engine swap ford to ford still not easy...

[Yankee Transplant]

I traded out for a 97 ford 150 4x4 with a bad 4.6 engine and I have a 88 model van with the 5.0 ... so my son and I have started swapping out ... well (NOTHING) from the 4.6 will interchange with the 5.0 .. thats not much of a surprise with fords though... we can handle the mechanical not fitting ( Have welder will fit ) .. the only thing we will have to scratch our heads on is going to be the computer/ wiring .. any one done this kind of swap and has some advise ? we are swapping because 5.0 runs like a top and 4.6 will cost close to $1000 to rebuild I have the engine but no $ Time isnt an issue either . they are both fuel injected It looks like the fuel lines will hook up , not 100% sure yet .

 

[donsrods]

I understand the Mustang guys are doing this swap, so there is probably a lot of info on the Fox forums.

Don

Here, this might get you started:

http://www.hotrod.com/howto/113_0708_engine_swap/

 

[Willowbilly3]

If you've owned fords that shouldn't be a surprise. Why not just save yourself a lot of grief and get a used 4.6. They are plentiful and cheap. I bet if you looked around a little you could find an old crown vic or something with a toasted tranny that they would give you to haul it away.
If not, have fun welding the 302 to the 4.6 tranny.[

 

[Willowbilly3]

Also forgot to mention, the 302 is a speed density system and I think the 4.6 was a mass airflow system. You will have to change all the wiring harness, ecm(s) and the vehicle speed sensor from the 4.6 is in the axle, not the transmission and produces a different signal.

 

[donsrods]

Oh!! He's going from a 4.6 to a 5.0 ? I thought it was the other way around. I have to learn to read one of these days.

Don

 

[JBailey]

I would sell or trade the 5.0 to get a 4.6. There are some things to know about the 4.6 though, there are two different engines, Romeo and Windsor. Your truck will be a Romeo block. The trucks have different intakes and oil pans then the car engines, the truck holds 7 quarts instead of the 5 quart car pans.

You're talking a heck of a lot of work to put that 5.0 in there. Do you have a trans with the 5.0 to use in the truck? If not you'd be much more ahead in just getting a 4.6. You can usually find a good running 4.6 in the $100-300 range since it has the undesirable heads and intake(non performance improved).

I would seriously reconsider what you're about to try to accomplish, not that it can't PR shouldn't be done, its just a lot to bite off.

 

[Killy_Killerton]

I'm doing a 4.6 to 4.6 swap on my 2000 f150
I have to admit I'm not tearinginto it whole heartedly
Everything has appeared daunting but in reality isn't that bad.

I had a 5.4 I sold cuz I'm sticking with the 4.6
Everyone I asked who had a 5.4 was getting 13-15mpg
I get 18-22 with the 4.6 and I already have a gas guzzler for towing.

I would think it wouldn't be too hard to set a 302 up with all the sensory necessary to run the 4.6 harness and computer.

i think the bellhousing patterns are different between the two. for whatever reason, the ford forums say the 302 aod is different than the 4.6 aod

 

[JBailey]

I'm doing a 4.6 to 4.6 swap on my 2000 f150
I have to admit I'm not tearinginto it whole heartedly
Everything has appeared daunting but in reality isn't that bad.

I had a 5.4 I sold cuz I'm sticking with the 4.6
Everyone I asked who had a 5.4 was getting 13-15mpg
I get 18-22 with the 4.6 and I already have a gas guzzler for towing.

I would think it wouldn't be too hard to set a 302 up with all the sensory necessary to run the 4.6 harness and computer.

i think the bellhousing patterns are different between the two. for whatever reason, the ford forums say the 302 aod is different than the 4.6 aod

The 97 F150 4x4 I had with a 4.6 had 283,000 miles on the engine and 270,000 on everything else and still got around 23mpg.

The 5.4 is junk in my opinion, the 4.6 is a much better engine. The 4.6 transmission will bolt to the 5.0/302 but, you won't be able to bolt a starter on.

 

[05snopro440]

If you've owned fords that shouldn't be a surprise. Why not just save yourself a lot of grief and get a used 4.6. They are plentiful and cheap. I bet if you looked around a little you could find an old crown vic or something with a toasted tranny that they would give you to haul it away.
If not, have fun welding the 302 to the 4.6 tranny.[

Also forgot to mention, the 302 is a speed density system and I think the 4.6 was a mass airflow system. You will have to change all the wiring harness, ecm(s) and the vehicle speed sensor from the 4.6 is in the axle, not the transmission and produces a different signal.

I (and Neverdone) said the same thing when he first asked about this in a different post: http://ratrodsrule.com/forum/showthread.php?t=32116

I still think finding another 4.6 would be the best option. They shouldn't be expensive, nobody wants them, and you have a good 5.0 to trade or sell as well.

 

[Bamamav]

Only way to do it would be with a complete harness for the 5.0 if you are planning on staying Fuel injection. If you just went with a carb and an electronic distributer, it would be a simple hook up with one or two wires. I doubt the 4.6 sensors will work in the 5.0, so the factory gauges would be no good, again, aftermarket gauges to the rescue. The speedometer though, I think it is electronic and runs off of the computer, so again, you'll need an aftermarket speedo. It could get costly to do it right!

I want to do the opposite, I want to put a 4.6 in my Lincoln one of these days. I figure I'll buy a wrecked Crown Vic and pull guts and feathers from it so I'll have everything I need at hand.

 

[Yankee Transplant]

so far lowest price on a used engine is $1300 I did hear it had to be a truck also.. Im not paying $1300 for a used motor and If I had $1000 id just build the one that come out of it that way Id know what I had . But im broke so thats out .. as far as $100 to $300 not around here .. Im still looking though .. I would have to use the same trans that come with the 5.0 ... But like you said its going to cost some money to get it back right .... plus the head ache thats with it on the harness.... not to mention nothing will line up on the body mounts ... Well thanks for the input guys ... I think i'll just find some money to rebuild what I got ..

 

[JBailey]

I would look for a car engine if you still have the 4.6 out of the truck, then just switch stuff over. You could probably pick up a whole crown Vic or Lincoln town car for around $500 that has a bad transmission. Call around to some salvage yards, any 4.6 from a rear wheel drive from '93-2004 will work, also check eBay as I've seen them on there for around $350. If you were closer I could help you out, I have a good running 4.6 out of a '97 TBird sitting in my garage right now lol.

 

[Yankee Transplant]

The 97 F150 4x4 I had with a 4.6 had 283,000 miles on the engine and 270,000 on everything else and still got around 23mpg.

The 5.4 is junk in my opinion, the 4.6 is a much better engine. The 4.6 transmission will bolt to the 5.0/302 but, you won't be able to bolt a starter on.

as far as the trans ,,, it dont bolt up the 4.6 is a smaller pattern I put the dust cover on it to see .. Ive done some eye-balling and dry fitting to the motor to the body and its very , very tight ,, so im thinking on rebuilding what ive got ,, so its off to selling some more junk to get some extra cash by the time I put cams and bearings and pump, back in it,, it will be around $1000 What ever happen to the $300 engine rebuild kits ???? $500 for Fords the $300 was for Chevys

 

[Yankee Transplant]

JBailey the oil pan has to drop in the back on the trucks .. I think the cars it drops in the front .you wont find much here for $350 ,, they get that at the junk yard now .. so if they wreck them they just junk it ,, nothing sits here there are 4 junk yards in my little area and dont none sell parts ..

 

[Willowbilly3]

If it was me, I'd just start scrounging for a crown vic or Gran Marquis too. When the tranny takes a dump it's 1500+ and the people with those cars can't afford to fix them. Get out and look, cruise the alleys and trailer courts looking for one with weeds grown up around it. They are out there no matter where you live. Often times free just to get them hauled off and even if you have to pay a couple hundred ,the scrap that's left will get you most of your money back.
Did you ever determine why your engine had a dead hole? How was the compression? Did you look to see if it was a broken valve spring or bad cam lobe?

 

[JBailey]

JBailey the oil pan has to drop in the back on the trucks .. I think the cars it drops in the front .you wont find much here for $350 ,, they get that at the junk yard now .. so if they wreck them they just junk it ,, nothing sits here there are 4 junk yards in my little area and dont none sell parts ..

The cars are rear sump pans as well, they just hold 2 quarts less oil then the trucks.

 

[Yankee Transplant]

warped intake valve ,, I was going to put it back together when I found that ,, then I decided to rebuild it while it was out ,,,,,,, so I popped the oil pan off to make sure the size of bearings ,,, (then I got the big surprise ) OMG !!!!! the price of rebuilding the engine cams chains rings bearings gaskets oil pump ,,,Its going to eat $1000 in a hurry ... so thats when I had the idea of the 5.0 after a few days if figuring and scratching and fitting,, im thinking of finding some $ and build the 4.6 anyway Hate to get a used one and have the same problems down the road . if I rebuild this one it will last me for ever ..I just dont under stand why it cost so much ,, OH yea.. one came has a crack in it too .. on the lobe on the exhaust side of #8

 

[Yankee Transplant]

The cars are rear sump pans as well, they just hold 2 quarts less oil then the trucks.

oh ok Didnt know that will it bolt up to the truck 4x4 tranny?

 

[Bamamav]

There are two different 4.6's, the Windsor and the Romeo. I can't remember which one it is, but there is a number or letter in the VIN that will tell you which it is. When you search for parts on some websites like O'reilley's it will ask for this and tell you which one it is.

 

[JBailey]

Yes they all 4.6 and 5.4s bolt to the same transmissions. Honestly you'd be better off finding a set of lower mileage heads and just switch them out. Heck if you wanna pay the shipping I'll send ya a set of good heads with about 135,000 miles on em.