. eddie bauer edition if that makes a difference. Will this help in horses or not? Is there anything I could do to beef it up bit?

thanks

 

I'm a believer in the MSD box. It works great on my truck and it should give you some more kick. Make sure you replace your coil at the same time and get one compatible with the MSD box.

Another quick gainer is to side gap your plugs. The plugs won't last as long, but you should see nearly a 10% gain in HP.

I don't know if you are running a fan off the engine. If you are running a clutch fan, you can gain 10-20 horses back by running an electric fan. (Perma-Cool has the highest cfm rated with the lowest amp draw).

Installing a set of underdrive pulleys will gain you another 10-15% in hp gain.

A lower rearend ratio (like a 4.10 instead of your stock 2.73s or 3.08s) will give you some punch on the bottom end especially.

Then take a look at your computer chip and consider getting it modified for max hp.

'82 F150 2WD w/351W (orig 300 I6)
Slik

 

A 2.5" cat back exhaust system, and maybe a header are a good place to start. Aside from MSD, take a look at the Crane Hi-6, also a very good box.

Slikness,
Where can you get underdrive pulleys for a 4.9? I've been looking for a set, but haven't found a source.

BTW, unless you're running real tall tires 4.10 is probably a bit too much gear for a 4.9. We don't have nearly the RPM range of a V-8.

 

To get more horses on a fuel injected engine will be difficult but not impossible. Here is a listing of upgrades I have done to get there (the never ending quest for more horsepower).
1. K&N FIPK kit
2. MSD 6A ignition and MSD Ford TFI coil
3. Accel or MSD spiral wound plug wires.(MSD ignitions needs these types of plug wires to conduct the power they put out)
4. Clifford Performance headers part# 53-0016 (Because you have an EGR system)
5. Dual exhaust to help reduce backpressure (2" pipe).
5. High flow catalytic converter. No muffler if you want as backpressure does NO GOOD WHATSOEVER when comes to an engine producing power.
6. A camshaft with approxiametly .47" lift and about 254-262 degrees of advertised duration.
7. Hotter spark plugs.
8. A performance chip from Superchips
9. Bigger fuel injectors if you can find them (19 lbs/hr)
10. You can also try to port and polish the head for easier air flow on the intake and exhaust ports.

 

Well, I'm not sure they make an underdrive crank pulley for the 4.9L, but the altenator and power steering use the same pulleys as the v-8s (or at least they used too).

'82 F150 2WD w/351W (orig 300 I6)
Slik

 

Paul G., do you have that cam in the engine now? If so, are you getting any "check engine" lights"? How does it idle and pull off-idle?
Whatever happened with the big throttle body?
Eddie

 

Paul G., do you have that cam in the engine now? If so, are you getting any "check engine" lights"? How does it idle and pull off-idle?
Whatever happened with the big throttle body?
Eddie

I have not put in the camshaft yet! However I have talked with CP and Comp Cams and both agree the camshaft I have will work the 4.9L I6 with Speed Air Density system. It's a 252 advertised duration,.46" of valve lift with a 1.6 rocker ratio and lobe seperation is at 112 degrees. It is a hydraulic flat tappet camshaft. The 112 degrees of lobe seperation will be enough to keep manifold air pressure within acceptable limits and still provide a increase in torque. This cam is made for low rpm torque. I believe the range for this camshaft is idle to 4500rpms. That's idle to redline for this engine. Comp cams whom I had grind this cam said I should also get a good increase in gas mileage as well. One of the techs I talked to at Comp Cams said I should get at least a good 20% increase in torque with this cam right off the bat. That is without modifying the air intake and the exhaust both which I have done already.

Right now the TB is still a no go. However a friend and I are modeling a new intake for this engine was we speak. The idea is to stay with the same design as the stock intake but make the two intake bores on the intake bigger so they can fit the TB for a 302. If this works I can get a new intake mild from my friend and once done we will give the TB a shot and see what happens. I'll keep ya posted on how things go!

 

Slik, can you elaborate on "side gapping" the plugs??? How to, why it makes more power, etc. This sounds interesting.

 

Anyone know if a 302 (non-truck) w/ an AOD would bolt into an 89 E-150 w/ the 4.9L I6 and C6 transmission?
That would be a good mod, build a 400 rwhp 347 stroker with the Lentech Terminator AOD, 3.73s in the back, and get a real 3.5" dual exhaust with an x-pipe crossover.

-Charlie
1981 Ford Thunderbird "GT", 5.0L, AOD, 2-bbl (soon to be 347 stroker w/ 400 rwhp)

1989 Ford E-150 Cargo Hauler, 4.9L I6, C6

2000 Ford Crown Victoria PI, 4.6L SOHC V8, 4R70W, 3.55s, Dual Exhaust, Go Rhino Push Guard, Steel rims with Type 170 center caps, Dunlop SP5000 Sport Ultra High Performance All-Season Tires

 

Side gapping is simply cutting off a section of the electrode so that it exposes the anode. I usually just eye-ball the plug and use my Dremel with a cutting wheel to cut the electrode back even with the edge of the anode (circle part of the plug). What this does is expose more of the spark to the combustion chamber for a quicker and hotter burn. You could also go an extra step and index the plugs so the electrode is always pointing toward the intake valve and further exposing the plug to the fuel for a little quicker burn.

'82 F150 2WD w/351W (orig 300 I6)
Slik