Noob Questions! 2004 Lighting
 

Hi, brand new to this.. Sort of.. Just bought a new 04 Lighting. What should be the first mods I do? I want to increase boost of the SC etc..
So pulley? Exhaust?Air Intake? New Plugs with colder heat ranges? What and where is a good place to buy? What brand names are good?

Also what should my truck run STOCK?

Thanks to All..

This site has a sponsor that handles this:

www.motorhaven.com

Well I sent the message to them... Kinda contradicts what you said..


"Well, I don't usually like to give too much advise
about what to buy, so I'll tell you where to go to
get some answers. Go to the forums on
www.ford-trucks.com There are a lot of very
knowledgeable and very nice people over there that
can probably give you some really good advise.
Good Luck!

Peggy Payne"


So if any of those nice people are here, I would appreciate some help.

Thanks!

Motorhaven has the parts. Motorhaven will not tell you what to buy via email. You have to call for that.

If you want tuners, they have them.
If you want pullies, they have them.
Same with intakes.

Asking them for build-up advice via email (ie, written) is a can of liability worms. With mods on a supercharged engine you are your own warranty station. Call them for build advice: 770-736-7122, 9am - 5pm Eastern Standard Time.

Here is what I did.... I had a 99 that I modified and sold. I then bought a 2002, and began modifying that from what I had already learned with the previous truck.
#1 STAY AWAY FROM JDM IN NEW JERSEY!!!!
2.) 6# lower crank pulley
3.) 2# blower pulley
4.) NGK TR6 plugs
5.) Boost bypass plug unplugged
7.) Exhaust - you have a few choices (Bassani is high dollar, Magnaflow cheaper and same quality, MAC cheapest and really not that bad... had on my '99 and could not go wrong).
8.) Lowering kit. I used Bell Tech front springs, and JLP 2/3/4 rear shackles. The truck rides nicely and looks superb at that level.... also, no saggy rear end.
9.) Air Force One cold air induction kit... basically open conical air filter.
10.) Factory Tech valve body and 4X4 trans pan.
11.) Chip tuned by a tuner.
I have all the above on my truck and click off consistent 12.66's @ 109 with marginal 60's on ET Streets. (1.85's).

Great thansk a bunch.. If I have some questions. I will drop u a note.

Thanks again!

I don't recommend going with a blower pulley unless you are comfortable with a press to install a new pulley. Its not a simple bolt on and the procedure can result in damage to the supercharger if its not done properly. I recommend you take it to someone familiar with the procedure if you change out the blower pulley.

Also, dyno pulls with a/f graphs are highly recommended when going with chip/pulley combination. Too lean a ratio is a bad thing! :(

Yup, got it..Tks My old car was a 99 GP GTP..that I got into the mid 13's. So I am familiar with the SC and I also have a pulley puller... :-X06

When you buy the blower pulley, they come with the pulley removal tool. I found this very easy to remove, and re-install the new pulley. If you have a good tuner, he will take your list of modifications and create a chip for you. On his first chip burn for my old truck, he nailed the program, and A/F ratios were in the 12.1-12.3 range. I had zero detonation. With this new combination that I have now, he nailed the program again. No detonation whatsoever. When playing with the boost, it is key to not have detonation. Also understand that you are going to be putting in 94 octane fuel the rest of the way.

Its good you got the dyno pull done. That's why I recommend it. Without the pull you won't know, especially since the air/fuel ratio can vary slightly from the factory.

On a site note: I've done hundreds of chips for the Lightning and Harley myself. I don't go into someone's shop and plug their competitors... please don't do so here.

I had no idea they were your competition. Sorry for that - I was stating my success story with the tune.