F250 6.2L Gasser Performance Mods...?

[ASTMedic]

Have the same drive train and gears as you do in my 2015 250. I've added a flash tune and got little to no gains. From my reading tunes do little for naturally aspirated engines. Anything running a turbo can have boost increased to add power but only so much fuel can be added to a NA motor before its too rich and killing power. The best gains to NA are in changes are to shift points to hold the motor in the power band for longer.

[TXJACO]

That’s been the “general consensus” in product reviews for tuners and the cat-back exhaust systems. It’s like Ford optimized it best from the factory. The only thing I can say from actual experience is the K&N did give me almost 2mpg better gas mileage. However, as has been indicated with other replies it may not be better in the long run. I’ll replace the K&N with the one that came with my truck and see if I still get better or worse mpg.

[jbrnigan]

The K&N v OE air filter debate rages on, on almost every automotive forum, you either like'em or hate'em. All sorts of references and studies to dusting past the K&N filter and so on. My last trip to the mint 400 seemed to invalidate some of the dusting and inefficient filtering data, as cotton media filters dominate the air filtration of racing trucks that cost as much as class a motor coaches. Either big dollar racers know something I don't, or they just have big money to blow on engine rebuilds. MAF contamination is a function of "over oiling" the filter media. I have used K&N filters for 30 years and NEVER had a catastrophic engine failure or worn an engine out.(but I've never owned a vehicle long enough to get stratospheric mileage) Increased performance, I don't know. I clean'em every other oil change and they go with vehicle when I sell it. The benefit for me (and many others), is only buying ONE filter for as long as I own the vehicle.

[Subaru297]

Originally Posted by ASTMedic

Have the same drive train and gears as you do in my 2015 250. I've added a flash tune and got little to no gains. From my reading tunes do little for naturally aspirated engines. Anything running a turbo can have boost increased to add power but only so much fuel can be added to a NA motor before its too rich and killing power. The best gains to NA are in changes are to shift points to hold the motor in the power band for longer.

I have a 5-Star tune on my 2015 F250 as well and noticed nothing extra in terms of power or fuel economy. Shifts are a little quicker and a bit less hunting around for gears, meaning it will hold a lower gear longer than stock. Other than that its not worth getting a tuner for it.

If you really need some extra power I would look at adding a supercharger! Haha
https://www.procharger.com/centrifugal-supercharger

I would love to try this but they are pricey. The Prochargers are the cheaper option though.

Personally I think your truck would be fine with the bigger trailer as is. Wait and see before upgrading a bunch of stuff.

Cheers

[curver900]

......

[ASTMedic]

Originally Posted by curver900

what are the gears in the rearend?

He said 3.73 up there somewhere

[TXJACO]

I had contacted a performance business place and they said ‘no’ to cat-back and if I was thinking a new air intake, then and only then get a tuner. From the reviews I read a new air intake would almost be deafening inside the truck cab. He sad best and cheapest was simply a K&N to replace existing. So, based on all replies, I’ll put in old OEM paper filter, recheck mileage, and see how it pulls my existing trailer. Then, decide to keep K&N or not. But, I’m writing off cat-back and tuner. Thanks all for your expertise!

[hingedthinker]

I have a 2014 F150 plat 4x4 with the 6.2l gas option from the raptor. It is rated at 411hp/434tq (2011 - 2014 Ford F-Series, 411 hp (306 kW) @ 5500 rpm, 434 lb⋅ft (588 N⋅m) @ 4500 rpm). I bought it used and have been towing a jayco 28BHBE with it for almost two years. The jayco is 7100lbs empty. It tows very well with the weight distro bars. I love the truck and engine.

When we moved to AZ and started towing it up the I17 6% grade I learned that she cries a bit with the load (est 8750 lbs loaded). If i try to go above 45mph it starts to sound like it will spin a bearing and transmission temps climb above 240...

I looked into power upgrades and have owned "tuned” vehicles before. That engine is about as good as it will be stock. The only way to get real horsepower gains is to go FI or go the other route with a new cam, livernois 6.6l bore kit, headers, etc... which would cost as much as a new diesel.

[mnaquaman]

Hers a little food for thought on gas mileage and filters.

If you are checking your mileage by the computer or by the amount of fuel you put in to the tank. I had a co-worker study Fuel mileage Calculations in college. If you use the same gas pump at the same station every time about the best accuracy you can hope for is +/-10% - that is a 2 MPG swing!

Air filtration; in order to get more power or fuel economy out of a filter something has to change. In the case of K&N they open up the filter media to get you the so called boost. You are getting this boost by sacrificing filtration efficiency! It is the only way you can get any gain. Either that or lower the restriction on the entire air system. Yeah, I know K&N states that they meet the manufacturers requirements! They only require filter efficiency around 95% while manufactures like Donaldson provide efficiency in the 99.9% range.

Truth be told the majority of the dust that inters your engine did not get there by passing the air filter! it got there during Filter servicing. Don't even think about opening the filter box until the indicator tells you to.

I have been in the filtration business for nearly 40 years and you wont find a K&N filter on anything I own!

Happy camping!

[daveswanson]

2019 F250 6.2 3.73 pulling 2017 Jayflight 24RBS aluminum siding here.
I haven't used more that half the pedal even in 30-35 mph cross and headwinds.
I use to run diesels but 2017 and newer 6.2s are pretty beasty. I would try to find a reasonable local gear head that can dyno your 6.2 with both stock air and the K&N. You might have a very simple issue in the engine or trans programming that's dropping your power. Check that you're really running a clean stock tune without errors before dropping big bucks.

[Scott_Trailer_Newbe]

Guys/Ladies,

A gas engine in 6.2, 6.4, or 7.2 can’t overcome the torque disadvantage no matter what you do. My neighbor has the exact same truck as me, but 6.4. He also has a 28’ Like me but about 600lbs. Heavier than me. We went through salt river canyon a few weeks ago on a camping trip. He said 4,500 was the norm on the grades, where I was 1,500-2,500 RPM with an exhaust break and good bye on the upgrades. He averaged 8 MPG and I averaged 11.8 MPG.

Don’t go spend the money on a diesel based on my comparison, just trying to compare.