I'm going to need to replace my 4.6 soon and have some questions.
Can someone tell me what 4.6's will swap in pretty straight forward into my f150, like will ones from crown vic's work easily? I noticed they are cheaper at junk yards around here than the ones from f150's

thanks in advance

 

I'm pretty sure you can use the crown vic block and heads and just put the truck intake manifold up on it.And maybe swap some accessories over to make it work.

Phil

 

Any 2v will work. The 1997 is prepower improved so you will have to use a prepower improved replacement engine if you are going to use your truck intake. Power improved and prepower improved intakes are not interchangable. You could put a newer power improved engine in but you would have to use your current coil packs with sparkplug wires unless you change your PCM and wire harness to acommodate COP's. It will work fine and you will pick up a few HP. Another thing to be aware of is on a truck engine the wide serpentine belt is used. If you get a Crown Vic or other car engine they use a narrow belt. Your current truck A/C, Alternator, P/S and all FEAD tensioners and pulleys are wide. You will just have to change out the frontcover pulleys and tensioner on the car engine to the wide truck design. Oil pan should be ok just check where the drain is for access issues. The oil filter adapter may also have to be changed to allow clearance and access to the oil filter as well. I would just install your truck oil filter adapter on as well as your truck coolant outlet (top) gooseneck on the replacment engine. The truck radiator hoses both top and bottom are larger diameter than the car and therefore use larger coolant inlet and outlet goosenecks. I would install a remote oil filter kit as well while you have the engine out if it were me. Remember to install the truck exhaust manifolds on the replacement engine and it would be the time to put new ones on while you are at it... Other than that they are pretty much a bolt in. Good luck.

 

Not all trucks have the wider serpentine belt!
My 03 came stock with a 6 rib belt not an 8 rib belt.
Some have 6 and some have 8.
I think ford just put on whatever they had the most of.

Phil

 

Later truck models went to the narrow belt across the board. However his 97 has the wide and its a lot easier to change just the FEAD pulleys and tensioner than it is to replace the A/C. P/S and the alternator to address the narrow belt difference.

 

What about the 'non-PI's variable runner length. I've read the PI engines don't use this. Won't it set a code if this is not plugged in.

 

I think you are refering to the Intake Air Control Valve located in the front of the lower intake plenum. If so, power improved 4.6 engines have them as well.

 

When choosing a boneyard engine to replace a 4.6, do you need to match Romeo/Windsor, or will the engine mounts, wiring, etc match up between the two?

 

I dont think it matters as long as the flywheel/flex plate is included

 

Correct, Romeo has a 6 bolt crank/flex plate and Windsor is an 8 bolt combination.