Anyone intrested in 5.4L swaps, in here. Need you to opine.
 

Hey guys and gals:

A little background: I'm swappin' a 5.4 into my 03GT. So are lots of people. I'm going one farther for all of you....

I've been working with a couple companies to resolve my intake manifold issues (I hate plastic and want a stock look with more performance). They've both already got 4.6L manifolds cast from aluminum and are seeing nice gains even NA. One is definitely going to make a 5.4 manifold that looks just like the OEM black plastic from the top but in aluminum, and oodles better.

Also, besides Reichard Racing there's another company that will soon come out with 4.6L to 5.4L 2V adapter plates. Schweet!

What I need from everyone is an answer to the following questions:
Is there a 5.4L swap in your future do you think?
If no to the above, would a 5.4L swap interest you if it were easy?
If you could do it would you?
How long from now till you do it if at all?
If a <$1000 intake was available that made it easy and inexpensive to swap in a 5.4, would you consider it then if you're not already?
If you're planning on it already, how are you hoping to tackle the intake problem? Adapter plates? 5" cowl hood? Hole in the hood? New intake that'll be there when you're ready?

If you own an Fx50 with the 5.4L in it, would a new intake interest you if it would wake the motor up and let it pull all the way to redline? Added 20+hp? Moved the tq peak out to 4500 from ~3900?

These are just feelers. If there's enough interest in the 5.4 swap, the parts will be made. If not, they won't and I'll be a sad panda.

i know i've already emailed you about this, but to anyone else. this is not a hard swap. im seriously looking into this. as soon as i find a 2v 5.4l engine for a good price im going through with this. if i can find an engine for a low enough price then i will be purchasing the intake as well (if it becomes available). otherwise ill just buy the adapters for the 4.6l intake.

r3dn3ck, i cant imagine many people on this board doing the swap but i know of some local boards where people would be much more open to the idea. ill post up later and see if anybody is interested.

Killer man thanks.

To the n00bs on this board. You've considered blowing 4-7 grand for a blower, how about under 2K all in for a 5.4 that'll be just as fast? It's easy, cheap, naturally aspirated, and wickedly strong. Supercharging is more stress on an underpowered engine, more Cubic Inches directly replaces the need to supercharge or add nitrous and it's done at stock compression so you get max power at minimum RPM.

Lol blowing for a blower. Im sorry but that struck me odd and made me laugh.

Wooo hoo... someone got the joke. I try. <bows repeatedly>

I'm seriously considering a 5.4 4v swap....5.4 2vs dont make enough power...325? you could make that with a cammed, and P&P headed 4.6

it would cost less to do a 5.4 2v swap than to build a 4.6. and i dont think you can make 325 rwhp from an n/a 2v 4.6, not easily at least. the 4v 4.6 would be sweet but has a considerable price increase and it's not an easy of a swap. dont get me wrong, it's not that hard but also not nearly as easy as a 2v. thats why im considering the 2v 5.4 swap. i can do the swap for under 1k and maybe add that intake that r3dn3ck was talking about later on for around 800-1k and i'd be set, for a while at least.

I would be interested in it! Does the 5.4 4v swap in just like the 2v?

no there's a lot more work involved like i mentioned in my last post.

Swapping the 4.6 SOHC to a 5.4 SOHC, is as easy as swapping your 4.6 SOHC and sticking in another 4.6 SOHC-easy. Then get the intake adapter plates, or the new intake that could be on its way, and your done. The DOHC swap, won't be cheap at all. I have a 5.4 in my Saleen with intake adapter plates, I paid under 2K for it. way less if i didn't have to pay 300 bucks for shipping the motor to me. Can't beat that. One thing i would recommend but you don't have to, putting a Tubular K member in. Makes things soooo much easier, especially if you had to replace a starter or mess with the headers and so on.

A 5.4 liter engine and all the trimming for under 2 grand????? sign me up!!

Anyone know a good place to get these? And some good info for the swap, does everything swap over besides the intake?

im expecting to pay under a grand for the initial swap. then later add the intake when it becomes available for another grand.

Since the old motor had non pi and the new one did, i didn't have to worry on that part but almost everything swapped over. The valve covers you couldn't swap unless your 4.6 sohc had the 13 bolts style. My motor came with the coil over plugs, but i took them off and used my MSD coils and msd wires, that way i didn't have to try to find out how to do coil over plug set up. The swap is easy, lets just say, i did the swap by myself, at my house, with a cherry picker and jackstands. my wife and friends can vouch for that.

Surf craigslist and the F150 forums. I got both of mine from Craigslist hella cheap.

You're my hero. :punk: :punk: :punk: :punk:

I'm going to do this, but I just want to go DOHC. What makes it so much harder? I'm thinking 5.4 DOHC along with a KB 2.2. How much power do you think I'll be making at the wheels?

DOHC 5.4's with blowers/turbo is known to be good for 750rwhp at reasonable boost levels (14-16psi). You'll have to spend a lot of time and money sorting out details like exhaust, wiring harness and basic hood closing issues but it'll tear the tires off in 4th gear.

How much should I expect to pay for a used DOHC 5.4? I know where I could get a brand new one for less than $4500 (cheaper than a new DOHC 4.6!)

Brand new for under 5K is a screaming deal (I know where that probably is). If you buy that motor, I'll buy the rods and pistons from you (need an extra set for my mock up motor).

Buy it now. RR makes the intake adapter plates for the DOHC already and they're a proven item. Makes your life easy if not cheap.

By the time you swapped in a DOHC, whether is be 4.6 or 5.4 dont matter it's a decent amount of money. You also need new headers wiring harness and usually a decent amount of accesories it's not near as easy as they sound.
By the time its all said and done might as a well buy a blower and shortblock, all for the same price. I'd rather have a fast 2v than a fast 4v, more impressive.

Even though I just said this, I did seriously look into doing this but then decided not to for I didn't want to have my SLP LT's be useless with a DOHC. And new LT's for a DOHC are almost a grand

The only difference between any 4.6 or 5.4 DOHC or SOHC motor is the initial price of a used long block...and depending on your sources shouldn't be more then between 400-1500. The only cost difference will be the DOHC and SOHC 5.4L setups will require some fabbed intake. That's it.

Building a 5.4 or 4.6 costs the exact same save Intake Manifold as long as you pick the correct block to start with.

As far as your initial post I believe there is a serious Market for Aftermarket 5.4L intake options. There are virtually no products available (Sullivan's don't count...pure race intake). Adaptor Plates are Junk, they simply are a bandaid on a broken leg...a serious hinderence to performance. There needs to be better options out there. Whoever seriously steps onto the scene with a viable manifold will profit from it. I'm designing an intake manifold for my 5.4L swap for my Senior Engineering project. If luck has it I'll be able to possibly pursue it as a business endeavor.

Philip K.

This may be a little off topic but I just ripped ass so bad while reading your post philip that I had to get up and walk away for a second.

Been drinking tonight?:beerchug:

Dude I just fell off my chair :clap: oooo cant breathe..ROLMAO

so does that mean free product for somone on this board who requests it ? :innocent:

haha, during the design phase it may be available for some time for direct on dyno comparisons during the iteration process for anyone that may have a 5.4 DOHC big port navi swap and is willing to do back to back dyno tests with their intake. But at this point this is all still in my head and on a Pro-E file.

Philip K.

I dont, but if you provide the materials I'd be happy to do a swap to test your product :D

R3DN3CK-Check this out http://www.reklessracing.net/forums/...ad.php3?t=9506

Just wanted to see if they're was any update on this. I'm greatly looking into this now too. I'm looking into the Lightning 5.4 2v, is that a popular choice, anyone know how much this shortblock can handle? Also anyone got a link to any 5.4 2v manifold or just some plates?