last tech(almost) on 3v swap... the hood

if you guys remember i told you the stock hood doesn't fit. after buying a cobra "RR" hood, and wasting alot if time fooling with it.


i only needed to remove the liner and cut a small section of bracing and it fits. so i was wrong. i never tried to fit it because it looked like i needed and inch or so. that's what i get for thinking. so anyway, for those willing to give it a go, the stock hood fits fine. no need for aftermarket hood. i'm still going to go all the way with this, so the other hood will be necessary later.

i spent about 5200, but maybe a thousand is trial and error parts that didn't work. i'm including all of the parts required to get it running. if labor was included it's a crapload more. although if i did it again i could do it for 3500 or so. the motor costs 2900.00. you could find it soon at bone yards for less i'm sure. i'm planning to run it at the track this sunday, or as soon as the DR's get here.

i spent 200.00 for 4.6 3v manifolds that don't work for example. 350.00 for frpp headers that i ended up cutting to the flanges in the end and re making them. there is a new header that looks like it avoids the steering shaft problem altogether. i can't think of the brand, but for someone else that can't build a header, that looks like a good option. basically there isn't room to run more than one tube above the ports, so they have to run under . perfect equal length takes a small hit to get long tubes in. shortening the tube 1" at the port to bring them closer to the block will let most 4.6 headers work. the flanges need to be plasma cut. so i spent $350 + $200 plus stainless tubing just for headers. if you don't care about power as much , adapter plates and porting your stock 4.6 manifolds will work. an adapter plate is simply a flange that works with 3v and screws into the heads with studs to bolt your manifolds to.

as far as time...

if you get all of the parts ahead of time, it bolts in. and your PCM and fuel system works. there is a small mod needed for firing the fuel injection. you use your oil pan and pick up. the oil pump for 3v is like huge volume. so i made a paper gasket and removed the 4.6 pick up O-ring. the baffles on the front of a 4.6 oil pan hit the crank so bend them just enough to clear it. etc. etc etc.mount and every thing else work.


the 5.4 3v is rated as a pick-up truck , so anything you do to improve it over truck exhaust, intake, pullies wake it up. of course i'm going to post the tickets after track day. so either the torque has masked it's low power, or this has a hell of a lot of power. good ET and low MPH means low hp. i just bought the latest BFG DR's they have a slick middle. maybe 255's are enough to get an idea. later.

the 4v heads are a little wider. the issues that get people from doing it are the intake and driver's side valve cover. the navi manifold is useless. i have been told the valve cover can be grafted from a combination of the navi and 03-04 cobra. even if it requires custom work it is worth it. cams are another issue that holds people back. the navi are too small for big power. more $$$. and navi's 4v are going to get rare.

boss330 is at the 700fwhp range right now, but Ed olin reached 490 fwhp without the benefit if a real intake or big cams, longtubes with 3v. supercharged 5.4 3v's on f-150.com are reaching the 440rw range with tune , exhaust, blower. that's considerably better than lightning. the 3v is going to out torque 4v.

i guess that's why i tried it. if Ed had said it was impossible to get power, and he was NOT a ford engineer the Mach1 would be in my car now.


i fully believe i have added 15 lb-ft to the motor with bolt-ons. i am totally excited to see the 60' times. i worked my ass off in november out in the cold and rain.(i have no garage) to make the last week of track time. so i've been waiting for months.

spend a lot of time with drivetrain losses and it will be. GT heads are the best. on an iron block it should be reasonably priced.