Ok folks I know this isn't necessarily a good comparison but my friend has an 03 F150 4x4 5.4 bone stock and he thinks it's the greatest thing since sliced bread. I'm finishing up my tranny on my 88 Bronco with 5.0 and a fresh rebuilt AOD with a valvebody kit and 3.55 gears and before I start running my mouth about mine being better what do you guys think I need to beat him in a race? I already have a GT-40 intake and was thinking a SD friendly cam and long tube headers, will that be enough?

 

What type of 03 does your buddy have...regular cab, crew cab, 4 or 2 wheel drive???

 

What configuration is that 03... reg cab.. crew? The 5.4 was only rated 260hp that year and that's no problem from a 5.0 with a cam upgrade and exhaust, so if your truck is significantly lighter it would be pretty easy to make him eat crow.

 

you said the AOD is rebuilt, but whats the 5.0 condition?








but to be safe a 100 horse shot of juice would be a cheap way to get power, nothin like hittin the big red button

 

My 96 5.0 4x4 Reg cab long bed (stock) will run very near the same 0-60 (never raced them just stopwatch and speedometer) as my 2000 F-150 5.4 s-cab short bed 4x4 (Stock except Gotts mod). They both get right around 10 seconds every time. The 5.4 feels faster though and will do a much better burnout even though both open diff one wheel burnouts If you have any add-ons on your 5.0 it should out perform a stock 5.4.

The go fast power is about the same, but the 5.4 will out pull my 5.0 everyday.

Hope at least a little of that info helps.

 

His 03 is extended cab shortbed, 4x4. I just swapped the motor in out of a donor truck and had it running until I realized I used the wrong flexplate however seemed in good shape. I think I'll stay away from nitrous to keep the short block together .

 

Also, on mine the 96 has 3.55 gears with stock tires while the 5.4 has 3.31 gears with 265/75-16s. That probably makes it a little slower than most F-150 with 5.4.

 

The trans in the 03 has a deeper first gear than your AOD and counting TC lockup it's effectively a 5 speed so that will make up for some of the gearing disadvantage, but the 03 is the heavier truck which hurts acceleration.

 

100 shot isnt real dangerous, but if you want to be safe they make a "safe shot" of 35-50 horsepower for all stock engines

 

A challenge!

I'd have taken my truck to the track already and brought back the time slip. That way if he wants to talk crap anymore then he'll have to take HIS truck to the track and get an ET to prove it.

Better yet both y'all go and have a grudge match. It's a blast and you ain't gotta worry about liability or the law. Worth the few bucks to get in, plus you can spank some ricers that think their grocery getters are fast!

 

My '00 F150 5.4 would leave my '93 Bronco's 5.0 in the dust. The 5.4 produced a lot more torque (350 Lb. ft. IIRC vs less than 300 lb. ft. for a stock 5.0). The torque curve for the 5.4 is much fatter as well. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big 5.0 fan, but in a Mustang. The 5.4 is a better truck motor IMHO, and a tuner is all that's needed to make one a little stronger, the 5.0 is going to require parts to make big numbers, and even then 350 lb. ft. is tough to get.

 

I have owned both and it's no contest from a pulling standpoint - the 5.4L pulls like a freight train. Too many variables, tho, to say which one would win in a drag. That's a stupid way to tell which engine in a truck is best IMO, anyway.

 

Agreed. But races are fun anyway... if only for the amusement.

 

I think I can make over 50 lb. ft. with intake, headers and cam. I'll post the results but it might be awhile due to funds. The problem will be keeping my mouth shut about the mods so I don't hear him cry foul, although I've got 1400 total in mine and his cost 5500 so technically I've got 4100 worth of mods before we're even!

 

The 5.4 MIGHT be a better truck engine than a 302, but I had one in an '08 F-250 and, at least by my standards it certainly wasn't as good a truck engine as a 351. It made gobs of power, but none of it below 3000 rpm. It was quiet enough that if the truck had an auto trans and no tach I might have been OK with it. But constantly having to drop 2 gears to make it up hills that my '95 F-150/351/E4OD could pull in overdrive sure soured me on the 5.4.

But in a drag race with a stock 302? Assuming the 5.4 was allowed to get up to it's power band I doubt it would much of a contest (a built 302 could be an entirely different story).