The claim of 70 hp in 3 hours is a genuine claim. No b.s. here. Our Project Sinatra F-150 may be just like your truck. It had several common bolt-on performance mods, including an Allen Engineering supercharger; but it was never tuned, was using the stock injectors, and didn't have great driveability. Another problem we had was the errant reading speedometer. Larger wheels and tires, combined with 4.10 gears, left our speedo with an offreading of 10 mph. This was not only adding miles to the odometer, it was also annoying. If this sounds familiar, please don't be disgruntled; we have the answer you've been looking for. With the supercharger pushing roughly 5.5 psi into the stock 4.6L, the engine needed fuel to compensate. It also needed better timing parameters and a stable spark to make sure the atomization was occurring consistently.
Solving these vital issues were larger 42 lb/hr Ford Racing injectors, Autolite Iridium spark plugs, a DiabloSport Predator tuner, and a professional dyno tune, courtesy of Steve Ridout of Powertrain Dynamics in Huntington Beach, California. These components teamed together to create a 4.6L that would make a 5.4L Lightning owner proud. The results speak for themselves: a 70hp-peak gain, a much-flatter torque curve, longer and stronger transmission shifts that go to redline, and a part-throttle response that is as different as night and day. If your truck has parts that should be making more power, but you feel it doesn't meet your requirements, consider a tuning, then let the computer do the wrenching for you.
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Starting with 42lb/hr Ford Racing fuel injectors, our confidence was already rising. These
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We had to remove the Allen Engineering fuel-pressure booster add-on piece that simply pres
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Out came the 19 lb/hr stock 4.6L fuel injectors.
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In went the awesome 42 lb/hr Ford Racing injectors.
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A quick fuel-pressure test was performed to ensure proper psi and to check for leaks. Onc
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Opting for a heat range cooler than factory, we installed Autolite Iridium XP 103 spark pl
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As you can see, the factory plugs were never changed, even with 82,000 miles on the odomet
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Each plug was gapped to .035 for the supercharged application. Before we called the instal
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Arriving at Powertrain Dynamics in Huntington Beach, California, Steve plugged into the Di
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Steve then methodically entered data into each of the DiabloSport tuning parameters. The p
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After carefully going through and altering the required fields, Steve downloaded the new p
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Another custom-tuning option from DiabloSport, the Chipmaster Revolution, can also be used
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Reaching underneath the passenger side of the dash, Steve plugged in the new Chipmaster Re
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It was now time to check out and see what performance gains had been made. Steve used an a
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After engaging the dyno, Steve ran the Ford up the rpm scale, while recording data on the
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What did the end result net us? An easy 71 hp with the final peak numbers coming in at 306
Your Questions Answered
Time Spent Working: Approximately 3 hours Degree of Difficulty: Intermediate (Although changing air-fuel parameters is not to be done by the novice, and should be left to a professional.)
Tools needed: A 5/8-inch spark-plug socket, an extension, a universal joint, a magnet, an 8mm socket, a screwdriver, a fuel-pressure tester, and a spark-plug gap tool
Parts Used:
Autolite XP Iridium XP103 spark plugs (8) $63.60 (Pricing from summitracing.com)
DiabloSport Predator tuner U7153 $399.95 (Pricing from summitracing.com)
Ford Racing 42lb injectors M-9593-F302 $399.95 (Pricing from summitracing.com)
Fram Tough Guard TG2 oil filter $8.95 (Pricing from summitracing.com)
Powertrain Dynamics dyno tune $275.00
Quaker State Q-power 5W-50 oil (6qts) $35.94
Total Cost: $1,183.40
(Price does not include tax)
From the Driver Seat
Dynamometers put an end to many of the false and ridiculous horsepower claims being barked to the consumer from fly-by-night aftermarket companies. Whereas, there are still false claims, and plenty of fake performance accessories on the Internet, the legitimate companies have stepped up to the plate and are now delivering real technologies to trucks and SUVs. A perfect example of this is the DiabloSports Predator tuner. Dyno numbers vary from Mustang dyno, to Dynojet, to several others, but once a baseline number is registered and that same dyno is used, consistent dyno numbers can be obtained. Seventy-hp in the peak power band. The quicker, more responsive acceleration and full boost that is perfectly tuned to the air-fuel ratio is a work of art. Steve has a knowledge of tuning and engines that rivals any custom tuner. With the know-how and a chassis dyno, it's no wonder our truck runs like a racehorse now.