My 5.4L 3V N/A build thread

[FastOrange]

Look at it this way, you pull this off and you'll be the subject matter expert on N/A 3v building because you were the one brave enough to tread new waters and push the envelope. Something to be damn proud of.

 

[spyder7724]

Look at it this way, you pull this off and you'll be the subject matter expert on N/A 3v building because you were the one brave enough to tread new waters and push the envelope. Something to be damn proud of.

expert...hahahha i've just been asking lots of questions, reading anything i find about n\a mod motors and going off of my pushrod engine building experience.
went to install the flexplate and drop the 5.4 in and noticed the rear main seal had gotten twisted outward in one spot (don't ask i can explain in words). i guess when i installed the the rear plate the seal lip flipped out when i pushed it on. i had lube on it too when i slid it on. so everything had to stop since i didn't have another seal. got it now and it's going down in the hole tomorrow regardless.

ya know i was talking to my buddy the other day and i had no idea ford made a v10 3V.....damn man i would have shoehorned one of those in there if i had known that. i never paid the v10's any mind cause they were all 2V motors.

*also i saw another post regarding cam gears. is it true the 3 valve v10's have the VCT eliminated>

 

[MexGT]

expert...hahahha i've just been asking lots of questions, reading anything i find about n\a mod motors and going off of my pushrod engine building experience.
went to install the flexplate and drop the 5.4 in and noticed the rear main seal had gotten twisted outward in one spot (don't ask i can explain in words). i guess when i installed the the rear plate the seal lip flipped out when i pushed it on. i had lube on it too when i slid it on. so everything had to stop since i didn't have another seal. got it now and it's going down in the hole tomorrow regardless.

ya know i was talking to my buddy the other day and i had no idea ford made a v10 3V.....damn man i would have shoehorned one of those in there if i had known that. i never paid the v10's any mind cause they were all 2V motors.

*also i saw another post regarding cam gears. is it true the 3 valve v10's have the VCT eliminated>

it seems the V10 3V doesnt have VCT, just look at http://www.fordvehicles.com/trucks/superduty/specifications/engine/ and it says Silent chain

it would be cool to have a V10 stang lol, but cant imagine getting any aftermarket parts for it at all.

 

[Freaknazty]

If im not mistaken I heard of someone talking about a v10 build a while back but as stated they have no parts whatsoever for it . It would all have to be a custom one off deal .....not like your running all out the box stuff lol . I don't think it has ever been done though .

I'm wandering about the placement of the throttle body I bet with minimal modifications a powerhouse kit can be converted to fit this setup

I know rygen runs a 3v in his but mike made him a one off intake , but seeing this jpc one I bet the normal powerhouse kit could be fit to the 5.4 alot easier .......

 

[spyder7724]

If im not mistaken I heard of someone talking about a v10 build a while back but as stated they have no parts whatsoever for it . It would all have to be a custom one off deal .....not like your running all out the box stuff lol . I don't think it has ever been done though .

I'm wandering about the placement of the throttle body I bet with minimal modifications a powerhouse kit can be converted to fit this setup

I know rygen runs a 3v in his but mike made him a one off intake , but seeing this jpc one I bet the normal powerhouse kit could be fit to the 5.4 alot easier .......

the V10 shortblock is basically a 5.4 with an extra bank of cylinders so the pistons and rods would be the same as mine currently. the intake manifold would be fairly easy now also. it would be a matter of welding two extra runners and extending the plenum. heads are basically the same as ours witrh an extra cylinder as well so the cnc porting profiles should work with minor tweaking. cams could be reground as well. there's room for them but headers would be .....a challenge but they probably make some shorty's that could be modified. LT's could be done as well but with the extra power i probably wouldn't bother....ah yeah i would.
update:
engine is in. worked out some starter and flywheel-converter alignment issues and now have the headers modified. i used a flywheel from a 99-02 style mod motor with the 8bolt crank so a few things were different but other than removing the spacer plate between the block and trans and shimming the starter so it engages the same as the stock one there were no big issues or surprises...so far. i know others have used this style flywheel before anything else was available so i don't foresee any issues with that.
one header tube had to be changed on the drivers side to clear the steering shaft but other than that they worked out well. i'm using my hooker LT's but i would bet there's another brand out there that would bolt in due to different routing of the tubes
i did have to lower the engine and trans 1" to allow more floorboard clearance for the collectors. if i made a full custom set (which i may do this winter) or used shorty's i wouldn't have changed the engine height at all.
tomorrow i'l finish welding up the headers and start hooking up everything else.
FYI clearance on the p-s pump and a-c compressor are fine and they do bolt right up to the 5.4 block.
3 of the 4 bolts in the engine mount brackets line right up to the 5.4 block. the other is abouta half inch off so it was left out. no worries the 3 bolts in there are plenty big enough to hold things in place.

 

[kleistang]

ron, im swaping my motor for a 5.4 3v from a 08 navigator, i have a couple of questions for you. im leaving everything as it sits now. other than swaping the at else is need oil pan. what else would be needed to make the engine fit? im not worried about the cleareance to in the top since i have a huge hood. but i was wondering is there any chances i could use the stock intake manifold and throtle body system? at least for a little while. and what was the cost of that intake manifold (if u dont mind) i was thinkin on getting some adapters machined to make the 4.6 intake manifold fit.

thx

 

[spyder7724]

ron, im swaping my motor for a 5.4 3v from a 08 navigator, i have a couple of questions for you. im leaving everything as it sits now. other than swaping the at else is need oil pan. what else would be needed to make the engine fit? im not worried about the cleareance to in the top since i have a huge hood. but i was wondering is there any chances i could use the stock intake manifold and throtle body system? at least for a little while. and what was the cost of that intake manifold (if u dont mind) i was thinkin on getting some adapters machined to make the 4.6 intake manifold fit.

thx

the stock intake an t-b would work but you would need to come up with something for the fuel pressure sensor sicne it's different. the 5.4 has 3 wires as opposed to the 4.6's 4 wire sensor plus the bolt spread is different. note the 5.4 3V CMCV's are made into the intake not in a separtrate plate like the mustang 4.6 3V so removing them would be a chore. i was going to use the 5.4 fuel rail until i discovered this. the connector for the tb and most of the sensors are the same with exception to the oil level sensor and fuel pressure sensor.
if you are using the stock exaust manifolds then you won't have to lower the engine but if using 4.6 long tubes you may have to. lowering the engine and trans is easy if you have a set of prothane mounts. they come part and you can switch the top urethane donut to the bottom. the trans cross member we figured out today. it requires removing the crossmember and unbolting the trans mount along with the exhaust hangers. we flipped it upside down and installed everything on the opposite side which lowered the trans about 1". best part on this deal is all the factory bolts and exhaust hangers still mount back up and it looks like thats the way it came.
if you aren't into doing fabrication and working out some small problems then spend the $350 for the performance automatic flexplate cause it will save a bunch of time figuring out starter alignment and converter depth etc.
the intake runs about $1800 or so depending on what configuration you want (5.4 or 4.6 stock t-b or gt500 t-b etc.) call 866 JPC-RACE and they will get you an exact quote on that.
if i remember correctly the '09 F150 5.4 3V motor has a different intake and it looks similar to the mustang but uses a single 75mm t-b so it may be worth checking into that just for kicks. heck it might be a decent intake for a mild engine combo.

headers completely done now along with engine and trans mounts. i think it's downhill from here.

 

[kleistang]

wow, thanks a lot man you got all my questions and seems like the f150 manifold would do the trick for me. i'll figure out the fps. i have mac lts so if i need to drop the engine i know what to do now.

your r the man.

 

[05stroker]

the stock intake an t-b would work but you would need to come up with something for the fuel pressure sensor sicne it's different. the 5.4 has 3 wires as opposed to the 4.6's 4 wire sensor plus the bolt spread is different. note the 5.4 3V CMCV's are made into the intake not in a separtrate plate like the mustang 4.6 3V so removing them would be a chore. i was going to use the 5.4 fuel rail until i discovered this. the connector for the tb and most of the sensors are the same with exception to the oil level sensor and fuel pressure sensor.
if you are using the stock exaust manifolds then you won't have to lower the engine but if using 4.6 long tubes you may have to. lowering the engine and trans is easy if you have a set of prothane mounts. they come part and you can switch the top urethane donut to the bottom. the trans cross member we figured out today. it requires removing the crossmember and unbolting the trans mount along with the exhaust hangers. we flipped it upside down and installed everything on the opposite side which lowered the trans about 1". best part on this deal is all the factory bolts and exhaust hangers still mount back up and it looks like thats the way it came.
if you aren't into doing fabrication and working out some small problems then spend the $350 for the performance automatic flexplate cause it will save a bunch of time figuring out starter alignment and converter depth etc.
the intake runs about $1800 or so depending on what configuration you want (5.4 or 4.6 stock t-b or gt500 t-b etc.) call 866 JPC-RACE and they will get you an exact quote on that.
if i remember correctly the '09 F150 5.4 3V motor has a different intake and it looks similar to the mustang but uses a single 75mm t-b so it may be worth checking into that just for kicks. heck it might be a decent intake for a mild engine combo.

headers completely done now along with engine and trans mounts. i think it's downhill from here.

I have a 09 F150 5.4 that I can take some pics of if you guys need them .

 

[kleistang]

I have a 09 F150 5.4 that I can take some pics of if you guys need them .

i would really apreciate if u can do that i found a couple of pics online and it looks like it would work, i'll call ford on monday because i could not find a part number. i'll have the motor down here around thursday and a guy from a machine shop said he could make me the adapters for the 4.6 manifold. lets see whats the easiest and cheapest way

 

[05stroker]

i would really apreciate if u can do that i found a couple of pics online and it looks like it would work, i'll call ford on monday because i could not find a part number. i'll have the motor down here around thursday and a guy from a machine shop said he could make me the adapters for the 4.6 manifold. lets see whats the easiest and cheapest way

PM sent

 

[Mike@PowerHouse]

A few notes for you guys,
The newer 5.4 fuel rails use the same Fuel Rail Pressure sensor ae the 4.6. I am unsure of the exact date break, but I know for a fact that an 08 F150 5.4 3v rail uses the same sensor as the 4.63v.

You mentioned that you removed te shim plate from between the trans and motor.

You need to make sure you have plenty of end play in the converter, if not you will run the risk of hammering out the crank thrust bearing.

 

[05stroker]

Here are the pics of the 09 F150 5.4 intake .

 

[kleistang]

Here are the pics of the 09 F150 5.4 intake .

billy do u have a clue how big the t/b looks in that one, because that looks like the picture i found. is it a little round tb or kind of big

 

[kleistang]

 

[05stroker]

billy do u have a clue how big the t/b looks in that one, because that looks like the picture i found. is it a little round tb or kind of big

Looks small to me mabe a single 75 mm as suggested by Spyder

 

[spyder7724]

A few notes for you guys,
The newer 5.4 fuel rails use the same Fuel Rail Pressure sensor ae the 4.6. I am unsure of the exact date break, but I know for a fact that an 08 F150 5.4 3v rail uses the same sensor as the 4.63v.

You mentioned that you removed te shim plate from between the trans and motor.

You need to make sure you have plenty of end play in the converter, if not you will run the risk of hammering out the crank thrust bearing.

thanks
thats actually why i had to remove the plate. the flywheel i'm using isn't as deep as the stock one plus it's thicker. removing the plate i wound up with about an 1/8" end play on the torque converter which should be okay. i probably could have pulled the converter out the extra 1/8" but i wasn't sure how deep it went into the pump and i didn't want to chance pulling the converter out too far.
that 09 5.4 intake looks very similar to the one i have now. i remember seeing a pic somewhere and it looked like the t/b was forward facing but from that pic it definitely isn't. i don't see a major problem with the stock 5.4 intake other than it has super long runners and a relatively small plenum but if you're going for torque on a street motor it should work okay.

got almost everything hooked up today with the exception of the intake which i still need to port match. i was going to use the 5.4 water crossover and re route the heater hoses but with changing so much around already i opted to modify the stock 4.6 crossover so all my coolant lines would work. i can always change that over later. hopefully we can fire it up this week.

 

[kleistang]

A few notes for you guys,
The newer 5.4 fuel rails use the same Fuel Rail Pressure sensor ae the 4.6. I am unsure of the exact date break, but I know for a fact that an 08 F150 5.4 3v rail uses the same sensor as the 4.63v.

You mentioned that you removed te shim plate from between the trans and motor.

You need to make sure you have plenty of end play in the converter, if not you will run the risk of hammering out the crank thrust bearing.

i just got the motor today and as a matter of fact the fps is the same as the one in the 4.6

i got the engine and it has every accsesory, full harness tranny, converter intake manifold, fuse box ecu and more. i bed i would only need a navigator shell and i have the rest.


Ron, how hard you think it would be to make those adapters to make the stock manifold fit.

 

[spyder7724]

i just got the motor today and as a matter of fact the fps is the same as the one in the 4.6

i got the engine and it has every accsesory, full harness tranny, converter intake manifold, fuse box ecu and more. i bed i would only need a navigator shell and i have the rest.


Ron, how hard you think it would be to make those adapters to make the stock manifold fit.

the issue i found was to make it all fit under the hood the adpapters would've had to be short and that would have made a very sharp turn right at the intake to head transition. it would have killed the flow. if you were able to make them about 2-3" tall then the angle would have been not so bad but that would stick the intake through the hood even with lowering the engine.
there are ways of welding ABS plastic. you could buy two take off 4.6 intakes then cut and paste. i had started with this then found out justin was working on an intake that could be made to fit the 5.4 so i gave up and chucked the cut up pieces. i bought both used take off stock intakes on ebay for about $100 total so it's a definitely cheap way to go but you just got to figure out how to get them glued or welded back together.
another idea i had was to cut the runners on one intake in the middle then round them off on the exterior and use a section of hose to clamp them back together. total junkyard but at least it would be better than the truck intake.

 

[kleistang]

i would not mind doing some adapters tall enough, i think there would be enough clearance with my hood. im gonna try a local machine shop guy and see what he thinks and if he is able to work something out