hello to all. i'm new to this forum. i have a 2000 5.4 expedition currently installing the lightning supercharger system. my questions is do i need to buy the lightning alternator for the swap or mods could be done with my current generator? and also any one can suggest any computer mods? my set up is stock eaton lighting blower with 6lb low pulley and a mac cat back exhaust with moto blue cold air kit.
thanks in advance for helping..

 

You will have to buy a Lightning alternator. The stock one is too long and will interfere with the intake manifold.

 

thank you..will do in the morning.

 

I was thinking of doing the same to my expedition. Not just for speed but for some passing gears YAH KNOW> I have a 99 black expedition with 24 inch OJ's on it. Is the insides the same from a stock 5.4 then from a lightning 5.4? Holla back

 

you mean the insides of the engine? pretty much the same with few additional parts from the charge air assembly( supercharger)..
i had my interior redone with roush leather. but only 20's on mine..yours must be nice!

 

Lightning Swap Resources
Thinking about doing the Lightning supercharger assembly swap?
Do you have a F150/F250 97- 2004 5.4 SOHC engine? Going to get one? If so, you can bolt on, the most versatile supercharger system available to us.

Sources for lightning engines, supercharger assemblys and related parts:

1. www.madenterprise.com He specifically developed a kit for this swap and sells everything you will need to bolt on to the engine and supercharger assembly. He even has upgrades. He should be able to help you locate an engine and assembly as well. This should be your first and last stop.

2. www.nloc.net This is a lightning website. If you go to the 2nd generation classified section and place an ad, you will get responses for everything and anything you need for the swap.

3. www.car-part.com You can locate entire lightning longblocks with supercharger assemblys bolted on. You can even locate entire lightning drivetrains including the engine, supercharger assembly and transmissions.

4. www.ebaymotors.com Go to the car and truck parts section and type in "lightning" . Then go to the engine and supercharger section. You will find lightning supercharger assemblys for sale almost everyday.

5. www.f150online.com Go to the Lightning section. All four (4) major lightning tuners "hang out" there including "madferraristi" (he is also a "regular" in this section) , "JDM", "JLP" and "PSP" (they all have their own websites as well). You could also place a want ad in this sites classifieds.

6. Most importantly, this site's SEARCH function is the best tool you can use.

You have many options and choices including:

A. Bolt on the supercharger assembly only, or
B. Swap engines and bolt on supercharger assembly, or
C. Swap engines, transmissions and bolt on supercharger
assembly, or
D. Perform a complete Lightning drivetrain swap.
E. Can swap the lightning supercharger assembly roots headunit for several other roots, or twinscrews or centrifugal or soon a turbo unit.

Note: The F150 Harley-Davidson supercharger assembly is the same as the Lightning version and will bolt on as well, except it has a lower boost pulley and part of the assembly may be black.

If anyone can contribute additional sources for parts, technical info, diagrams, illustrations, "How Tos", "Dos and Don'ts", etc., please feel welcome to do so.

Good Luck!

You might want to add that Madenterprise also sells Gregg Evens Monster Box 4R70 transmissions.
It's a high performance transmission that does not require a computer change and bolts right up to our non-Lightning 5.4L engines.

 

You are playing with fire if you are going to through a 6lb lower pulley on a N/A 5.4.......

 

please explain further.. it's my first time with the transplant. do you mean too much power for my stock set up. or you meant it in a good thing..??

 

The most boost you should run on a swap would be a 4lb lower and a ported eaton running about 12-13#s and even that might be to much but adam will tell!! A Great Tune is a must!!!! Get with Sal from PSP!

Get on the phone with Mike Dunn at madenterprise.com right away! He has more knowledge of this swap than you'll understand! The differences of the L motor and a N/A or compression resulting from different pistons!

 

thank you..will be in contact with madenterprise shortly

 

Get a good heat exchanger and stay at or lower than 12psi pressure. Porting the Eaton will keep charge temps lower as well.
The wiring harness is almost plug-n-play, but for me I had to solder on some of my old harness connections to the new harness. Make sure you securely plug in your O2 sensors or you will get a SES light (service engine soon).
The vacuum harness for the lighting will plug right into your truck where the old one is removed.
Order your tune ahead of your install! Do not start the engine without your tune since you need the 90mm maf and 42#/hr injector calibrations before cranking the engine over.

Assuming you have all the right parts, here is a time estimate for the installation:

1-2days (10-16hrs) to get the under-the-hood stuff out and new stuff installed.
1day to get the heat exchanger, IC pump, relay and wiring in.
1day to get the fuel pump into the tank and get things just right so that the fuel level sending unit works properly

If you go with a programmer, you don't have to screw with your computer. If you go with a chip, ya gotta screw with the computer.

"Screwing with the computer" = taking it out of the vehicle, disassembling it, cleaning the diag port pins, making sure you have metal exposed, reassembling the computer, reinstalling it into the vehicle.

For my install, my truck fired up on the first crank. I did have an O2 sensor problem due to not plugging it in all the way, but that was my own fault.
I also pulled off a vacuum line that was not secured down with a hose clamp. Thought I blew the engine, but,,,just a vacuum leak that was easily fixed.

Before I installed my system, I disassembled the whole thing and cleaned the intercooler. You won't have this opportunity again unless you disassemble thing later.
Also, change your plugs to the ones folks are recommending. I'm using TR6 gapped at 0.035"

Don't be afraid to disassemble the entire assembly before installing it.
All of your vacuum and wiring for the new stuff has pre-formed bends and these should naturally lay down where they are intended to plug in.
Ford was pretty good about making all the plugs different, so it's pretty easy to get the wiring harness back together.

You are taking your engine from around 200rwhp up to about 350wrhp.
Take your time and fully understand what you are changing and why you are changing it.
Consider new parts vs used parts for critical items such as the IC pump and fuel pump.

If you have more questions, ask here, ask Mike D (Mad) or send me an email.

 

Adam do you have a gallery of that thing yet?

 

Brahmus,
Yup.

https://www.f150online.com/galleries...w.cfm?num=7271

 

as far as the computer tuning. can i get one of those programers (eg. Diablo ) ?? i was looking at johnny lightnings site and saw a "single program" chip for $250. would that take care of the "tuning" part??

 

I'd go with the xcalibrator if I were you since you can get the Xtreme software and continue with minor adjustments after your initial tune.

Just an FYI,,Sal at PSP does know these swaps well and has my files as well as others that should plug right in for you and get you up and running with no hassle (just like me..)

-a