4.6 3v and 5.4 3v heads the same?

['69Stang]

Does anyone know if the 4.6 and 5.4 3v heads are the same, and are they interchangeable? If they are what year 5.4 vehicles are the 5.4 3v heads available on? Thanks for any help with this, I'm looking for a set of 3v heads.

 

[Edbert]

I do not know if they are interchangeable, but in addition to some Expeditions the 5.4-3v heads were on all 2004-2007 F150s that had a 5.4.

 

[khendrix2374]

The heads are not the same.. they are designed to bolt on-to different blocks.

But.. I *think* the cams are the same. 2004+ 5.4L trucks have the 3V heads.

When you look on CompCams website.. it states cams for 3V modular ford engines.

EDIT: After doing some more research... Ive found other people saying they ARE the same head.... I don't know.

But I DO know the same cams work for each vehicle.

 

[TGJ]

The 3V heads are the same. So if you can find a set from a 5.4, you are good to go.

 

[Edbert]

The heads are not the same.. they are designed to bolt on-to different blocks.

Correctg me if I am wrong (please) but isn't the 5.4 merely a stroked 4.6 with stronger bottom end? I don't see why the bolt pattern or water passages would be different if the bores and their spacing is the same. I expect that if you were to bolt a set of 5.4 heads on a 4.6 block you'd want to use the intake too, I wish one of the mod-motor experts would chime in here.

The question you really want to know is if the 5.4 3v heads use the same valves and runner-design as the 4.6 3v heads.

 

[TGJ]

The 5.4 Block and 4.6 Block are different. The 5.4 is wider and that is why it requires a different intake, so no a 5.4 intake will not bolt on to a 4.6. That said a 4.6 intake can bolt on to a 5.4 with adapter plates. The heads are the exact same thing though, the exact same thing.

Edit:

The 5.4 uses the exact same pistons as the 4.6. The crank and rods are different but are the same material as what is found in a 4.6 so it is not stronger.

 

[Edbert]

The heads are the exact same thing though, the exact same thing.

Cool to know, thanks for clearing that up. Then there's no reason to use the 5.4 heads though, unless your 4.6 heads are cracked and you find a set of 5.4 heads cheaper at least.

 

[corey796]

bare heads

the bare heads for 5.4 and 4.6 3v have the same part number the only ford part numbers that are not the same on the heads is cams

 

['69Stang]

the bare heads for 5.4 and 4.6 3v have the same part number the only ford part numbers that are not the same on the heads is cams

The dealership that I spoke with said that the 5.4 3v heads have a different part number than the 4.6 mustang heads, though he could not confirm that the heads were different in any way. He speculated that they must be with the different part numbers but could not confirm it.