First mileage test result.
The first mileage test results are in. A quick review of what was done to the truck. Cometic head gaskets half the thickness of Fel-Pro and with full o-rings around each cylinder, not combining int...
Forum Discussion
did you ever think about just putting a different engine into it? I'm not asking this to stir anythign up, but the 5.4 wasn't that great of a engine to start with and with so many new offerings from both ford and gm that would be easy to swap in and would give you more power and better fuel economy. for example a junkyard LS 6L could be had with a trans for about 1500 up here so 1000ish down their and prople about another 500 in parts to install it, I bet you would be well over 15 mph. I know its a gm motor in a ford, I am just using it as an example and it is the cheepest way to go, the ford gas engines that would make a good swap are a little more money.
I've given engine swapping some thought. The trick is the whole truck is a system. I thought about a 6.2 and 6 speed transmission swap but you have to swap the computer system, wire harness and any relevent components. To make it run.
Even if I did a V10, my V8 wire harness is setup for 8 cylinders so I would need to swap electronics for that. I can do it, but fixing what I have is the easiest most affordable way. I know I am creating more power from the engine. I have addressed several weak points with the Cometic head gaskets, welding shut the rear coolant passages on the heads. Greatly improving exhaust flow over stock. High volume oip pump to hopefully oil better and keep passages clear. Rear of head coolant adaptors to prevent a boilover from ever happening again and keep the heads cooler with better circulation. That about covers the modifications which I hope will amount to a sort of "Bullet Proofing" for the 5.4 engine. The first engine did 275k miles, but it took work and three sets of head gaskets and new sparkplug seats to do it.
ya the swaps are not as hard as it seams anymore. you can get kits that mount everything, conversion kits to make the wire and computer that come with your junk yard motor/trans just plug into your old plugs.. they have simplified it so much..
it all comes down to what is the most important .. if its fuel milage and power to pull big hills, then your going to swap a diesel in there. if its... well realy I can't see any reason to buy a truck used to pull or haul a rv or other type of trailer or payload with significant weight, that is a gas engine.. they have less power, worse fuel milage, more maintenance and don't last as long as a diesel... but some people still like thoes gas engines. I like them for cars and hotrods
Swapping isn't an option on something that new, if you live in a state where emissions rules are enforced. The vehicle has to have all its original emissions equipment intact or they won't give you an inspection sticker, and the state suspends the vehicle's license.
why would you want to swap a newer vehicle? half the stuff he did (headers and such) fall under the same rules so this obvioulsy isn't an issue. plus his truck is around 25 years old, so what are you calling a newer vehicle?
Near as I can tell nothing he did eliminated any emissions equipment. Headers and performance parts aren't illegal, as long as all the sensors and emissions equipment are still intact.
Being "around 25 years old" is not good enough. Here in NY it has to be a 1999 or older this year to be exempt from emissions testing. Once it hits that magic 25 year mark, he could swap anything in that he wanted.
That's true, yet I understand there are ways around it. I think folks have used the VIN of the doner vehicle and assumed that title with the transplant vehicle. Somebody might have the answer.
Huh?
No emissions testing in WA….as crazy that sounds. Not since Covid, lol. They all got sent home like the State did to all their employees, and the emissions testing never started back up. Another positive coming out of the pandemic I suppose.
And his truck is 5 years away from being eligible for collector plates. Just because it’s newer than its owner doesn’t mean it’s newer! Hahaha
Ain’t no old LS getting 15mpg in a 3/4ton 4x4.
plus F250 LS swap? Rofl. Can’t see anywhere that might get difficult or have issues…..no it would probably get better. 🤣
LS into anything is easy now days, they make mount kits for almost any aplication you can think of, and their cheep including the harness or you can buy an aftermarket harnes and its all plug and play for the most part. that was just an example, like I said, a coyote swap would be fun also but I think its more suited for hot rods and not things that need low end, and its much much more expensive. I even have a friend who put a cummins into a old ford 1 ton 4x4 , we had him comitted for using that POS engine but he did it 😆
seriously thought, myself and my two buddys have now swapped about 15 LS motors into classic trucks some as old as the 40's but a lot of 1960's and 70's stuff also. a few of them are street/strip procharged, one a turbo setup but the rest are all naturaly asperated and if you keep the foot out of them they get amazing milage. its all about building them proper for what they are going to do.
Agree, LS swaps are very popular now. Considering it for my C10 actually.
Doesn’t mean it remotely makes sense to swap similar technology and power for similar technology and power + a pile of money and a bigger pile of compatibility issues.
