Re: 98 F-150 Triton 4.6L Engine question

I wouldn't be counting on much of an increase in mileage. Fuel mixtures are closely controlled by the PCM by reading exhaust gas oxygen content.

What are you currently getting for fuel mileage.... and, please, try to keep everything regarding this subject in one thread to avoid any possible confusion.

Sounds to me like some kid wants to put headers on and needs an excuse.

Increase in HP is less than 5% on the up side... usually less. And that only occurs in the higher rpm's. Radical headers that will give low RPM gains cost a LOT, and often screw up the fuel management system. For 'seat of pants kick', paint the manifolds with high-temp and pretend it's something that makes it run better... same result. You know.. like when you wash and detail the truck. Increase in economy is negligible. You'd do far better in looking for fuels that have least ethanol in them, Economic Payback, looking optimistically, would occur at just about the time the truck is hauled off to the crusher.

Take a tip from a geezer that was THERE in the early sixties when Headers first became something you could buy instead of make. Car manufacturers used to just bolt on exhaust components that would physically fit without much regard to how they actually performed. ( See 59 Pontiac Bonneville)

That has not been the case for years. Exhaust tuning is a good way for manufacturers to get a fraction of a gallon in EPA mileage.. because it's relatively CHEAP!

- - - -- - - - - -- - - Yeh, I'm a Krusty old Geezer, putting up with my 'smartass' is the price you pay..DEAL with it!

Headers going to Supernews

Starting to sound more like a used car lot.... one with a rather eclectic selection of "cream puffs" (I've been itching to use that word in a sentence for years...."eclectic" - has kind of a yuppy bastuhd ring to it, no?).

Once the fleet started "growing", I started wondering if "iola" wasn't related to MustangGurrrlll.... Is there a full moon going on????

You'll just have to trust me on that. Unless your are constantly demanding peak performance or in a competitive situation, headers are pretty much a waste of time and money in addition to adding to the maintenance when you have to replace the gaskets periodically. A few years ago, I was using my F150 for some max rated tows and installed a set of equal length headers that was supposed to be the best for the job. Right off the bat, I had an EGR fault -r replaced EGE that had been sort of OK with manifolds and stock exhaust. Gas mileage was never any better. I know this because I have a log of every mile the vehicle has ever traveled. If the performance is any better even at max power, I have not been able to notice it. The noise level in the cab is very noticeable and they are a b***h to replace the gaskets. You will probably never see any increase in fuel mileage. I have never seen anyone who experienced a mileage increase w/o also installing a high flow cat and exhaust. Then, they usually used the evtra performance for - extra performance with a lead foot leading to reduced fuel mileage. You decide. This is something that every performance minded driver must experience for himself before declaring that common sense is better. If headers increased fuel mileage in normal driving, every car sold would have them. After all, they spend millions of dollars evaluating such things.

Lugnut