4.6 Ford Swap

[Niedhogg]

So I have this 4.6 overhead cam motor and tranny from a Crown Vic lying around the shop, and I'm wondering if anyone has tried swapping one of these into a CJ?

 

[Niedhogg]

:dunno: Did i just suggest some type of sacrelige??

 

[derf]

Considering how many different engines have made it into CJs, that's probably not sacrilege.

The Ford 4.6 just isn't that impressive of a motor and there's a lot better choices out there. You happen to have one laying around which is about the only reason someone would want to do it. Though if it were me, I'd sell that engine and Transmission and get a better engine to swap in.

 

[defibvt]

Crown vic and awesome car with a very strong motor. I think it be something have to be done. Unfortunately I think you would fabricating a lot of part to make it work.

Oh, and Hi from a transplanted Iowan.

 

[Bucks86Renegade]

I bet it'd be fun, but I just read that the 4.6L puts out about 200 to 220 hp. Nothin sounds better than a V8 with dual exhaust though.

Would you get about the same amount of power from a Jeep 4.0L head swap with less conversions (tranny, tc, etc)? I know the 4.0L puts out 190 hp and the engines are pretty cheap and plentiful.

 

[Niedhogg]

I figured the only gains in this swap would be fuel injection, and possibly some fuel economy, I already run a AMC 304 V8 which does sound awesome through dual pipes out the back , but 8-10 mpg... I'm just kicking it around, I don't think I'd swap it into my CJ7 , but I am looking for another project, like a '74 Commando I found or whatever.. Just wondering if it was something somone had seen swapped into a Jeep yet. Other than being extremely wide it's fairly self contained, and the tranny lines are in the right spot as well as the shift cable would be easy to set up, and I'm sure there's a Transfer Case that would mount up to this tranny from an F150 or Expedition... I guess with anything, where there's a will, there's a way right?

 

[ken98k]

I figured the only gains in this swap would be fuel injection, and possibly some fuel economy,

In addition to much better fuel economy, there would be a very noticeable increase in hp.
The AMC 304 was ony rated @ 150hp when introduced and went down from there to about 125hp at the end. AMC V8 engine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Don't let the naysayers dissuade you. I look forward to reading about this project.

 

[Niedhogg]

In addition to much better fuel economy, there would be a very noticeable increase in hp.
The AMC 304 was ony rated @ 150hp when introduced and went down from there to about 125hp at the end. AMC V8 engine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Don't let the naysayers dissuade you. I look forward to reading about this project.

Thanks for the encouragment Ken, I'm goint to start looking into this. I've been talking to my son about this and he also says the hp gains would be considerable..

 

[CJ007]

I still have the spare Renegade hood with the factory hood emblem that would make a great match .

 

[Niedhogg]

I still have the spare Renegade hood with the factory hood emblem that would make a great match .

that's awesome...!

 

[CJim7]

Ya know....If I was you, I would research 5.0 swaps. Lots of people have done it and there is a ton of info on the net, and I have a funny feeling the 4.6 swap would be very close in comparison

 

[Niedhogg]

Good advice Jim, and I've been looking at the ford drivelines and the tranny and t-cases that come with the 4.6 in the trucks, and aside from the driver's side drop, they are pretty compact, and it appears it would force me to upgrade my axles as well if I decide to go through with this, damn the luck...

 

[OldC7]

The 4.6 is wide. Its wider than a 302 is long ways. then you got the exhaust to fab up.

 

[rr41mag]

OK When is this gonna start...........

 

[derf]

Ya know....If I was you, I would research 5.0 swaps. Lots of people have done it and there is a ton of info on the net, and I have a funny feeling the 4.6 swap would be very close in comparison

The old 5.0 is nothing like the new 4.6. Well, I guess they're both 90 degree V8 engines but that's about it. The 4.6 is a physically larger engine due to the overhead cams. It's almost as wide as a 460, though not as long front to back. The fuel injection systems aren't the same between them.

There's nothing special about the 4.6 but it has it's own details.

 

[Niedhogg]

So the 4.6 is like 28" wide... and that's with the factory manifolds... my biggest concern is the steering column, I got tied up when I came back from the shop and forgot to measure my engine bay across the firewall, so unless someone can check theirs, I'll have to check mine tomorrow.. but maybe with some extra ujoints and a little rerouting? Or maybe hydraulic steering? Could end up being some kind of frankenstien...

 

[Niedhogg]

So I found this interesting, kind of cements my dislike for ford, so this build may not happen...


"Although the idea of a standardized, modular engine looked good on paper, it hasn’t worked out quite as well in the real world, because there have been many changes that have created lots of variations over the last 10 years.
The 4.6L engines built in the Windsor plant are completely different than the ones built in the Romeo plant, and there are significant differences in the engines that have been built in each plant from year-to-year, so there are at least eight short blocks, seven heads and 13 long blocks so far, not counting the CNG and DOHC engines.
It’s pretty confusing to keep track of all the different combinations, so nobody seems to know what goes where or exactly when it was used. We tried to get some help from Ford, but we were unable to find anyone who was willing to share any information, so everything in this article is based solely on what we have seen and pieced together along with the help of some other people in the industry."

Not very encouraging, is it... mine is a '92 SOCH, and I also read that they can only be bored out .020" so they are basically a throw away block..

 

[jasonmark1993]

I dont know man; Im putting a stroked 351W in mine right now and its a lot of work. Not sure if the reward would be worth it on that one.

 

[Niedhogg]

I dont know man; Im putting a stroked 351W in mine right now and its a lot of work. Not sure if the reward would be worth it on that one.

I hear ya, the fact that it's an early modular block is really starting to put me off now. If it were, say, a DOHC from a later model Mustang, it might go forward with it... thinking this thought might be over before it was thunk..

 

[derf]

Yep. Sell the engine to someone and use the funds to buy a different engine.