4.6 vs 5.4
 

Hey guys

This subject has probably already been talked to death about but since I'm new here I'm gonna throw it out again.

I'm in the market for a new F-150 Super Cab XLT and wanted some opinions on which engine I should get. First let me tell you a little about what I'll mainly be using the truck for. To drive to work, which
is only about 6 miles away, and general use. I won't be pulling a boat
or trailer or anything for that matter. I won't even be hauling anything in it. I just like the truck thats all. But I am sort of a power freak that likes to have some b*lls in my engine when I stomp the pedal. I guess my worry is whether the 5.4 is that much better than the 4.6 and is it worth the extra money spent. So guys and gals, throw it at me so I can decide what to do. And I need it quick because
I plan on buying this truck in the next week or so. Thank you for your help.

4.6 vs 5.4
 

You'll never regret getting the extra power. :-X20

4.6 vs 5.4
 

go with the 5.4. my uncle has the 4.6 and he hates it! terrible gas mileage! and the 5.4 in my 250 sd is great!


-nathan

4.6 vs 5.4
 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 26-Dec-01 AT 05:47 PM (EST)]Ditto here. I had a '99 F150SC with a 4.6L. It was a nice truck- until I tried towing with it. I ended up trading up to a Superduty with a little more power;) .

You will not regret getting a larger engine.:-D

-V10gunner

'00 SD F250 Super Cab XLT, 4X2, 142"WB, 6.8L V10, 4R100, 4.30LS, Camper Package, Dark Toreador Red over Silver, Snugtop Xtra Vision Cab-high shell

4.6 vs 5.4
 

Matai-
I doubt there will be much if any mileage advantage with the 4.6, so the only disadvantage of the 5.4L would be the extra cost up front. Do yourself a favor and get the 5.4L, even if you don't intend to haul anything. Some day you will want to sell the truck, and a lot of eligible truck shoppers will not even consider buying your truck if it has the 4.6. I learned this the hard way. Besides, you should be able to recoup the extra cost when you do sell the truck.

Jerm

4.6 vs 5.4
 

>Ditto here. I had a '99 F150SC with a 4.6L. It was a nice
>truck- until I tried towing with it. I ended up trading up
>to a Superduty with a little more power;) .
>
>You will not regret getting a larger engine.:-D
>
>-V10gunner
>
>'00 SD F250 Super Cab XLT, 4X2, 142"WB, 6.8L V10, 4R100,
>4.30LS, Camper Package, Dark Toreador Red over Silver,
>Snugtop Xtra Vision Cab-high shell


Hey V10,
When you had your 99' w/4.6 what were you trying to tow?

Hfactor

4.6 vs 5.4
 

>Hey V10,
>When you had your 99' w/4.6 what were you trying to tow?
>
>Hfactor

(Two months later and I finally respond :-roll Sorry about that)

Apparently, too much! :-X10

It was a 23.5 foot trailer, about 4500 pounds. The whole @ss end of the truck was squishing around and the power was an absolute joke. I would never try towing anything larger than a small boat with a 1/2 ton again. The SD is the way to go:-X22

-V10gunner

'00 SD F250 Super Cab XLT, 4X2, 142"WB, 6.8L V10, 4R100, 4.30LS, Camper Package, Dark Toreador Red over Silver, Line-X, Husky mud flaps, Snugtop Xtra Vision Cab-high shell, AutoMeter Tranny Temp Gauge, Banks Stinger and TransCommand

4.6 vs 5.4
 

>Matai-
>I doubt there will be much if any mileage advantage with the
>4.6, so the only disadvantage of the 5.4L would be the extra
>cost up front. Do yourself a favor and get the 5.4L, even
>if you don't intend to haul anything. Some day you will
>want to sell the truck, and a lot of eligible truck shoppers
>will not even consider buying your truck if it has the 4.6.
>I learned this the hard way. Besides, you should be able to
>recoup the extra cost when you do sell the truck.
>
>Jerm

I agree whole heartedly with regards to the "resale-ablility" while looking for my 99 Expy I looked at and drove many examples with both the 4.6 and 5.4 being well represented. It only took a couple of test drives for me to know which I wanted. From then on if I knew upfront that the truck had the 4.6 I didn't even waste my time. If the truck was on a dealers lot, the first thing I did was pop the hood, if it had the 4.6 I shut the hood and moved on.

Get the additional 55 lb-ft of torque, you will not never regret doing it but if you get the 4.6 you will, every time you come to a hill and your trans has to downshift or "hunt" gears to maintain speed, yes, even when empty.

Petrol

4.6 vs 5.4
 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 17-May-02 AT 06:35 PM (EST)]I'm going to disagree. My daughter has a '99 Expedition with the 5.4. I recently got a new F150 with the 4.6. Both do real fine when towing our 2 horse trailer, but mine gets substantially better mileage. My "play" car is a 1970 Ram Air Firebird, so you know I like the power. But for a working vehicle, I just felt that, given the uncertainties in the price of gas in the next 5 years, I wanted to make some concession toward mileage. I have not been disappointed. My F150, although not the Firebird, is plenty fast, and I regularly get over 15 mpg in the city, and about 17 (w/o trailer)on the road (although I haven't yet done a lot of long trips). It never "hunts" or downshifts too often. Maybe they have improved the transmission.

If money is no object, get the 5.4, but if you've got other demands, you won't be unhappy with the 4.6!

MrBSS

4.6 vs 5.4
 

>... you won't be unhappy with the 4.6!
>
>MrBSS

I hate mine...get the 5.4!

4.6 vs 5.4
 

daughter has a '99 Expedition
>with the 5.4. I got F150 with the 4.6. Both
>do fine towing , but mine gets
>substantially better mileage. ... given the uncertainties
>in the price of gas in the next 5 years, I wanted to make
>some concession toward mileage.
>If money is no object, get the 5.4, but if you've got other
>demands, you won't be unhappy with the 4.6!
>
>MrBSS

Do you have a 2WD 150? If so her Expy is approx 700-900 lbs heavier, that alone would go far towards explaining the similar towing cap as well as your seemingly 'substanially' better mileage. you also need to consider gear ratios and most importantily, driver techinic.

Also, does she have the 'Performance Improved' 5.4L? They hit the Expy in late june 99. I don't think so or the differance in power would be much more noticable, especially when towing

IMO, the 5.4 is the minimum for a heavy full size truck like the Expy

4.6 vs 5.4
 

You obviously know your stuff, but allow me to point out that the original question WAS about a new F150. This would have the better heads in either case. Although nobody could argue that the 5.4 wouldn't be superior, cost no object, I'm suggesting that a 4.6 (at least a new 4.6) can do the job. Mine does.

EPA ratings are as much as 10% better for the 4.6 vs. 5.4 in an F150. What's real world?? Who knows? I believe it would be noticeable.

Incidentally, do you know how we can tell which heads my daughter's truck has?

Regards,
MrBSS

4.6 vs 5.4
 

>Incidentally, do you know how we can tell which heads my
>daughter's truck has?
>
>Regards,
>MrBSS

Sorry, I kind of got caught up in the 5.4L vs. 4.6L thing.

1. Take off the front passanger side tire/wheel (with truck parked on level ground, tires chocked, properly supported by stands for saftey)

2. grab a flashlight and a rag

3. poke your head in the wheel well and look up at the side of the cylinder head, towards the front end of the truck

4. there it will be 'cast' in the head in a 1/4" tall alpha/numeric 'PI'

From what I've learned Ford put these 'Performanced Improved' heads on all 99 model year and up F150 5.4L V-8s but they 'used up' the stock of the old heads on the SuperDuty and Expy 5.4L V-8s. They must have 'ran out' of the old heads inearly summer 99.

I drove a huge number of Expys before finding the one I have which has all the options/features I wanted and was in great shape. The differance in performance is indeed very noticable, in fact many an owner of an earlier 5.4L has spent considerable time and money on upgrades just to get the 25 HP that the 'PI' has stock.

4.6 vs 5.4
 

Thanks!
MrBSS

4.6 vs 5.4