F-150 5.0L Stage 1 Build: Intake, Tune, and Cat-Back

A "Stage 1" build is the first round of bolt-ons most 5.0L V8 owners consider: nothing that touches the internals of the engine, nothing that requires a lift or a full weekend, just three parts that are well understood on this engine. This guide walks through one real combination — an intake, a tune, and a cat-back exhaust — with the actual prices, gains, and sources behind each part, not marketing copy.

What you're starting with

This build targets the 2018-2020 F-150's 5.0L V8 (the "Gen 3" Coyote, in F-150-forum shorthand), rated by Ford at 395 hp and 400 lb-ft at the crank. This is the model-year range where Ford added high-pressure direct injection on top of the existing port injection (a dual-injection setup) and raised compression to 12.0:1 — real hardware changes from the prior 2015-2017 version of this engine, not just a software update.

The three parts in this build

Cold air intake

A cold air intake swaps the factory air-filter box for one that pulls in cooler, denser outside air instead of hot air trapped near the engine — cooler air makes a little more power and (mostly) a better induction sound. This one uses a reusable, washable filter instead of a paper one you throw away. No tune or PCM recalibration is needed to run it, it's about an hour to install, and it's CARB-legal for 2018-2021 model years — worth knowing if you're in an emissions-testing state.

Tune

A tune is new software for your truck's engine computer, loaded through a plug-in handheld tuner — no wrenching involved. This one adjusts automatically for whatever fuel you run, from 87 octane pump gas up to E85 blends, and includes transmission tuning. MPT publishes a real dyno comparison for this exact tune on E70 fuel: 338 hp / 352 lb-ft measured at the wheels on their dyno with the truck stock, up to 419 hp / 468 lb-ft on the tune — a gain of about 81 hp and 116 lb-ft. That "338 stock" number is a wheel-dyno reading, not Ford's 395 hp crank rating above — the two numbers aren't measuring the same thing, and the gap between them (roughly 15%) is ordinary drivetrain loss, not a discrepancy.

Cat-back exhaust

A cat-back exhaust replaces everything from the catalytic converters back with larger piping to change sound and flow. This one is a dual pre-axle exit — the two pipes exit just ahead of the rear axle rather than running all the way to the bumper — in MBRP's lightweight aluminized-steel "Armor Lite" build. MBRP hasn't published a dyno number for this specific product, which is normal for a cat-back sold on its own; based on comparable cat-back gain claims from MBRP, Corsa, and Flowmaster on similar trucks, a reasonable estimate is roughly 4-18 hp and 5-18 lb-ft, not a tested figure for this exact part.

Suggested install order

There's no strict mechanical dependency between these three parts — the intake and cat-back are both independent bolt-ons and don't need each other. A practical order:

1. Cold air intake
2. Cat-back exhaust
3. Tune, loaded last

Doing the physical parts first and the tune last just means the truck is already in its final hardware configuration before you spend time behind the wheel getting used to the tune's behavior. It isn't a technical requirement.

What to expect

The tested number in this build is the tune's alone — 81 hp / 116 lb-ft at the wheels on E70, measured by MPT. The intake and cat-back are each worth doing for what they do (cooler intake air, more exhaust flow and a different sound), but neither has a published gain figure for this specific product, so don't stack their estimated ranges on top of the tune's number and expect it to hold up on a dyno. Total price for the three parts above is shown live below, from current listed prices.

FAQ

Do I need to do all three parts, or can I do them separately?

They're independent — each one bolts on and works on its own. This guide groups them because they're a common, well-covered "Stage 1" combination on this engine, not because one requires another.

Will the tune or intake cause emissions problems?

The intake listed here is stated as CARB-legal for 2018-2021 model years. The tune's own product listing doesn't state a CARB or 50-state-emissions-legal status — if that matters in your state, check directly with MPT before buying rather than assuming either way.

Does the cat-back on its own add real power?

MBRP hasn't published a dyno number for this cat-back. The 4-18 hp / 5-18 lb-ft range above is an estimate from comparable products, not a test of this specific part — treat it as a rough expectation, not a tested claim.