Luke Willard
Member
Hi there fellow Sport Trac enthusiasts. I need to say right up front that I don't speak tech/forum language so if you could please use plain english, I'd really appreciate it. I have a 2003 ST that I really love. In my line of work, when the tone sounds, I have to move and move fast. While my ST isn't really what I'd call underpowered, I have recently considered trading it for something with some real "get up and go". After dealing with several salesmen, I've decided that I'd rather have my knee drained than continue the search. Also know that I'm not a mechanic, although I'm not completely in the dark either. My ST has 129K miles... starts immediately even in extreme cold temps (I'm in northern VT)... not huge tires but I did move one size up from the standard... the engine is quiet (no ticking or other notable sounds). Over all it runs quite well and I want to continue to although I am aware that the driving that is required of me during emergency calls is not generally healthy for any rig. Logic tells me that more power and higher performance equals less wear on the engine and other components.
So here it is... With a budget of $3000, what can I do (or have done) to get a noticeable gain in power from my ST? Note that I am not interested in trucks that can be heard a mile away. A bond auto clerk told me that the ST has 4 catalytic converters which could be limiting the air exchange and therefore limiting my power. I've also heard people talk about performance "chips", etc. I have considered the K&N intake system for $250 and possibly a throttle body spacer but if the exhaust is limited, it would seem that these wouldn't help much. I've provided a lot of info here and am hoping that some of you may be able to help a public servant who would prefer not to trade his Sport Trac. Thanks in advance.
Luke
So here it is... With a budget of $3000, what can I do (or have done) to get a noticeable gain in power from my ST? Note that I am not interested in trucks that can be heard a mile away. A bond auto clerk told me that the ST has 4 catalytic converters which could be limiting the air exchange and therefore limiting my power. I've also heard people talk about performance "chips", etc. I have considered the K&N intake system for $250 and possibly a throttle body spacer but if the exhaust is limited, it would seem that these wouldn't help much. I've provided a lot of info here and am hoping that some of you may be able to help a public servant who would prefer not to trade his Sport Trac. Thanks in advance.
Luke