What the? My 4.6 says 5.4 on the heads?

[shane96ranger]

Like it says, my F150 I just bought with a 4.6 says 5.4 on the heads. I thought the two were not interchangeable? As some of you may know, the PO says that Ford put a new motor in it, so would this be why for some reason?

I'll add a pic soon.

 

[CountryBoy78]

can you get some pictures of the motor? Does it say 4.6 anywhere on the truck or did the dealer just tell you that?

 

[shane96ranger]

It says 4.6 Triton on the motor, and the VIN digit is a 6, which is a 4.6 Windsor.

 

[Mac]

Run a Google on that casting number and see what comes up. Sure don't know my mod motors at all but thought the 3-v's were pretty much the same.
Dave of the Nord

 

[06RangerXLT]

huh...



wouldnt that be cool.

 

[CountryBoy78]

what year is your truck?

damn I might have to check my 04 .........its suppose to be a 5.4 but when I bought it they said they put a new motor in it..........I think they just replaced the cam phazers and called it a new motor but what the heck do I know... got to love buying used.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Like it says, my F150 I just bought with a 4.6 says 5.4 on the heads. I thought the two were not interchangeable? As some of you may know, the PO says that Ford put a new motor in it, so would this be why for some reason?

I'll add a pic soon.

I think they are interchangable. If you switch from non-pi to pi you have the change some more things too though.

 

[shane96ranger]

After making some phone calls and doing a scan through Google (thanks Dave), it appears that this is 100% normal. I'm not sure how many know that there are actually TWO versions of the 4.6 liter (I have another thread on this). One was made in the Windsor plant, the other in the Romeo plant. The Windsor plant makes truck engines only (4.6 and the 5.4). The Romeo makes car AND truck engines (4.6 only). The heads used on the Romeo's will not fit on a Windsor motor or vice versa, which is where I got my info on not being able to interchange the two (Mustang crowd). There is a difference in the number of valve cover bolts I was told, but have not seen it with my own eyes.

Since my truck is a Windsor 4.6 and it is made in the same plant as the 5.4 Windsor, they are indeed interchangeable. In fact, some 4.6's were equipped as such from the factory.

On a side note, one of the 4.6 versions is a 278 cubic inch rather than a 281 cubic inch. I want to dig deeper on this.

 

[adsm08]

On a side note, one of the 4.6 versions is a 278 cubic inch rather than a 281 cubic inch. I want to dig deeper on this.

I knew parts of that. The non-interchangeability of Romeo heads, there is a TSB about getting the right head gaskets because of that.

As for the size difference, it's all in the combustion chambers. 5.4 head have a larger chamber.

 

[shane96ranger]

As for the size difference, it's all in the combustion chambers. 5.4 head have a larger chamber.

Interesting. I didn't realize combustion chambers were factored into the displacement.

 

[adsm08]

Interesting. I didn't realize combustion chambers were factored into the displacement.

The formula I was always given uses it.

 

[shane96ranger]

The formula I was always given uses it.

That means my Mustang might have a 300 or something in it now.

Hey adsm, did Ford put the VIN (or the last few digits of) in the block on these modular motors? And do you know where if so? That's what I was hunting for when I saw the 5.4L on the heads.

 

[AllanD]

Displacement is purely about swept volume.

The combustion chamber volume only needs to be known to calculate Compression Ratio.

AD

 

[adsm08]

Far as I know there was never a VIN casting on those blocks. The most you might find is a serial number on a reman tag.

 

[Mac]

Shane, another difference I believe in the Windsor and Romeo motors is the number of crank bolts, one has six while the other has eight. These Fords seem to always have ways of bitting you in the butt. I don't think Ford has put any part of the VIN on the motors for 40+ years and then only on the special ones, never cast in but stamped on the back of the block by the intake.
Dave of the Nord