the 4.6 version isn't even available yet. Bullit rip-off. We'll see when it actually comes to market.

 

Like many of you, I've been reading (lurking) this thread getting answers to most of my questions. I see that you guys have been talking power numbers TQ/HP by changing cams, porting heads, etc. Then it comes to headers and for me, it all goes down hill!!!! I mean what's the rationale of going through all the expense/trouble/pain of forged internals, cams and ported heads, blowers, N2O to just Clog it up with shorty headers? The FRPP headers barely, if at all flow better than stock manifolds. I know that there's no replacement for displacement, but I also know that you have to EFFICIENTLY expell what you EFFICIENTLY put into ANY engine. I'm sure everyone knows the efficiency= HP. I want to do this swap, but not at the expense of choking the great potential for power that is apparently available. I will do research on possibly using midlength headers. JBA, bassani. I just can't believe shorties are the end all. My .02....

 

stock or FRPP shorties are all that fit. So if you want to go through the trouble and expense of custom fitting mids or long tubes, then that's great! I'm in california and long tubes and mids are illegal 1000 dollar ticket getters. FRPP shorties are CARB EO approved and they fit, so that's what I'll use. We all know the why, it's the question of the how and how much that's made us mostly look to stuff we can just bolt up and go with.

 

Dude, I feel your pain living in Cali and all. I'm just trying to get as much TQ/HP as possible. I already have ported heads, and big cams. I also have a vortech t-trim just for sh-ts and giggles. I want the added displacement. but just don't want to cork it all up. My goal is to go 10's all day long with out a fuss. I don't know, but that's why this hobby is so friggin fun right? there's nothing like research.

 

the only choice is shorties on the 5.4, if you have someone make a set of mid or long tube headers to squeeze into that little space you have between the body and block then you will make a considerable amount of power over the frpp shorties. but who has the mopney for custom fab?

 

don't dispair. As I've mentioned before, I'm already pounding the pavement to get one of the big names in aftermarket exhaust to make a mid-length and/or full length kit for the 96-04's with 5.4L 2v in em. It'll be a bit but they will hit the market. I've had decent if not fabulous response so far. I'll keep you all in the loop as much as possible.

 

I'm new to this forum but i wanted to let everyone know that i have a very good line on headers for 5.4 swaps. I recently got eveything together for my swap and ran into the common header problem. The guy that my shop uses for turbo systems and roll cages is building me a set of custom long tubes. They will be in mild steel and different tube sizes are available. He is interested in building more than one set if there is enough of a market for them. So, how many people are actually ready to step up and buy a set of headers. The first set he is building for me will be for a navigator 4 valve. Im sere a 2 valve version would follow as long as there is enough interest.

 

how much for a set?

 

Man, If long tubes are coming, I'm definatley in! r3dn3ck/4eye4valve, please keep us posted. This will be the only way I will do the swap. Thanks for the info. I feel a little better now....I know I can make GOBS of power with the T-trim on a 5.4!!!! Tight!!!!

 

The first set is going to cost me in the neighborhood of 700.00. Not too bad in my opinion. He told me they would get cheaper as more are made. Im sure he could do any configuration, 2 valve, 4 valve etc. I have everything available to mock up just about any combination. I also found a great place to get the headers coated, or anything for that matter. http://www.lo-ko.com/ We have sent a turbo kit and a set of headers on seperate occasions, the turn around time was very fast and the quality of the finish is better than jet hot. Much cheaper than jet hot too. Hope everyone finds this useful.

 

after xmas i'm picking up a tig welder and trying to fab up some lt for the 5.4
now that i have a tubular k-member i should have more room for longtubes

 

Update on my progress:
My dad won't let me simply swap since he can't afford to have his truck out of comission for a few days. So, I got to consider my back-up plans. Now the question is, does the lightning blocks have the forged rods?

 

If you were going to "simply swap", I think you have this oversimplified. You don't want his intake in your car, and he probably doesn't want yours. Now you need a truck 4.6 intake, as well as adaptor plates. If he would let his truck out of commision for a day, and you started early, worked quickly, and had some help, and had your car down for a few days, you could pull and seperate your engine and tranny before hand, then pull and seperate his, attach the 4.6 to his tranny, add intake, and stick it back in. Now i'm making it sound oversimplified, and it'd probably be more like a weekend job, and that's assuming you don't hit any major snags with flywheels, cluthces, etc. Your probably better off getting a cheap block or seized motor, and building it so it can accomodate NO2 or some boost in the future, just in case.

 

lightning blocks have forged rods but they top out at about 500hp. beyond that problems start happening. any pre-04 5.4 block should be fine but if you can find a 03 block.

 

I was planning on doing it that way but for me, whatever project I do, what could go wrong, always does. So, I figure that it would take me a day to take his engine out, a day to put it back in, and a day to make it work. However, if I have problems, I figure another two days to solve it. Also, my dad has the mentallity that his engine has way to many miles to be worth anything (200,000+ miles) so that also affected his decision. I don't know, I might still be able to convince him that it could be done but it does look like I will have to go junkyard shopping during winter break.

 

just find yourself a block from car-part.com. It's cheap and easy and close to you no matter where you are.

Once you've got a block, then build it (check with MMR about the assembly...) and be happy. A 200K mile block will need overbored by at least .010 to take care of the oblonging problem that you get with such a long rod on such a long stroke.

 

Hello. i am not new to the forum but am new to this thread. I have a 96 gt and have been thinking bout this 5.4 thing a lil bit lately..if i wanted to do the this cheapest route possible.. could i purchase a used complete 5.4 motor--put a PI manifold on it, and leave everything else alone on the motor then stick it in my car and have it bolt right up to my t-45 tranny.? i have skimmed through this thread and have learned a bunch but still have questions obviously..like will the heads that are on the 5.4 be okay being that my car is a pre PI head motor i wouldnt wanna even swap them?

 

If you take a stock PI 5.4 and use the PI intake from the Mustang w/ adaptors, then yes, it will essentially bolt right in. All Mod engines have the same bellhousing pattern. However, it is strongly suggested that you get a dyno tune afterwards to optimize performance and driveability. The only real modifications that need to be done is widening/lengthening of the mid-pipe and hood clearencing (depening on the hood).

 

that's the ticket. it's basically a drop in. If you don't have it properly tuned though it'll run very poorly. There's a pretty serious change set required for it to understand all the added cubes and the increased MAF readings they cause.

Otherwise, this is totally the sort of thing 2 guys can do in a weekend (1 day if you have a lift). You will absolutely need to get the intake adapter plates from Reichard Racing. My original intent was to just slap one in and run 12's on 87 octane but I knew I'd just blow that motor up so I'm having mine built.

You can use any 2v modular heads. Putting NPI heads will KILL your HP and raise tq even more so I'd stick with the PI heads that you should get with the motor (00' and higher 5.4's come with PI heads, 99 and down don't). The 5.4 is already a tq MONSTER so it doesn't need any more. Ported heads are worth it if you can afford them. So are bigger cams.

Figure that for under 2K you can have the 5.4 installed if you bargain hunt in the right places.

 

Would it be worth it to just use SVO heads and intake (with the possibility of porting them in the future) or just port the PI heads? Which is more cost effective?

 

SVO heads and intake would be a great option but kinda expensive. Almost triples the cost of the average straight swap. Ported PI heads and intake would be the way I'd go. Hell... even unported PI heads would be just as good. The added compression from the 99+ PI heads really helps in the power department.

 

soo what exactly has to be changed with the exhaust and can you get me the link or site to wher i could purchase the adaptor plates--oh and also would i need to get a dyno tune or is ther a mail order tune i could get?

 

you only have to tweak the exhaust if u have stock exhaust. i had a bbk off-road x-pipe and i just spread it an inch or so and it bolted right up. also i would take the 4.6 oil filter adapter and put it on the 5.4, the 5.4 might hang to low for a lowered mustang.

 

you can get the plates from www.reichardracing.com. they don't list them on the site for 2v but they do have them. you would want a dyno tune but, a simple box stock tune from someone that knows what they're doing could be ok to get it to a dyno for the AF check and numbers run.

I've run out of tuners in my area that I trust, so I've got myself a SCT Racer pack with the software (locked for 1 car), chip, and interface unit. I'll be doing my own damn tuning. Once I have a base tune for the increased cubes I'll make my base file available to anyone that wants it. You can't use it directly but you can base your tune on it. I have to get a wideband O2 setup now but such is life. I've always liked the look of a lambda display stuck to the dash. There's only like 8 tables that I'll need to edit and I'm picking up a 90mm lightning MAF since higher RPM's are going to work... don't want to peg the stocker at 6500rpm wtih a 5.4.

 

I have read all 50 pages and just joined this site because of this swap.

My biggest question is why has no one ever made it to the track and recieved some good baseline #s in the 1/4 mile?
I saw that 1 guy did but his times were horrible.


I have seen 1 dyno sheet from 5.0 magazine and saw the peak #s for
saleen330. Is there any others out there?

I do like the potential that could be there andthe ease of the swap, but I would like to see what success if anybody has had with a N/A 5.4. So far it seams like bench racing.

I know with ported heads it will lesson the torque curve and give more RPM. So is this combo a short runner intake away from being a success for racing?

 

The biggest problem with track times so far has been traction pure and simple. I'm not worried about it in my case as I have a torque arm which increased rear grip enough to handle the tq. 5.0 & SF got mid 12's on pump gas with theirs and they had to deal with tire spin as well.

My dyno numbers will be here soon enough, so will myillwillinc and bassman97. I'm expecting about 325hp and at least 360tq (hoping for 400+) with a nice compression bump, xe262ah cams and a HPS intake. dyno numbers won't tell you the whole story with tq biased motors though ... it's the off the line grunt that you really have to consider (I'm sure you already knew that but stating for clarity).

I have another guy out this way that's done his swap and I'm waiting on dyno numbers from him. I think the lack of them is borne from the lack of people having done the swap. There's maybe 15 or 20 guys that have it done and not many of them are real talkative about their numbers. Guess they don't want to give away their sleeper status.

The ported heads broaden the tq curve rather than reducing its height from what we've seen so far. Cams do the same. The engine has a flow restriction otherwise and just doesn't reach peak power... can't get enough air into the chambers for the really big bang.

A short runner intake is on the way from HPS and other than that, it's a racing success as it sits with the right pilot at the helm.

 

I will continue to research and watch how your guys rebuilds turn out.

I am torn between a 4v or adding a kennebell and now the 5.4 swap.
The 4v could get me low 13's
The KB will get high 12's
The 5.4 mid 12's

It will be about late spring before I will have the cash, so I have plenty of time before a final decision is made.

The cool thing is I could sell my low mileage bullitt engine and get some cash back to reinvest into the 5.4.

 

before you sell your bullit engine take the intake off. the 5.4 would love to breathe thru that bad boy.....

 

I'm just wondering if anyone has looked into building the 5.4 engine and then setting a 2.2 KB on there? Won't have to deal with the adapter plates or intake crap, just cut a hole in the hood with some stripped around the blower and be done with it.

 

looked into it yeah... but I'll eventually put a Vortech T trim on it. I don't want to be in boost right off idle.