LSXkilr
Active Member
- Joined
- December 11, 2013
- Messages
- 53
- Reaction score
- 6
- City, State
- Lawrence, KS
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 2004 Explorer
I'm new here. I figured I would introduce myself.
My name is Mo. I have a 2004 Ford Explorer EB V8. -We call it "Dora"
Dora started off as a stock 4.6 SOHC. Then came the list of mods: E-fan, E-water pump, UDP, K&N filter, free mods, no cats w/stock exhaust. -and of course a Custom Tune. (I am an SCT dealer/Tuner. So I wrote my own tune)
Then I had a timing guide go bad. So while i was in there I put these aftermarket cams I had laying around in. They were supposed to be "stage 1 cams" -Well after i lost a LOT of low end i decided to check out the specs on the cams. Turns out they were actually Crower stage 2 Blower cams. Waaaay to big for a stock explorer. After a while I ended up getting someone to trade me for a set of 268h comp cams. After I installed those cams, it felt much better.
Shortly after that, a local mustang was pissing me off. So I decided a lil 75 shot of nitrous would really rain on his parade. The awd lanuches on bottle were great!
Well a few weeks went by and the damage from having the Crower cams (the 1st set that were TOO BIG) had taken their toll on the stock valve springs. -Mind you the cams were in there for almost a year.
Anyway, a valve hung and wacked a piston.
.......That didn't stop Dora!
I drove it for another 4 months on 7 cyl till I was ready to pull the engine! lol
So, I pulled the engine and swapped in the first 5.4. Well on initial fire up we discovered the 5.4 I had got had terrible oil pressure, which then led to "knocking"
I found another 5.4 in Tulsa. It was out of a rolled over expedition. So I pulled it down to the bare block, cleaned it up, swapped my fresh from the machine shop heads onto it, and installed.
So now Dora is powered by a camm'd 5.4. Just finished the swap last week.
Now for the 5.4 swap details I know your all really here for. Now this is what I did. Others may do differently, but this is my way:
1)Flexplate- I used a 2008 F350 6.8 V10 5r110w flexplate as is was the one close to exact fit. Using this plate will require spacing the starter 10mm.
2)Power steering- there are 4 bolts that hold the pump onto the bracket. 2 into the head, 2 into the timing cover. You have to discard the 2 into the timing cover as the 5.4 timing cover has no spot for them. Also the timing cover bolt that the pulley would block has to be removed. -Due to interference with the pump
3)Belt- I have an E-waterpump and UDP. So you just have to play with it.
4)Oil pan- use the 4.6 oil pan. ALTHOUGH, you NEED to remove the two crank scrapers or the crank will SMACK them!
5)Exhaust- I had no cats prior to this, but I cut the pipes right before the y- and unbolted from the manifold. On reassembly the exhaust will need roughly a 1" extension where I cut it.
6)Intake Manifold- I used the 4.6 to 5.4 adapter plates, which are not the preferred method. HPS sells a nice 5.4 SOHC intake that looks close to stock.
7)Various hose & Wires- will need extended
8)Weight- The iron block 5.4 is 85-100lbs heavier than the aluminium 4.6.
9)CUSTOM TUNE- I have read other swaps where people rna the factory tune!?!? The factory PCM has a table in it where it NEEDS to know the CI of the engine. YOU NEED A CUSTOM TUNE FOR THE 5.4 TO RUN PROPERLY!
-Hey, guess what? I can sell you an SCT device, if you don't already have one, and write you a custom tune.
Well that is all the Highlights I can think of. Anything else you pretty much take from the 4.6 and bolt onto the 5.4. Motor mounts, ect.
The 5.4 is awesome in the Explorer. The torque is great! I'll try to post pics and vid later.
FYI my other vehicles consist of:
2000 Lincoln LS- 3.9 v8, bolt-ons, Wife's DD
1999 Taurus SHO- 3.4 v8, 90,x.. miles, welded cams, bolts-ons, My DD
1997 Mustang Cobra- Built DOHC 5.4, 88mm turbo, Race car
1997 F150 Project Frightning- Getting a Lightning swap
1996 Lincoln Mark VIII- Built DOHC 4.6, Vortech Supercharged, The Sleeper
1988 Jeep Cherokee- Lifted 10", Long arm kit, The Wheeler
2001 Triumph TT600- my turbocharged sport bike
My name is Mo. I have a 2004 Ford Explorer EB V8. -We call it "Dora"
Dora started off as a stock 4.6 SOHC. Then came the list of mods: E-fan, E-water pump, UDP, K&N filter, free mods, no cats w/stock exhaust. -and of course a Custom Tune. (I am an SCT dealer/Tuner. So I wrote my own tune)
Then I had a timing guide go bad. So while i was in there I put these aftermarket cams I had laying around in. They were supposed to be "stage 1 cams" -Well after i lost a LOT of low end i decided to check out the specs on the cams. Turns out they were actually Crower stage 2 Blower cams. Waaaay to big for a stock explorer.
After a while I ended up getting someone to trade me for a set of 268h comp cams. After I installed those cams, it felt much better.Shortly after that, a local mustang was pissing me off. So I decided a lil 75 shot of nitrous would really rain on his parade. The awd lanuches on bottle were great!
Well a few weeks went by and the damage from having the Crower cams (the 1st set that were TOO BIG) had taken their toll on the stock valve springs. -Mind you the cams were in there for almost a year.
Anyway, a valve hung and wacked a piston.
.......That didn't stop Dora!
I drove it for another 4 months on 7 cyl till I was ready to pull the engine! lol
So, I pulled the engine and swapped in the first 5.4. Well on initial fire up we discovered the 5.4 I had got had terrible oil pressure, which then led to "knocking"
I found another 5.4 in Tulsa. It was out of a rolled over expedition. So I pulled it down to the bare block, cleaned it up, swapped my fresh from the machine shop heads onto it, and installed.
So now Dora is powered by a camm'd 5.4. Just finished the swap last week.
Now for the 5.4 swap details I know your all really here for. Now this is what I did. Others may do differently, but this is my way:
1)Flexplate- I used a 2008 F350 6.8 V10 5r110w flexplate as is was the one close to exact fit. Using this plate will require spacing the starter 10mm.
2)Power steering- there are 4 bolts that hold the pump onto the bracket. 2 into the head, 2 into the timing cover. You have to discard the 2 into the timing cover as the 5.4 timing cover has no spot for them. Also the timing cover bolt that the pulley would block has to be removed. -Due to interference with the pump
3)Belt- I have an E-waterpump and UDP. So you just have to play with it.
4)Oil pan- use the 4.6 oil pan. ALTHOUGH, you NEED to remove the two crank scrapers or the crank will SMACK them!
5)Exhaust- I had no cats prior to this, but I cut the pipes right before the y- and unbolted from the manifold. On reassembly the exhaust will need roughly a 1" extension where I cut it.
6)Intake Manifold- I used the 4.6 to 5.4 adapter plates, which are not the preferred method. HPS sells a nice 5.4 SOHC intake that looks close to stock.
7)Various hose & Wires- will need extended
8)Weight- The iron block 5.4 is 85-100lbs heavier than the aluminium 4.6.
9)CUSTOM TUNE- I have read other swaps where people rna the factory tune!?!? The factory PCM has a table in it where it NEEDS to know the CI of the engine. YOU NEED A CUSTOM TUNE FOR THE 5.4 TO RUN PROPERLY!
-Hey, guess what? I can sell you an SCT device, if you don't already have one, and write you a custom tune.
Well that is all the Highlights I can think of. Anything else you pretty much take from the 4.6 and bolt onto the 5.4. Motor mounts, ect.
The 5.4 is awesome in the Explorer. The torque is great! I'll try to post pics and vid later.
FYI my other vehicles consist of:
2000 Lincoln LS- 3.9 v8, bolt-ons, Wife's DD
1999 Taurus SHO- 3.4 v8, 90,x.. miles, welded cams, bolts-ons, My DD
1997 Mustang Cobra- Built DOHC 5.4, 88mm turbo, Race car
1997 F150 Project Frightning- Getting a Lightning swap
1996 Lincoln Mark VIII- Built DOHC 4.6, Vortech Supercharged, The Sleeper
1988 Jeep Cherokee- Lifted 10", Long arm kit, The Wheeler
2001 Triumph TT600- my turbocharged sport bike
