Ok, I got MORE info into this crank enigma today. I was just at the dealer picking up some parts. I had my guy look up the various cranks. This is what we found....

If you look up a crank for ANY 99-up Triton 5.4 (Lightning or reg), it lists the 1L part number. That is the $200 crank, and it now says right in the part description, "This is a cast crank". If you look up a crank for a 97-98 5.4, it lists the F7 crank. That is the $600 crank, and it says "This is a steel crank".

So, if you walked into a dealer and asked for a replacement crank for your 99-up 5.4, you will get a cast part. That also means any crank replaced by the dealer for any reason will also be a cast crank.

By checking the vehicle build of materials though, it appears that the factory motors installed in the trucks got the F7 steel crank. So anyone with a stock motor should have no worries. But if you walk into a dealer and ask for a new crank, you'll get a cast unit.

 

But what about the guy in the other post (I am too lazy to go back and see who it was) whose VIN you checked and showed to be forged but he said his motor had a cast crank according to his engine builder. I assume the factory can make mistakes and use the wrong parts from time to time, right? Just trying to understand if there is a pattern going on here.

 

Sal, thanks for doing so much foot work for us! I am now glad that I used the stock crank when I rebuilt the motor!

 

I went thru this when I ordered my new crank...

Everything looked up became a cast crank and I had to call to get the steel crank number.

This is the part number for the steel crank. F75Z-6303-AC (97-98 part number, but will fit all 5.4)

 

definitly...sal is the info man

 

This has been another episode of Lightning Jeopardy with your host Sal!

 

"Actually, this same motor has been in the truck since 01.

As for the crank, the one I had in this motor was the $200 01-up CAST crank, not the $600 F7 forged crank. Nobody knew back then that Ford cheaped out on the crank in 01, but hell, I'd say it's handled big power well for two years ."

The above is a quote from Sal from an earlier post.

Sal - With your new information, how is it that you still had a cast crank in your L then? Maybe I missed something...

 

Beucase the stock motor was yanked out of the truck shortly after I got it, and replaced with a built short block. As I stated, back then Ford listed the cast crank as the replacement 5.4 crank, only it didn't say anything about it being cast .

 

I guess I did indeed miss something then.

However, since the L's are supposed to come with forged cranks, why did you replace yours when you built your motor? Why not just use the stocker?

Just curious...

 

I wanted to leave the stock motor together, in case it had to go back in at a later date. My truck is leased you know .

 

Thanks Sal...

That makes perfect sense now...

 

HI!... This is confusing. I have a few buddys that work at the foundry and the 4.6/5.4/6.8 engine plant here in WINDSOR. They all tell me that they have NEVER made a cast crank for the 5.4 and that ALL 5.4's come with a high quality forged steel crankshaft that FORD alone says will hold up to 900H.P (FLYWHEEL). I have a '98" 5.4 crate engine and it has a FORGED steel crank in it. It was removed and verified by my engine builder that I have been dealer with for over 15 years. My current "99" 5.4 engine has the exact same crank in it and it is FORGED STEEL. So how are these mystery CAST cranks even getting in these 5.4 if FORD never made a cast crank for them????

Here's a pic of the "98" 5.4 FORGED STEEL crankshaft.

https://www.f150online.com/galleries...4-794-6970.jpg

 

Best I can tell from the zillion posts on this topic recently, engines leave the factory with forged cranks, the cast units are being sold as replacement parts.

In other words, if you have a cast unit, you or your mechanic unwittingly put it in at some point in place of the stock forged unit.

Bet this won't be happening much in the future.

 

Man Sal they leased you a truck to Race?!?!?!?!hahah.

 

I'm still wondering how I got a cast crank in my motor. Presumably, then, my '00 truck came with a steel crank? No way to know for sure unless I get Sal to check my VIN. But when I spun the bearing and Ford replaced the motor with an '01 motor it had a cast crank. Is this plausible? Steel crank is supposed to arrive today, no way is there a cast crank going back in this puppy.