Does anyone with a 4.6 have cams in there truck? I'm trien to find the best cam for my truck to tow with. I just talked to comp cams they told me to go with the 102100 224 Intake 232 Exhaust with a 50 duration. Any sugestions?

 

97-
I've been looking at heads and cams and, for what it's worth, here is what I have found so far.
I called Fox Lake Performance, and they will furnish ported and polished non PI heads with a PI cam, which will increase hp by about 40 hp. This can be with them providing all of the core parts at a pretty reasonable price, so there wouldn't have to be much down time for a vehicle.
These truck cams are designed to get these barges out of the hole with better low end torque than cams ground for the cars. My guess is that you could just use PI cams from a 99 or later truck, and it would help. Of course, you need to know if you have a Romeo or Windsor 4.6, as the cam gears have different mounting methods.
If you go with a custom ground cams, you would be looking for more lift, but not necessarily more duration as that will lose the bottom end torque you need.
For my money, by the time I go through all the work to tear down to replace cams, I would do the heads and headers at the same time: or, at least see if a valve job might be needed.

g luck

 

Everybody wants more torque from there engines.
Please consider that the 4.6 is a very small engine for this purpose.
Investing this kind of money and effort won't get you what you would like to have without lower gearing and winding the engine to pass more air.
This 4.6 is smaller than the first 289 from back in 1968.
No displacement, no torque besides the PCM program is limiting unless reprogrammed. Even the 5.4 is program limited besides only being 330 cu/ in.
Sad but back when these engines were designed it was thought that it was a move to the future that has become limiting in of it'self beside the complication of the design that most other mfgers have not gone to.

 

I will be rebuilding my 4.6 adding PI heads PI intake, and if I got the money headers. . When I do this I would like to put a cam in it. This cam is from Comp Cam and is made for lowend TQ.

 

stock cams are designed for low end torque.. so its not worth spending money on it for an aftermarket one... just go with PI heads and PI cams u will be happy with the results but this is the cam im going with
http://www.lethalperformance.com/pag...camshafts.html

 

The PI heads on a non PI engine raise the compression by 1.0. That is why I suggested non PI heads with PI cams.

 

Well here is how I look at it man I'm not building a race engine so why would I put that much of a high performance cam? A cam like that is more for mid to high end performance. I want the down low and mid range power. What is the advantage to put PI cams on none PI heads? Wount you get more performance form PI heads and a aftermarket cam?

 

PI cams and PI heads is ur best bet.. i was just showing u the cam im going with since im going with a race motor

 

Bluegrass is right. The 4.6 is not a torque producing engine. You have to wind it to make torque. If you are going to go to all the trouble to build your 4.6 then go find a 5.4 in a bone yard and build that. On a 99+ 5.4 you will have right out of the box 350 ft/lbs of torque compared to your 290 from the 4.6. And the kicker is that it makes it at a lower rpm. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt.

Regards

JMC

 

ok I understand now. Well I may go with a 5.4 but it will cost a lot more money to do. That is the only problem.

 

You can spend $5000.00 on mods for the 4.6 and make what you think is a fast engine. It still will not make as much power as the same mods on a 5.4. Headers for a 5.4 while being slightly different becasue of the increased deck hight will cost the same as those for the 4.6. The same holds true for all the 4.6 mods you can think of. The crank out of a 99 5.4 is forged while all the F-150 4.6s have a cast, read weaker, crank. The 5.4 in a bone yard will run you about $1000.00. The 99+ already has the PI heads so deduct that from the purchase price. Start your mods from there on the 5.4. Having the second engine will allow you to drive the truck and work on the engine at the same time.

JMC

 

JMC did you have a 4.6 in your truck? I seen where you said been there done that. If so how much does it cost to change to 5.4? I also got a 5.4 out of a van I can use.

 

This 4.6 is smaller than the first 289 from back in 1968.
No displacement, no torque


true..but they would R.P.M. like crazy

and that would be '65

...zap!

 

Ok what do you think I should go with the 99 van 5.4 or the 97 4.6. I got the money now to rebuilt one of them. I just can't afford a supercharger so that is out of the question. Eather way it goes I am putting on PI heads and intake, comp cams, pullies, mas air throttle body,and a cold air intake.
JMC I just checked with the ford dealer and they said 99 5.4 have cast cranks in them just to let you know. I was sure I was going with the 4.6 but now I'm not sure. I need help to figure out what I should do.

 

I spent less than $1000.00 on the swap. I found a used, 30,000 km, 1999 5.4 that I swapped in. If you already have a 5.4 then use it. A friend that works in the Windsor engine plant used to install forged cranks in the 5.4 triton engines but I will defer to your Dealer's info. Regardless, the cast crank is good up to 500 hp. I sold my 4.6 for $200.00 less than I paid for the 5.4. If you are using one from a van the intake manifold is not the same. That doesn't mean that youi cannot use it. I always recommend using the PCM and engine harness from the 4.6. Makes wiring so much easier. You simply need to plug in the sensors and lengthen a few wires. If you opt to PI the 4.6 you will still need a PI intake. If you PI the Van you will still need an intake becasue I believe that the 99 Vans were still non Pi. I am not sure so you should check the heads on the Van.

JMC