All You Need to Know About Ford F150 Superchargers
Installing a Ford F150 supercharger kit is the simplest way to improve the engine and add hundreds of horsepower. But before you can go and find the one for your truck, there are a few things you need to know. After all, the F-series from Ford has such a long history, and trucks have changed a lot over time. As a result, you won’t be able to use the same blower on each and every model.
Even if we just focus on the F-150 series, there are still many variations and engine options you can find. Fortunately, we are here to assist you along the way. Here, we will go through all you need to know about blowers, trucks, and how to find a perfect supercharger kit for your version of F-150.
F-150 Superchargers Kits
The easiest way to approach the problem is to go for a supercharger kit. This way, you will receive all the necessary parts you will need during the installation since superchargers require you to swap parts. If the kit is designed for your truck, there will be a lot less work for the installation. There are no permanent modifications, conversions, or anything else that might increase the cost.
Today, you can find numerous brands and models designing blowers for F-150s. After all, the F-150 is the most popular model in the series, and all you will need to do is find the matching one that suits the engine in your car.
[read more]A Brief History of F-150
The first models from the F-series were introduced in 1948. Interestingly, the F-150 model wasn’t available at the very beginning of the F-series. In fact, it wasn’t until 1975 that Ford introduced this model. The first generation of these trucks was named F-1 to F-9, and the second generation introduced three-digit models.
When the F-150 was introduced, the F-series was in its sixth generation. The new version of the truck quickly became the most popular option, and it is one of the models available to this day. Naturally, a lot has changed since the seventies, and today’s models only remind us of the old ones by name. New vehicles have different trim levels, engines, and performances.
Getting a Ford F150 5.0 Supercharger
There have been several models of the F-150 that had a 5.0-liter engine. This displacement was introduced in the fifth generation, which was between 1967 and 1972. The first type is a Windsor model, and it is a V8 engine.
| 5.0 L Windsor V8 | From 1975 to 1979 | 130 horsepower |
|---|---|---|
| 4.9 L V8 | From 1980 to 1985 | 133 horsepower |
| 4.9 L V8 | From 1985 to 1986 | 190 horsepower |
| 5.0 L Windsor V8 | From 1987 to 1991 | 185 horsepower |
| 5.0 L V8 | From 1992 to 1993 | 185 horsepower |
| 5.0 L V8 | From 1994 to 1997 | 205 horsepower |
| 5.0 L Coyote V8 | From 2011 to 2014 | 360 horsepower |
| 5.0 L Coyote V8 | From 2015 to 2017 | 385 horsepower |
| 5.0 L Coyote V8 | From 2018 to 2020 | 395 horsepower |
| 5.0 L Coyote V8 (flex-fuel) | From 2021 | 400 horsepower |
It is worth mentioning that some Windsor models had 4.9-liter displacement, but Ford decided to keep the name 5.0 to avoid confusion. The company already offered a 4.9-liter engine (300 cu in), and it is completely different from the 302 cu in engine. All of that means that you will need to know the exact year and model of your truck if you want to find a suitable supercharger.
Engines Used
The 5.0-liter engine is just one of many options, and Ford experimented with different displacements and powers. Even if we take a look at the current generation of F-150, there are still several options you can find for the engine.
- 3.3-liter Cyclone V6
- 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6
- 5.0-liter Coyote V8
- 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6
- 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 (High-Output)
And if you go through other models since 1975, you will notice that there are so many different choices and options. It is also possible to find models that share engines with other cars, like the Coyote engine in the current generation. It is the same engine used in recent versions of the Ford Mustang.
How to Find The Right Supercharger For Your Truck
There are a few things you need to know about the engine if you hope to find a suitable blower. Knowing some details about it will allow you to find a supercharger that will fit the engine with minimal modifications (or no modifications at all):
- Displacement of the engine
- Type
- Year
- Model
For example, you can have a 2018 F-150 with a 5.0-liter displacement. That means that the engine in the truck is the Coyote, an improved version of the engine. After you know all the important details, you can just search for an F-150 supercharger for a 5.0-liter Coyote engine.
2018 F150 Supercharger
Since we are talking about the 2018 series, we should mention that the 5.0-liter Coyote was not the only option when it comes to engines. As with the current generation, you can find different trim levels and engines in the previous generation as well.
| 3.3-liter Cyclone V6 | From 2018 to 2020 | 290 horsepower | 265 lb-ft of torque |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.7-liter EcoBoost | From 2018 to 2020 | 325 horsepower | 400 lb-ft of torque |
| 5.0-liter Coyote V8 | From 2018 to 2020 | 395 horsepower | 400 lb-ft of torque |
| 3.5-liter EcoBoost | From 2017 to 2020 | 375/450 hp | 470/510 lb-ft |
| 3.0-liter PowerStroke | From 2018 to 2020 | 250 horsepower | 440 lb-ft of torque |
There was also an option for a 3.5-liter Cyclone, but the last model was made in 2017, which means that you can’t have that one if your truck was made in 2018. Out of these five options, EcoBoost engines are already equipped with a twin-turbocharger, and PowerStroke has a single turbocharger. As a result, they have impressive power for such a small displacement.
That leaves us with a 3.3-liter Cyclone and a 5.0-liter Coyote. There is a high chance that you won’t be able to find any supercharger for the 3.3-liter engines. If someone was interested in better performance, they would probably buy a truck with EcoBoost. So, the only other option for superchargers is a 5.0-liter Coyote.
Installation
There are plenty of different brands and types of superchargers that offer upgrades for an F-150 truck, especially if we are talking about the Coyote engine, one of the most popular models today. And considering that the same engine is used by the Ford Mustang, you have plenty of choices.
Once you pick the model you like, you can proceed to the installation. The process is not as complex as you might have expected, but it still requires previous experience. You are faced with two different choices here:
- Install it by yourself
- Pay for the installation
While the installation will increase the overall cost, it is the safer option since you won’t need to worry about anything.
Maintenance
While superchargers require regular maintenance, it isn’t something that will take you a lot of time. The only important thing for blowers is to change the oil to ensure they continue working properly. Once you decide what Ford F150 supercharger kit you want to buy, you can contact the manufacturer to see which brand and type of oil you need to use.
Furthermore, you will also learn the frequency, but the rule of thumb is to change the oil in the supercharger whenever you change it in the engine.
Roush Supercharger F150
Roush is one of the bigger names when it comes to superchargers, and you can easily find a model designed for the F-150. There are many options you can find in the store, and they are mostly based on the type of engine.
For example:
- For a 5.0-liter Coyote between 2018 and 2020
- For a 5.0-liter Coyote between 2015 and 2017
- For a 5.0-liter Coyote between 2011 and 2014
This covers the majority of the twelfth and thirteenth generations. There is also an option to choose phase 1 or 2 and other additional things. Based on the phase, your truck will be able to reach over 600 horsepower without any problems.
Other Popular Brands?
Besides Roush, you can find almost every other major brand since the Coyote engine is rather popular. As a result, you can find the most common types, which include Roots-type, centrifugal, and twin-screw superchargers. Other brands you can find besides Roush are Edelbrock, Whipple, ProCharger, Hennessey, and many others.
If you decide to go for a blower designed for Ford Mustang (since Mustangs are also available with the Coyote), you will have even better options. The main downside here is that installation will require a lot of modifications, which will further increase the price.
What Will You Get By Installing a Ford F150 Supercharger
The most obvious gain from a supercharger will be the increase in horsepower and torque. Based on the model of the blower you find, you can easily reach over 650 horsepower on the newer versions. Naturally, this is due to the fact that the Coyote engine is already powerful.
If you have an older version of the truck with a smaller engine, the increase in power will be smaller, but you will still improve the power. And this is something that applies to all versions of the blowers. Regardless of the type you pick, you will get a significant increase in performance.
Are Roush Superchargers Good?
Yes! In fact, Roush is one of the best options you can find on the market. The company offers incredible quality control for its products, and it is among the top ones in the entire industry. Furthermore, the company also bench-tests each of the superchargers, and they offer incredible quality.
In addition, you will also get a warranty for the supercharger you buy, and there are plenty of different options to find. We already mentioned how Roush covers different years based on the engine, and you can also find a few models designed for a Ford Mustang with the Coyote engine.
What Type of Ford F150 Supercharger Kits Does Roush Offer?
If you were wondering what’s the difference between a Roush blower and something like a Whipple, the answer is in the build type. Whipple superchargers are designed on the twin-screw principle, and while Roush is still a positive displacement pump, it’s based on the Roots-type superchargers.
Both Roots and twin-screw are PD pumps, but the design of rotors is different. With Roots-type blowers, both rotors have an identical number of lobes. They can have two, three, or four lobes. And this is the primary difference compared to twin-screw or Whipple. Twin-screw blowers have a male and a female rotor, and they have a different number of lobes.
1995 Ford F150 5.0 Supercharger
As we mentioned before, the 1995 Ford F-150 had a Windsor V8 engine, offering 205 horsepower and 275 lb-ft of torque. Of course, this is for the 5.0-liter version. The automatic version of the truck was a bit weaker, and it offered 195 horsepower instead. These models were available between 1994 and 1997.
If you own this truck, getting a Ford F150 supercharger is an excellent idea. Needless to say, there will be a lot fewer options compared to the newer versions of the F-150, but there are still a few models you can find. Installing a blower in the 1995 truck will allow you to reach between 400 and 450 horsepower.
A Supercharger Kit 94 F150. Is it Different?
In essence, the same engine was used for 1995 and 1994 F-150 trucks with 5.0-liter engines, but it wasn’t the only option you could find. This means that you could use the same blower as in the previous example, but only if it is a 5.0 L version. For other options, you would need to look for an alternative.
For 1994, there was a version with 4.9-liter, 5.8-liter, and of course, 5.0-liter. These were the only possible options, and other engines were reserved for bigger trucks. This means that you can also find a blower for a 5.8 L engine, which is completely different from the previous 5.0 supercharger.
Is It Worth Supercharging an F150
Upgrading the F-150 truck is worth the investment, especially if you own one of the newer models with better engines. But even on the older models, you will still be able to get a lot more power from the engine. Since the increase in performance is percentage-based, the more powerful the engine, the higher the increase in power.
And regardless of the version of the truck you own, it’s always a good idea to supercharge it. Of course, the only question is whether you can afford it. If this is something you wouldn’t mind doing, then the answer is quite simple. And who could say no to an additional two hundred horsepower (or even more)?
If you have a 4.6L Ford pickup truck, you can bolt a supercharger onto these engines too. For more info see the link here Ford F-150 4.6 supercharger kits. You’ll learn about the history of the F series trucks, engine types and sizes as well as the cost of a typical supercharger kit too. Happy reading.
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