4.6 or 5.4 triton in an f150

Anonymous-0 · Feb 5, 2012

I have been looking for a newer half ton to replace my 95 f150. I would like a regular cab but most I find in the 98-2002 years have 4.6 engines. One friend likes his 4.6 fine another says buy a 5.4, same mileage but more power. I don't want another pickup that shifts all the time like my 302 does. I use my half ton for a daily driver and the most it would pull would be a car trailer with a couple of 4 wheelers. Just don't want to buy something that I won't be happy with.

David G · Feb 5, 2012

get the 5.4, nice engine

jCarroll · Feb 5, 2012

I have a '98 with the 4.6 V6 - now at 148,000 miles. At 67,000 I had the "dreaded intake manifold gasket leak" which got replaced (twice) with no apparent long term damage.

Gas mileage is why I wish I had the small V8. Best I can do on a flat freeway at 62mph with cruise control is 18.6 mpg.

With my 5000# trailer and tractor I can get from point A to point B - but I won't pass anybody unless they're changing a flat. I'm not in a hurry, so I don't much care.

I like this truck - but I would love it if it did not have the V6.

earlschieb · Feb 5, 2012

You have a 4.2, NOT a 4.6. The V6 was the 4.2, and some of them loved intake gaskets.

JDseller · Feb 5, 2012

The 4.6L motor has a much better reputation then the 5.4L. You should not see much difference between them using a pickup as you described.

The year range you listed (1998-2002) had many problems with the Ford 5.4 engines spitting out spark plugs and ruining cylinder heads. A very good friend has a 1999 F250 and he had the plugs come out at 67K. He replace both cylinder heads. At 97K the right cylinder head cracked and over heated the motor. He had a new long block installed and has not had any more issues. What really was unusual is that his truck is used very lightly, rarely ever pulls a trailer or hauls anything heavy. He also has had a lot of trouble with the four wheel disk brakes. He has had to replace the rear calipers twice already. They seem to stick and not adjust. I have heard that you need to use the parking brake to keep the linkage freed up on the adjusters.

VicS · Feb 5, 2012

We have two 5.4's Seem to be a gutsy little engine. The newest is a 05 which is a 3 valve. They have spark-plug issues. (won't come out) It cost us 700 dollars to change the plugs at 98000 miles. Our local Ford guru, told me to change them at 50000 miles. And they will come out. The plugs he put back in are different, not supposed to stick. If I were buying a 05 or newer, I wouldn't unless they changed the plugs before I bought it. The 05 has a lot more power than our 03 and will hardly ever shift out of overdrive on the interstate. I wouldn't consider a 4.6 generally they gear them faster, which makes them seem even less powerful. Both of ours have 3.73 rear gears. Vic

charlie n · Feb 5, 2012

I bought a left over 2010 with the 5.4 a year ago this month.This is my first Ford pickup.Good power and good mpg.Wife and I drove it on vacation to Montana and got 21 in the mountains and 20 on the highway.That"s what the read out says.In town it's any where from 16 to 18.Good Luck.

S.Crum · Feb 5, 2012

From what I can see the 4.2 V6 is a POS. I have one here in a 97' F-150 and one of the head gaskets is blown. It isn't worth the trouble to dig the engine out from under the cab to fix. I bought another 97' with the 5.4 engine and it has 230,000 miles on the clock. The engine sounds like a washing machine full of gravel but it is strong, it's dependable and decent on gas for what it is. Certainly another of Detroit's throw away vehicles, something major goe's wrong and it's going for scrap.

jCarroll · Feb 5, 2012

Hurst · Feb 5, 2012

Look for a 2003 f150 with a 5.4. It's the older body style still and has the 2V head (no spark plug sticking problems), but they had an updated head design that had more threads for the plugs, so you don't have the old spark plugs blowing out of the head problem. The old man's 2003 F150 with a 5.4 has almost 190k on it and has only had a water pump put on at 170k. It gets around 16-18 mpg on long highway trips doing 75ish and around 14 or so around town. Not great but not too bad either. We have an 05 with the 2v 4.6 in it and it doesn't quite have the guts the 5.4 has, but it did get 20 mpg on the interstate round trip, hauling 2 18.4-34 clamp on duals in the rear on the way back going 70-75 the whole way on the interstate.

Hurst

JDseller · Feb 5, 2012

s.crum, he was asking about the 4.6 liter small V-8 not the 4.2 liter V-6. The 4.2 liter engine was Ok in a half ton short bed "car" not worth much as a hauling/pulling truck.

caseman-d · Feb 5, 2012

Your biggest problem is you are looking at a Ford. Chey is the only way to go Doug. That way when it breaks down you can just chev it an leave it HA HA. Today's vehicles aren't made to be ranch vehicles anymore. Don't care if it's Ford, Chevy, or Dodge
caseman-d

GabeinKs · Feb 5, 2012

Sounds like your friend has more of caliper slide problem and needs to lube them. The park brakes on those are separate drum system inside the rotor/drum and have nothing to do with the caliper. Yes the park brake shoes tend to fall apart inside the rotor if not used some what regularly.

S.Crum · Feb 5, 2012

Uhhh..Sorry I spoke up, won't happen again...

M-MAN · Feb 5, 2012

The 4.6 is a good engine. Shift points can be and are changed all the time.

Jason the Red · Feb 5, 2012

The 4.6L v8 in those trucks was underpowered. In 2000, I bought a new f-150 with the 4.2L v6 because it was only 10 less hp than the 4.6L v8. That truck was fine for pulling, as it was a manual trans. and had 3.55 rear end gears.
If you feel you must have a v8, i'd go with the 5.4L.

wisbaker · Feb 5, 2012

First there are two different 4.6s, one is the Romeo which is the engine used in the Crown Vics, grand Marquis, Town Cars, Cougars, T-birds, Mustangs and some trucks. The other one is made in Canada and close to the Romeo engine but it uses the same heads and main bearing caps as the 5.4, in fact it is the same as the 5.4 except stroke and deck height. I have the Canadian 4.6 truck engine in my 01 F-150. It had no power spark knocked so bad folks asked how I got a power stroke in a 150 and with a trailer 2,000 pounds LESS that the truck was rated to pull about 45MPH was maximum speed. Ford said they are all like that and there is nothing we can do about it. Eventually I replaced the fuel injectors so all eight would pass fuel and changed the spark plugs, it runs smooth and pulls strong but a trailer of any size I need to keep the overdrive off and take it easy. Would be a good puller if I could of got the 3.73 or a 3.90 rear end but alas in Ford's wisdom you have to buy the 5.4 to get the steeper gear. Oh yes we didn't have any of these problems with the new Dodge we bought in 07.

JDseller · Feb 5, 2012

s.crum I was not criticizing your post. I just thought you miss read the engine size he was asking about. I agree that the trouble you had with your 4.2 was common. A V-6 in any thing other than a people hauler is not real handy.

1 Dollar · Feb 5, 2012

I think a 4.6L & 5-Speed is comparable to a 5.4L auto of that year range. I've got a 1999 4.6 5-speed 4x4 Regular cab 8ft and now 4.11 gears and it'll move whatever I want it on a 7000lb capacity trailer (as long as I'm not overloaded). With the 3.55 gears best I saw was 16.5 maybe 17 highway, now with the 4.11 it's usually 13-15. Not fast but in 4th gear at 60 MPH surprisingly capable. Other than a test drive no experience with 4.6L auto, but I've heard it's weak. 5.4L never came with a 5-speed in a F150.

36 Coupe · Feb 6, 2012

Ford fixed the spark plugs blowing out problem.Now you cant get the plugs out with out breaking them off.

jose bagge · Feb 6, 2012

I drive an "09 5.4 with 170,000 mile on it; the engine is bombproof, transmission is junk (about ready to put number 2 in it)

4.6 or 5.4 triton in an f150

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