Ok, you can see from my sig below what I have done up to this point..And everything in my "soon to be" catagory will be completed on Monday...

Now this is what I need some opinions on..
For my next major step I am either going to

1) Get custom ported and polished heads w/mutliangle valve job + custom cams from Houston Performance

OR

2) Upgrade to 4.10 gears and go with a Protorque torque converter

So I basically what I'm asking is should I go for more power now with the heads and cams or should I make better use of What I already have with the gears and torque converter?

Maybe some pro and cons of both would be useful here, because I'm really at a loss at to where to go from here..Also the Heads and cams would be accompanied by forged pistons as well..


Thanks in advance everyone.

JDarty6173@aol.com


------------------
1999 F-150 5.4 Lariat 4x4 w/ORP 3.73 gears

Current Performance Mods:

*MAGNACHARGER Supercharger
*Superchip
*K&N FIPK
*Edlebrock 75mm Throttle Body
*Granatelli MAF
*JBA Headers
*Flowmaster 40 DeltaFlow with duals @ 45Degree angle

Mods Soon to Be:

*Pro-M 80mm calibrated MAF+Filter
*Motorsport 24lb Injectors
*Re-Flashed Superchip
*Bosch Platinum +4 Plugs

Wish List:

*Custom Head and Cam Job
*Upgraded Ignition
*Possibly a shot of N2O
*4.10 Gears
*Forged Pistons and rods

 

JD-

I would go with the gears and torque conv. change. Cost would be the main reason, for me at least. I have similar plans down the road but I'm going to wait till it breaks. Doing the heads and pistons is pretty labor intensive and if I was going to go that route, why not yank the whole engine out and make her a little "bigger". Just my .02 worth of course!

Good Luck!

------------------
'98 EB Expy
5.4L 3.73 LS
Trail.Tow & Skidplate Pkg.

DA MODS....

** Pro-M 80mm MAF w/Filter & SC cal.
** WMS Velocity Tube
** 75mm Edelbrock/BBK TB
** Magnason/Eaton M90 Supercharger
** Autometer Boost Gauge w/ A-pillar mounted pod
** Cust. Prog. Superchip
** JBA Jet Black Ceramic Coated Headers
** Stage 8 Locking Header Bolts
** Gibson Sweptside Catback
** IPD Rear Anti-Swaybar
** Bilstein Shocks
** Manik Grill/Brush and Rear Taillight Guards
** PIAA 520 Foglights
** Clear Corner Lens
** Stull Billet Grill and Bumper Insert
** Ford Molded Mud Guards
** Ford Hood Guard
** "EXPEDITION" Receiver Cover

COMING UP NEXT IN THE FUTURE....
** Brembo Crossed Drilled Brake Kit
** F1 Cobra style hood

"Its Sooo Big...Its Gotta to be Blown!"

 

Definetely the 4.10s
You are already getting as much air in the engine as possible with the supecharger.
A port/polish job would yeild the same results as upping the boost pressure on the Magnacharger.

 

I like the way you think Way2Big, possibly get it bored out when I have it pulled...Maybe Houston Performance Will even offer a Stroker Kit for the 5.4

Well that's the way I'll proceed, with the gears and Torque converter..

54RegCab, I don't know of anyone who has yet upped the boost on a Magnacharger yet...I talked to Chris at Magnacharger and he said that a smaller blower pulley was not available..He also told me that I could have a custom Blower pulley made by ASP...Has anyone tried this or any other means of getting more boost from a Magnacharger? How about a smaller crank pulley? Chris told me that I could safely run around 8lbs of boost with no problem..


Next question, I even thought about the possibility of 4.30 gears instead of 4.10...So, go ahead and talk me back in to getting the 4.10's...Also where is a good source to purchase the gears? Keeping in mind that I have the 4x4...


Thanks guys

 

JD-

If Chris is able to get a pulley made for you, let me know. I would be interested it this same mod. We may be able to get it at better price if we can get a group purchase goin'!

Not sure about 4.30's, gas prices are high enough and I'm not sure that there would be a "noticeable" gain from 4.10's.

Thoughts?!

------------------
'98 EB Expy
5.4L 3.73 LS
Trail.Tow & Skidplate Pkg.

DA MODS....

** Pro-M 80mm MAF w/Filter & SC cal.
** WMS Velocity Tube
** 75mm Edelbrock/BBK TB
** Magnason/Eaton M90 Supercharger
** Autometer Boost Gauge w/ A-pillar mounted pod
** Cust. Prog. Superchip
** JBA Jet Black Ceramic Coated Headers
** Stage 8 Locking Header Bolts
** Gibson Sweptside Catback
** IPD Rear Anti-Swaybar
** Bilstein Shocks
** Manik Grill/Brush and Rear Taillight Guards
** PIAA 520 Foglights
** Clear Corner Lens
** Stull Billet Grill and Bumper Insert
** Ford Molded Mud Guards
** Ford Hood Guard
** "EXPEDITION" Receiver Cover

COMING UP NEXT IN THE FUTURE....
** Brembo Crossed Drilled Brake Kit
** F1 Cobra style hood

"Its Sooo Big...Its Gotta to be Blown!"

 

When I find out anything more about the blower pulley I'll let you know..A group purchase on that would be great..

I was also worried that switching to 4.10 gears may not be very noticeable..After all I do have 305/70/16 tires so the 4.10's would essentially put my ratio a little over the 3.73 I stated with..Well, time to make a post about that I suppose..


Take care