Ford newbie needs help identifying engines
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Ford newbie needs help identifying engines
I'm looking for a used SUV or pickup truck (both Ford, and GM sorry 
)
I will be looking at a 2004 Mercury Mountaineer that has a V8 soon. I'm guessing it is a 4.6 liter, but I have read there are 2 valve engines, and 3 valve engines. Everything I have watched, read, heard about says to avoid the 3 valve engines like the plague.
QUESTIONS:
1. Where should I look for VIN codes that will tell me what engines are in various Ford SUVs and trucks? Will that VIN number/letter/whatever tell me if it is a 2 valve or 3 valve?
2. Is there an easy way (without a VIN) to identify the 4.6 liter 2 and 3 valve engines by opening the hood and looking at it?
3. Everything I have read/heard/watched says to stay away from the 5.4 liter 3 valves in the Expedition and F-150. Do you agree? If not, why not.
Thank you
)I will be looking at a 2004 Mercury Mountaineer that has a V8 soon. I'm guessing it is a 4.6 liter, but I have read there are 2 valve engines, and 3 valve engines. Everything I have watched, read, heard about says to avoid the 3 valve engines like the plague.
QUESTIONS:
1. Where should I look for VIN codes that will tell me what engines are in various Ford SUVs and trucks? Will that VIN number/letter/whatever tell me if it is a 2 valve or 3 valve?
2. Is there an easy way (without a VIN) to identify the 4.6 liter 2 and 3 valve engines by opening the hood and looking at it?
3. Everything I have read/heard/watched says to stay away from the 5.4 liter 3 valves in the Expedition and F-150. Do you agree? If not, why not.
Thank you
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2019
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A 2004 Mounty had the much less finicky 2V 4.6. So, you’re good there.
I want to say 2005 is when Mustangs, Expeditions (was the 4.6 dropped by then?), et al, got the 3V 4.6...which did not show up until 2009–10 for the F-150 and that was with a 6-speed auto trans behind it. The new 4.6 was a rare XL option, so mostly XLTs would have had it. The older 4.6 was the STX offering and offered in XL and XLT models, but I’ve never seen a ‘09-10 XLT for sale with one. Vans and Panther cars never got this engine.
I definitely would bypass a 5.4 truck, but I am the risk averse sort, which works for me. Short of seeing one for sale that has literally just had a fresh rebuild or reman swap and the hood is being shut on it, I’m not buying.
I want to say 2005 is when Mustangs, Expeditions (was the 4.6 dropped by then?), et al, got the 3V 4.6...which did not show up until 2009–10 for the F-150 and that was with a 6-speed auto trans behind it. The new 4.6 was a rare XL option, so mostly XLTs would have had it. The older 4.6 was the STX offering and offered in XL and XLT models, but I’ve never seen a ‘09-10 XLT for sale with one. Vans and Panther cars never got this engine.
I definitely would bypass a 5.4 truck, but I am the risk averse sort, which works for me. Short of seeing one for sale that has literally just had a fresh rebuild or reman swap and the hood is being shut on it, I’m not buying.
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Does this also apply to differentiate 2 valve and 3 valve Expeditions, F-150s, etc? Thanks
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