5.4 2v swap

[Leo 5.0]

Yeah, even just letting off the clutch and driving off idle, it jerked really hard.
The npi 4.6 will pull a bit, but the 5.4 would jerk.
Not good with all seasons and the slightest snow haha.

But I agree, when dry, she would haul some ass.
I would do this swap again in a heartbeat for a summer car. But I would probably add some cam this time. Something to not have it completely fall on it's face past 5k. Even with 2.73s it didn't feel like a slouch. I can only guess how 3.55s would have felt.
Just keeping a 6k rpm band. Nothing fancy.

Also OP, a good tip, something I didn't do.
Work on your rear suspension, I would imagine that would help immensely.

 

[Leo 5.0]

Does anyone still do this or is it not being done much anymore. i know when i was around last time it was pretty popular and being done alot. There was a black SN95 that I was following (330cubed's) car I think it was. when I had my 98 I actually picked up a 5.4 to start the swap but I am not very machaniclly inclined and with out alot of help I cannot do a whole lot my self. As it goes I am now going to be getting back into the stang sport I think I could really want to do this swap. My goals are to get me a really nice looking Sn and a good power plant. Not looking to have a 500+ hp car just some thing nice and strong for the street and some fun at the track.

For a direct swap, it is nothing to worry about.
Just make sure you can dedicate a day or so do to it.
Take the 4.6 out and swap the parts, sensors, and if needed shave the header, reassemble, then put it back in.
If it is your first swap have a friend help. It may take a bit longer the first time, but when you finish and it fires up, you'll wonder why you ever doubted it.

Oh and if you do it, I don't know if he still does, but when ordering the HPS intake, ask him to tap you the extra coolant sensor.

 

[redriderjf87]

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.

Those sound like exactly what I'm looking for. I don't care to rev my 4.6 past 6k anyways and don't drive in snow. Just having the extra low end balls and even a modest top end power increase would be nice.

 

[Leo 5.0]

I'm in the process of sourcing parts to do another swap in my 96.

For a street cruiser, it's got n/a torque that can't be beat for the price IMO

 

[96blak54]

Street cruiser indeed. When i first got my car the stock npi 4.6l was an absolute turd. Its a nice car for the milage but ive been in 4cyl family cars that were heavier and had more spunk. I really hated how 5th gear would struggle just to maintain a constant speed, granted a gear swap from the stock 2:73 gear to a lower gear like 4:10 would have help alot but i also didnt want to run 2000rpm at highway speeds and hear a constant engine drone. The car just couldn't get out of its own way!!
Now after the swap, while retaining all the original electronics the power got worse! I figured their would have been a little bit of an improvement since their were no swapped electronics, just more cubes. I remember trying to dump 1st gear and it would bog out not even spinning the tires. I thought something was wrong or not correct but after looking it over many times I ruled out that it had to be the tune.
About a month later I scored cams so I thought installing them before the tune was a no brainer, so I pulled it all back out a degreed the cams in. While reinstalling I double checked everything still thinking a jump in cubic inches shouldnt affect the computers ability to compensate for 50 extra cubes....boy was I wrong. The car drove good untill the pedal was barely pressed past cruising position.
So I finally got a tune! Man what a difference! It went from no torque to dump truck loads of torque! This thing could literally pull a house from its foundation....in 3rd gear!!!! Very tame to for 274comp cams.
Ive been in other mustangs/cobra with basicly the same set up on the 4.6l and me getting use to keeping the rpms up just to drive it was annoying. Yea sure these guys cars were 11 and12 sec cars but on the street they didnt feel like it.
So when we would street race from a 30mph punch, they struggled. Im not sure what my car would have ran but high 12's is easy for 280rwhp but they didnt have 340rwtq and 2:73gears.

 

[Leo 5.0]

Agreed, I plan on keeping my stock 3.27s
In theory with that torque it would be about the equivalent of a lower set.

I recall hearing somewhere that with the 5.4 3.55s are like 4.10s in a 4.6, so I feel my 3.27s would be perfect for street duty.

 

[96blak54]

Yea most ppl think the deeper gear is beneficial, but not for an engine thats powerband is off the idle to 4000rpm.

 

[Sn95Willis]

Leo your plans sound about like what I want to do. If I was to do any thing else it would be add a lil 100 shot of N2O for extra fun.Of course it wouldnt be used off the line it would be kicked in a little later lol.. Oh an Ill be through an auto also.

 

[96blak54]

Through an auto?... even better!

 

[Sn95Willis]

Damn women lol.. I am just trying to get a not so hot stang that needs some TLC so I can make it mine. I have found a few for 1500 that is about what I am looking for but she keeps showing me these cars that are 5k. I need cheeper lol..

 

[Sn95Willis]

Those of you that have done the swap, post a pic of under the hood with it all buttoned up.

 

[96blak54]

Keeping a low budget is key for me too bro. I got 4chids and a stay at home wife the needs maintenance....lol

I dont have a pic of my install. But will try to source a few of others and post them.

 

[Leo 5.0]

After all was said and done I feel I got a good deal.
Little miffed about the cooling issue I am working on, but other than that it's a solid foundation.
Doesn't need any TLC in the body or interior, so as soon as I get my fan under control, it's all uphill.

Until you get a picture I can assure you of this, with the HPS intake, unless someone knows what they are looking at, to the average joe, it will look like a 4.6 with a satin intake. But anyone else may notice it doesn't leave much space, noticeably to the 4.6.

It is a tight fit. But well worth the day of labor. As long as you fully decide, make sure everything is in order, and have the right tools, it's really not hard.
Then again doing it all alone does up the difficulty factor. Extra eyes and hands always help.

 

[Leo 5.0]

As far as figures go, I keep watching a few motors on ebay, I may even check local junk yards.
But the only real costs are, MOTOR, INTAKE/adapter plates, and Flywheel/clutch. Wires mate, just swap all of your sensors from your motor to the 5.4. Also I don't know about you, but I will be adding shorties while I am at it. Figure it's out of the car, get the edge cut down a bit and drop it all in. Front Timing cover swaps over so you can keep your coil packs, I will probably order the COP conversion harness I've been reading about on different forums. Just to tidy things up. It's already a big motor, and those wires just make it look cluttered as is.
Could be under 2k if you look around.

I'm trying to keep it under 2000 myself..Because my current living situation requires that I have a shop do it....
I have no garage, nosy neighbors who reported me for taking my wheel off to look at something, and no cherry picker.
Install was quoted at 500 assuming I gave them 100% of the parts.

And just in case you are wondering, after the swap, all of your usual 4.6 bolt ons will work.
But I am unsure if using the 5.4 would warrant a 70 or 75 mm throttle body, last time I just used my 70mm off my 97 engine.

 

[Sn95Willis]

Is it pointless to put any kind of power adder on these motors?

 

[96blak54]

Oh no...power added 5.4l are beasts and not pointless at all. As for my build, yes power adding will be pointless because I have a goal in mind. I want more shove from a driving car that can hit a lick at stop lights.
Although I do feel its poinless to go dohc 5.4l n/a,(or 4.6l dohc) when one can power add a modular 2v into a beast of a car relatively easier, but each to their own and is just my opinion. Heck....a mark8/pi head build these guys are doing netting 13:1 compression are getting 330-350rwhp. Or a these coyote 5.0l swaps able to net 10sec timeslips in the 1/4 for what a new supercharger setup would cost.

 

[Sn95Willis]

Yea I hear you. As much as I would love to have a 10 sec car I dont have that kind of budget. My goal is just to have a fun street car with some balls. And I just want to do it through the 5.4.

5.4 swap with the normal bolt ons and exhaust. From what it seems I wont be needing any gears or atleast nothing over 3.73's. Maybe after I have it running and all bugs worked out add a lil 75 or 100 shot of juice.

 

[96blak54]

Some juice could be beneficial for those close races. Definitely help the top end ring out. Although I will say the stock 5.4l internals will not like the higher rpms. With a correct tune the pistons will be fine but the conrods will not be happy as those things are like a tooth pic balancing a bowling ball. For stock low rpm or even low boosted rpm they hold up ok but adding rpm harmonics to them and they will fold.
Something to think about is replacing connecting rods to a $300 H-beam set.

 

[Leo 5.0]

3.55 would be good on a street 5.4

To put it in perspective:
4.10s in a 4.6 gives you no first gear, and ut has to build torque.
The 5.4 already has more torque off idle.

My 97 had 2.73s and it still went plenty fast on the street and highway. And under a heavy foot would just spin it's tires from a stop in second.
My 96 has 3.27s, and I have no intention of changing them.

 

[Leo 5.0]

As for a stock swap, 5500 is a lot of revving for the street anyway.
And with your torque, depending on where you live, there probably won't be too much that could hang anyway.

A blower would be nice to add to it's HP department, which the 5.4 lacks a bit.
And it will also add to your torque.

But for a budget street build, I'd call a blower or juice overkill haha