Performance Equipment for the Dodge 4.7L V-8
by Dr. Samuel Helms
When discussing increased performance of any engine, there are two factors to consider: power (horsepower and torque) and fuel economy. Some performance upgrades improve both, while others sacrifice fuel economy for power. For the Dodge 4.7L V-8, there are several upgrades that can improve both power and fuel economy by allowing the engine to run more efficiently. There are also upgrades that boost power by using more fuel.
Cold Air Intake
An easy upgrade to the Dodge 4.7L V-8 is to install a cold air intake system. These performance systems allow the engine to take in more cold outside air. Cold air is denser than warm air and creates greater pressure in the engine's cylinders. More pressure means a better ignition and more power and acceleration. Improved fuel economy is also possible since the power comes from extra air, rather than extra fuel. Some examples of cold air intake systems for the Dodge 4.7L V-8 are models 63-1529 from K&N and 54-11632 from aFe Power. The manufacturers claim you can add 8 to 14 horsepower by using their products.
Performance Exhaust
It takes energy from the engine to vent exhaust gasses. If the exhaust system restricts the flow of these gasses, more of the engine's energy is spent pushing these gasses from the cylinders. Upgrading to a high flow, performance exhaust system reduces the back pressure of gasses on the engine by using larger diameter exhaust pipes, high flow mufflers, and high flow catalytic converters. An example of these types of systems are the cat back systems from Magnaflow and Borla.
PCM
The engine's fuel-to-air mixture can be altered by using a Performance Control Module (PCM). These chips and tuners allow you to control the fuel to air mixture from inside the cab of the truck. If you are looking for more fuel economy, you can reduce the amount of fuel injected into the cylinders. If you are looking for more power, you can program the chip to make a richer mixture to boost horsepower. Chips for the Dodge 4.7L V8 are available from a number of manufacturers, including Jet and Hypertech.
