Hey guys, I have been thinking recently and I know I eventually want to swap out my 5.4l in my 04 to a 12v cummins. So since I'll have the 5.4l lying around I figured why not see if i can swap it into my 95 4.9l. I know a lot of people are nay sayers on this but here are my thoughts. The truck is currently a stick and they make ZF6's that bolt up to the 5.4l so that is what i would go with for the transmission, I would use the super duty transfer case because mine is currently a manual T-case. Also I eventually wanted to do a SAS so why no just switch out the axles with super duty axles which are very abundant in the junk yards around me, they have 99-04 SD's everywhere. I planned on basically stripping out the wiring in a junked truck and using my old 5.4l which would have under 120k if i do the Cummins swap when I plan to. Currently my 4.9 has 221k on it and its still running strong but the transmission is definitely on its way out and i cant get the transfer case shift lever to budge (no saying its the T-case yet) These are just my thoughts because The truck needs a lot of work and I figured why not since I'll have the engine lying around that has never given me any trouble. Please let me know if there is anything that I'm over looking etc. I understand a 5.8 is easier etc but I got this truck cheap and will probably not get out of it what i put into it so why not have some fun with it right!?

 

The modular V8's are pretty wide... measure and see if it'll fit. If so, have at it!

Just one thing though... that 04 donor truck, does it have PATS (Passive Anti-Theft System)? The key with a chip in it? If so, that could be a problem when reusing the stock 5.4 EEC. If I remember correctly, PATS logic is in 3 places. The EEC, a PATS module, and I think the instrument cluster.

These modules communicate over SCP (Standard Corporate Protocol) or CAN (Controller Area Network) serial bus. The EEC will be looking for the other modules (cluster, PATS) before it'll allow engine start, and the PATS module itself will be looking for the PATS key to be in the ignition switch.

If you have this setup, then I'd say find out if you can have the EEC reflashed to have the PATS removed. Might as well have the auto trans stuff taken out too. And the emissions crap like evap logic. Or if you can find an aftermarket EEC, that might work too.

 

I'm not sure about that is there any way to check? My truck currently has an aftermarket remote start/keyless entry system.

 

someone on here put a 4.6 in our year truck,but I think he used a mega squirt injection system. Not sure how much bigger a 5.4 is.

 

The 5.4 is larger than a 460!! And to pull the engine the dealer usually removes the cab because it's easier than any other method.

 

Those 5.4's are huge. My moms navigator has one and it barely fits in it. I think you will be able to get it in your 95, but is going to be a TIGHT fit.

 

Do you research and do it 5 times over again before you begin. You'll probably want to make custom inner fenders so you can have room around the engine to work.

 

What does your key look like? Google "Ford PATS key" to see some examples. I cant post any pics right now... but if the head of the key is wider than a "standard" key (like for an OBS truck) then its probably a PATS key.

The Owner's Manual should tell you what the truck has. Could try reading thru and seeing if it mentions anything.

 

My only suggestion is do a really good read up on the 5.4L before you set your heart on using it again. They don't have a long life expectancy because of a very poor main thrust bearing design, coupled with weak oil fed lifters and poor oil fed tensioner design. Before I left the last Ford dealer I worked at, I replaced on average around 3 5.4L engines a month.
Also, if it's a 3-valve, your spark plugs are going to F you up.

 

That is good to know, this is all just a what if situation right now because I was going to swap a Cummins into my 04 and also do it in the 95 but I kinda wanted to do something different. I also tossed up the idea of a 4bt but then when i thought more about it i realized id have my 5.4l out lying around waiting to go into something or be sold off so i decided to see how reasonable it was to throw it in since i have an abundance of 99-04 wrecked SD'd in my area. My 04 is gonna be the power house i think and i wanted to build my 95 to be an offroader/DD i use them both as daily drivers. I was going to do a 6" lift with 35" tires on it eventually but i want to do a SAS first, I guess i really need to weight the pro and cons of the 5.4l and either a 6 or 4bt. I am looking to decent MPG and not tons of power but enough to get up and go, better than my 04 with the 5.4l and a 3-4" lift on 35" tires lol. I thought that the 5.4 in the 95 would be a good upgrade because it is a significantly smaller truck and weighs a lot less.

I googled it and my 04 does not have that key it is the older style key so i guess I'm in the clear for that.

Pulling the cab is usually done for the PSD's but i am not sure for the V10 or V8. I might be quicker to do that if you were going to be taking the engine apart but as far as pulling it out I have seen it out many times without the cab being removed. Also I don't have a lift or access to one to pull the cab lol so ill make it work.

 

In one of the Ranger/Explorer fourms I lurk in, someone stuffed a 5.4L into a Ranger pickup. Super tight fit but was done. I recall he put the whole electrical system from the F150 into the Ranger to avoid the PATS problem. Have to chase that thread down again, quiet intresting reading there......

While you have the 5.4L engine out, its best to replace the spark plugs!! My Dad's 06 F150 just dropped #6 cylinder missfire On him, and it has 120K miles on it. He is not happy as a spark plug costs $10 to $30 depending on the websites and also needing the special tool to remove them if they break off!

 

If you can find that that would be great! I am currently still running the stock plugs as far as i know unless my dad had them changed at some point. I know a lot about my 04 but not much about the maintenance my dad did when it was his lol.

 

You better change your plugs like RIGHT NOW then, the longer they are in there the more likely they'll break when you go to take them out. And they don't break the easy way like other plugs, they break in a way you have to have the special tool to get them out.

Also if you have the funds and option to do a 4bt over a 5.4l, DO IT. 4bt will serve you very well and be 1000x more reliable then you could ever get the 5.4 to be.

 

I had a 5.4 and a ZF 6 spd in my '07 F-250. I'll never have any of them again (5.4, ZF 6 spd or '07 F-250).

The 5.4 made next to no power below about 3000 rpm. It made great small-block power above that, but I couldn't pull overdrive with my camper on at 70 mph, and that was with 3.73 gears and 32" tires (my '95 351W, E4OD, 3.55 gears, 33" tires could pull overdrive at anything over about 60). Also the computer opened the throttle when you were trying to compression-brake. Probably an emmisions thing, but I hated having a manual trans with less compression braking than an auto.

And the ZF 6 speed I had was the worst shifting transmission I've ever driven, and that includes '70 vintage U-haul trucks. I've heard that earlier ones (pre '07) were better. And I've got to believe they got better later. But in the 10 months I had that truck there were several times that I had to coast to a stop before I could get that sucker into any gear. Friends that I complained to said I was overreacting until they tried to drive it.

Without the dump truck tranny the 5.4 could be a fun engine in a road racer. But I wouldn't put one in a truck.

 

There is just no way I would consider this engine swap.