99 5.4 rebuild

[rtbrjason]

I bought this 99 with 127k on it about 3 months ago. When I got it I hardly knew anything about these expys and have since learned quite a good deal.

So I have 2 leaking head gaskets . It doesn't effect how it runs and Blackstone labs just sent me a fairly positive oil sample result. Still I don't like oil leaks and am planning to fix this.

I'm planning on an in truck rebuild, meaning the block and lower end aren't coming out.

Should I just buy a gasket set for the whole thing and do it? Should I buy new heads? Should I just have the old heads sent to a machine shop or put them back on as they are with the new gaskets?

I'm mostly interested in a smooth efficient ride, but more power is always nice and fuel economy as well. At this point I'm planning on headers/maifolds replaced (not sure which), heads or rebuild heads and a new gasket kit.

Anything I should be considering doing differently? Are there any new performance or stock heads that would make more sense to use rather than pulling and sending mine out?

 

[onlyexilove]

I just finished up the "PI Head Swap" on my 98 and the end product is more hp and torque, same fuel efficiency and a brand new top end. If you can get a killer price on the head work then I would recommend getting them done (stock hp and torque), however you might check into reman'd heads, new head components and machine the current heads or a full PI head kit. My current setup is the 4.6 but I believe there is the same setup for the 5.4. Most of the is also determined by how much down time you can have for your rig.

 

[qcksnake]

I bought this 99 with 127k on it about 3 months ago. When I got it I hardly knew anything about these expys and have since learned quite a good deal.

So I have 2 leaking head gaskets . It doesn't effect how it runs and Blackstone labs just sent me a fairly positive oil sample result. Still I don't like oil leaks and am planning to fix this.

I'm planning on an in truck rebuild, meaning the block and lower end aren't coming out.

Should I just buy a gasket set for the whole thing and do it? Should I buy new heads? Should I just have the old heads sent to a machine shop or put them back on as they are with the new gaskets?

I'm mostly interested in a smooth efficient ride, but more power is always nice and fuel economy as well. At this point I'm planning on headers/maifolds replaced (not sure which), heads or rebuild heads and a new gasket kit.

Anything I should be considering doing differently? Are there any new performance or stock heads that would make more sense to use rather than pulling and sending mine out?

You should just make it easy on yourself and go ahead and pull the motor. If you absolutely have to do em in the vehicle,The pass side head is a beast in the vehicle. You can use the Ford racing gasket kit. (search 2v ford racing head gasket kit) its about 114$ and it comes with some trick rubber pieces that allow you pull the head bolts up and slide them under bolts. Lets you pull the head out from under the firewall because the bolts wont come out, they have to be removed with head,problem is they are too long and hit firewall first. you can just redneck it and use zipties but its a PITA.

Dont waste your money on headers.The ford gasket kit comes with new exhaust gaskets. Take the stock heads to a reputable machine shop and let them freshen them up. If its a NPI motor, look around and get a set of stock PI cams and install them when you put it back. Then spend your money on a custom tune if your after performance and fuel economy.

jeremiah

 

[BakerEdition]

what year did they start using the PI heads?

 

[Idahokid]

I think in 1999 they went to the other heads.

 

[qcksnake]

Yeap, 99 is when PI were introduced in the mustangs. right around this timeframe, ford had a plant fire at their truck plant that caused a number of trucks to get car motors(search romeo vs windsor for details) A lot of trucks didnt get PI stuff until 01, Not sure about expeditions, but from what i have seen in the trucks, after 99 only the 4.6 stuff is NPI but there doesnt seem to be a certainty on which has what. I have not seen any 99 or later expys with NPI stuff, but then again I work mainly on lightnings and mustangs.

The PIvsNPI thing is really overrated. THE PI camshafts are what makes most of the power in the PI setup. The NPI heads have larger chambers so they are lower compression, hence a pi swap picks up power. In the 4.6 world the PI intake is much better than the NPI as well. NOT So on the 5.4. THe intakes for the NPI and PI trucks are equal.

Here is a good site that will help you understand it. This guys got a lot of info on his website.
There are plus to the NPI heads that most guys dont know. I have seen NPI head combos make some very respectable Numbers when done right.
ModularHeadShop Articles
ModularHeadShop Bullet Cams (you can read through his notes on cam specs and see the NPI heads can actually make use of larger camshafts than PI)

 

[rtbrjason]

Thanks for the input.

At this point, I'm planning on stock exhaust manifolds and using whatever the best gasket kit available is. The engine isn't coming out unless it's mandatory.. A mechanic friend is going to help with this and he wants to just replace the gaskets, heads, and exhaust manifolds.

As for the heads, I'm not sure how to tell if I have the PI heads or not. It's a 99 but the build date is 11/98 so I'm not sure. I also don't know how to identify them in truck. After looking around at heads, I'm more convinced I should just send mine to a machine shop. If I don't have the PI heads, I will probably look into upgrading at least the cams if not the whole heads.

As for the intake, does anyone know of an upgraded option or know if it is worth having it ported while it's off?

 

[qcksnake]

Thanks for the input.

At this point, I'm planning on stock exhaust manifolds and using whatever the best gasket kit available is. The engine isn't coming out unless it's mandatory.. A mechanic friend is going to help with this and he wants to just replace the gaskets, heads, and exhaust manifolds.

As for the heads, I'm not sure how to tell if I have the PI heads or not. It's a 99 but the build date is 11/98 so I'm not sure. I also don't know how to identify them in truck. After looking around at heads, I'm more convinced I should just send mine to a machine shop. If I don't have the PI heads, I will probably look into upgrading at least the cams if not the whole heads.

As for the intake, does anyone know of an upgraded option or know if it is worth having it ported while it's off?

You can port the intake. I ported mine. THere arent any good options for the trucks on the 5.4 side. You can run like the edelbrocks and used adaptor plates from MMR(modularmustang racing) but you would loose bottom end and thats a no-no for trucks/heavy vehicles like an expy.

The Ford racing gasket kit will your best bet on gaskets. They are the good MLS gaskets and I even use them in severe duty applications(1000RWHP)
4.6L 2V HEAD CHANGING KIT | Part Details for M-6067-D46** | Ford Racing Performance Parts

 

[rtbrjason]

Thanks again. I see that is listed as for the 4.6 2v but I don't see a separate listing for the 5.4 2v. They are exactly the same?

Any thoughts on whether or not some 99 expeditions may not have had the PI heads or how I can tell for sure?

 

[qcksnake]

Thanks again. I see that is listed as for the 4.6 2v but I don't see a separate listing for the 5.4 2v. They are exactly the same?

Any thoughts on whether or not some 99 expeditions may not have had the PI heads or how I can tell for sure?

Yeap head gasket kit for 4.6 and 5.4 2v are same.

4.6 and 5.4 share common heads,cams, gaskets(except timing cover), and pistons, oil pans.

The intakes and timing covers(and chains), cranks,blocks, connecting rods are different due to 5.4 having different deck height and longer stroke.

You also have Romeo vs windsor if you are using a 4.6 but dont concern yourself with that unless you start needing to work on a 4.6 setup.

IF your familiar with 302vs351 stuff similar

If yours is 5.4 its most likely PI.

ITs easy to identify pi vs NPI on mustangs due to the differences in intakes.

Without pulling the intake on a truck I dont know if you will be able to tell

This link might help you

How do I tell if heads are NPI or PI? - Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums

As you can see in the link the only difference to the heads as far as swapping them is the intake/and intake gaskets.


Honestly on a 5.4 the NPI vs PI argument is null. The PI simply dont show much of an improvement on the 5.4, like i said earlier the intake is the restriction on the mustangs(4.6), IF you just swap to PI cams if the vehicle is NPI you can make small gains on a 5.4. IF it is PI just put it back stock.

The reason the PI doesnt pick up as much on the 5.4 is because the 5.4 intakes are decent on the NPI setup, and the compression gain is negated on the 5.4 because the 5.4 has the piston so much further down in the bore. (not as much to start with)

 

[whowey]

How do the wear metals look on your oil analysis?? I'm looking at getting an expy and I am wondering how they hold up.. as I see a goodly number in the same mileage range as yours.

 

[rtbrjason]

How do the wear metals look on your oil analysis?? I'm looking at getting an expy and I am wondering how they hold up.. as I see a goodly number in the same mileage range as yours.

Here is a screen shot of the analysis.

 

[whowey]

Thank you very much... Those wear levels on a 130k motor do look pretty good.

From the anti-wear metals, the oil looks like an API-SM/SN, something the in Xw20 viscosity.

I wonder if the fuel contamination% and lower flashpoint is related to the B-12??

 

[rtbrjason]

Thank you very much... Those wear levels on a 130k motor do look pretty good.

From the anti-wear metals, the oil looks like an API-SM/SN, something the in Xw20 viscosity.

I wonder if the fuel contamination% and lower flashpoint is related to the B-12??

Sorry, I cropped out the top which mentioned the oil was Motorcraft 5w20 and almost 3k mile interval.

Prior to doing the oil change, I pulled the throttle body, egr and iac and sprayed the intake clean with b12. Started it up, drove around a few mins and then dumped the oil, which is why I mentioned it in the notes to Blackstone.

 

[onlyexilove]

I know that the NPI Intake and heads have more of a circle style port where the PI intake and heads have a more radius corner square style port made for better flow.