F-150 Ecoboost Uses Basic Mods to Make Big Gains
Unlocking big power from your Ecoboost only takes a day’s work and a reasonable outlay of cash.
If there’s one thing we’ve learned about turbo engines in pickup trucks over the years, it’s that they respond well to modifications. The addition of a huffer or two certainly helps matters. But manufacturers understandably have to put a number of restrictions in place to keep things within reason. Which, obviously, is what we enthusiasts (and aftermarket tuners) seek to unleash. The latest impressive example of this comes to us from the crew at Truck Trend, which recently performed some simple mods on their very own Ford F-150 Ecoboost.
Unlike your average internet build, this one starts out with realistic expectations. Your average truck owner has to worry about things like voiding warranties and violating emissions laws. So for this exercise, TT set out to stick to those important guidelines. Hence the choice to use Gale Banks Engineering and their intake and exhaust systems for the Ecoboost, as well as an aftermarket tuner.
The whole setup cost a mere $1,718 (not including installation). And even better, the average shadetree mechanic could do it himself, in his driveway, over the course of one day or less. And you won’t even need some massive team of people to help, like in those unrealistic reality car TV shows.
The fruits of that labor certainly paid off for this Ecoboost F-150. After laying down baseline numbers of 331 hp and 340 lb-ft on the Banks dyno, the team headed back to check for gains. And they were rewarded with an additional 24 hp and 95 lb-ft. Lower-end power increases were even more impressive. At just over 4,000 rpm, the team saw 67 more hp and 116 additional lb-ft.
Not to shabby for a little turbocharged V6. Not to mention one that’s warranty and environmentally friendly!
Photos: Truck Trend
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