ok this weekend im going to do a complete tune up on the truck with plugs o2 sendors air filter and every thing else i can think of while at the auto parts store. my is what brands to you all recomend for all of this and what else should i replace. 96 f150 4.9 300

 

Have a look at the plug wires. If they feel hardened or look cracked may be worth replacing them. probably a good time to replace the fuel filter also.
As for make go with Motorcraft if possible, especially for the plugs.

 

New top quality cap and rotor. Get a name brand such as stock Ford or Accel, MSD, etc. Some of the Bronco guys suggest replacing the coil with a high output MSD or Accel. Might be worth it if you suspect a weak spark. Definitely new filters as noted. Go with a stock paper air filter. K&N have a mixed review in many circles. As far as O2 sensors I replaced mine with a Bosch. Again many will suggest getting one from Ford. It's up to you.

 

Motorcraft, like Lazy K stated! Don't forget the PCV valve. Also, I wouldn't replace the O2 senors unless its throwing a code.

 

OK the basics to start;

Cap & rotor, MSD makes the best stuff and is reasonably priced, Accel is second, their brown performance caps.

Plugs, cheap autolites or motorcrafts are just fine. If you want to go for some extra performance/milage there's some tricks, ask.

Wires are a big one, and the most neglected. Many guys on here will say stick with motorcraft/autolite/Ford whatever but THESE AND ALL STOCK WIRES SUCK!! In order to keep the high voltage from messing up your radio they have ALOT of resistance, between 400 and 600 ohms PER FOOT, this means less power to the sparkplug. For about $53 you can get a great set from Taylor that are only 50 ohms per foot, and use a better technology that will have even less radio interferance, in fact they have so little EMI that some timing lights won't work. There all I use and I've yet to kill a set. Taylor Cable - Spark Plug Wire Sets - SummitRacing.com

Coil, some one above mentioned a coil, it's not a typical tune-up item big ignition is very important to your engine running well and I consider them a worth while upgrade while doing a tune up. The MSD stuff is OK but for coils Pertronix is top dog in my book. I use their E-core Flame-Thrower coils. When it comes to coils the number to look at is voltage potental, these are 65k your stock coil is probably 30k to 45k, most aftermarket "performance" coils are 45k. 65k is about as high as they go before spending BIG $$. http://www.summitracing.com/search/D...?Ns=Rank%7cAsc

The next one people neglect is the injectors, I bet somewhere around you is an outfit that cleans, rebuilds, and flow-tests injectors. Pop your injectors out and take them to them, they will test them, generally you can watch them inject into a clear tube where you can see the spray pattern and they spray them all equally then measure how much each flowed. After that you can make a choice to either clean/rebuild them or replace them. This can really wake up an injected motor.

There's still all the normal stuff others have chimmed in about, but the extra steps of the wires, coil, plug tricks, and injectors can really find alot of missing power, milage, and drivability.

Oh ya, and don't forget to check/bump up your timing.

 

PCV is a good item that I overlooked. I say BS to the O2 sensor comment. Replace it if it has 10+ years on it. Way beyond it's designed lifecycle. Most marketing material will recommend replacing them around 100k mile mark regardless of age.

 

well i got to replace them any ways seeing as how all there doing no is filling the holes in the exhaust the wires got shreded while it was in storage. so thats gonna be about 150 right there.

 

Well looks like he has to replace them anyways... but I've replaced an O2 in a car that was throwing an O2 code and regained 2 MPG. I have also replaced O2 senors in my car at 130K (13 year old senors) that was not throwing codes and gained 0 MPG. I understand those are isolated incidents, and by no means absolutes...

His OBD should let him know is something is amiss with the senors, but I agree, they dont last forever.