Engine swap complete
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Senior User
Joined: Nov 2003
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Engine swap complete
Well I can honestly tell anyone who is thinking about pulling your 4.6 from a 97-98 F-150 ( mine is a 97 4X4 auto trans ) and installing a 5.4 that it's not that bad of a job. It's not much more than what it would be to put in another 4.6.
As long as you have a donor engine with the intake and fuel rail and a little imagination to mount the throttle cables and the COP's.
I got a 5.4 from an 99 expedition so it would have the PI heads. I torn down and rebuilt it before the install.
It's in and it runs and sounds great! I haven't re-flashed the PCM yet because I wanted to feel the difference before and after the re-flash and because my new program is set up for 3.73 gears. I'm installing the rear ones tomorrow. I already took care of the fronts.
My 4.6 had just under 200,000 miles and still ran good but It was time for a power upgrade.
As soon as I break in the engine and gears I'll go for a "real" drive and see what it's made of.
As long as you have a donor engine with the intake and fuel rail and a little imagination to mount the throttle cables and the COP's.
I got a 5.4 from an 99 expedition so it would have the PI heads. I torn down and rebuilt it before the install.
It's in and it runs and sounds great! I haven't re-flashed the PCM yet because I wanted to feel the difference before and after the re-flash and because my new program is set up for 3.73 gears. I'm installing the rear ones tomorrow. I already took care of the fronts.
My 4.6 had just under 200,000 miles and still ran good but It was time for a power upgrade.
As soon as I break in the engine and gears I'll go for a "real" drive and see what it's made of.
Junior User
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 53
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From: Ithaca, NY
hmmm
My 98' f250 4.6 engine is no longer with us...
still havent made a descision as to what to use.
What year 5.4 is compatable with the 97-98 f-series and what mods did you have to perform to make it work?
How much does this ecu reflash cost?
still havent made a descision as to what to use.
What year 5.4 is compatable with the 97-98 f-series and what mods did you have to perform to make it work?
How much does this ecu reflash cost?
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Senior User
Joined: Nov 2003
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You can use any 97 - 2003 5.4. 99 and up have the P I heads so I would start from there.
You can us almost everything from the 4.6.
You will need the intake and fuel rail from the 5.4. My 5.4 didn't use COP's so I had to make some plates to mount them and I use a combo of the 4.6 and the 5.4 throttle linkage for the throttle cables to work.
The 4.6 has two temp. sensors on the intake there is only one on the 5.4 so I used a brass tee make a spot for both of them.
My exhaust bolted right up. I used the 4.6 exhaust manifolds. I already had duel exhaust so I'm not sure what it would take if your exhaust is stock.
No problems with the transmission. Everything was the same.
I bought a hand held tunner it cost me almost $ 400.
You can us almost everything from the 4.6.
You will need the intake and fuel rail from the 5.4. My 5.4 didn't use COP's so I had to make some plates to mount them and I use a combo of the 4.6 and the 5.4 throttle linkage for the throttle cables to work.
The 4.6 has two temp. sensors on the intake there is only one on the 5.4 so I used a brass tee make a spot for both of them.
My exhaust bolted right up. I used the 4.6 exhaust manifolds. I already had duel exhaust so I'm not sure what it would take if your exhaust is stock.
No problems with the transmission. Everything was the same.
I bought a hand held tunner it cost me almost $ 400.
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,486
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From: Iowa
Did you stay with the 4.6l converter? It has a higher stall than the normal 5.4l... i really like it on my 5.4l, lets her get up to power a bit quicker
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Yes I used the 4.6 converter. I didn't realize it had a higher stall speed but I'm glad I used it I can tell the difference.
I took the truck on a old road yesterday and had my GPS on to see what difference in the speed I was going to what the speedo said with my new 3.73 gears. When my speedo said I was going 50 mph the GPS said I was moving at 49.4. So the new gears put me back where I was before I changed tires and wheels.
I took the truck on a old road yesterday and had my GPS on to see what difference in the speed I was going to what the speedo said with my new 3.73 gears. When my speedo said I was going 50 mph the GPS said I was moving at 49.4. So the new gears put me back where I was before I changed tires and wheels.
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