I have a 2006 E350 cutaway van with a closed in utilty box on the back, 10' long 6' tall. It has the 5.4, NO dually, completely stock, class 4. I don't know how they figure out the weights but the GVWR is 9,600. It say the payload is 3,140 and the truck body weight is 6,460. I think the cutaway van is a regular E-350 without the rear van section then they install a different brand box, I have a Supreme. So if the 6,460 weight is including the rear box, I would guess weighs 1,000 lbs then I guess our average total weight is 7,500 because I am guess our tools, material and me weight about 1,000. I want to get more power out of it, that I can feel the difference, don't spend too much money (no SC), and don't make a big decrease in the gas guzzling.
I don't put many miles on this, bought it 11/06 and it only has 11K on it. I am a plumbing contractor and unfortunately business has been slow and most of our jobs are close. Also my plumbing supplier and home depot is 1 mile from my house. I also have a 99 F150 with a little work done to it and hoping to do more soon, but I use this truck for the business running around and estimating, so the E350 is only used for actual work.
I want to get more power out. Since it is heavy, I think torque is very important, probably more than HP, is this correct? Ford did a good job with the 5.4 and the 4.10's for the average driver, but I am not the average driver. I find myself flooring it very often to get it moving. I want to do upgrade/s that don't cost much now, but I want to feel the power difference with I don't even know if it is possible.
I know the K&N probably won't make a difference and if I buy one, they don't make a full intake kit for this truck, just a regular replacement filter. If it actually slightly improves gas mileage and gives me a little more HP AND torque, then I will purchase one since the filter is cheap. Any advice or input?? I know I won't feel or see any big changes.
I know the usual starting upgrades are the K&N, exhaust and programmer which I have done to my 99 F150 and I barely felt a power difference so I don't think I would feel the difference on a heavier truck. I don't want to change the exhaust unless it will make a big difference since I don't want the sound on a work van so I would have to go with something quiet. Will a programmer make a big difference? I don't think I will be able to do any upgrades for under $1K that I will be able to feel the power difference but hopefully someone can prove me wrong. Or if there are upgrades that cost more than $1K, I would like to know, and I can do them in the future. No supercharger or anything that expensive and/or gas guzzler like that for the E-350, I would love to install a SC on my F150 someday. I appreciate all feedback!!

 

Here are the mods I have done on mine
Dual exhaust sportside, K&N Cold Air Intake,Jet Power-Flow Mass Air Sensor,DiabloSport Predator.
And yes the K&N cold air intake will work with the 5.4 ,the V10 and the 5.4 have the same part #'s. I get 12 mpg towing a 35 ft RV.

 

Hey 76Chateau, I just want to clarify that I'm reading your post right. You put the CAI from the v10 on your 5.4?
I've got an 09 e350 and I've been searching high and low for a CAI. K&N said they don't make anything that fits yet. Were there any fitment issues with it?
Thanks
Nick

 

Hey Nick,Their was no issues at all.The 5.4 and the V10 use the same air intake parts. After talking with K&N they told me that they had not tested it on 5.4 for the Ford Vans expect the V10.Then I went to pick up a part from a dealer and asked about the part #s for the stock air intake for both,they where the same.After that I was able to get their 3 master mechanics and asked them about what I was planning on doing.All 3 said it would work with no issues.I have had it on for more them 30K miles with no problems. I hope this will help you and any one else looking for CAI setup.

 

K&N has an intake, there is also another, it's in the range of $400 and is just not impressive to me, I removed the one to the throttle body of mine and removed the silencer. The noise under the hood did not increase, MPG was not effected, yet I did notice increased throttle response. I went with a drop in K&N filer inside the factory housing, tried an open element only to receive a decrease in MPG, so reinstalling the factory box was mandatory.
I have a cat back dual exhaust, Flowmaster 40, Super Chip Supertuner Microtuner, that I ran for years with my K&N, wasn't till last year that I opened the intake up by removing the silencer, power increases with everything done there.

 

I never knew there was a silencer...is that factory?
where's it located?

thanks!

 

got a part#?

thx!

 

got a part# for the Jet Power-Flow Mass Air Sensor?

thanks

 

The silencer is inside the large pipe that's connected to the throttle body, it will slide out once you cut the tabs that hold it to the main pipe, use a dremel and grind all the way around the ring. The silencer necks down the size of the tubing inside, your pipe might be 2" or more in diameter, the the inside passage through the silencer is about 1 1/4".

 

Thanks for all the feedback everyone, but does this all apply to my 06 E-350? So it sounds like a cheap way to get a little more power is by get more air to the engine. I agree that what I need is some low end torque so I can try to keep it under 3000 RPM.
Maples, do you have a E-350? I see you have other mods, do you think with my stock truck that removing the air silencer and just installing a K&N filter replacement will give me a little more low end torque? Or should I install a CAI kit like 76Chateau was talking about for a V10 on my 5.4?
After I get more air to the 5.4, what does everyone reccomend for more low end torque? If you read my intial post you know it is a work van so I don't want to spend a lot of money and hope to keep the stock exhaust and 4.10's. Is a power programmer worth the money and what brand does everyone recommend for my needs? Thanks again!!

 

Yeah, mine is an E-350 15 passenger, as for HP and TQ, I have no proof other than it feels different, the throttle response is quicker. There is no way I'll ever install a $400 air intake, as it does not change where the air comes in, that is the drawback, it's bent around from what doesn't enter the radiator. A programmer gives the most, large enough to be obvious, it's expensive, and under the largest tune, to get the biggest improvement, requires you to run premium fuel, MPG is not offset enough to counter it either, but I flew through the mountains of NC hauling a 96 Mustang on a car trailer.

 

so i thought i'd try this mod you all speak of. all went well till i shattered the outer "pipe" in a million pieces while trying to push the inner undesirable piece out. buuuummmer.... frustrated eating dinner as the day became night i dreamed up a fix that me be a better option all around, maybe.. i went to OSH and got a piece of 3" ABS which has the same od as the pipe/ section i broke/ shattered 3 1/2" i measured the overall length and it was 10", set up my chop saw with a slow speed setting on the saw cut the pipe first on one end to square it off and make it pretty then cut the other end at 10". next i took a half round file and knocked off the outer sharp edges and slightly chamfered the inner lip as to allow better flow of air (just a thought that may or may not be worth it)

put er all back togther and ran around the block, no problems and feels a little bit "different" throatier, think the computer will need to adjust i'm sure over the next drive into town on the freeway tomorrow am. keep you posted on the developments with this mod.

S

 

Yeah, it'll require a little time to learn it, if you can just figure out how a better snorkel on the end, the piece that goes on the air box, directing air into it, I once saw an extended one, a guy cut and pieced it out to extend it with sections claimed from a doner.

 

Part # for the Jet Mass Air Sensor # 69190
I got mine from AutoAnything

2006 Ford Econoline Jet High Flow Mass Air Flow Sensor

 

Nothing can change the fact that you got the truck version of the 5.4 motor, which is intended to put out less power, but more reliable.


If you are after performance, you got the wrong vehicle.

But -- if you are into burning money...

Swap a pair of heads from a 5.4 F series that have more valves, flows better is a start.

But by the time you start doing that, you would have gone a fair way to just buying a new truck equipped as you want it.

Quite frankly, if you are wanting performance, you bought the wrong truck.