Hello everyone, First time writing on this forum, but used it a lot for my DIY repairs and mods.

A little story about me, I'm from Quebec, Canada, up north in the very cold lol, I speak english but mostly french, my English could be bad sometimes, just like my french lol. I like fixing my own stuff (and most of the time other peoples cars/trucks). I always bought not working cars for cheap and made them work for a while, Roadkill style.
I had 2 XL Offroad edition (3 doors, 6ft bed) with the 4.6L manual transmission, the M5OD-R2. 4 years ago, I striped down both mecanics hoping using them one day. My last one was a normal f-150 xl, automatic, 4x4. rusted as hell, but did the job. But I Found this King Ranch for sale on facebook, working, but needing some love. This would be my 6th F-150 10th Gen.

So last September, I bought this 2003 King Ranch with the 5.4L and automatic transmission, 4 doors 5ft short bed with a 5inch rough country lift kit, and did the normal tune up, sparkplugs, coil plugs, filters, new gas tank, etc. On December 24, I was doing 7h of road with the truck to go see family I haven't seen for years. 4h down the road, the automatic transmission lost all its oil (poor guy behind me). I brought the truck back 2 days after to my friends garage, he told me to park it in the back. But I parked it in the garage and striped down everything that's for Automatic, went and get my manual transmission stuff, and started the manual transmission swap. Mesured everything to make sure I had all the right driveshaft lenght and all the other stuff.

Today, almost everything is back together, except the Clutch Cylinder hose, I lost the clip inside that holds the plug inside the slave cylinder, even if it was brand new, 4 years ago. So I decided to not put the driveshafts back on, wanting to see what I needed to do the wiring to make it work (I unpluged 3 plugs from the automatic shifter on the steering colomn). So I connect the battery, then by curiosity I pushed the remote starter, and Surprise the engine started right away ! Oh and I didn't change the PCM, will be getting it too a garage guy I know who has the computer to flash it.

I can't wait for that clip to come in so I can test the clutch and do a road test ! I hope it will work fine. I need my truck asap. My other car is a 2003 Lincoln LS v8, tons and tons of problems in the winter seasons lol. The nice part of this project, it didn't cost me a dime, I had everything I needed for this swap. and it wasn't that much.

Here is a small list of the things I did :
- Drain the Cooling System and Removed the Intake Manifold. This give easy access to the 2 top the transmission-to-engine bolts.
- Unplugged the transmission harness (the big one on the right side of the truck (near the battery).
- Removed Transfer case,Transmission and hoses, pushed the crossmember further back (can't remove it with this lift kit, but oem is easy to remove)
- Installed the Pilot Bearing, Flywheel (Stock from my old 4.6l) and Clutch kit (Banhoff Stage 3, bought on Ebay ,worked great 4 years ago)
- Removed the Automatic Shifter from the steering colomn (have to take off most of the plastics from the dash and the cluster)
- Removed the Brake Pedal and installed the clutch-brake assembly, with the Clutch Master Cylinder. The rubber plug that is on the firewall where goes the Master Clutch Cyl., keep it and put it where the auto shifter cable goes by the transmission tunnel.
- Cut a hole on the floor where the shifter goes. I miscalculated it and had to trim a little from the inside. I will fix that later.
- Installed the Manual Transmission Wiring Harness. Make sure you place it so it doesn't bug you while your installing the transmission.
- Installed the Transmission and the Transfer case. (for now I've been using my manual t.case, since the electric t.case that came in the truck has a broken fork and gears and I needed the 4x4, lots of snow up here).
- This would be the time to put the driveshaft, but for me, I'm waiting to test the gears from the transmission in the garage before I go for a road test.

Now I'm waiting for my missing part, so I can bleed and test my clutch and do a road test. I was able to put it in gears while the transmission was on the floor, but since its behind the engine, i can't shift it into gears, I hope that's normal...

 

I finished adding the missing parts, everything works! Some minor adjustment has to be done, but I did a Road test and works like à charm !
Now all I need is to figure out how to make the Speedometer work and remove the Automatic ****s from the PCM (the check engine came on).

If anybody has questions I shoulf be able to answer most of them**
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did u ever get the speedo fixed im having same issue and did having the computer flashed make a differents

 

FWIW I'm going to try this too. I discovered with my truck (super duty) that the engine would not run correctly when the loss of power to shift solenoids code was set. This may not happen when the tranmission is totally gone. It appears to me that there isn't a longer 5.4 manual conversion thread here or in the superduty forum.

 

I would like to do this but everyone in the area wants an arm and a leg for their manual'd F150 4x4s, Mind you I have all of the majority of the parts with my 01 F150 Screw 4x4.. Wicked man! Everyone says, oh no that transmission wont hold up, wont work too long, I don't know myself honestly but you made it work!

 

We have a 1998 4.6l manual transmission manual transfer case regular cab Lariat. The wife can't drive a manual so we were thinking of swapping out the transmission to a 4 speed auto. I think an automatic transmission would 100% bolt in, and just need a new ECM or stand alone transmission controller. ECMs a lot cheaper than stand alone controller.

 

The manual transmission of this era accelerated truck faster, got better fuel mileage, was more reliable, and cost less to purchase. Main disadvantage 1st geared way too high, and clutch and shifter unnecessary effort to operate.

Ours at 202k miles has original clutch even with some offroading and towing, slave cylinder allowed clutch to engage at different points supposedly repaired twice under warranty still to this day not quite perfect, shifter **** popped off and we repaired by installing a screw underneath the cap, and recently when coasting down hill in 2nd sometimes pops out of gear.

Overall would purchase the manual transmission again, although ironically 23 years later might change it over to an automatic transmission so wife can drive it.

 

No, sir. Don’t get full of yourself. All things being equal, you aren’t shifting faster than a computer.

MPG ratings were basically even and tow ratings were vastly superior with the auto trans. For good reason.

As for cost, well, the higher trims didn’t get manual trans with them.

I used to be hard core manual trans. Then, I went through a hurricane evacuation in one. It wasn’t superior rowing a few feet at a time for a while waking day, according to my left knee.

 

Hi, I recently purchased a rust free will to do lariat packaged truck that needs a transmission. I have an M50DR2 from a 4.6l truck and all components. Aside from flashing the ECM/ PCM unit, did you have any issues using that flywheel? I would assume it would need more weight? Large larger size? Different starter? I know they’re the same long block.. This is why I’m curious if you can respond that would be amazing. Thank you. Probably shooting in the dark here.

 

You'll burn up a slush box towing with an automatic trans a lot
True the more gears the more torque
But it's still slush pushing you down the road

 

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-5-4l-fx4.html

 

Alright then. Guess ima tackle this asap, and get a truck back. Thanks to all. Ima try the 4.6 flywheel n clutch set since it’s basically new. I do have a stage two kit (for the 5.4)sitting in my eBay cart for less than $300..just rather not burn more cash than I need to at the moment. Tight enough as is. Then my other tenth gen told me it needs timing..🤦🏻‍♂️ I’ll keep yall posted here. I just don’t have the M5r2’s harness. So I’ll have to use existing wiring..left plugs on but like a rushed dork I forgot I’d need it.

 

Is your 5.4 stock?

The stock clutch is 11.5" area, doubt you will slip that if you have a good PP. Luk kits work quite nice.

Or look for a HD organic with a heavier pressure plate if concerned. Once you get into aggressive material, you lose ease of driving.

 

Stock Lariat truck. yeah anything above organic is gonna get a little wild-I tow vehicles and other **** with mine. Middle ground holding was where my brain was on thought. If I’m good with why I have ima start this weekend on the swap.

I was curious if I can use the 4.6 flywheel n pressure plate because it’s practically new (500 miles according to the guy I got the other donor from). Otherwise I was researching and I guess there’s a 1/2” difference in the two flywheel sizes. Hence my curiosity on the OP ‘s build. Paid nothing but time and gas to grab this swap and now I have a decent truck to put it into and since the other truck isn’t usable, I’m now forced to do it ahead of schedule.

 

I would rock that 4.6 setup, go from there. Not like the stock PCM tune unleashes all the power in the 5.4

Get it on the road basically...make sure to fill that SOB!