5.4 - 4.6 differences ?
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 793
Likes: 25
5.4 - 4.6 differences ?
For some reason I am seeing alot of used 4.6 E series for sale and the only difference I have found is less
power than the 5.4. Ive read that they both get about the same fuel mileage.
Would a 4.6 make a decent RV conversion van? with not much weight and no towing involved ?
and do I have to worry about the dreaded spark plugs, breaking/blowing out? Or is that not this engine that
does that?
Thanks.
power than the 5.4. Ive read that they both get about the same fuel mileage.
Would a 4.6 make a decent RV conversion van? with not much weight and no towing involved ?
and do I have to worry about the dreaded spark plugs, breaking/blowing out? Or is that not this engine that
does that?
Thanks.
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 329
Likes: 2
I've driven a 4.6 van with 10 people in it. It was gutless.
On the other hand, I've and a Crown Vic and a Town Car with the 4.6. Both were EXTREMELY overheated due to the stupid plastic intake. Both run on in defiance with no signs of distress (after fixing the intakes of course).
I think Tritons are fantastic engines regardless of size.
On the other hand, I've and a Crown Vic and a Town Car with the 4.6. Both were EXTREMELY overheated due to the stupid plastic intake. Both run on in defiance with no signs of distress (after fixing the intakes of course).
I think Tritons are fantastic engines regardless of size.
Logistics Pro
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 3,523
Likes: 483
From: Southern OH
I have driven quite a few service vans with the 4.6 and they were all slow and gutless, and got about 11-12 mpg, I had a couple of them blow spark plugs out as well. A 5.4 would be a better choice, more power, about the same mpg, and I have yet to see one spit a spark plug out.
FTE Legend
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 31,930
Likes: 1,499
From: Ottawa, Ontario
People say the 4.6 is gutless(it is... it makes no usable power below 2000rpm) but I have read the same comments about the 5.4, both motors do need to be revved more than a big block V8 or diesel to produce aggressive acceleration but even the 4.6 makes a fair bit more peak HP than the old 5.8 so you would be pleasantly surprised at how well the vehicle accelerates when you let it eat. With 4.10 gears my Van gets around quite effortlessly in city traffic without the need to be floored everywhere and it returns 15-16mpg US on average. I think it is a mistake to pair these motors with numerically lower gears in a heavy vehicle.
Ford successfully redesigned the plugs and heads somewhere around '05-06 to address the broken plug and blowout problems, I had no problems doing all the plugs in my '06, nothing stripped or broke and the plugs definitely used more than a couple threads.
Ford successfully redesigned the plugs and heads somewhere around '05-06 to address the broken plug and blowout problems, I had no problems doing all the plugs in my '06, nothing stripped or broke and the plugs definitely used more than a couple threads.
Hotshot
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 11,141
Likes: 25
From: south louisiana
One thing to remember if you're contemplating an engine swap is the 4.6 has a shorter deck block, so the exhaust and possibly some other things need to be addressed. Both have the same bore size. I'm thinking Ford went to the 3 valve engines about in 05 that alone would have solved the spark plug issues.
Logistics Pro
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 3,523
Likes: 483
From: Southern OH
You should consider a v6 one too then, about the same as a 4.6 power wise but better fuel mileage.
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