How to Increase Horsepower & Torque for Your Ford F-250

By Mike Cote - December 5, 2018

Muddy trails, rocky worksites and plentiful payloads are no match for your F-250. Whether you’re rolling with a Power Stroke under the hood or opted to stick with straight gas, you know your tough truck is one of the most capable on the market. Even with Super Duty stamped out front, your bad behemoth is leaving potential performance on the table. Regular maintenance with premium automotive fluids can help kick off any upgrade or mod to make sure your truck is ready for whatever you throw at it. Enjoy out-of-this-world Ford F-250 increase horsepower and torque with a few of these must-have mods.

1. Air Intake or High-Flow Replacement Filter

The pairing of cool air and a high-performance reusable filter makes the aftermarket air intake an unbeatable upgrade. Delivering tons of bang for your buck, you might be surprised at the benefits you’ll reap including super-powered performance and improved fuel economy.

• Custom drop-in design makes installation a breeze
• Available with a range of filter styles and materials
• Some models may not be CARB-legal in all 50 states

Recommended products:

• K&N 71 Series Blackhawk Air Intake System
• Banks Ram-Air Intake
• aFe Magnum Force Cold Air Intakes
• K&N 63 Series AirCharger High-Flow Intake Kit
• Airaid Intake System
• Volant Cold Air Intakes
• K&N 77 Series Metal Intake Kit
• S&B Cold Air Intake Kit

2. Throttle Body Spacer (for naturally aspirated models only)

Whether at work or play, you ask a lot of your truck. The least you can do is help it breathe a little better with this straightforward swap. By improving the air and fuel mixture in your engine, you’ll get increased bottom-end torque for faster acceleration and quicker throttle response.

• Manufactured from corrosion-resistant materials
• Installs in less than an hour with common hand tools
• Custom-engineered for your specific pickup

Recommended products:

• Taylor Cable Helix Power Tower Throttle Body Spacer
• Jet Power-Flow TBI Spacer
• Volant Vortice Throttle Body Spacers
• EconoAid Throttle Body Booster
• aFe Silver Bullet Throttle Body Spacers
• Airaid PowerAid Throttle Body Spacer

3. Cat Back Exhaust

Unclogging your truck’s exhaust flow is an easy way to see an instant gain in horsepower and torque. Large, mandrel-bent tubes deliver the free flowing power you’re after, along with drastically reduced back pressure and an aggressive attitude.

• Expertly engineered to the specification of your F-250
• Hassle-free, bolt-on installation
• Choose from a single or dual exit system (most models)

Recommended products:

• MBRP Exhaust Systems
• Magnaflow Exhaust Systems
• Flowmaster Exhaust Systems
• Gibson Exhaust Systems
• Borla Exhaust Systems
• Banks Monster Exhaust System
• Gibson Metal Mulisha Exhaust Systems

4. Tuner

A few extra horsepower and ft-lbs of torque can make a big difference when it comes to your hard-working rig. When paired with a few of the other add-ons listed here, you can find yourself behind the wheel of triple digit gains in horsepower and torque. Just imagine what you can do with that kind of performance.

• Tuned with multiple modes to match your driving style
• Equipped with a high-res touchscreen for crystal clear readings
• Delivers improvements immediately – just plug-n-play

Recommended products:

• Hypertech Max Energy Programmers
• Superchips Flashpaq Tuner
• DiabloSport Trinity T-1000 Programmer
• Edge Evolution CTS2 Programmer
• DiabloSport inTune i2 Tuner
• Edge Juice with Attitude CTS2 Programmer
• Bully Dog Triple Dog GT Tuner (49-State Legal)

5. Upgraded Intercooler (Diesel)

When your Power Stroke’s EGTs shoot sky high, your performance is sure to plummet. By dramatically reducing inbound air temp, you’ll feel the increase torque Ford F250 is capable of on any climb. Icing down your induction system delivers improved horsepower and efficiency every time your engine combusts.

• High-quality construction for long-term use
• Custom-made specifically for your Ford
• Engineered for minimal pressure drops and maximum boost

Recommended products:

• Banks Techni-Cooler System
• Mishimoto Intercooler Pipe & Boot Kits
• Mishimoto Direct-Fit Intercoolers
• Mishimoto Universal Intercoolers

6. Headers (Gas) or High-Flow Downpipe (Diesel)

Those clunky factory pipes aren’t doing anything for your rig’s performance potential. With a new set of headers in your petrol pickup or a fresh high-flow downpipe for your diesel, you can free the backpressure that’s blocking your airflow and unleash a noticeable increase horsepower Ford F250.

• Mandrel-bent tubing ensures unrestricted flow
• Choose from several pipe styles including shorty and long tube
• Diesel downpipes add a distinct, deep exhaust tone

Recommended products:

• Gibson Exhaust Performance Headers
• Doug Thorley Headers
• BBK Performance Exhaust Headers
• Banks TorqueTube Exhaust Headers
• MBRP Turbo Downpipe
• Flowmaster Turbo Downpipe Kit
• FlowTech Headers

7. Larger Throttle Body

Your truck gets tasked with some serious work and this simple swap makes sure you’re getting optimal performance with every push of the pedal. Wondering how to increase horsepower Ford F250 – feed free-flowing air into your engine and dish out more power, more torque, and lightning-fast throttle response.

• Wide-range of sizes to match your performance level preference
• Designed for direct factory replacement – no-hassle installation
• CNC-machined from high-quality materials to last the long haul

Recommended products:

• BBK Power-Plus Throttle Bodies

8. Supercharger (Gas) or Upgraded Turbo (Diesel)

Installing a supercharger on your gas-powered pickup or upgrading your turbo diesel guarantees Ford F-250 increase horsepower and torque into the double digits. More compressed air flowing to your engine means better combustion – not to mention a deeper exhaust tone.

• Mandrel-bent tubing releases the factory bottleneck
• Bolts on to your factory mounting locations
• Some models require a front-pipe and/or a turbo downpipe

Recommended products:

• MBRP Turbo Downpipe

9. Meth Injection (Diesel)

Boosting combustion with a blast of super-cooled water/methanol mixture, this diesel addition ensures your Power Stroke operates with the kind of horsepower and torque deserving of such a rugged rig.

• Choose from several custom kits (depending on model)
• Can improve your truck’s fuel economy by up to 30%
• Keeps your EGTs far from reaching red

Conclusion

In conclusion, maximizing the horsepower and torque of your Ford F-250 is achievable with the right modifications. Whether it's upgrading the air intake, adding a throttle body spacer, improving the exhaust system, or installing a supercharger or turbo, these enhancements can significantly enhance your truck's performance. Consider your specific needs and preferences when choosing the best upgrades for your F-250, and always ensure proper installation and maintenance for optimal results.