A little off topic but did the 97 5.4s come with a romeo or windsor engine? And just to get it in my 5.4 gets about 13 -14 miles driving around the farm.

 

I would say go with the 5.4, that way you can find a cheap SC someone is shedding in the classifieds. And if you can get your hands on one, get the old Navi motor 5.4 4v... The 4v 5.4 motor will pull harder then then a modded 4.6

I usually get now around 13.5 mpg out of my 4.6 screw 3.55 open (stock tires) lowered.

Dont get me wrong i love my 4.6 it does everything i ask out of it, no problems, but i think you will have mroe chances picking up parts for a 5.4 cheaper....
-Patrick

 

Patman you may be right about getting parts for the 5.4.

 

i don't know how much this will help but we hooked up a 10000lb rig to my 97 4.6. the 1-2k lbs of toung weight droped my ride heigt pretty bad but we moved it (we were jus moving it from 1 spot to another in a lot, but it was uphill)
i pull 3 bikes on a trailer 100 miles evry week or 2 no problems--barely know its there

i love the 4.6 my mom has a 5.4 and i think the 4.6 can do what the 5.4 can do (speed wise) and when trailering you'll notice more downshifting but you won't get alot more from the 5.4

just my 2 cents

 

I've towed 12k with my 4.6... With the mods I have now, towing a 2 place enclosed snowmobile trailer with sleds and gear in the trailer and bed - I notice very minimal downshifting.

 

grab the 5.4L man. I had a 2002 Explroer with a 4.0L V6 in it with about 17mpg city max, my truck is a 5.4L V8 with about 16mpg city max. More standard power.

 

97on37s
My 4.6, auto, 3.55ls has been giving me 17.5 to 18.0 mostly around town driving for the last few months.
I dearly wanted to get in on the Troyer Performance Group Buy on the XCal 2 but with this mileage and the performance I have now I did not want to mess things up.

The tow package on the 2006 is supposed to include a trans cooler, more radiator, and better battery I believe.