Accessories & Gear: More Power to You

Automakers have gotten good at making efficient, powerful engines that get excellent gas mileage and produce low emissions. But there are still dozens of aftermarket companies happy to help your truck make even more power. Depending on the extent of your need for speed, you can do something major, like add a supercharger, or do something simple, like swap in a cold-air intake. Here are some of the newest performance upgrades on the market.

Pick Your Focus
Comp Cams' Tri-Power Xtreme kits allow you to optimize your truck for torque, horsepower, or fuel economy, depending on what you need. Each kit includes a Tri-Power Xtreme camshaft and a FAST-Flash Power Programmer, designed to work together. Kits are available for most Chevy and GMC trucks, with Ford 4.6-liter and Dodge Hemi versions coming soon. Comp Cams, 800/999-0853.
www.compcams.com

Unichip Plug N' Play
Unichip offers fully programmable engine-management systems for most truck and SUV applications. The Plug N' Play computer is said to increase power and torque in the 2006 Nissan Titan by 25 horsepower and 26 pound-feet, and in the 2006 Toyota Tacoma by 27 horses and 31 pound-feet. Unichips work with a vehicle's standard ECU and are compatible with OBD1 and OBD2 vehicles. The company provides dyno numbers and vehicle applications on its Web site. Unichip, 866/UNI-CHIP.
www.unichip.us

Force Air
The ROUSHcharger, a Roots-type supercharger, will push more air into your 2004-2006 Ford F-150's 5.4-liter, three-valve V-8. More air means more power--112 extra horsepower and 137 pound-feet of torque, to be precise. The kit is 50-state legal and is backed by a three-year/36,000-mile drivetrain warranty. An intercooled version is good for a 145-horse gain. Roush Performance Products, 800/59-ROUSH.
www.roushperf.com

Induction Junction
AFE's Super Stock Induction System for the 5.4-liter 2004-2005 F-150 adds eight horsepower and 11 pound-feet of torque while retaining the factory airbox and cold-air supply. It replaces the restrictive OE paper filter element with a high-performance washable/reusable air filter and eliminates the constricting factory air tubes with a contoured, high-flow tube that features a second cold-air inlet. Advanced Flow Engineering, 951/493-7100.
www.afefilters.com

Give It Some Space
Trans-Dapt's Torque-Curve multiport fuel-injection spacer increases the volume of air available for combustion and is dyno proven to provide gains in torque and fuel economy. The 50-state-legal spacer is available for V-10 1999-2004 F-250/350s and Excursions. Trans-Dapt Performance Products, 562/921-0404.
www.tdperformance.com

Get Wired
HotWires are said to provide a seven- to 15-percent improvement in fuel economy for V-8 pickups and SUVs as well as gains of approximately four to seven rear-wheel horsepower. These ignition wires allow energy from the coil to accumulate in a built-in capacitor until the voltage at the spark-plug electrodes reaches the ionization point. The power of the stored spark is then discharged at once, creating a spark that's 300 times more powerful. Nology Engineering, 800/NOLOGY-1.
www.nology.com

Dam It
In independent dyno testing, Airaid's Cool Air Dam Intake System for 2007 Chevy Tahoes and Yukons with the AFM 5.3-liter V-8 generated an additional 22 horsepower and 28 pound-feet of torque at the rear wheels. The system uses a 1600-cfm Airaid Premium SynthaFlow filter, which is isolated from engine heat by a computer-designed cool-air dam. It also fits 2007 Cadillac Escalades with the new 6.2-liter V-8. Airaid Filter Company, 800/498-6951.
www.airaid.com

Flow Better
Granatelli Motor Sports' high-performance mass airflow sensor for 2004-2006 Fords with 4.6-liter engines generates 47 percent more air than the stock MAF, good for 17 more ponies at the rear wheels. It's compatible with cold-air induction systems, features a 90-day limited warranty, and won't void your factory warranty. Granatelli Motor Sports, 805/486-6644.