5.4

[fdtrucks]

So I am picking up my new to me 84 BII this weekend. I was planning on putting a 302 in this winter. Then it dawned on me, I have a 5.4 2v 40,000mi with full harness in my garage with a transmission and t case. HMMMMMMM? I may have to measure and see if I can start a new trend!

 

[country0001]

That would be interesting to see, document the crap out of it. Not a fan of the 5.4. But use what you got.

Good luck with it!

 

[shane96ranger]

I'm going to guess it won't fit without major cutting and mods. A 4.6 is pretty snug in the newer rigs.

 

[adsm08]

I am going to say no. It will not fit easily, if at all. But by all means try, I would love to see that.

 

[fdtrucks]

The only thing holding me back is that it's a 2v engine. I may see if I can pick up some 4v navigator heads, or a set of cobra r.

 

[dieseldane]

I would think that some 4v head would only make things harder for you. I can't remember how much larger they are, but they are bigger.

If it doesn't fit, force it. That's my motto.

 

[johnnycup9]

So I am picking up my new to me 84 BII this weekend. I was planning on putting a 302 in this winter. Then it dawned on me, I have a 5.4 2v 40,000mi with full harness in my garage with a Cheap In Dash DVD Player and t case. HMMMMMMM? I may have to measure and see if I can start a new trend!

No way will that fit without modding.. I can place money on that lol

 

[adsm08]

The 4V heads will not make this any easier. The 4.6 2V SOHC makes more power than a 5.0. The 5.4L 2V makes more power. The 3V makes even more with the same sized head, but they have phaser issues.

I'd take the 2V, cut my losses on the size issue, and just be grateful for what you did get vs the 5.0.

 

[racsan]

the 5.4 looks good on paper, dad has a '05 superduty with one, ive drove it but havent "used" it, hes got a plow but last winter there was barely enough snow here to get the leaf blower out, let alone a truck with a blade. all the crap ive read about with the 5.4 (cam phaser issue, spark plugs breaking when removing) make me want to stay with the old-school small block 302/351, no they dont deliver near the power, but i know there reliable, dont require tons of extra stuff (computer, special tools, ect) personally my "dream engine swap" would be the cummins 4bt diesel.

 

[adsm08]

the 5.4 looks good on paper, dad has a '05 superduty with one, ive drove it but havent "used" it, hes got a plow but last winter there was barely enough snow here to get the leaf blower out, let alone a truck with a blade. all the crap ive read about with the 5.4 (cam phaser issue, spark plugs breaking when removing) make me want to stay with the old-school small block 302/351, no they dont deliver near the power, but i know there reliable, dont require tons of extra stuff (computer, special tools, ect) personally my "dream engine swap" would be the cummins 4bt diesel.

Phasers are a less than wonderful design, but seem to be more of an issue with engines that aren't kept up with. Most of the ones I pull apart for phasers are gunked up under the valve covers.

The spark plug issue has been fixed with a revised spark plug though.

 

[racsan]

i think dad's is the 3-valve, has original plugs, he got this truck about a year ago. hes been talking about getting the plugs changed, his last farm truck had the plugs in it so long that they rusted around the insulators and 2 have "shot" out from compression! (its a '94 351) i wasnt sure if the phaser was a design issue or a upkeep issue. this looks like a hell of a well-built truck, and on paper the 5.4 looks really impressive. the 5 speed auto seems strange though, who knows, i may inherit it someday. i did try to talk him into a supercab with that in mind! lol, but its just a reg cab longbed XL, kind of looks like something a landscape bussiness would have had, pretty basic, even down to the awful base steel wheels.

 

[adsm08]

There are a few really nice pullers for the broken plugs. IIRC the Lylse one is the best of the ones I have used. It threads into the cap that breaks off, then reverse threads into a collar to pull it out. The bridge cap on the new design is narrower and doesn't allow for the carbon to build up as badly between the plug and the head which is why they break.

I have had the best luck with a foaming gum cutter or foaming penetrating oil (AutoSolutions Emissions Optimizer or BG InForce) to keep the plugs from breaking. Take the coils out, spray some down each plug well, put the coils back in and run her up to temp, then take the plugs out. I've had close to a 90% success rate with that method vs 50/50 by just having at them.


As for the phasers, I think it is a 50/50 design maintenance issue. The 5.4L 3V was one of Ford's first attempts at this type of variable cam timing. The 3.5L phasers were the next gen design and are much better, but still not perfect.

Run full synthetic, change it every 5K, and try to find something with a high detergent content.

 

[shane96ranger]

There are a few really nice pullers for the broken plugs. IIRC the Lylse one is the best of the ones I have used. It threads into the cap that breaks off, then reverse threads into a collar to pull it out. The bridge cap on the new design is narrower and doesn't allow for the carbon to build up as badly between the plug and the head which is why they break.

I have had the best luck with a foaming gum cutter or foaming penetrating oil (AutoSolutions Emissions Optimizer or BG InForce) to keep the plugs from breaking. Take the coils out, spray some down each plug well, put the coils back in and run her up to temp, then take the plugs out. I've had close to a 90% success rate with that method vs 50/50 by just having at them.


As for the phasers, I think it is a 50/50 design maintenance issue. The 5.4L 3V was one of Ford's first attempts at this type of variable cam timing. The 3.5L phasers were the next gen design and are much better, but still not perfect.

Run full synthetic, change it every 5K, and try to find something with a high detergent content.

Adsm, have you seen the 3/8" impact method for plug removal? There are a couple videos on youtube on this. I'd be a little gun shy.

 

[RangerSVT]

Yep, too hard to do. Doubt it can be done. How about selling me the drivetrain?

SVT

 

[adsm08]

Adsm, have you seen the 3/8" impact method for plug removal? There are a couple videos on youtube on this. I'd be a little gun shy.

I have not. If it is what I think it is, (Haven't watched the Youtube vid, I'm watching a movie right now) I would probably be willing to try it with my electric 3/8, more control over the throttle.

I'm also thinking it would be very difficult on cylinders 4 and 8. 3 might be a problem as well if you don't pull the computer out first.