F250 Super Cab w/5.4L 3 valve engine

[devildog80]

Bought the truck for salvage price & clear title, from local garage, for a grandpa/grandson project. Grandson moved on with his now pregnant girlfriend, work, and making his way in the world after graduating high school this year.
The truck has a blown/locked up 5.4L 3 valve interlocking engine, still 2 spark plugs (6&8) seized in PS head, and truck has 265,000+ miles on it, but still in decent shape. Has AZ State stickers on it, so we would assume rode hard & put up wet for most of its life, but still solid and would make a good camping rig.
The ambition was, for both of us to rebuild the engine, but now I would like to just get the engine swapped out. Anyone have good recommendations on best way scenario to do this, perhaps you have a wrecked truck with a running engine on your place, you would sell/barter the engine out of it?

https://flic.kr/p/2pb1sKJ]20231016_084958[/url] by https://www.flickr.com/photos/195585920@N02/]Scott Weckerly[/url], on Flickr

https://flic.kr/p/2paUqS1]20231016_084939[/url] by https://www.flickr.com/photos/195585920@N02/]Scott Weckerly[/url], on Flickr

https://flic.kr/p/2pb2oPC]20231018_110448[/url] by https://www.flickr.com/photos/195585920@N02/]Scott Weckerly[/url], on Flickr

https://flic.kr/p/2pb1NgZ]20231016_085113[/url] by https://www.flickr.com/photos/195585920@N02/]Scott Weckerly[/url], on Flickr

 

[65 sporty]

Used 5.4 3V command a high price because of the issues with them. Cam phasers, low oil pressure to name a couple. I have done remans in a few trucks that have needed engines. Low oil pressure issues are common and grooved cam journals are a big issue, reman heads would be needed. I have never checked into rebuilding one because of the warranty with the reman, and the cost may be close of the reman vs rebuilding

Check here for local yards near you if you want used

Car-Part.com--Used Auto Parts Market

 

[devildog80]

Priced reman engines from $2100-2800 and one direct from Ford looks to be about $3200, so money value seems to point to the Ford direct engine. True that rebuild kits are priced about the same range as a reman engine, the experience of rebuilding it was the goal, to teach my grandson how to get it done. Just need to have that kind of money available. In my area I would gamble the truck would be worth around $5500 with new engine, needs a steering column swap, some cleanup inside/outside to get that, so not a big money maker when all said & done for resale project. But with full size frame, 8' bed, auto/air/jumpseat in cab, worth it for fixing to use it myself.......to me anyway.
So.......if I found a running engine someone had for a few hundred, drop it in the truck just to get it running, then sell for maybe $3500......1) it puts the truck back in service to live a few more years, 2) it is a solid rig and would make a good work truck for someone without fixing a bunch of little stuff too on my side, 3) priced right for someone who needs a cheaper rig. I am sure there were a lot of construction trailers pulled with this truck, as it has the size & power to do it, just can't see sending it to the salvage yard just yet.

 

[devildog80]

My old farmer/rancher brain seeing more life in this truck, and hate to see it all just go to the crusher, but maybe its for the best? Takes a bit to realize that so much throw away engineering goes into vehicles nowadays, so maybe I am just kidding myself to think the truck still has life left in it? Maybe someone would be interested it getting the truck from me, to fix and use themselves?

 

[devildog80]

Well........sold this for scrap today, as too iffy trying to find a good engine
Thanks everyone for feedback

 

[7mopar]

Could have made someone a good truck.
Replacing even engines in them is a very time consuming affair. Not at all like trucks in our past. Removing the front clip and the cab are almost a necessity.

Without tools and equipment to work on it you may have made the right choice.

If you are still looking for a project. Forget the cab forward design truck and think less electronics.

I am not afraid of technology but why put yourself through the factory headache.

Yes I own an 06 F250.

 

[devildog80]

I have my two Jeeps I would much rather play with, and still do, and both are registered and driving. As my grandson wanted to learn more about mechanicing on vehicles, for $400 shell it looked like a good project for him, and has the computers for him to learn as well. Finding out he is REALLY in the mindset of his 18 yr old age & his generation, if the computer does not tell you to check oil, tire pressure, coolant level, etc......then everything is good.
My son gave my two grandsons (18 & 19) a 2003 Explorer, it had 265,000 miles on it but ran decent enough to get the boys around, IF....and I say a HUGE IF, they took care of it. As the computer in a 2003 vehicle is an antique in computer aging, it did not tell them all these things. YEP.....never checked the oil or other fluids....GRANDPA.....WHY DOES THE TRUCK TICK & RATTLE WHEN I START IT UP? IT DOES IT WHEN I DRIVE IT TOO BUT LOUDER ON THE INTERSTATE AT 80 MPH? WHAT DO YOU THINK IS WRONG? UGH.......they live an hour away, on the west side of PHX Metro Valley here, and they ran the engine low of oil and trashed it. So there was that lesson......FOR ME! Do not plan to pass any vehicle down to them, that is older than the current year of my death.....someday.

My personal newest is an '07 Dakota, which might just be the last/newest vehicle I will ever buy, and have owned for 12 years now. The Jeep project toys......might own many more of those, but do not need to buy anything newer than '07 I have right now.