I have the option to swap motors out of MY PERSONAL 2000 F-150 with a 5.4 and 100,000 miles on it, and switch with a 5.4 from a 2004 Superduty with 20,000 miles on it.

Im looking for some opinions on this and I have a few questions;

Is remaoval and install of these engines so difficult that it wont be worth the hastle? I imagine its going to be an unplug and plug in operation.

When I swap computers is the mileage going to stay with the engine or the truck?

Im kinda excited about this becuase prior to insalling the newer motor I am most likely going to be doing a little bit of head and intake work. There is a guy in town that knows thses Trition motors and knows how to get more power out of them.

What do you guys think? Is is worth it? Is it too much of a pain to pull the motors? Is it all together not possible?

 

It's a really tight fit and most dealers remove the cab from the frame to keep from damaging the body, plus it is easier to reach everything.
The 2000 PCM should run the 04 2V engine just fine. You will run into problems if you try to use the SD tranny. The wiring harness will need to be changed. Keep the 4R70W in the 2000 and leave the 4R100 with the SD.

 

Thank you LxMan1. I have heard that its easier to revove the cab which I just cant imagine.

I planned on keeping my tranny so no problems there.

 

The mileage will stay with the vehicle.
Is it a hybrid cluster, or a standard cluster? (does it have a LCD mileage readout or a manually wound clock?)

Either way, the mileage is stored in the instrument cluster.

 

its an LED readout. The superdutys and the older F-150s were the wound kind. I always thought the mileage stayed with the engine computer. Im not trying to change my mileage, I just want a fresh motor. My 5.4 doesnt run like I'd wish it would run anymore. Since I am going to run this truck to the ground I might as well put a fresh motor in it, and while it is out, do a little engine enhancement to it!

 

Something to keep in mind is that 2002-2004 2-valve 5.4L's on the SD's do not have an EGR or a DPFE sensor nor do they have downstream O2 sensors. That could cause some problems if you keep the existing F150 computer. (check engine light, for example, and then it won't pass emmisions testing if you have any where you live. They check the OBD II around here...) And most likely, if (when) you use the SD's computer, you'll have to make sure your 2000 already has a 4R100 otherwise you'll have to get the one from the SD. If the SD has a 6-speed, then you'll need either a whole lot of patience to fit the S6-650 into an F150 (that would be an awsome possum!) or a computer that is programmed for the SD's 5.4L and a 4R100. I don't even know if the wiring harness that goes to the HEC is the same because automatic SD's have a tranmission temperature gauge instead of a voltmeter. 2001 - 2004 (maybe even the 2000's, I don't remember) SD's have the vaccuum fluorescent display (digital) by the way, not the mechanical ones. The mileage is written and stored to the HEC (Hybrid Electronic instrument Cluster) via the ABS control module, not the ECU, so if you use the SD's HEC, you'll have a 2000 F150 with 20,000 miles on it, what a bargain.

On edit: I guess you could pull the exhaust manifold, throttle body, EGR and DPFE off your F150 and install it on the SD's 5.4L that way you could keep your ECU and HEC, no messing with wiring in the cab. The exhaust manifold (driver's side) on the 2002-2004 SD's do not have a bung for the EGR piping or the port for the EGR valve on the throttle body. I guess you'd kinda have to because the intake tube comes off at a 45 degree angle towards the front driver's side on the SD's rather that straight ahead on the F150's. Fresh air is drawn from the grille area on an SD whereas (if I recall) the F150's draw air from the driver's side fender. Of course with some creative piping, none of it would matter much.

 

Now, I know i'm just rambling on for the sake of congressional record and none of this will matter if you just swap the block without the electronics but here's some more stuff I just thought of... Maybe it doesn't make any difference but the intake manifold on the late-model SD's is composite (expensive word for "plastic") while the F150's have aluminum manifolds. Would the F150 throttle body bolt up to the SD's intake manifold? Don't know. Something else to keep in mind when using the SD's HEC... the older SD's (1999-2001) and older F150's used a Generic Electronic Module while the newer SD's (and probably F150's) appear not to. My truck's (2003) HEC controls the cab lights, radio, windshield wipers and all that. You pull HEC fuses 35 and 41 and you loose all that stuff. I'm not sure if it controls the auto-lamp, power windows and door locks since I have an XL without any of that. So the wiring may just be different enough to be a PITA. There is no PATS in most SD's either, not that this would be a huge problem. You would just loose that security feature and on the upside could have an ignition key that works made anywhere, rather than having the dealer code a new key for your truck. And then there's the 4WD controls, airbag module and cruise control... (Who's idea was this to have two different truck lines anyway? Remember the good old days? 1996 and before?)

 

If you live in an e-check area or plan to sell it, the swap may be complicated by tampering laws. Just be careful.

 

Just use the F250 longblock and the intake and exhaust manifolds from the F150. I know that headers for an F150 say that they will not fit a SD so I am assuming that the manifolds are different too. My 2001 F150 has a plastic intake. It will be fine. And the only SD's that I have seen with a tranny temp gauge are the PS diesels.

 

Nope, it's ALL SD's with an Automatic transmission. (5.4L, 6.8L, 7.3L and 6.0L)

They changed that in 2002. Here an excerpt from the 2002 Super Duties order guide under the "Functional Changes" section:

New automatic transmission temperature
gauge in instrument cluster (replaces
battery gauge; battery light is retained)

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER — Transmission temperature gauge
Available w/automatic transmission.

But who cares, especially if he keeps his electronics. I went to look at a 2000 F150 with a 5.4L/4R70W at work and I see that the oil filter mounting location is different than my 2003 F250. It looks like there's enough room for the SD oil filter/oil cooler on the F150 but I'm not sure. The oil filter on my truck mounts even with the drain plug, on the driver's side, right behind the front axle. The oil pan is also different although not by much... the oil drain plug faces the driver's side on my truck while the 2000 F150 faces the passenger side.

 

If and when I go ahead and do the engine swap I am going to do a little engine work on it too.. I figure, while its out I could spend a few bucks and do what Ford couldn't and get a little more power out of the motor. There is a guy here in AZ that knows these Triton motors pretty well and know where to get power. If and when this happens I will document and list everything and post it on FTE for everyone willing to pull their motors and work on them.

n578md and LxMan1, thank you for that info I will definitely re-use my intake and just use the longblock to save the headache. As for the exhaust manifold I have been hearing from the forum that headers are a worthy investment, if I remember correctly LxMan1 you have them on yours. I will probably install shorty headers so the exhaust manifold issue wont be a problem.

As for removing the cab on the F-150, wouldn't it be easier and faster to remove the bed and unbolt and slide the cab back enough for clearance? Pulling the cab to me just seems like a whole job in itself.

If I don't drive like a maniac, is it possible to put a different torque converter in for better, firmer shifts? In doing so, am I looking into a transmission meltdown or would the tranny handle the change?

Boy this is going to be quite an experience. It could be worse, it could be an older Chevy truck with all the vacuum hoses. At least with wiring they all have different shaped plugs so its hard to screw up MOST of the time. -Mike