The 5.4 Triton in my 1999 F250 Superduty went south. I found a great deal on a brand new Triton engine that comes complete with the injection system, intake, throttle body, electrical sensors, wiring harnes, etc.

The new engine is a newer model ('02 manufacture date / '03 model year). It looks like all the coolant and vacuum hookup locations are the same as my old engine (with the exception of one heater hose location), and the electrical connectors are the same types and in the same locations as the old engine,, so it will bolt in & plug into my truck perfectly,, but wondering if I will run into any computer incompatibility from my '99 truck and this '03 engine.

Has anyone installed a complete engine from a newer model truck into an older model with success?

 

It'll work with no problem

 

Yep. 99 to 03 should work no problem.

 

Thanks guys! I was hoping I would hear that answer! I was a little worried about the new engine being a "power improved" engine (not sure what that means exactly other than a slight advertised HP gain) and was hoping my existing computer would work with it.

By the way, if anyone is looking for a new 5.4L Triton engine, try Jon Barrett Hot Rod Engines and ask if they have any of the new stock 5.4L complete engines left. You can get their phone number from thier website www.jonbarrett.com. I got one for approx $2200.

 

99 and up are power improved.the heads are a little different.the pi heads have 4 angle valve jobs,i don't know if the non pi heads had that or not but they're pretty much just ported a little or somethin

 

Did the F250's get the PI heads the same time as the 150's or not?

 

i'm sure they started puttin em on them at the same time

 

Well I got the new engine in and all hooked up. Starts up and runs quiet, smooth, and strong.

I do have a few weird conditions that I would like to get your opinions on -

1) My temperature gauge on the dash didn't work with the new engine - needle would just stay reading cold.

2) A few trouble codes (1401 and 1409) get set after every cold start. If I clear them they will stay cleared until the next cold start. They don't set on a warm engine start.

3) The idle speed is kinda high even after it settles down from the cold start high idle period - settles to about 1000 RPMs.

Regarding #1 - After comparing the old engine and the new engine closely I found that the new engine had a blank plug where the original engine had coolant temp sensor. I moved the temp sensor to the new engine. I had to run wires to connect it because the new engine's wiring harness didn't have wires for the temp sensor where the old engine's harness did. In fact, the pin positions in the new engine's harness main connector were blank holes where the old engine's connector had the temp sensor wires (pins #2 & #33 in the main connector). After connecting the sensor, the temp gauge now works fine.

Regarding #2 - After looking up codes 1401 and 1409, I found they are DPFE and EVR errors (EGR control and monitor signals). This new engine doesn't appear to have an EGR system,, at least not one like the old engine had. The new engine's plastic intake manifold (old engine was cast iron intake) doesn't appear to have any of the EGR components (DPFE, EVR, the EGR valve itself, the tube from the exhaust manifold). I just figured the absence of all that EGR stuff was how these newer engine designs with plastic intake manifolds are setup.

As for #3 - don't know what to think about the high idle yet. At first I thought it might be a vacuum leak,, but I would think I would get a trouble code indicating a lean condition if there was a leak. I guess I'll recheck the IAC and see if there is something going on there.

Do you guys have any ideas or thoughts about any of the above ???

Thanks,
Bob

 

i think that for some reason some of those engines just came without egr systems so since yours had one you'll have to get a manifold with an egr port and an egr valve for it,and that'll make it idle high too.i know i started my truck with no egr tube when i ported my throttle body.and you can have a leak and it won't throw a code.cause i messed with my butterfly plate and it doesn't seal good anymore and it idles high now

 

Do engines with plastic intake manifolds ussually have EGR systems,, or maybe some have it and some dont? Or could it be a year thing, like maybe 2003 and up dont have EGR systems anymore?

 

Everything is resolved and the truck is running great (huge thanks to all those who helped me out!!). Thought I would post a reply to explain what I found in case someone else needs the info in the future.

In summary, the new engine I bought didn’t come with an EGR system because it was setup for installation in a heavy Superduty (over 8500#) application,, and evidently trucks heavier than 8500# are not required to have EGR systems. I moved all EGR components from my original engine to the new engine and now the computer is happy and all is well thread about the computer and the EGR system.

All three problems I originally reported are now gone,, no more CEL, it idles correctly, and I have not experienced any more stalling.

I’m happy as hell with everything and am calling this project done. Maybe my arms will finally heal up – I think the people where I work think I am fighting with cats in the evenings or something since my forearms always look all scratched and scraped up from digging around under the hood!!

Thanks again,
Bob