New member with what may be a silly question, but I'm not much of a gear-head, and expect to be schooled, so I'll ask it.

I'm looking at buying a used F150, probably in the '06-'07 range. I've been driving my wife's '07 Edge a bit, and I really like how much power it has for it's size and was hoping for something comparable in a truck.

Looking at the drivetrain options for the F150, I'm seeing that the 4.6L sits around 230hp for the '06 or close to 250hp on the '07. Looking at the Edge, the 3.5L V6 has 265hp! More than the 4.6L in a vehicle weighing a half ton less! The Edge also produces almost 9% more torque/lb of curb weight as well.

I'm probably leaning toward the 5.4L, just because I would like the power to be available if I need it, but can anyone explain why the 4.6L seems so anemic? Shouldn't an engine with 1100cc more displacement and two more cylinders produce more power?

 

Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) this topic has been discussed to great lengths in other threads...

I personally don't know why Ford decided to make the 4.6 so underpowered compared to other engines of the same or smaller displacements.

 

I did a couple searches and everything I've found was comparing the 4.6 to other trucks with similar engines or those in the same class. Nothing that really addresses my question.

I guess what I'm wondering is how an engine this big can have less hp(overall) and torque(by weight) than a non-turbo V6 in a crossover built in the same year?

 

Probably has to do with the fact that Ford had the 4.6l for even the 97-03 generation and they didn't do much to it over the years.
The 3.5l is a newer engine, correct? If so, consider that the reason it has more power.

Just like the new 5.0 liter has more power than the 5.4, the 3.5 has more than the 4.6.
Go with the 5.4, that way you won't be disappointed or have any regrets in the future. Live life with no regrets

 

I know that the Edge was in it's first year in '07, so it could very well have been a new engine, but I don't know.

So basically a 2007 4.6L is still a 10+ year old design? Has engine design advanced that much in the last decade?

Is the 5.4 a newer design than the 4.6?

 

So it looks like the 5.4 started in 1997 at only 235 HP and has worked it's way up to 300 in the 04-08 models and over 300 in the 09-10.

The 4.6 also started in 1997 with 220 HP working up to 260ish in the 07-08 models and almost 300 in the 09-10.

Both came out the same year. I would say that yes it has advanced quite a bit recently, and I hope to only see more advancement.

 

https://www.f150forum.com/f68/ford-4-6-why-123764/

I started this thread a while ago basically asking the same question...

The 4.6 can be potent but it costs money to get there...if you are looking at getting a new truck, the two engine options are pretty awesome.

If you are getting an older truck, the 5.4 is the best way to go.

 

Yeah, mods are completely out of the question financially. Losing half my fuel economy is gonna hurt, too, coming from a 2-door Civic. But we've got our first kid on the way and I need something with more than two doors and preferably a bed.

Power certainly couldn't hurt either. The civic has the best engine they put in them back then, but it's only a 127hp 1.7L. It's not bad for what it is, but adding two people increases the load by 20%, since it's only a 2,500lb car (I'm not a small guy). With anything more than a driver, it has to downshift like crazy to climb bigger hills at freeway speed. I'm trying to avoid the same issues in a newer rig, which is why I'm leaning toward the 5.4L.

I'm assuming you're referring to '06/'07 as "older"? I'm coming from a 2001, so that seems pretty new to me...

BTW, I looked it up, and the Edge has the DOHC Cyclone engine, introduced in Model Year 2007 to replace their Mondeo line, so yes, it's a pretty new design. Guess that explains why it has so much better output than Tritons of the same year.

 

[QUOTE=Xader;2419609]Yeah, mods are completely out of the question financially. Losing half my fuel economy is gonna hurt, too, coming from a 2-door Civic. But we've got our first kid on the way and I need something with more than two doors and preferably a bed.

Power certainly couldn't hurt either. The civic has the best engine they put in them back then, but it's only a 127hp 1.7L. It's not bad for what it is, but adding two people increases the load by 20%, since it's only a 2,500lb car (I'm not a small guy). With anything more than a driver, it has to downshift like crazy to climb bigger hills at freeway speed. I'm trying to avoid the same issues in a newer rig, which is why I'm leaning toward the 5.4L.

I'm assuming you're referring to '06/'07 as "older"? I'm coming from a 2001, so that seems pretty new to me...

Well it is 2013 so I guess an '06/'07 would be considered older but I giuess compared to an '01 it is newer...at least you can start your truck shopping knowing a 5.4 is the best engine for you, and the good news is that Ford made a pile of them and there are many for sale as a result. The most fun is the hunt for a vehicle so good luck and happy hunting... If you can find a good used King Ranch, they are sexy...

 

Don't count the 4.6L out. The motor is tougher than the 5.4 and is generally problem-free. It's got plenty of low-end torque and performs pretty well. Fuel economy is reasonable- my 2008 Supercab 4.6L 4x2 returns approximately 17mpg highway in the OKC metro at 60-70mph. It can tow, it can haul, it can get up and run at 90+ if you want it to. It's also easier to maintain than the 5.4, and there's plenty of parts for it. Even in a stock truck, it's a pretty decent motor- certainly no worse than the 5.4! In all honesty, the truck is going to drive the same regardless of your motor, even if you go with a 4.2L V6. You're not going to see problems with hills and such in most places, and adding a few hundred or even a thousand pounds to the load isn't going to change driving dynamics much at all.

I'd go with a 4.6L over a 5.4 if everything else were equal, unless you're going to be towing/hauling a LOT of stuff daily. In that case, I'd go to a diesel F250. My 08 has been excellent on and off-road (nothing crazy, just desert trails), and in low gear, there's no difference at all. Heck, my 140-hp I6 1991 Supercab was slower, but still functional. (Car transmissions are built for efficiency and shift more than truck transmissions).

If you want to keep your Civic, a 97-03 or lower-priced 04-08 would be right up your alley, and you really won't get enough on trade-in to justify taking the gas hit. If you're in Oklahoma and don't want the Honda, I'll take it off your hands!