$1000 budget upgrades

[eleanorsnemesis]

Have around budget of $1000. Goal more get up and go, then mpg. Want to upgrade do exhaust and intake. Looking at Flowmaster exhaust and K&N cold air intake. Do not want to spend extra on stainless. What about the Granatelli 42,000 coil 0 ohms, Autolite XP Extreme Iridium plugs. Also want to install electric fan and get rid of the factory one.

Wondering if or what others have experienced with their mods and what else I should consider before I get started. Be it different brands and or parts etc... What order to do mods in? My plan is the exhaust then intake then ignition then fan.

 

[tonydiv]

The order I'd do it in:

Edge programmer $359 (night and day difference)
Flowmaster Roughly $89 +install ($250 ??)
CAI about $250

Electric fan will free up some hp's but you're in the $300 - $400 range.
If you decide to wait on the fans until spring, I'll be able to report on my experience.

 

[eleanorsnemesis]

Checked out Edge Programmer, they don't offer it for 03. So that will have to wait for now. The truck has 97k so tune up is needed. So Im going to order exhaust this Thursday and the intake, coil and plugs end of next month. None of the coil packs are bad but as long as Im into it that far I might as well replace the coils too.

 

[z168]

OT : Other than some addtional HP benefit, do we have an issue with our clutch fans? Cooling issue?

 

[gjhanson2]

As far as cooling goes, I've driven up mountains in my '99 with a fully loaded 14 foot trailer, five passengers and the a/c blasting and not seen the temperature move at all. I've never once had a cooling issue with my mechanical fan, even during the time I was stationed in 29 Palms (middle of the freaking Mojave). The electrics may help the truck run a little cooler, but I just like that the mechanical fan isn't afraid of water. I honestly don't think the electrics are worth the money... they're just another thing to break.

 

[DarrinBC]

I am really partial to SCT for tuning on Ford vehicles for a lot of reasons. So, I would start there and then move on to the exhaust.

I am not a huge CAI fan, and I agree that an e-fan setup is pricey.

But I definitely woiuld only use factory coil packs. We have seen SO many problems with the aftermarket stuff that you can't imagine. I would also just replace the plugs. Nothing fancy is going to really do anything at all ignition wise except perform the wallet lightening mod.

Darrin