1998 F150 4.6 triton, need help and have questions

[darkstar]

Any knowledgable ford mechanics out there?

My sons engine blew head gaskets. 140k and it is a used, hard run and apparently not maintained work truck. He bought it that way. Yeah, I know, but I was not there for the buy or I would have stopped it, so save us the you should have not bought it, get a chevy, dodge and other useless stuff..

Head inspection at the machine shop shows he needs around 350 in work to get them back in shape.
Between that work and the required new hardware (bolts, studs, chain tensioners, ect...)and gaskets, he is going to be out at around 800 to 1k I estimate.

He located a 2002 4.6 triton from a Lincoln Aviator that was rearended with 80k on it. Owner is asking 900 for the engine, but will deal. I am trying to get the serial #'s to see if it is what it is claimed to be.

If it is, apparently they both have 6 bolt mains, so I think it will bolt up to his auto tranny, but I am also concerned about exhaust manifolds, engine mount locations, wire harness connectors and using his computer.

Any thoughts on this and did I miss anything else?

Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.

Regards,
DS

 

[Sean the Nailer]

Re: 1998 F150 4.6 triton questions

Good luck with this.

I have a '99 F-150, 4.6, 4X4 that I just had to replace a rear diff on. This was completed 3 weeks ago, now. Reason why I pipe this up, is because I was told by my Ford Dealership mechanic friend, that anything between '97 and '03 would fit.

So I upgraded, and went for a Limited-Slip diff, and love it.

End point is, here's hoping that you ARE able to use this engine. Simply and easily. And we both know that there are some extremely knowledgeable mechanics here who'll chime in.

 

[darkstar]

Re: 1998 F150 4.6 triton questions

Thanks Sean,
He's a broke kid and I hope we can pull it off and be able to swap it out. He needs a work truck. His is a 4x4 and it has the hd suspension package and the limited slip diff in it. Its a brute. If wa can get it running sound, it would be great to have a truck to actually use that you dont have to worry about cosmetics. Too late for that with this one.

When we FINALLY got through all the wiring harness removals and got the heads off, all that chocolate milkshake everywhere got me concerned about investing in that engine.
Man, I know I am getting old, but what the hell ever happened to a 289?

 

[sniper307]

Re: 1998 F150 4.6 triton questions

i would not go with the lincoln motor. reason being, the lincoln uses 3 valves per cylinder opposed to your 2 valves. you would run into more proplems than its worth. i would get a used motor out of wrecking yard or buy a stripped long block. i think the exhaust manifolds are also different on the lincoln motor as well.

 

[Gofaster23]

Re: 1998 F150 4.6 triton questions

The Aviator was not available until 2003. If it's a 2002 Lincoln 4.6L it is definitley a 4V motor, compared to your F-150 2V motor. It would probably bolt up to the existing transmission but you'd have to swap over the engine harness, PCM, possibly the instrument cluster and GEM module to make it run.

 

[Gofaster23]

Re: 1998 F150 4.6 triton questions

Also, a bit of advise. Avoid the Jasper or similar engines. Last year I had to put 3 Jasper 5.4L reman engines in one Union Pacific Railroad F-250 over the period of a week. If you want to PM me the VIN I can give you a base price with no dealer mark up on a Ford reman engine. From there you can shop the dealers in your area. You might get a really good deal since December is usually a slow month for dealers and if they can make a couple bucks they will try.

 

[hypertex]

Re: 1998 F150 4.6 triton questions

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Gofaster23</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Also, a bit of advise. Avoid the Jasper or similar engines. Last year I had to put 3 Jasper 5.4L reman engines in one Union Pacific Railroad F-250 over the period of a week.
...</div></div>

I had the same experience with my Suburban here @ BNSF Took three motors to get a good one. It was all covered under warranty but what a waste of time.

 

[E. Bryant]

Re: 1998 F150 4.6 triton questions

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Darkstar</div><div class="ubbcode-body">When we FINALLY got through all the wiring harness removals and got the heads off, all that chocolate milkshake everywhere got me concerned about investing in that engine.</div></div>

If the engine was run for any length of time with coolant in the oil, there is no way that I would invest any significant money in the heads without also going through the bottom end. Rod and main bearings do <span style="font-style: italic">not</span> like being lubricated with water!

Here are a few sources of technical information concerning differences between all the different Mod motors:

http://www.mustangv8.com/forum/4-6-mustang-technical-forum/awesome-4-6l-write-up!!!!must-read!!!!!!!!!!!/

http://www.f150online.com/forums/v8-engi...-work-what.html

http://www.enginebuildermag.com/Item/2238/rebuilding_the_ford_46l_sohc_engine.aspx

http://www.enginebuildermag.com/Item/3541/rebuilding_the_ford_46l.aspx

Really, what it comes down to is that there are a lot of ways to make just about any 4.6L 2V engine work in your application, but to get a true drop-in replacement, you're pretty much limited to an engine from a '97-'98 pickup, van, or Expedition.

Good luck with the project!

 

[500grains]

Re: 1998 F150 4.6 triton, need help and have questions

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Darkstar</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> he is going to be out at around 800 to 1k I estimate.
</div></div>

My neighbor blew a head gasket at 150K miles on a Chevy diesel. It should not have blown (Chevy quality I guess), but it did and was not under warranty. Chevy charged $6000 to fix it.

 

[E. Bryant]

Re: 1998 F150 4.6 triton, need help and have questions

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 500grains</div><div class="ubbcode-body">My neighbor blew a head gasket at 150K miles on a Chevy diesel. It should not have blown (Chevy quality I guess), but it did and was not under warranty. Chevy charged $6000 to fix it. </div></div>

There is a big difference between the cost of parts and labor to do a head gasket on a gasser engine vs. a modern diesel. <span style="font-style: italic">Nothing</span> is cheap about diesel engines.

I also wouldn't be slinging darts towards GM when it comes to blown head gaskets, considering that all three OEMs have had their own issues (especially on trucks that have been abused or neglected).

 

[darkstar]

Re: 1998 F150 4.6 triton, need help and have questions

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: E. Bryant</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Darkstar</div><div class="ubbcode-body">When we FINALLY got through all the wiring harness removals and got the heads off, all that chocolate milkshake everywhere got me concerned about investing in that engine.</div></div>

If the engine was run for any length of time with coolant in the oil, there is no way that I would invest any significant money in the heads without also going through the bottom end. Rod and main bearings do <span style="font-style: italic">not</span> like being lubricated with water!

Here are a few sources of technical information concerning differences between all the different Mod motors:

http://www.mustangv8.com/forum/4-6-mustang-technical-forum/awesome-4-6l-write-up!!!!must-read!!!!!!!!!!!/

http://www.f150online.com/forums/v8-engi...-work-what.html

http://www.enginebuildermag.com/Item/2238/rebuilding_the_ford_46l_sohc_engine.aspx

http://www.enginebuildermag.com/Item/3541/rebuilding_the_ford_46l.aspx

Really, what it comes down to is that there are a lot of ways to make just about any 4.6L 2V engine work in your application, but to get a true drop-in replacement, you're pretty much limited to an engine from a '97-'98 pickup, van, or Expedition.

Good luck with the project!</div></div>

I hear ya EB and thank you for the links. Right now he is calling junk yards and trying to see what else if anything is available locally. I told him I would take a risk with a yard motor for the right price before I would spend any money on his engine.

 

[darkstar]

Re: 1998 F150 4.6 triton, need help and have questions

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Gofaster23</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Also, a bit of advise. Avoid the Jasper or similar engines. Last year I had to put 3 Jasper 5.4L reman engines in one Union Pacific Railroad F-250 over the period of a week. If you want to PM me the VIN I can give you a base price with no dealer mark up on a Ford reman engine. From there you can shop the dealers in your area. You might get a really good deal since December is usually a slow month for dealers and if they can make a couple bucks they will try. </div></div>

Thanks for the info and the offer Gofaster, but I think a ford reman will still be out of his (and my, im gonna have to front him $$$'s on this one...) price range.

 

[turbo54]

Re: 1998 F150 4.6 triton, need help and have questions

Any Aviator will be a DOHC 4V engine, and will NOT interchange.

However, any other 93-2005 SOHC 2V engine will interchange just fine, with the key differences being whether it is a Romeo or Windsor engine.

The front covers are a bit different between these two, the outer contour of the blocks is different (though it doesn't matter a bit), the cam towers have different style caps (which doesn't matter), but the biggest differences are in the crankshaft/flexplate:

The windsor has an 8-bolt crank while the Romeo has a 6 bolt crank.

Your son's truck has about a 90% chance of being a Windsor.

The junkyards are chock FULL of good solid 2V Ford 4.6s - I'd just buy a replacment.

FWIW: The 4.6/5.4 Ford engines are good, durable engines, though never as powerful as the Chevy's. Basically, if the oil "looks" like decent oil, and it doesn't smell like charcoal inside the valvecover when you remove the oil cap, its good to go.

 

[darkstar]

Re: 1998 F150 4.6 triton, need help and have questions

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: turbo54</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Any Aviator will be a DOHC 4V engine, and will NOT interchange.

However, any other 93-2005 SOHC 2V engine will interchange just fine, with the key differences being whether it is a Romeo or Windsor engine.

The front covers are a bit different between these two, the outer contour of the blocks is different (though it doesn't matter a bit), the cam towers have different style caps (which doesn't matter), but the biggest differences are in the crankshaft/flexplate:

The windsor has an 8-bolt crank while the Romeo has a 6 bolt crank.

Your son's truck has about a 90% chance of being a Windsor.

The junkyards are chock FULL of good solid 2V Ford 4.6s - I'd just buy a replacment.

FWIW: The 4.6/5.4 Ford engines are good, durable engines, though never as powerful as the Chevy's. Basically, if the oil "looks" like decent oil, and it doesn't smell like charcoal inside the valvecover when you remove the oil cap, its good to go.</div></div>


Turbo54, My sons engine is a romeo. I will get this info over to him and thank you!

 

[The Mechanic]

Re: 1998 F150 4.6 triton, need help and have questions

Coming in late. As said above I would check for a local place for a long block with a warranty. Make sure they have been in biz for a good while so you are more confident that a warranty will be worth any money. Oh and also said above the Lincoln will not work. Should be a lot at the wrecking yards if you just can't swing a rebuilt.

 

[Facemelter]

Re: 1998 F150 4.6 triton, need help and have questions

If you need a flexplate for the truck (assuming its an auto) I have a brand new 6 bolt RPW-SFI flexplate sitting under my desk collecting dust. I bought it for my brothers car which we did the same thing your talking about doing.

If you end up needing it,pay shipping and its yours.