Power boost for Ford 450 V10

[ndlonedog]

I plan on going to the Western United States next year to travel in the mountains. Is there anyway to get more power or performance on the V 10 Ford engine? Do they make a performance chip?

[time2roll]

Are you having issues now? As long as the cooling system works I think you will be fine even if slow at times. You will not be alone. The numbers might be a bit intimidating but once you get over that first pass the rest are easy. Enjoy the trip.

[Desert_Captain]

There are a number of "Tunes" that can be applied to the venerable V-10. Unfortunately you can choose between a little more power or even less of an improvement in mileage... you can not get both from anyone.

The stock V-10 is just fine the way it came from the Ford factory "If" you know how too run it. The folks that complain of any lack of power simply do not know how to drive a V-10... just put you foot into it!. You can't hurt a V-10 by running at 4,250 rpm {max HP} but keep in mind max torque is 3,250 rpm and it is torque that moves you up and down the mountains.

If ever there was a bullet proof motor that needs absolutely no further modification it is the V-10. In the spirit of full disclosure I have 63,000 trouble free miles on our 2012 nexus 24' class C. It is married to the 5 speed Torque Shift trans and has amazing performance. Would I like to have the the newer 6 speed trans.... you betcha!

Most folks who mess with the original engine are seeking a solution for which there is no known problem {the government does this a lot...:S} The same can be said for many of the alleged handling issues which are usually just a simple and inexpensive matter of proper alignment and psi based upon the loads they typically carry. The after market accessories folks are not your friends but will be happy to sell you a lot of garbage that you probably, really do not need. Caveat Emptor!

As always... Opinions and YMMV.

:C

[Grit_dog]

Meh, nothing worth the money IMO. Any significant gains will be from significant mods.
A blower is pretty much bolt on, but...transmission. If it has the torqueshift 5 speed like the diesels it’ll handle a pump gas setup.

[garyemunson]

The older the V10, the more power Banks systems can give you. As the years went by, Ford pretty much implemented the same strategies as Banks. The gain from their package does not give the gains it once did.

[FireGuard]

What year is the chasis?
Really no mods for increase in power but the 5 Star transmission tune has great reviews.

[BarabooBob]

Remember that to drive effectively in any mountains, you need to take care of your engine AND transmission. Learn when to downshift to both make power and keep the tranny from getting hot. If you don't have a tachometer in your vehicle, you need to install one. In order to not burn things up, learn to drive by the tach, not the speedometer. Spin your engine up to higher rpm's will keep the engine and tranny coolere.
Coming down the long steep grades, you will need to remember that lower gears and slower speeds are directly related to safety. You should rarely need to use your vehicles brakes if you are using your engine to brake.

[johnwalkerpa1]

There is...but are you sure you need it? What I mean, have you already experienced a problem with power, or are you just thinking you'll need it for the mountains?

The v10 is pretty strong in a class C. I've been all over the mountain west, Canadian Rockies, Alaska etc and never felt lacking in power. And I'm running a 32 footer loaded nearly to maximum weight and towing a car.

Will you go up every grade at 70 mph, no. But it does better than you'd expect.

[Lwiddis]

Lots of companies make performance enhancing modifications. Some are even legal but few don’t void the manufacturer’s warranty.