Some love for the 5.4L 4V engine at last

Franco Cozzo · 04-04-2019, 08:31 PM

I thought this may be of some interest to people here - the 5.4L 4V engine was perceived as a bit of a boat anchor in stocko form as the 260/290 fitted to the BA/BF/FG MKI, I've driven a few Falcons with them under the bonnet and I didn't find them too impressive when I got to have some fun, they're alright but nothing special.

A small Adelaide workshop made a turbo kit for one and it seems this perceived boat anchor turns into a god damn monster - 400KW+ at the wheels on only 11 PSI, obviously these things breathe really well so the boost levels are low for high power figures, more over at the link below:

https://www.facebook.com/spoolinboos...type=3&theater

Its good to see something other than the Barra getting a little bit of love and more so from the little guys - this mob runs at our AFF Heathcote event from time to time.

nstg8a · 05-04-2019, 12:45 AM

This kit on a Bf gt or fg xr8 with the 290 and zf would make for a very nice combo i reckon.

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Bossxr8 · 05-04-2019, 02:01 PM

The 4 valve modulars love boost.

Franco Cozzo · 05-04-2019, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

The 4 valve modulars love boost.

Very efficient engine it seems, shame it seems it was a step ahead of the customer at the time.

Do you think the reason it has its stigma was that it was launched the same time as the I6T which is a beast?

PooDog · 07-04-2019, 01:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

Very efficient engine it seems, shame it seems it was a step ahead of the customer at the time.

Do you think the reason it has its stigma was that it was launched the same time as the I6T which is a beast?

No the stigma is because they are a long stroke block designed for the truck , with 4 valve heads that need to rev , giving them a narrow power band .....they actually work really well when you consider the physics behind them

roddy1960 · 07-04-2019, 07:46 AM

How does the 3V fit in all this too .. I read somewhere they are more prone to the cam phaser fail but the 4V not so much ..How do you guys feel on that .?

A local bloke here bought a 5.4 3V 260 in a 2004 RTV and cost him a fair bit to fix the cam phasers after a while ..Runs great now though .

chevypower · 07-04-2019, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roddy1960

How does the 3V fit in all this too .. I read somewhere they are more prone to the cam phaser fail but the 4V not so much ..How do you guys feel on that .?

A local bloke here bought a 5.4 3V 260 in a 2004 RTV and cost him a fair bit to fix the cam phasers after a while ..Runs great now though .

This video highlights the problematic 3 valve very well. My 2005 F150 started rattling the timing chain around 140,000 miles. I got rid of it. Right after the 4R75 tranny died (and chain still rattling).
https://youtu.be/xcN_WcGr4BU

Nu66et · 07-04-2019, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roddy1960

How does the 3V fit in all this too .. I read somewhere they are more prone to the cam phaser fail but the 4V not so much ..How do you guys feel on that .?

A local bloke here bought a 5.4 3V 260 in a 2004 RTV and cost him a fair bit to fix the cam phasers after a while ..Runs great now though .

4V's never had cam phasers so that was only ever a 3V issue.

3V was only 220kw for BA and 230kw for BF.

smoo · 07-04-2019, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by muzman

No the stigma is because they are a long stroke block designed for the truck , with 4 valve heads that need to rev , giving them a narrow power band .....they actually work really well when you consider the physics behind them

Yeah, this wasn’t such an issue by the time BF and FG came with the higher rev limit and 6 speed autos, even though the stigma remained.
Consistent complaints of the Boss when first launch of what you described was more apparent with the 260 Boss and the BAs 4 Spd auto super tall gearing. Power delivery the same as most other quad cam V8s but by ‘03 they all had more ratios/better gearing.
This also made the xr6t underwhelming in standard form as well IMO. First time I drove one I thought... is that it?!

Franco Cozzo · 07-04-2019, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smoo

Yeah, this wasn’t such an issue by the time BF and FG came with the higher rev limit and 6 speed autos, even though the stigma remained.
Consistent complaints of the Boss when first launch of what you described was more apparent with the 260 Boss and the BAs 4 Spd auto super tall gearing. Power delivery the same as most other quad cam V8s but by ‘03 they all had more ratios/better gearing.
This also made the xr6t underwhelming in standard form as well IMO. First time I drove one I thought... is that it?!

The only ones I've driven have been ZF variants (BF) - nothing under 3500 RPM then it woke up, be much more entertaining to drive as a manual rowing it through the gears, to me that engine in stock form more suits a smaller, lighter car, something like a 3 or 5 series size rather than a heavy car like a Falcon.

Reminds me of how a Honda S2000 drives to a degree, it'd get clipped by Grandma in her Corolla until 6000 RPM then 6000 - 9000 RPM it flies.

Maybe they should have worked with the 3V 5.4L a little more as its a torque monster suitable for a circa 1700kg car and more appropriate for the tastes that this type of customer who would have bought a V8 Falcon in the early noughties.

The BTR is a terrible box, that silly first gear, though I imagine a set of 3.9/4.11 gears in the diff would liven up a BTR Boss 260

PooDog · 07-04-2019, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smoo

Yeah, this wasn’t such an issue by the time BF and FG came with the higher rev limit and 6 speed autos, even though the stigma remained.
Consistent complaints of the Boss when first launch of what you described was more apparent with the 260 Boss and the BAs 4 Spd auto super tall gearing. Power delivery the same as most other quad cam V8s but by ‘03 they all had more ratios/better gearing.
This also made the xr6t underwhelming in standard form as well IMO. First time I drove one I thought... is that it?!

The stigma remained because the bore and stroke remained the same , .....I think the later ones were better because didn't they introduce that intake manifold with the vacuum operated long runners to increase low end torque and then switch to short runners up in the revs from memory ?

EFFalcon · 05-04-2019, 02:41 PM

with XR8's so cheap, be good to see a few with these fitted.

KBC · 06-04-2019, 07:43 AM

I think far too many people suffer from the sheep mentality jumping on the band wagon saying they are ****. The LS engines were no power houses in stock form either, they were/are just a hell of a lot easier and cheaper to extract power out of. I think this has a lot to do with the thinking of some people.
Dont get me wrong they were no powerhouses but I do think they have been harshly judged.
These just like the miamis love boost, you only have to look at what they have been doing in the states for years to see what they are capable of.
I love these engines and have a few of the 5.4 quads laying around, I even put one in my Cortina which I am half way through making a 8V-71 blower set up for.

sly_ba · 06-04-2019, 08:41 AM

There are plenty of options outback there for 5.4 owners if they want to go boosted. The problem is getting it engineered and emissions compliment - in Victoria at least. It’s a nightmare.

Franco Cozzo · 06-04-2019, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sly_ba

There are plenty of options outback there for 5.4 owners if they want to go boosted. The problem is getting it engineered and emissions compliment - in Victoria at least. It’s a nightmare.

Run the gauntlet, no one has engineered cars here

sly_ba · 06-04-2019, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

Run the gauntlet, no one has engineered cars here

Not worth the risk. If your going to do it then do it right.

sly_ba · 06-04-2019, 01:52 PM

double post

Blue Roo · 06-04-2019, 11:19 PM

The 5.4L loves Super Charging as well.

Franco Cozzo · 07-04-2019, 08:06 PM

Makes you wonder why it didn't have VCT when the 3V did? Maybe physical size of the head was too big as it was and they couldn't fit it in the engine bay in 4V variant?

Coyote/Miami has VCT right?

**DFB FGXR6** · 07-04-2019, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

Makes you wonder why it didn't have VCT when the 3V did? Maybe physical size of the head was too big as it was and they couldn't fit it in the engine bay in 4V variant?

Coyote/Miami has VCT right?

Size and the fact that the 4V heads were mostly teamed with a supercharger in US applications, negating the need for VCT to fill out the torque curve.

The Coyote versions were redesigned to reduce physical size and allow VCT. They are still a physically big lump though.