Next Navigator project
 

I bought two 2003 Navigators to build one to replace our original wrecked Navigator. The body style we like were made from 2003-2006. We bought our 06 in October 2007, it was a one year lease return. We bought it at the wholesale auction from our close friends that are used car dealers.
I bought a “turd” that runs well and drives perfectly. I also bought a “gem” that runs on 4, it has a broken chain to the left head. The 2003-2004 engines are 32 valve 4 cam 5.4L Ford v8 engines. The 2005-2006+ have 24 valve variable cam timing 5.4L Ford v8 engines. Both engines are rated at 300 hp on 91+ fuel. They run very well in these big luxury utility vehicles. The tow rating is 7500 lbs.

I am stripping the turd and I am now evaluating the engine before it goes in the gem. The engine is on a stand and the second picture is of the two piece intake manifold.


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Was that two piece manifold one of Fords better ideas, Andy? Which one, in your experience, works best?

At least it is aluminum. The later engines have a plastic manifold with flaps that move to tune the intake. This aluminum one has one movable flap to tune for torque or horsepower. It has long runners and big ports, it looks like a tunnel ram that they made fit under the hood.

Sounds cool. Any way you can post a picture of the inside of both manifolds? How are the moveable flaps attached?

In a couple weeks, we are headed out today to attend a grandson’s wedding etc.

The 5.4 DOHC was the engine swap of choice for the New Edge Mustang owners of the 2000s. I even know a guy at grandmarq.net that swapped one into a 2003 Crown Victoria and then body swapped an '88 Crown Victoria onto the frame. I would consider doing the swap myself if I had the money to do it.

We just got home yesterday from our trip. 4200 miles, 10 states in 11 days. Saw most of our remote families. Participated in a grandson’s wedding in Bakersfield, CA. My family is historically from California. Both my wife and I were born there as well as my father and both of my wife’s parents. We visited the town my father was born in. My grandfather was born in Pennsylvania about 187?. He moved to California in 1887 and went to work drilling for oil in Taft, CA. My father was born there in the teens. My grandson works in another oil town, Carlsbad NM. He welds oil pipelines, we went that far to visit and meet his wife and new son.

Nice🙂

I bought a used Eaton Truetrac posi for my 2wd Navigator today for $100. They are $750 new on Ebay. 300 mile round trip but my labor is suddenly less expensive now that I am retired. 😀

I'll bet you don't feel the least bit guilty about that purchase, either, do you?