Cheap Power Adders

[KJ]

I've got an 88 with 4 inch lift and 33s everything else stock. Sadly, i think i'm gonna have to take it on the freeway and it's really underpowered right now. Eventually, i plan on doing an axle swap and putting lower gears in it. But without a lot of time on my hands i am looking for a couple ideas of cheap and easy ways to get all the power i can out of the little 2.9. Any other suggestions are welcome as well. Thanks!

 

[sleeper_inc]

PVC intake, 2.5" exhaust, bump the timing, sure there are some other thing you can do as well, just not coming to mind right now....

 

[Hahnsb2]

There are no cheap power adders.

What you need is 4.88 gears.

 

[KJ]

I think "sleeper" is right a tune up would do some good. "Hahnsb2" i plan on eventually going the same route as you with the D35 and 8.8. I just need the parts and time to get that project going. Did you get your axles from an explorer? How was the install?

 

[RustedRanger]

My breather box was broken when I got mine so I got a Spectre 3" cone filter and clamped it over the rubber air tube. It was $20 at Autozone. Some say they don't help but last summer I was getting an avg of 21-22 mpg,the only other real mod was a 2" glasspack to replace the missing exhaust. New my truck was rated at 23 mpg highway.

 

[BlackBII]

Lower gearing. That will be the ONLY worthwhile thing you can do a truck with a 2.9.

 

[rusty70f100]

Nitrous Oxide. That's the closest thing to "cheap" that I can think of that would actually make a difference.

You could always swap in the earlier larger throttle body. The one you have now will supply all the air the engine needs, but a larger one will make it feel like you've got more power at lower throttle openings. And that's what counts, isn't it?

Also, you could do like I did and set base timing at 12 degrees BTDC, and run 89 octane gas. It won't help much, but it will help.

 

[jokerl90]

1.A electric fan.
2.Do the throttle cable mod. http://therangerstation.com/Magazine/Summer06/throttlecablemod.htm

 

[gaz]

What is your budget?

Hello KJ,

I know you mentioned "cheap" but everyone has a different perspective on cheap. A good tune-up will make a difference, changing to the electric fan will free up some "power loss" and just adding a cheap turbo muffler with some aluminized 2.25" tubing will help (aft of the cat). When you get down to it, on the highway the tire pressure will make a small difference.

If you are performing the TUNE UP yourself, you can do for $100 what would cost $300-400; NGK "V" power plugs (one heat range higher), 8 mm or larger silicon suppression plug wires, new distributor cap and rotor with brass components, high power coil (Hypertech, MSD, Accel...), sythetic fuilds throughout, K+N air filter element, coolant flush, new oil filter/tranny filter if an AUTO.

One trick to keep the cost down is to build your own wires from a brand name wire companies Universal kit. I have saved tons on wires, I always buy a Uni-V-8 set, then after 3 sets I have the 4th for free. They usually go for just over $20 verse the pre-made sets for $40-50, plugs are $1,5 ea., cap/rotor into the high $20's. Catch that oil on sale, plus anything else including coupons and rebates and then hit the highway.

If you want to regear the stock axles, that is pretty quick and cheap. I am currently working a deal for one of my sets of stock 7.5"/D28 4:10 LS's but have a second set if you are interested.

 

[KJ]

Ok all of these ideas seem really helpful. I'm not ready to regear yet because i want to wait until i can get the larger axles. The air intake idea sounds good. My exhaust is currently rotting off, so its time to replace it. What diameter should i get? I replaced the plugs not long ago, but new wires would be good and i'll throw new plugs in too. How much is the electric fan set up and how difficult is the install?

Gaz, thanks for the offer on the gears but i'll wait until i can do the axle swap and throw 4:56 gears in them.

 

[KJ]

My breather box was broken when I got mine so I got a Spectre 3" cone filter and clamped it over the rubber air tube. It was $20 at Autozone. Some say they don't help but last summer I was getting an avg of 21-22 mpg,the only other real mod was a 2" glasspack to replace the missing exhaust. New my truck was rated at 23 mpg highway.

I looked up the filter, but I'm having a hard time picturing what your set up looks like. Could you describe it a little more?

 

[holyford86]

Do a tuneup, make sure your timing is spot on (10* BTDC with SPOUT) removed) I have found that advancing the timing even the 2* some people do will lead to some preignition even when running 93 octane gas. Put a new filter in THE FACTORY AIRBOX, cone filters add nothing for power and you end up drawing warmer air, the only mod I would do is remove the intake tube and pull the spring out of it. Make sure your factory fan clutch functions properly, and install a full shroud out of an A/C equipped truck, Electric fans really do nothing for me, and the power loss of a working factory fan clutch is pretty much nothing, and as always when you are converting mechanical energy to electrical and back to mechanical you are going to lose efficiency over a mechanical setup. Regearing is one of the best things you can do and with the lowest factory ratio (4.10) it's bearable to drive with 33" tires

 

[gaz]

Valve train & cam

KJ,

I was breezing through Mr. Pruett's book when I read a paragraph that is up your alley.

"In the grand scheme of things, the camshaft and associated valve train components are ultimately responsible for liberating the maximum amount of power that any engine is capable of producing. It simply doesn't matter how much high-dollar porting has been done to the heads, or how trick your new set of pistons are or even how much time and money you spent getting the bottom end set just right. If you don't have a camshaft and valve train that are carefully matched to the engine, it is simply not going to do what you expect it to. If I had a nickel for every time that this area of performance was neglected, I could retire now."

I am going to be frank, I don't know much about how to select the right cam but I do know someone who does. I also put all the faith in the world into what Mr. Pruett shared in his book. The results were worth the effort. A lot of results can be made for free in the valve train. If you don't want to spend much but can manage to make some time, you could convert your rocker assembly to the "free floating type" and match it with the best cam for your end goal (a regrind, based on knowledgeable guidance).

If the time commitment is too high for now, then take care of your exhaust problem, 2.25" tubing has yielded the highest MPG for me with a stock engine.

 

[gaz]

Airbox

KJ,

I agree with "holyford86" wholeheartidly, in regards to the use of the stock AIRBOX. I have tried various intake set ups and must say that with a stock engine the factory airbox with a K + N element provided the highest MPG gains. When I used more filter or different plumbing my gas mileage suffered terribly. The engine thought is was warming up all the time (because if received so much air) and stayed in "warm up mode", it may be referred to COLD ENGINE MODE, I can't remember without rereading the manual.

 

[RustedRanger]

I use a cone filter.......21-22 mpg avg. That's one mpg less then my truck was rated highway new and that was at around 155,000 miles. It warms up just fine and idles down fine after warm up. After a year and a half of working on it I have found that any little thing I do it runs worse....until I "blank out" the computer. I just did a mod on the stock air tube that seems to help,it was free/cheap,ask if ya wanna know. With fuel injection it's the quality of airflow not quantity. The smoother the air the better they run since they don't need turbulence like a carb to get the air and fuel thoroughly mixed.