Hey, I just bought a 2003 Exp with the 4.6 aluminum block engine. I did not realize it had an aluminum block until after I purchased the truck. I have been reading the treads and have not read much about these engines and there expected life. Are they as reliable as the old cast block 4.6? I had a 96 F-150 with one and it had 173k and was running strong.

 

I am not sure how they stand up in trucks, but in the cars, they live a long and happy life just like the cast ones. Many car performance guys prefer the aluminum block to the cast one because it is lighter and the aluminum block is the only one that you can do a Big-Bore to. If you don't really want it, you can replace it with a cast one and sell your aluminum one to a mustang guy.

 

Is this the 4V head 4.6? I was looking online and Ford Racing offers those as crate motors for $5500. Other parts are bit more expensive to replace, as well... probably due to it's limited production, yet hi-po nature.

-Kerry

 

The Explorer got a 2V Aluminum motor and I believe the 06 Explorer has an Aluminum 3V motor. The main difference between the Explorer and normal 4.6 was the blocks and accessory placement. This motor will have the same heads, cams, pistons, rods, crank as the mustang motor. I haven't checked out FRPP on their 06 catalog, but they did not offer this as a crate motor in 05. The only crate 4.6L motors I have seen was the 99 Cobra, 00 Cobra and 03-04 Mach1 motors.

If you are referring to the 5.0L DOHC Big-Bore Cammer motor. The last time I checked the 5.0L Cammer was $15000.00 and just the block was $3100.00. You don't need the 4V heads for a 5.0L Big-Bore, I have a Big-Bore 2V motor to go into my TBird.

 

I like it very much it runs great. I plan on keeping it a long time it has 40k on it now. And I read somewhere that it was only good for 100k. This statement worried me and I was trying to get some answers. If it were not as good as the old cast I might try to get out of . hoping to hear some 200k 300k stories on the aluminm block. I believe it has 2 valve heads.

 

It has 2V heads. Treat it well and you will see 200 - 300 K on it pretty easily.

 

When he wrote Exp, I was thinking Expy... hence the 4V Navi motor question. I, as well as others, refer to Explorers as Exploders ....knock on wood .

-Kerry

 

The 2003 Expeditions 4.6s have the all aluminum engine in them. I have one. The question I have is are the cylinders sleeved? I would hate to think Ford left the cylinders aluminum like Chevy did with the early Vegas.

If the cylinders are not sleeved I may be having mine for sale soon.

2003 is the only year that the 4.6/2V was used in the Expedition.

 

The Aluminum motors are sleeved.

 

Thank goodness. I didn't think Ford would be stupid enough to not sleeve them, but in these days of cost cutting at the expense of quality, you never know.

 

Unfortunately the sleeves don't just slide out, though. The aluminum is cast around them.

-Kerry

 

the 4.6 2v was used in all expy's as the base engine from 1997-2004

 

Originally Posted by yardbird
2003 is the only year that the 4.6/2V was used in the Expedition.
ford390gashog posted:
the 4.6 2v was used in all expy's as the base engine from 1997-2004

I was referring to the all aluminum 4.6/2V as only being available in the Expedition for model year 2003. I guess I forgot to put all aluminum in that sentence.

I did read like I was stateing that the 4.6 was only in the 2003, but that is not what I meant, just the all aluminum 4.6 in 2003.

Thanks for pointing out my omission, it could have led someone wrong.