5.4 swap-new to the site & may have a few questions

ShuvlhedX

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Feb 27, 2021
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Picked up a 2000 V6 project car for my son and myself. The car was going to be the perfect reason for him to spend a little more time at my house (he lives in a smaller community @ 25 miles from me with his mother during the school year). He spent the entire weekend at my place when we picked the car up and not a day since. I told him to decide what he would like out of the car... a drag car? Something to run autocross? A daily driver? The answer to that question would make the next question easier to answer. I had told him to do some research on engines, etc, and pick your poison. He picked the 4.6, to my surprise and horror. I was really hoping that he would be interested in the little (worked over) 306 that I have been hanging on to for something like this project. Anyway, long story short... I found a wrecked 05 F150 and bought the engine and electronics out of it cheap. I had already bought a 4.6 out of a 98 GT. I will assume that some of you know where the story goes from here. For the rest... 98 was an oddball year and pretty much NOTHING is going to be usable for the swap. Now I will be looking for exhaust manifolds, intake, motor mounts, and I have to assume oil pan and pick up as well to make the 5.4 fit. With the GM guys doing LS swaps there are about ten thousand companies that make kits to make everything as smooth as can be, and there's always someone close who's already done one to help with the little issues that will pop up. I wish there was an avenue for Ford guys to do the same. Maybe with the new Godzilla and rumored 6.8, this will come reality.
 

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I found a wrecked 05 F150 and bought the engine and electronics out of it cheap... make the 5.4 fit...

My advice would be to find a different engine. 5.4L 3V engines, such as the one from a 2004-2010 F150 are troublesome bastards. They're prone to cam phaser, timing chain, oil pump, and spark plug issues in particular.

You can "fix" all of those issues by deep cleaning the crap that builds up in the block due to Ford's long drain interval and smallish drainback ports, upgrading the oil pump, switching to one-piece spark plugs, and locking the cams full advanced, but there are better engines (4.6 4v from an Aviator, Mark VIII, Marauder, Mach 1, or Cobra or the 5.4 4v from a Navigator) to build from, and these days they can be found in junkyards for next-to-nothing (especially the self-service kind). All of the 4.6 4v variants were available in an SN95 or New Edge car like yours, so they're pretty easy to make fit, the 5.4 4v would need a little help, and I'm not sure I've ever seen a 3v swap.