In all likelihood, I will soon be buying a truck from a fellow member. The truck is a '98 Extended Cab shortbed and automatic transmission.

The truck originally came with a V6. I'm trying to decide on a course of action with this project - see how little money I can get away with paying to get the truck up and running, or do some minor modding to the engine, since I'll have to be buying either a remanufactured 4.2 or a used 4.2.

I've found headers made by Gibson and JBA. I also looked for any possible aftermarket cam for the 4.2, but had zero luck on that note. I've searched this site and found nothing, and also googled "Ford 4.2 camshaft", and found nothing. Does anyone know of a company making an aftermarket cam for the 4.2? Or would I have to get a custom grind made? I'm not crazy about getting a custom grind because I've heard those can be real pricey.

Would it even be worth it to put an aftermarket cam in a 4.2? Thanks for the help.

 

I've seen a few Mustang with 4.2L shortblocks running cams but its been a while. i have seen them made tho

 

There are cams out there for the 4.2. Just have to look hard.

Contact Comp Cams if I'm not mistaken, and give them the specs you want. They should be able to tell you what's possible.

 

I don't know your situation and why your getting this truck in the first place but it's the same reasoning I have seen from the import kids all my years of building boosted and sprayed mustangs. Don't spend thousands of $$ on a weed eater just to make it run like a V8(5.4). If your already planning on spending all this $$ on performance parts, there are plenty of inexpensive 5.4 trucks out there out there that will give you better performance out the box. I'm definitely not knocking the V6 guys cause these engines have there place. Save your $$ and find a 5.4 truck and then later if you want more power, you have ten times the potential. I've done enough mixin-n-matchin parts and junkyard builds to know I would seriously be a whole lot happier if I would have had the patients to save my $$ and get what I really knew I wanted.

 

Jason, I can't argue with what you're saying. It is true. One of the things I'm trying to decide is if slapping any performance parts, aside from a K&N drop-in, on a 4.2, is worth it. At this point, I'm not even sure I want to do a performance build on a project truck, or if I just plain want a truck. I haven't owned a truck in more than 2 years, and it's driving me nuts. So, I'm gonna get a truck, at least. If I decide I want more performance, I'll go with a 5.4. If I just want a truck that I can haul stuff around in the bed and not tow much, then I may settle for a 4.2. At this point, I'm just researching stuff for the 4.2.

 

Run it stock and see how you like it. It's not going to be a speed demon, but it will run forever, get "okay" gas mileage, and haul just about anything you can stuff in it. If you want to make it a project truck and keep the V6, throw a blower on it.

 

Excellent idea. In the past I've said a V6 has no business being in a full size truck. However, once in a while, I drive my dad's '03 F-150 XL extended cab shortbed with a 4.2 and an automatic. It has changed my mind. It runs pretty well. So, I'm not totally against the idea of a V6 anymore, so I won't mind slapping another 4.2 back into this other truck. Curiosity is what has me asking about aftermarket cams. I do like how my dad's truck runs, so I'm confident I will like how this other truck runs, stock.

 

Quite a few members here share that attitude. However, I'm in a storytelling mood tonight. I had never owned a truck in my life. 3 years ago, I was in the market for a new vehicle, and decided I wanted a truck, as I was looking at moving. I have always preferred manual transmissions to automatics, and I decided I wanted a small extended cab truck. I'd driven my sister's standard cab Ranger, and the cab was just too cramped. My nephew had an extended cab Ranger and it was a lot better. They both had a 3.slow in them - hers was an automatic and was a total dog. His was a stick, and it wasn't bad at all. I spent a whole day going from dealer to dealer. All the extended cab small trucks I found were either overpriced, beat to crap, or 4 banger automatics. Finally, one dealer I went to asked me if I'd consider a full size truck. I told him not really. However, he then said he had a nice clean short cab short bed F-150 with a V-6 and a stick. I figured it wouldn't hurt to look at it. To make a long story short, it was almost spotless, the cab had PLENTY of room, and when I drove it, the only thing about it that said "V-6" was the exhaust note. It had PLENTY of power. I wound up with a 3 year old truck with 55k on it for $7700. I have NO regrets. It's got 108k on it now, and it's been all over the country, including the Rocky Mountains at elevations over 10k. I did my move from Chicago to Joplin, making several round trips pulling a 5x8 enclosed trailer and with a full bed, many of them during a 100 degree heat wave. I was getting 15 mpg loaded and towing with the A/C on.

Bottom line, it's not how many cylinders it has, it's the weight of the vehicle along with the HP and TQ curves. The 4.2 V-6 has more HP than the old 5.0 V-8 and almost as much TQ. The HP and TQ curves are actually more suited to truck use, the 5.0 was a car engine. With 3.55's and stock tires, I don't even need to give it gas to get it rolling - just let the clutch out at idle and the IAC keeps it from stalling. I can putt around town in 5th gear at 30 mph.

 

Well, you can understand why I've changed my mind about the 4.2. My dad's '03 with an auto rides real smooth everywhere. I really don't want a stick. I can drive one, but I'm real rusty and I just plain don't like it, no offense. Anyways, I do like the V6 in my dad's truck, so I won't mind getting one myself.

 

 

Thanks. Should have thought about that one. I've read about Super Six before.

 

Not to mention a blown V6 beating blown V8s is freaking awesome

 

Especially if that blown V6 is using a blower that came off a V8.

 

like mentioned earlier, take a look at Super Six Motorsports, and i believe Troyer Performance has a few things.

dont let anyone tell you not to mod that 4.2L its a very capable motor. Completely built, and with a correct turbo setup, you can make over 400 RWHP. Its been done. Look into Orange_Thunder... over at v6f150.com he doesnt have it anymore parted it out. But while that thing was running it was smokin L's and not just the stock lightning, whipple charged L's. That truck was BAD. Theres proof on you tube.

so anyone that wants to get down on their knees and kiss the 5.4L's rear main seal can get over it.

 

HOLY CRAP!


I think I may be in lust with how this truck idles.

On another note, I recently looked up the performance ratings on V6 '97-'03 F-150s. I was actually impressed.

GLC, you were right. The 5.0 in my first truck was only rated at 185 hp/270 torque. So, yeah, I'm not gonna rag at all on 4.2s. That may not be the fastest out there, but they do have at least SOME performance.