5.4 Mods - Diesel Forum

Snake Eyes · 03-26-2007, 05:55 PM

Okay, so the last time I asked about my 5.4 I was told to check the "other Ford truck site" but I don't think that's going to work this time.

I have an '08 F-350 5.4 6 speed on order and I want to do some basic performance mods right away, new hi-flow filter, dual exhaust, headers, chip, etc...and some more advanced performance mods later this year including a supercharger.

So, here's the question...I was reading in Ford Performance Truck (I think that's the name of the magazine) the other night that 5.4 mods for F-150's, like Whipple or Rousch superchargers and such are not compatible with 5.4's in F-350s! Does that sound possible to y'all? I've emailed a couple of company's and am waiting to hear back but I thought I'd ask here too...it just don't seem right that there'd be a difference in mods just because the vehicle is different, I mean it's the same dang engine ain't it?!!?

Thanks,
John

Snake Eyes · 03-26-2007, 06:42 PM

Well, Whipple emailed back and they say their blower is not compatible with the F-350 5.4...that's too bad.

Waiting on Roush now.

V10 man · 03-27-2007, 04:11 AM

Just curious why you went with the V8 and not the V10 if power is what you want?

Snake Eyes · 03-27-2007, 11:36 AM

I grew up wrenching on V8 luxury cars and muscle cars of the 60's and 70's...in my book there is no substitute for a V8 gas motor. Nothing sounds like it and in the proper configuration, they'll put out power for days!

Btw, for anyone that cares, Roush emailed back and their supercharger won't work on an F-350 5.4 either. All in all, I guess it's alright. My plan "b" was to swap out the 5.4 for a 460 crate engine from Ford Performance and I think that's what I'll do. I should be able to get a nice price for a complete, low mile 5.4 and what an F-350 really needs is a big block anyhow. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smokin.gif[/img]

John

**SeeYa** · 04-02-2007, 02:37 PM

check with procharger...

Snake Eyes · 04-02-2007, 04:32 PM

Thanks for the tip...looks like it might be what I'm looking for. We'll see when I contact them.

Thanks,
John

Snake Eyes · 04-16-2007, 03:04 PM

Well ProCharger said no go...not compatible with the Super Duty 5.4. They said that they have custom kits and I could fab my own.

I still don't get what the fr@ggin difference is between the 5.4 in a 150 and a 350? I can see that engine mounting would be different and components could be in different places, but the big stuff should be identical! For instance the intake manifold or the plugs to the PCM, or the PCM itself.

My guess is that there really aren't many differences and these company's just don't test installs on the Super Duty 5.4 so it's safer for them to say "it doesn't fit" then to say "it should fit". Does anyone out there know anything about the differences? It's makin' me crazy!

John

Alan_Hicks · 04-30-2007, 04:16 PM

I can only speculate, but I would guess at only two reasons for this:

1- (As you said) they don't test the equipment on the Superduty and just say "Won't Work" instead of "Well, you can try it, but there's no garauntee."
2- There could be different clearance issues in the (vastly) different trucks. The F150 may have plenty of room in the cab for this or that supercharger, but that room doesn't exist in the F350 (yeah right, it can hold a 444!).

Other than that, they're probably just blowing smoke. The engines could be tuned different I suppose, but don't all these kits come with a tuner that replaces your stock computer's tune anyhow?

Snake Eyes · 04-30-2007, 04:30 PM

I think you're right on both counts...and I guess that's okay. I'm willing to fiddle with it to get it right and I can do some fabrication to make things line up right as well. The part that scares me is the computer connections. I don't know enough about the on board stuff to know if the connectors are the same between a 150 and a Super Duty. I think I found a way to find out though...I think I'm going to order a SuperChips tuner since they just market them for the 5.4 regardless of what it's installed in. Then I can see if the connector works on the F-350 and go from there.

As an update, I think I've sworn off trying to go to far with the mods on the 5.4. For the same or less money I can swap out the whole shooting match for a 460...as a matter of fact I'm picking up a nice 460 block from a buddy of mine and am going to start building it. Nothing extreme, just a good solid build somewhere in the 500/500 range should make me very happy. I also found a company online that builds new bell housings to mate the 460 to ZF's and also motor mounts as well. I figure for well under 6k I can have a high-pro, fuel injected 460 (7.5L) installed and ready to go! The cost of just the dang 5.4 supercharger was going to be 5-6k!!! Besides, that'll give me a true custom instead of just a parts bin build.

Take care,
John

mykidsarebrats · 04-30-2007, 04:49 PM

Does the Super Duty have the same 3 valve per cylinder 5.4 that the F-150s have???? What about the supercharger setup off of a lightning or harley f150??

Alan_Hicks · 04-30-2007, 06:20 PM

Before I messed with the Superchips, I'd call Jody at DP-Tuner and ask him what he knows about the 5.4 in the different trucks since he offers tuning for them as well. The computers could be completely different, and the Superchips could be junk in the Superduty line.

I really like your 460 build-up idea. I think that's definitely the way to go. As they say, there ain't no replacement for displacement. You'll get your torque numbers higher much more easily with the long stroke in a 460 that a piddly little 5.4, or even the Triton v10 I'd think, and you'd be able to make that torque at a lower rpm range, which is really good for heavy trucks like these.

Snake Eyes · 05-01-2007, 01:49 AM

Yup, my new F-350 will have the same 3V 5.4 that the F-150's have...but there might be/probably are differences in the way accessories are mounted and maybe differences in the computer as well. I looked into the Whipple supercharger which is the unit that Ford Racing sells and I guess the one that's used on the GT as well. They say it "won't" install on the Super Duty 5.4...no specific reason given though so go figure. I think I've talked to just about all the major supercharger companies...Roush, ProCharger, etc...all of them say "no, it's not designed for that". I'm not sure who made the Harley supercharger but I'm thinking it's the same deal.

Thanks for the tip about DP Tuner, I will call Jody before buying a SuperChips setup for sure! And thanks for the compliment on the 460...I sure think it's the way to go. I really don't understand why Ford stopped offering a gas big block for the big trucks, I'd think that they'd make a load of money by offering one. The more I think about the swap, the more I like the idea...I should be able to sell my "lightly used" 5.4 for a few bucks too so that'll off set the cost of the 460 to boot!

Take care,
John

Alan_Hicks · 05-01-2007, 05:01 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks for the tip about DP Tuner, I will call Jody before buying a SuperChips setup for sure! And thanks for the compliment on the 460...I sure think it's the way to go. I really don't understand why Ford stopped offering a gas big block for the big trucks, I'd think that they'd make a load of money by offering one. The more I think about the swap, the more I like the idea...I should be able to sell my "lightly used" 5.4 for a few bucks too so that'll off set the cost of the 460 to boot!

[/ QUOTE ]

I think the reason they stopped making the big-block gasoline engines was because the diesel market exploded with the Powerstroke. Of course, they do have the V10, which isn't really a big-block motor (just a 5.4 with 2 extra cylinders on the block really). I think it sells not on displacement size but because it has more cylinders than anyone else. After all, 10 is bigger than 8, right? Isn't a V8 a better engine than a straight-6? Of course, the V8 might be a 289 which wasn't as strong as the inline-6 300, and the V-10 just ain't no old-school 460 either. :^)

I would certainly go with the 460 and see what you can get by selling the 5.4. If it's practically new, you should be able to command a decent price-tag, if only for people driving F150s who've blown up their little V6.

mykidsarebrats · 05-02-2007, 03:02 AM

Check out this motor for a swap, I'm sure its not avail to the public yet. Hopefully it will make it into the f150's in the next few years.

3.5-liter Twin-Force DI Twin Turbocharged V6
415hp 400ftlbs
It has injectors like a diesel, but is a gasser.

http://www.bringbackthesho.com/phpnu...-newshoengines

aceohearts · 05-02-2007, 04:09 AM

[ QUOTE ]
I think the reason they stopped making the big-block gasoline engines was because the diesel market exploded with the Powerstroke. Of course, they do have the V10, which isn't really a big-block motor (just a 5.4 with 2 extra cylinders on the block really). I think it sells not on displacement size but because it has more cylinders than anyone else. After all, 10 is bigger than 8, right? Isn't a V8 a better engine than a straight-6? Of course, the V8 might be a 289 which wasn't as strong as the inline-6 300, and the V-10 just ain't no old-school 460 either. :^)

I would certainly go with the 460 and see what you can get by selling the 5.4. If it's practically new, you should be able to command a decent price-tag, if only for people driving F150s who've blown up their little V6.

[/ QUOTE ]

Bigger doesn't always mean better.

For what it's worth, my best friend's dad has an '87 ford with a 460 that he bought brand new. He still drives it on almost a daily basis. However, when he bought his 30' bumper pull several years back he wanted something with a little more oomph to pull it. He bought a 2000 V10, and says the difference is like night and day. I now own that 30' bumper pull, bought it last fall after he bought his new 5'er. And I plan on pulling it with my V10. I think the 460 is a great motor, but with the advances in technology, the V10 pulls better, and gets better mileage than a 460 will.

I would have liked to get a PSD, but didn't want to pay the $6000-7000 premium on one...even used. I paid $18k for my 02 V10 last fall with 63k on the clock, and equivalent PSD's at the time were going for close to $26k.