Went to a you pull it Tuesday a few hours away with a friend to get some parts and found an 1997 F150 2wd with a 5.4.. Did not have time to pull it but I would have if we had the time. He is going back Sunday and I was thinking of gong to get the engine. But since I am not making an on the spot decision I wanted to ask first.

My 1999 F250 is also a 5.4 and 2wd. I am thinking of buying both just to have a spare of each. My engine is toast though and it looks like this is a victim of a crash and not a bad drive train. Guage cluster is gone so no way to tell how many miles are on it. I am going to guess not many as people swipe those with low miles for their high mileage rigs.

Someone got the exhaust manifold but thats OK I have a spare set but I would get some headers anyhow.

Anyways I realize its a junkyard motor but I just cant swing a rebuild right now. They wont give you a return but they will either find you another running engine or yard credit if it doesnt work.Even if it didnt run though its good to have a spare block for when I can swing rebuild and machine work just because I know how hard my truck was ran before me and the block could be warped or any number of unfixable things at this point.

So it the engine a direct swap? I would assume so? Same transmission too? Nothing special to know. Engine is only 160 dollars. Transmissions are only 60 dollars. Might as well buy the transmission for cheap insurance.

 

Getting it tomorrow if no one has any advice to offer

 

At those prices you're not out a lot so I'd say "go for it.....!"---just don't yell at me if its a bust!

Until someone more knowledgeable comes along to confirm I THINK the '97 and '99 motors are a direct swap----both not having the PI heads. Transmissions I can't ask you about but user Mark Kowalsky is the resident tranny guru, having been a Ford tranny engineer for some time.

If you have the time, patience and storage space for another vehicle I'd say snap this deal up----you'd at least have yard credit.

 

Well I was so excited I never looked close enough. That engine has plug wires

Anyways we still ended up pulling it because its the same block. Should be the same heads. Stripped everything else off though because the yard charges by the part not the engine. So block is XX price and heads are XX price cam shaft is XX price intake is XX price and it goes on. So we took off everything we didnt need.....

I should be able to swap on my old manifold and call it a day. Not sure though but its a good start. Ended up paying about half what I expected too. Very happy with it.

 

So I ended up with a 4.6l.

Whoops. Oh well cheap mistake. Where do I look to see if these have PI heads?

 

Here's an image for ya:


These cast-in marks are located on the right side of the head as installed; front on passengers's side, rear on driver's side.

I was told by Johnny Langton (RIP) 5.4's got the PI heads in 1999, 4.6's followed in 2000. The vans may not have received these heads until later, perhaps a few years on. The best way is to look though.

HTH

 

1999 f150 4x4 5.4 L code. I found a 2003 f150 4x4 L code will they swap out without a lot of trouble

 

Awesome thanks. Being as the 4.6 is the same block I will probably put it in the truck just so it can at least move under its own power while I rebuild the 5.4.... long term.

Thanks for the info on the heads too I will check as soon as I can!

 

That's a great idea! You'll have transportation for running to the parts store over and over!

Love to know how the rebuild goes-----if you'd do it again and so on.


Thanks ArrizX!

 

I'm impressed with these mod motors and will be looking for a donor for my '57 F-100 project. I was wondering how you tell the diff between the 4.6 and 5.4 - could you post that image again?

 

The biggest thing is the 4.6 has plug wires and the 5.4 has coil packs........

On the 4.6 there are two square brackets in the front of the motor in front of each head which will hold the coil packs. That is going to be your immediate difference.