Well I have seen and read a few of the forums about this mod. but i didn't want to steal someone else forum. I am confused, can you use the stock 5.4 wire harness? I also am not sure what i need to complete this project. I have everything in my truck plus a complete 5.4 HD moter to take the parts off. Minus the wire harness, and a few accessories.

 

depends on what accessories you are missing...



but YES, you can use your stock N/A harness, just follow the "how to"

 

everything that is not on the motor , I have read several forums but none have a list except madenterprises page but i am not sure what i really need or what makes it complete. I have the blower, cooler, pulleys, fuel rail, injectors. I know i need an air intake, MAF.

 

were do i find the how to?

 

I would get everything that is on the list from Mad's website. Otherwise you will find out during the install you are missing something...If you search the forums there is a few write ups on the install. Make sure you have a tune for the swap otherwise truck will not run.

 

Here is a list of things I don't have, or am not sure about. The not sure about are- IAC tube I believe the motor has on but may be broke, IAT sensor- my truck has cold air intake now will that one work? And the original equipment installation bolts will the ones off the other motor not work? I need to find these parts- intercooler pump and pigtail, intercooler res/with cap, throttle cable and cruise cable, 90mm MAF, intake gasket set-not sure what one to get? in tank fuel pump, and lower drive pulley-8 to 10lbs boost. As far as tuners go not a clue where to start? does anyone know places or links to find any of this?

 

Here is what i got!

 

JJ @ Woodbine Motorspors can provide you a tuning device and tunes...

 

Hi, Anthony, welcome!

I am doing the swap, too, on my '03 FX4. I am still collecting parts and saving money for the project. Start with the Madenterprise list. There is an addition to it that I can dig up if you want me to, that points out a couple things that MADMike didn't think of. Don't try to contact MAD, because very unfortunately he died not long ago, so we L swappers have lost a great resource and a very cool old guy.

The main two places to hang out are here, for knowledge on the swap, and Lightning Rodder forum, where you will see tons of Gen 2 parts for sale. You can also look in the "for sale" adds here in F150 forum, where parts are sometimes offered, but there is not much activity compared to L Rodder.

The cruise cable, throttle cable, alt bracket, intercooler pump bracket, and heat exchanger brackets and hardware will all be kind of a bitch to find. There is a guy on L Rodder who is thinking about fabricating a custom throttle bracket that would make L throttle and cc cables unnecessary. He also fabs alt brackets, but charges an arm and leg.

There is a cc module and cable available right now on L Rodder if you go there and search the last two or three days of "parts for sale" ads.

The best how-to's are threads by two guys named Str8tSix and 4X4Dave on this forum, both of whom have very successfully done the swap on 4X4's using NA PCM and harness and custom tune. Use the search function of the forum to dial them up. 4X4Dave is cool, technically proficient, and happens to live in your neck of the woods-- suburban Denver. He also sells (for cheap) a really bitchin' schematic of the vacuum layout for a L swap truck that could be very helpful to you. GGadberry is another guy in this forum who is doing the same swap.

Tarajerame's advice is good-- JJ is a first-rate tuner by all accounts, MADMike thought very highly of him, and he has tuned assloads of L swap trucks.

I hope this is helpful. I'm available for whatever advice I can give. I am not knowledgeable like these other guys on this forum. I am kind of a mechanical idiot, but I think I can clue you in on a bunch of the basics of the parts you need, etc., to speed up your learning process and minimize the number of dumb questions you are forced to ask the smart guys. I hate asking dumb questions but I do it all the time.

Try to get good at using the search functions of the forums to look up info prior to asking fro info, so you don't get static from the established guys who understandably get sick of people asking questions that have been asked many times before.

k9dr

 

To answer your questions specifically:

"Here is a list of things I don't have, or am not sure about. The not sure about are- IAC tube I believe the motor has on but may be broke, IAT sensor- my truck has cold air intake now will that one work? And the original equipment installation bolts will the ones off the other motor not work? I need to find these parts- intercooler pump and pigtail, intercooler res/with cap, throttle cable and cruise cable, 90mm MAF, intake gasket set-not sure what one to get? in tank fuel pump, and lower drive pulley-8 to 10lbs boost. As far as tuners go not a clue where to start? does anyone know places or links to find any of this?"

-- I think you WILL need the IAC tube, but I don't think it is hard to find, for just a few bucks. I think you can also use some sort of hose if you can't find the tube.
-- There are two IAT's on a Lightning, pre- and post- intercooler. If you make the swap like Str8tSix and 4X4Dave, you will only use one (your NA wiring harness and PCM will only handle one)-- the post-intercooler one tapped into the lower intake.
-- Your NA CAI is unlikely to work. Best thing to do is to use a stock Lightning intake, box, etc. It is the least expensive and easy to find, fits the most easily, and flows plenty of air for anything but big horsepower applications. MADMike swore by them.
-- You'll need some L/HD specific bolts, esp for the lower intake (if your NA intake is plastic not metal) and for the pulley bridge, if you don't have them.
-- The most common choice is a Walbro 255 fuel pump, although some in this forum advise you go bigger. MADMike said a 255 was fine. Buy new. I think JJ probably prefers that you get yourself a set of '97 fuel rails (available from 12fast4u on L Rodder) and an adjustable fuel pressure regulator. This what he advised me.
-- You can go with stock caged pulley, but it is a PITA to work with. Quick-change lowers by Metco or LFP are very expensive but really nice to have. There is a pulley size and belt length "How-To" sticky in L Rodder that will tell you how big a pulley to combine with HD upper to get 8 or 10 lbs boost, and what length belt you need. To get a 8 you'll need a 2-lb pulley, and they are hard to find used now. Used 4- and 6-lb pulleys are much more common. If you watch the forums for any period you will see quick change rings come up for sale and, less commonly, hubs. Or you just buy new from Metco or LFP. New 2-lb pulleys are still available I believe.
-- Intake gasket? You mean the gasket that sits between lower intake/turkey pan and block? I don't think there is any difference between NA and L. I think it is just a 5.4 intake manifold gasket.

OK, I think that is most all your questions. The guys on the forums, helpful as they can be, will drive you crazy sometimes replying to you or each other but not answering your questions. But maybe if I have said anything incorrect they will point it out.

Good Luck and I hope that helps,

k9dr

 

Anthony - do you have all the parts already? When are you doing the swap? What year f150?

I live In Arvada and can lend a hand. I also have a few odds and ends of parts leftover.

Dave

 

I have 2002 f150 fx4, I have most of the brackets, fuel rails...I bought a complete motor but the block is bad, came out of a 2002 hd. minus the reservoir heat exchanger t/c cables and harness, most vac lines are there. I really want to post a pic but don't know how give a blocked link?

 

either upload 'em to a folder on here, OR link 'em from your phhotobucket, flikr,
facebook, etc

 

 

Hell's Bells. I'm gonna miss a beer and pizza L Swap party in Colorado.

k9dr

Edited for language.