Well I got a long story so I might as well introduce myself. My names Jordan and soon within the next half year i will be purchasing my first vehicle I have decide its going to be F-150 between the years 1997-2000. Now being a truck its obviously slower then most sport compacts but trucks have got a lot of power potential you just need to unleash it.

My dad made me a deal if I by a truck for my first vehicle he will go halfs on it.
so I decided f-150 was the way to go. gas aint cheap so the decision to go with 5.4 wasnt easy.

in short my ideal truck is a 5.4 1998 f-150 supercab short box 4x4.
any ideas on what i can get for aftermarket. I want a K&N intake and a exhaust to be my first upgrades but what is out there for exhaust systems??

 

Your choice of a 97 or 98 F-150 is good but a 99 or 2000 is better. I think that in 99 the power plant hp went from 230 hp to 260 hp. I bought an Expedition in 99 and think this was the first year of the increased power in the 5.4. The smallest bed would be 6 1/2". The first year of the fancy Supercrew was in 2001 - if you jump up to this model, know that it was made in the Expedition factory and the design is just a bit more stylish and you want to get a Generation III if possible.

There are many choices for an exhaust catback system and intake system. The true answer is do your research on the net and then go somewhere where they have these systems, look at them, ask questions. Most popular are the Magnaflow, Flowmaster, and Borla. New entries in the last 4 years include the Aero Turbine Catback system, #3030 24" and stainless. If you look at my signature you will see I chose the Aero Turbine, it sounds awsome, increases mpg, and provides more low end torque.

The truth of these systems is: If you get any of them and want the best performance then get a SI/SO. If you want to be cool and don't care about low end torque and the maximum benefit, then get duals. But remember, they are not true duals, from the cats the pipes merge together before they enter a muffler. The muffler has the two dual pipes. Mine has a single 3" stainless pipe, sounds like a big nasty Hemi, is SI/SO and has a neat Stainless 4" tip. Anyway, just some thoughts for you.

SI/SO means Single pipe in/Single pipe out SI/DO = Single in/Dual out.

I also chose an aFe Intake System. My reasons were, because of my hunting & fishing activities, I did not want one of the open systems. To much dust and dirt and maintenance. So, I went with the aFe, Air Force One is a great system too. Again do your homework and you will be happy with the one you choose.

Mert from Littleton, CO

 

Can you get a dual exhaust system straight from the headers??

 

I don't think you can buy a system directly from the headers back but you can make one. However check emissons and laws where you live because you don't want to get in trouble after you spent all that cash

 

Besides the issue of the not being able to pass the emissions test, you will lose backpressure which Ford has designed in its muffler/exhaust systems. And if you have to replace the Cats - now you are talking some real money.

Mert from Littleton, CO

 

you need the O2 sensors in the exhaust pipe to make the motor function correctly, thats why most systems just involve the back half. If this is your first truck, i would suggest you spend you money to get what you want up front and forget about the fancy exhaust and muffler for now. They dont add any HP unless you have your foot in it all the time, and then you wont get the milage you want. Go with nice rims, trim, etc, and leave the high dollar inlet and outlet for later in your life.