i want to swap my 4.6 engine for a 5.4 and most prefrably a lightning engine. i have all tools need, i just need to know what would haved to be changed. it a 1997 f150 4.6 lariat 2wd

 

Try searching it out as it has been discussed many times. In short though you will need:engine, tranny, all sensors for that engine, wiring harness and computer. I'm probably forgetting some things but you get the idea. Save your cash and get a new truck.

 

The cheapest way is to remove the 4.6 and install the 5.4 and use the coil packs from the 4.6. Have Mike troyer program a custom chip to run the 5.4 from your 4.6's PCM. The tranny should bolt right up but depending on which 4.6 you have, Romeo or Windsor, and weather your doner 5.4 still has the flex plate and torque converter you may have to replace that too. The Romeo 4.6 flex plate has 6 bolts and the Windsor 4.6 and 5.4 both have 8 bolts. You may need to modify the exhaust to match the 5.4 exhaust manifold, but that is a no brainer for a muffler shop. Good luck and let us know what comes of it.

Regards

Jean Marc Chartier

 

gooood post


I recall reading somewhere in these forums (can not find it) that, someone with a F-150 4.6 that had the two coil packs, installed a Lightning 5.4 engine (uses coil over plugs) AND the oem supercharger assembly (they did not install the Lightning trans since the F-150 pcm cannot operate the Lightning trans ). A custom tune allowed the F-150 pcm to operate the Lightning engine and supercharger set-up


Does anyone recall this?

 

ok i foud out that a 4.6 to a lighting engine would cost atleast $7k and for that price i would just sell my truck and buy a lighting. on here earlier they were talking about switching 4.6 heads for 5.4's, would it be easiest to switch the heads then add a supercharger. or just switch out the whole motor for a 5.4 then add a aftermarket supercharger. now my truck is a 1997 4.6 auto lariat and i want a supercharger no matter what, but i don't want to have to swutch out a bunch of wiring harnesses, which is what i would have to do if i put in a lightning engine. oh yeah my trck has 183K miles on it 160K are highway. thanks

 

Here is some basic info you will need for your decision;

4.6
1997-2000 Triton 4.6 engines have low compression heads. 2001+ have PI (Power Improved) heads. If you use PI Heads on a 97-00 block you will increase the compression ratio. The pistons on the newer blocks are dished to keep the CR at the same levels as pre PI heads.

5.4

The 97-98 Triton 5.4 engines have low compression heads. 1999+ have PI (Power Improved) heads.

Intake manifolds

Both Triton engines use different intake manifolds for the PI heads. So a low compression intake will not fit on a PI head.

Cams

Both the PI heads for the 4.6 and 5.4 use the same cams. And both the low compression heads use the same cam. The cam for the low compression head is different from the PI cam.

Compression
If you use a low compression head block with PI heads and plan on using a supercharger you must bear in mind that the compression will go up to around the 10.5:1 range. This is not good for high boost applications.

Regards

Jean Marc Chartier

 

can i mount 4.6 DOHC heads on a SOHC without changing much?

 

Since I will be "attaching" a 2000 lighting engine (that has an 8 bolt flex plate with 6 bolt holes for the L torque converter) to my stock 99' 4.6 Romeo 4R70W transmission, it appears that if I got a 5.4 or 4.6 Windsor flexplate, I should be able to bolt the 8 bolt hole flexplate to the lightning engine AND bolt the flexplate to my 4 bolt hole torque converter?

I am hoping that the Baumann shift kit with two sonnax valves and "long supercharger spring" will buy me some time to find a re-built 4R70W that can handle the torque.

 

Just verified with local salvage yard that, I can get an 8 bolt flex plate with 4 bolt holes for the f150 4R70W torque converter for $50 bucks.

......now, the question is, do re-built 4R70W transmissions/torque converters exist that can handle the power of a lightning engine?

........or do I only need another torque converter that does not multiple the torque as high as the f150 converter would?

 

Iron,

Can you say Factory tech... I would rather be safe than sorry.

Bill

 

Too late! I am already very sorry ............at least that is what I have been told for years....ha! heh ..... eeeeeh.