How to Increase Horsepower on a Ford F-150 4.6 Engine

Your Ford F-150 pickup truck will pick up and go faster with more horsepower, at the expense of poorer gas mileage. But if it's more horsepower you want, you can avoid taking your car to a mechanic and tweak your engine in your driveway or garage with the right parts.

Tune up your truck. Follow the directions in your owner manual to complete the tune up according to the manufacturer’s specifications. A tune up includes changing the spark plugs and wires, changing the oil and replacing the air filter. You need to replace the oxygen sensor as well if it has not been changed in the last 75,000 miles.

Replace the factory air-intake box with a high-performance system. Since the high-performance mechanism is less restrictive, the increase in air flow will boost the engine's horsepower.

Replace the factory control chip on the electronic control unit with an aftermarket performance chip. The chip alters the engine's software, leading to more horsepower and better performance overall.

Replace the factory exhaust system with an aftermarket system, from the catalytic converter to the tailpipe. Since the aftermarket exhaust pipes are wider than the factory exhaust, it improves the flow of exhaust fumes. Not only does this help increase the horsepower but it makes the vehicle sound deeper and more aggressive.

Use only premium fuel. Not only does high-octane fuel increase the horsepower but in can improve your gas mileage.