I am a junkie for speed and power but you just cant beat the way an Expedition feels. Heres my delima, the darn engine is starting to tick and i know that this isnt going to end well. I do a lot of driving, 30,000-40,000 a year and have already dumped over $6,000 fixing this engine. as far as im concerned it can go run my ranger because i love this Expedition and I am tired of having to leave it at the shop.. spent more time with this thing sitting at the dealer and in my driveway then I have driving it.

Im planning on dropping a LS3 motor in this thing and take care of it for good. i need to know though if itll fit in there. and what mods in terms of spacing would need to be done. I know ill need a LS3 pcm and some wiring and all. probably will have to rebuild the drivtrain too. but I plan on building this thing and fine tuning it for life. When I buy a vehicle its for life, its my wife. No divorces here.. I've got mods updates on this thing and its pretty much carrying the same features you could get on a 2013. One of a kind and in excellent shape for 150,000. plan on getting at least 300,000 more out of this car and if itll start to run day in and day out it'll only take me about 7 years to do that many miles.

BTW. how would an LS3 do at towing? Thanks

 

Like a chevy LS3??? Its gonna be really fricken dificult and id put money on it ud have the only one in the world! As far as swaps go it seems like most guys pull the body off 2 swap. In ur case its def the best bet. That motors fast in the camaro dont know how it would do in the truck. Why not drop a fresh 5.4 with a s/c or turbo instead?

 

I don't want to put another 5.4 in because I pretty much don't trust them. I bought mine and before I knew it at just 40,000 miles I had to have the thing towed in a tear the engine apart to repair a sensor. It was a $2000 repair and that was the first of nearly a dozen and a half. It's the darn 3 valve motors that do it. My dad had a 2V f150. Never ever repaired it, just a belt and some plugs. I'm not looking to downgrade in power either though.

GM seems to be really great actually. My dad also has the Suburban and they seem to withstand just about any abuse I could hand em, and then driving on the way back home like it never even happened.

That's what I'm looking for out of this thing. Good reliable engine that you can drive to the track, race, and then drive it back home in comfort with it still running good.

 

Don't panic yet, it could simply be a leaking exhaust manifold gasket.

 

I'm sure that's part of it but this big feller rumbles and Clicks when Im sitting at the drive thru or in gear at a stop light. Doesnt rumble or shake to much when not in gear but it's still clicking more than ticking. Any more repairs to this engine and I would have been able to get an LS3 completely installed by someone and have it built into the vehicle.

I don't think the cam phasers are gone yet, but I'm pretty sure theyre on their way out

 

Or cracked manifolds or snapped manifold bolts. Go to harbor Freight and pick up a $5.00 mechanic's stethescope and actually identify where the ticking is coming from.
Instead of a chebby engine you could make a changeover to a 460 cid Ford crate engine and at least have some type of compatibility. Or even find a 460 totaled truck for a donor.
I hate to say it but, you would be miles ahead just buying a Suburban if you really want a G.M. power train and sell or trade in the Expedition.

 

I'll check that out. But I think I'll still probably end up getting an LS3 for this thing. Like waistingas said "ud have the only one in the world" I'm totally looking to make this a speed monster. If I'm not taking down Subarus, I'm not done modding

 

With a 3 ton truck you really have your work cut out for you to take down any decent running WRX. You might want a 600 cid rat motor with a big GMC huffer and some spray too. To reach your goal you better have a fat wad of cash ready to spend.

 

Yeah. But im ready to pour plenty into this vehicle, as I mentioned earlier, my vehicles are for life. Im planning getting this setup crazy and driving 10 or 20 years or until the frame rots through. And when it does, fix it up and drive it some more. I integrate all the newest technologies onto this thing and keep up when modern vehicles. Even have some features that they don't. This car is my cadilac, I take it into town on occasions to nice restaurants. This car is my work horse, take it out to the ranch in the DST when it's dark out early and I need it to help light up fields while I'm using the tractor. This car is my travel vehicle, load it down with the family and all the luggage to make our way across the states. And it's a race car, back when I still had a nice tune on this thing I could make that 5.4L do 0-60 times at a little under 6 seconds. (until one day I had to have the transmission replaced and they reprogramed my PCM and bye bye went my amazing tune.) It's my everything, wouldnt trade it for nothin. Best vehicle I've ever owned and I love the memories I have with it. And deep down I know it loves me too:P One day I plan on being able to hand this monster on through my family when I'm gone. It's a part of me and It always will be.

 

I'd check the timing case first, could be the tensioners or guides on the chain, mine has a ticking and clicking sound as well gonna hit it before it hits me

 

Sounds like a lot of work. But...I have to admit I have pondered the idea of a Coyote 5.0 in the Expy. Not a lot...but pondered.

 

Yeah. I was looking at the new mustangs today and all the new engine they redesigned. And man was I amazed! Is saw several of their great Beast had been redesigned. The 5.8, 5.0, and the Ecoboost. Those are what makes me proud to be a ford man. I'm deffinitley droping the idea of the ls3. If anything, I'm probably going to rebuild this engine in all the weak areas and twin turbo charge it. It's just seems like a smarter idea to me

Bu wow, 400 plus horse power from the new 5.0L! My dads looking into getting a new truck and I think we are gonna go look at f150s with Ecoboost or 5.0L engines.