Ford F150 - Too F-ing Cool

Though the stainless steel system maintains a stock diameter, the cats flow much better than the stockers, and that was something that I could really feel. Throttle response was demonstrably better from off-idle all the way to redline. I'd been recording an overall fuel mileage of 18 mpg, but the freer-flowing exhaust bumped that figure by an average of 1.5 mpg.

Since the F is nearing its eighth year, I respectfully replaced the original spark plugs and spark plug wires with Motorcraft AGSF32FM platinum-tip plugs and MSD 8.5mm Super Conductor wires. So I could sleep better, Time Machines replaced the far-from-crumbling upper and lower radiator hoses, serpentine belt, and upper and lower idler gears with Goodyear items. To bolster the electrical system, they snugged a premium Optima Red Top battery in place.

All this was in anticipation of the heightened performance parameters that the Hypertech Power Programmer would afford. Hypertech's Jim McFarland suggested an improvement of 0.3 to 0.7 second in the 0-60 spin, but that 93-octane fuel was required to get it. With a wisp of smoke from the 275s, the F pulled 60 mph in 8.55 seconds. Certainly not a wig-ripper, but more importantly, the idle was smoother and the low-end to midrange pull was stronger and came on quicker-just what I'd hope the programmer would afford. The computer upgrade took about an hour, and most of that time was waiting for the programmer to do its work. All of it can be just as easily undone by returning the tables to the original parameters.

So what we got is success for a change, a true utilitarian sporting a bit of flash, noticeable throttle response (17-lb-ft and 13hp increase), and better ride and handling, and it's a reliable daily driver. Everything works as advertised and there's nothing about the modifications that we wouldn't repeat.