motor replacement

[skunkbutt]

I have a 1998 5.4 expedition with a ticking motor as a resolt of overheating it. Mt truck is only 102,000 miles so I want to do a engine swap and hopefully a trany swapant he smae time. I want to buy a doner vehicle but cant seem to find out what year trucks will provide me with like for like motor and trans. Just want bolt in nod mods. Since new I never liked the trans so thats why I want to change it but I dont have to, it has always been a lazy shifting trans.
any feedback is appreciated

 

[toomanytoys]

A lazy shifting trans can be cured with a tuner as long as the trans is healthy to start with. I'm using a old Edge tuner in towing mode and it made a nice difference in the way it shifts now

Why do you need to swap the motor?

 

[skunkbutt]

Thank you for your feedback, i like the sounds of your mustang. Well my expedition with,102,000 on it got overheated due to a faulty thermastate. Since then it has a ticking in the motor. I have determined it is a clearence issue and not a lubercating issue. After pulling the valve covers,and oil pan it looks clean. So its a number of possibilities, cams, valve etc. This thing is a bear to work on in place and I dont have the knowledge to do the top end on this motor. I bought this truck new and hate to kill it so It seems to make sence as a boat puller only,to just put another good running motor in it. I think it would be alot easier and faster and cheeper to swap the motor. Nobody around here wants to work on it but will swap the motor for $1,700 labor so I can buy a complete doner vehicle for cheep and swap it myself. I would be supprised if I put 50,000 on it in the next 5 years. I have found a decent doner vehicle and will be bidding on it this tuesday so hopefully I get it. Your feedback is appreciated even if you dont agree with this plan
thanks,

 

[toomanytoys]

Check the exhaust. These motors don't start making noise too easily. Youre right at the mileage where the manifolds crack and start to tick as well as the flange on the mid pipe starts to wear through. The noise could be coming from either one of those spots

 

[skunkbutt]

OK good idea, I'll ck tomorrow. Im pretty sure the noise is in valve train on passanger side. Im interested in learning more about fixing that lazy transmission. what it doesnt do is stay in gear long enough before upshifting. Really hate that. can you tell me something about what you know about this?

 

[toomanytoys]

I used a performance tuner from Edge. I set it for towing. The trans now holds gears a little longer and the up shift is a little firmer. It doesn't chirp the tires but you can feel the shift in the seat

 

[and0r]

your transmission shouldnt be lazy, infact, ive owned my expedition long enough to personally know that its almost impossible to kill this vehicle. for an original owner with hardly 100k, the only thing "lazy" sounding here is you! lol with that being said, you should definitely look into replacing the throttle position sensor, yes, this little 30$ component handles all the shifting, among other things, and is very fragile and prone to heat damage. i have an entire thread on this, just search for "the dreaded throttle position sensor".
first time changing it is tough because the bolts are really stuck, best to just remove the entire throttle body (only 5 additional minutes of work)

as for your engine,
these things go into limp mode when the temp rises, it seems difficult to really damage these engines.
tell us how you overheated your engine, dont be afraid to sound like a total fool, nobody here personally knows you!
i must also agree with looking into the exhaust manifold. the ticking will sound 100% like a valvetrain issue even though its not. your engine is built extremely well, it has many things you simply cannot find stock today, without going aftermarket. such as a forged crank, and other forged components. if you really want to just throw that sweet low milage 5.4 away, i would be more than willing to help you! where by chance do you happen to be located?

 

[rjdelp7]

This motor may not be "bad". A ticking can be a cam follower. People think 5W20 is too thin or use left over 10W40. Running heavy oil starves top end. At high rpm, the followers can unseat. Do you have a CEL? A rattle is the timing chain. These motors also have exhaust stud issues. When they break, the manifold leaks and ticks. Sometimes will get quiet after warming up. Ford motors, have fail safe mode when overheating.

 

[98eb5.4]

The 4R100 tranny started ~ somewhere 98 for expy - is an updated E40D, pretty sure 98 5.4 could have either or

https://www.f150online.com/forums/transmissions/9279-e4od-vs-4r70w-vs-4r100.htm

 

[toomanytoys]

Forgot to mention the simplest thing-- the pcv. When they are old they tend to tick like crazy. Something else to check