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Sn95Willis
Active Member
I'm going to so my ignorance here so sorry. How far up does the power band in a lightning go. Couldnt you clone a lightning 5.4 but keep it N/A and have it pull better then 4500 rpms?
5.4 2v swap
- Thread starter Sn95Willis
- Start date
I'm going to so my ignorance here so sorry. How far up does the power band in a lightning go. Couldnt you clone a lightning 5.4 but keep it N/A and have it pull better then 4500 rpms?
D3VST8R96GT
Well-Known Member
They really only have top end power because of the blower even then its lack luster.... I'll post a pick of my lightnings dyno sheet it had stage 2 heads and cams and a KB 2.3.
The D3V
The D3V
D3VST8R96GT
Well-Known Member
Keep in mind this is a fully built motor on c16 and lots of boost... it wasn't pushed to its max but going past 6k would have been pointless.
The D3V
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Sn95Willis
Active Member
Here is my thought. Tell me if it can be done or I would be wasting my time. As stated before I would like to get it looking nice and running pretty good. Don't want a track 550+ hp car but one that can maybe hit mid 12's at the track.
Would like to do it with a 5.4 2v. Also ill be doing it with an auto to.
Would like to do it with a 5.4 2v. Also ill be doing it with an auto to.
D3VST8R96GT
Well-Known Member
Yeah suspension weight reduction and tire with a bolt on 5.4
The D3V
The D3V
Dont let the rpm limits hold you back. I assure you the torque makes for a quick car on the streets. The down fall is also the torque. Tire traction will be a problem and I say this because I had drag radials and 273 gears.
Yes a built 4.6l or even a stock bolt-on 4.6l will be tough to beat, but those little brother engines lack what the 5.4l has....torque. No torque is why stepping to a taller gear is the fix for lack of torque. A mildly built 5.4l 2v in a full weight car can pull off low 13 et on the track easily with 3.55gears.
Yes a built 4.6l or even a stock bolt-on 4.6l will be tough to beat, but those little brother engines lack what the 5.4l has....torque. No torque is why stepping to a taller gear is the fix for lack of torque. A mildly built 5.4l 2v in a full weight car can pull off low 13 et on the track easily with 3.55gears.
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Sn95Willis
Active Member
Well that sounds about what I want to do. You never know maybe a shot of laughing gas. Kidding been there done that dont really want to mess with power adders.
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Sn95Willis
Active Member
Thats my main concern is not so much here but a few people telling me its not worth it yada yada and that I it goes through the rpms so quick that the power range is terrible.
Money spent on the stock setup 4.6l can net you great gains and be a very fun streetable/track car. Money spent on the 5.4l can equally net you great gains, but their is still uncharted territory so to speak when it comes to all out n/a stock headed 2v build.
The 5.4l is a very very strong engine at low rpm. Torque that a 4.6l only can experience with forced induction. And to be honest...tradeoffs are the balance here with decision. Keep the stock stuff and be equally competitive as known others or swap to 5.4l and still be competitive, but spend extra for intake and a tune.
But dood, ....the driving torque is crazy!
The 5.4l is a very very strong engine at low rpm. Torque that a 4.6l only can experience with forced induction. And to be honest...tradeoffs are the balance here with decision. Keep the stock stuff and be equally competitive as known others or swap to 5.4l and still be competitive, but spend extra for intake and a tune.
But dood, ....the driving torque is crazy!
Also
Unlike the 4.6l camming a 5.4l does NOT become a driving turd. No need to swap out gears, no need to swap to a stall converter...
Unlike the 4.6l camming a 5.4l does NOT become a driving turd. No need to swap out gears, no need to swap to a stall converter...
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Sn95Willis
Active Member
96blak54 I think you are SELLING me on the 5.4 swap.. No my hunt for the stang is on..
Im not trying to sell it, just stating the facts. Fact is if you want to be competitive a full rebuild of anything is in order.
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Sn95Willis
Active Member
I know you arent selling lol. Just saying. As far as competitive i am not concerned with that. Just want a good looking stand with that will roll out hard.
Silver35th
New Member
Subbed for future reference....
So ...how are you looking to do this? Just swap in a truck engine or build one?
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Sn95Willis
Active Member
If I can do it and get some help from a few friends around me I will pick up a running 5.4 and put it on a stand and get the bolt ons until its ready to go in. Maybe heads and cams but its not a must for me. It will be basically collecting the stuff until its ready to be dropped in.
D3VST8R96GT
Well-Known Member
As long as the 5.4 is made after 1999 the stock heads are fine..... pi heads are pi heads.... unless you wanna drop a couple hundred on a p&p job or more on trick flows, stockers will work just fine. Cams.... N/A look at Modular Head shop.
The D3V
The D3V
D3VST8R96GT
Well-Known Member
Get a running motor though.... starting with a bare block could be over whelming
The D3V
The D3V
Leo 5.0
Active Member
Figured I would chime in here.
I did this swap on my 97 in 2011.
I did it for 3 reasons.
A: It was unique to the people I was around. Everyone either did the PI swap, PI engine swap, or had 4vs.
B: It was Cheap. (if you consider $1500 for everything)
C: It was a blast to drive on the German Autobahn. IT WOULD PEG THE SPEEDO, and still pull.
Now I did an 03 Expedition, HPS intake, JBA Shorties, O/R H pipe, SLP LMIIs, stock 2.73s, Acufab 70MM TB/Plenum
It was a blast around town.
A hoot on the highway.
But it did fall a little flat up top.
At the time the general consensus was couldn't rev past 5500, even though the intake alone was said to remedy that issue, at least for power..so they say.
I for one didn't redline it often, but when I did, I went to 6k, never higher.
But you could feel it dropping off up top. Much like 4.6 would.
I have nothing against the swap for a street car. It's fun, it pulls, and it is extremely easy. As a matter of fact I did the swap out of fear of doing the PI swap. I had no issue with tinkering with my oil pan, or labeling wires. But that is why my build ran flat. It was essentially a "stock" swap.
But compared to a well thought out 4.6 build, well it would have a stronger top end(compared to my setup)
It would light the tires from a dead stop in 2nd, and would wind out the 150 speedometer. But for a daily driver in a snowy place I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS ENGINE. Germany had harsh winters, and aside from essentially driving off idle, I could not get out of my driveway. This torque hits right off idle.
In the end for any 4.6 street car, I would probably do the swap, just because of ease, and fun factor.
I just thought I would share some firsthand info with a direct swap, which would probably be something you would feel more comfortable doing.
I literally had my laptop out with a webpage loaded as I did it.
I did this swap on my 97 in 2011.
I did it for 3 reasons.
A: It was unique to the people I was around. Everyone either did the PI swap, PI engine swap, or had 4vs.
B: It was Cheap. (if you consider $1500 for everything)
C: It was a blast to drive on the German Autobahn. IT WOULD PEG THE SPEEDO, and still pull.
Now I did an 03 Expedition, HPS intake, JBA Shorties, O/R H pipe, SLP LMIIs, stock 2.73s, Acufab 70MM TB/Plenum
It was a blast around town.
A hoot on the highway.
But it did fall a little flat up top.
At the time the general consensus was couldn't rev past 5500, even though the intake alone was said to remedy that issue, at least for power..so they say.
I for one didn't redline it often, but when I did, I went to 6k, never higher.
But you could feel it dropping off up top. Much like 4.6 would.
I have nothing against the swap for a street car. It's fun, it pulls, and it is extremely easy. As a matter of fact I did the swap out of fear of doing the PI swap. I had no issue with tinkering with my oil pan, or labeling wires. But that is why my build ran flat. It was essentially a "stock" swap.
But compared to a well thought out 4.6 build, well it would have a stronger top end(compared to my setup)
It would light the tires from a dead stop in 2nd, and would wind out the 150 speedometer. But for a daily driver in a snowy place I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS ENGINE. Germany had harsh winters, and aside from essentially driving off idle, I could not get out of my driveway. This torque hits right off idle.
In the end for any 4.6 street car, I would probably do the swap, just because of ease, and fun factor.
I just thought I would share some firsthand info with a direct swap, which would probably be something you would feel more comfortable doing.
I literally had my laptop out with a webpage loaded as I did it.
This^^^
Exactly this ^^^^
I had trouble backing out of my driveway when the tires were cold. My drive way is sloped down around to the back of the house into basement garages. When the tires were cold getting off the flat area into the sloped part, idling in gear the tires would break loose causing the car to fishtail off the driveway.
Although on the 95°+ days when the roadways were hot, the tires bite! Mine had a topend charge at 3500rpm that on cooler days blew the tires away but on the hot days it felt like a rocket!
Exactly this ^^^^
I had trouble backing out of my driveway when the tires were cold. My drive way is sloped down around to the back of the house into basement garages. When the tires were cold getting off the flat area into the sloped part, idling in gear the tires would break loose causing the car to fishtail off the driveway.
Although on the 95°+ days when the roadways were hot, the tires bite! Mine had a topend charge at 3500rpm that on cooler days blew the tires away but on the hot days it felt like a rocket!
