I'm looking into 3d printing a 5.4 2v manifold for a 5.4 2v swap. The reason I am looking into this is because I would love to do a 5.4 2v swap but from what I've gathered, there are 3 problems related to the intake with that swap. You can use the 4.6 intake with adapter plates, but your fuel injectors will be further away from the head and it ruins atomization, performance, and fuel economy. The other way is to use a 5.4 intake, but then you have long intake runners designed for low end torque and not Horsepower, you also will have hood clearance issues and will need to get a specific hood or modify your existing hood. Lastly the intakes that were designed for this application are no longer produced like the HPS hardballer.
3d printing the intake would have shorter runners, and can be designed to have all the bolts and spacing identical to the 4.6 stock intake, which would allow the 5.4 to be dropped in, 3d printed intake put on it, and all other parts to mount in the same locations that they did on the 4.6 with the exception of the fuel rail needing to be widened. Your injectors would be in the same spot relative to the head as on the 4.6 intake, the throttle body would fit under the hood, and the shorter runners would allow you to get the horsepower further up in the dyno curve.
The question is what kind of temperature resistance should I be aiming for? Theres carbon fiber polycarbonate which can regularly handle 130 degrees Celcius or 266 degrees farenheit which is the cheapest material with a reasonable temperature resistance, or theres things like glass fiber nylon which can withstand 150 degrees celcius or 302 degrees farenheit. Any reason why this wouldnt work?
3d printing the intake would have shorter runners, and can be designed to have all the bolts and spacing identical to the 4.6 stock intake, which would allow the 5.4 to be dropped in, 3d printed intake put on it, and all other parts to mount in the same locations that they did on the 4.6 with the exception of the fuel rail needing to be widened. Your injectors would be in the same spot relative to the head as on the 4.6 intake, the throttle body would fit under the hood, and the shorter runners would allow you to get the horsepower further up in the dyno curve.
The question is what kind of temperature resistance should I be aiming for? Theres carbon fiber polycarbonate which can regularly handle 130 degrees Celcius or 266 degrees farenheit which is the cheapest material with a reasonable temperature resistance, or theres things like glass fiber nylon which can withstand 150 degrees celcius or 302 degrees farenheit. Any reason why this wouldnt work?