Since I'll be coming into some $$ soon, I'm going to be adding some things to the Super Duty ('02 F250 5.4L Lariat).

I am looking at getting a cat-back exhaust, cold air intake, and tuner. I'll be adding a leveling kit and a few other items as well, but those I do not have any questions about.

Exhaust: I don't know where to start. I've heard a lot of 5.4L SD's that sound bad with Flowmaster exhausts, but I'm not sure of the model that was used. I had true dual Super 40's on my '81 Chevy and didn't like the rappiness they produced, but then again, that is a very different animal. How are Borla systems? I know they are full stainless, which is nice. I want the sound to be noticeable. Magnaflow? I did not see a listing for the 5.4L SD on their website, only the V10. Can someone recommend me a good sounding system? I don't want it to be obnoxiously droning on the highway, but when I get on it I want to be heard.

Also, since I own a welder and have access to an exhaust bending/flaring machine, I'd like to replicate the ebay Y-pipe to further wake this engine up.

Tuners: I have heard good things about both the SCT XCal 3 and the Superchips Cortex. Is one superior to the other? Is there another all-in-one (the operative phrase) tuner I should look at? JET Performace? I understand that certain tuners will oftentimes only work with certain cold air intakes, or with none at all. Is this the case for any of the tuners I mentioned?

Which leads me to CAI's. I would like one that will work with whichever tuner I decide on. I read a good review about the Volant kit on here. I have also read that some tuners only recognize K&N kits, but that those kits have pitfalls and are not recommended.

I need to choose 3 systems that will work in unison I guess here. Any help is greatly appreciated! This whole fool-injection thing is new to me!

 

I personally like magnaflow exhaust (good clean sound), aem intakes have never had a problem with any of my cars, and xcals got one on a mustang and my diesel both vehicles woke up and these are tunable tuners unlike the ones that you get box tunes that you cant change the parameter

 

I personally like magnaflow for an exhaust and as far as a tuner I saw on DP-Tuners page that they have a 5.4L link you might want to give them a call or atleast look at the page. I have one for my PSD and it woke it right up.

 

If I had it to over again. Corsa Exhaust system, K&N FIPK, Sniper Special Forces, 4" Procomp kit, 4.88 gears, 35" toyo MTs, 2400rpm Stall converter, Detroit TruTrack, Denso IR plugs and most of the rest of the stuff I've done already. The big difference being the corsa exhaust, a little more gear, a torque converter and not messing around with semi custom or canned tunes.

 

I'm in the middle of making the same enhancements to my F350.

As for CAI kits, I too have heard both positive and negative comments about K&N. I purchased the K&N Part # 57-2570 only because I had no other options for the 2005. However, there may be more options for your 2002. I like the True Flow kits because of the efficient filter. However, there are many other brands that have great reputations.

As for a tuner, I purchased the SCT Livewire with custom tunes. Mike at 5 Star Tuning is running a special right now so check them out in the Vendor Specials section of this forum. I wish that I had the knowledge to use the Sniper tuner. I'm sure that it is the most flexible and effective tuner. I'm just not qualified to select my own settings.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...y-savings.html

As for a cat back system, there are very few high quality systems available for the 5.4L engine. The Corsa system is very nice but unfortunately they do not make a system for our trucks. I have the Flowmasters (3 chamber) on my 1998 Mustang GT and they sound good but they can be "raspy" at times. My next door neighbor has a late model F150 with the 5.4L engine. He has the stock exhaust manifolds, stock Y-pipe, but installed an 11" Magnaflow muffler (SI/DO) with exhaust tips dumping in front of the right rear tire. It sounds awesome! I'm definitely going to install the Magnaflows on my truck in the spring. I recommend going to YouTube.com to listen to exhaust systems on the 5.4L engine. It will help you decide what sound is pleasing to your taste.

Best success and post up pics when you make your installations!

 

Thank for the help so far everyone. So for those of you with magnaflow systems, do you use the one designed for the V10 or for the F150?

Furian, what does SI/DO mean? You put it in parenthesis when talking about your neighbor's F150.

 

i think its single inlet dual outlet....the exhausts that ive done have been custom and heard

 

As patrickke noted, the SI/DO is the muffler configuration. I've heard that it mimics an x-pipe on the cheap. It also allows you to run dual exhaust tips on the cheap.

As for which Magnaflow to install, you have several options. Most likely, you will be required to have a muffler shop do the install so you are only limited by your imagination and your bank account.

 

I know I can do the install myself since I have unlimited access to tubing benders/formers and welders. I would like to keep the single exhaust though, I am not a fan of duals unless true duals.

 

Alright, so I guess after researching I've narrowed the tuners down to 4:

SCT Livewire
SCT SF3
SCT X3
Superchips Cortex

It seems the SCT tuners offer more in terms of actual tunability than the Superchips. Also I cannot see a difference between the SF3 and the X3 except the X3 is listed as a "custom tuned flash device" whereas the SF3 is a "pre-loaded flash device". Does this mean that the SF3 comes with tunes pre-programmed, but the X3 does not and must be programmed by SCT??

I could not find much info on the Cortex or the Livewire though, I like the Livewire alot, although it's much more expensive than the others. Can any tuner be used while the vehicle is running?

Right now, if I were to make a purchase, I feel as though I would go with the Livewire.

 

stay away from K&n filters, there is a study that talks bad about them, found out right after I bought a truck with one.

here it is: ISO 5011 Duramax Air Filter Test Report

 

After chatting with Mike from 5 Star Tuners I have settled on the SCT Livewire 9600B. It has pre-programmed tunes, as well as custom tunes that will be done by 5 Star. I will also be getting a Magnaflow SI/SO muffler and a Summit or Airaid CAI. The Summit is a little cheaper, but the Airaid looks like it would isolate the filter from engine heat better.

Now we play the waiting game. Thanks for the help guys!

 

Awesome! Post up pics and let us know what you think about the upgrades!

 

I will for sure. I can't wait to actually get this truck out of it's stock skin!

 

I'm looking at the Gibson Super Truck exhust that has 2 pipes exiting right in front of the passenger rear wheel and the aFe intake with the dry flow filter. I'm still up in the air on the tuner. I hope my exhaust and intake choices are good ones as I really don't enjoy buying things multiple time! Any thoughts or suggestions are welcome!