CUSTOMIZABLE FORD 5.4L 4V IRON BLOCK ENGINE

Details & Specifics

Deck Plate Honing 

Deck plate honing is used to ensure that the cylinder bores are as round as possible during the honing procedure. Normally when a cylinder head is bolted to the engine, the load of the bolts/studs being torqued causes the bores to deform. Most factory honed blocks at the OEM level, as well as most basic rebuilds, just employ honing the block without any kind of torque plate to replicate the stresses and bore deformation. While this still allows for a decent finished product, it leaves some performance on the table. Livernois uses a custom deck plate in order to perfectly replicate these stresses, and to ensure that the bores are perfectly round to ensure maximum ring seal and performance. Livernois uses its own in house CNC department to make custom deck plates that exactly match the cylinder heads, which takes deck plate honing even one step beyond just using the more readily available deck plates which are just ordinary pieces of aluminum.

Align Honing

In order to properly set main bearing clearances, as well as establish the proper crush on the main bearings, Livernois align hones every single engine we build. For a lot of our competition, align honing is an extra cost add-on, but at Livernois we're serious about performance and durability, and align honing the main bearing bores and setting main bearing clearance and bearing crush is a must, so we do it on every engine. This procedure uses a specific align honing machine, that uses an adjustable mandrel that has custom ground stones on it to hone out the main bores. This method involves checking bearing clearance and housing bore sizes, then determining the correct size the bores need to be and honing them to achieve this size. While our competition may skimp and omit this procedure, we believe strongly in the need to align hone, and properly set bearing clearances along with bearing crush, on every engine we build. 

Rod Bearing Clearances

Another critical area of the engine is the rod bearings and setting rod bearing clearance. In order to ensure the correct rod bearing clearance, along with the correct bearing crush, we go through and measure and set every rod bearing clearance, on every engine we do. 

Block Deburr & Radiusing

Each engine is carefully hand deburred to ensure that stress risers and sharp edges are removed from the blocks. This important step increases the block’s durability at higher power levels. Some of the deburr work is to remove sharp edges to aid in assembly work, while other deburring is done to remove sharp edges that cause stress risers and potential weak points. 

Oil System Modifications

In order to ensure proper oil delivery to all the bearing surfaces in the engine, Livernois spends extra time modifying oil passages to remove flow restrictions. Beyond those steps Livernois also modifies oil holes for increased flow under pressure, and to ensure correct oiling at higher RPM and loads. 

Pistons

We offer a wide array of pistons choices that are selected, and depending on options, designed and available exclusively by Livernois Motorsports. Each design is selected to match the specific needs and requirements of the engine and application. In order to achieve maximum performance and reliability, we have taken our knowledge and experience from over 30 years of racing, and decades of building race winning engines. Combined with the extensive time spent working with OEMs on development, We choose each piston to be a perfect fit for the application. While our premium line of proprietary pistons contain features like increased ringland thickness, increased skirt thickness, added struts and bracing, revised ringland stack, custom skirt profile, and many other things for those that demand the best of everything. 

Rods

Choosing a connecting rod design is critical for engine durability and intended use. We offer multiple premium options, from more budget minded H-beam designs, to higher end I-beam offerings, and even top-level Carrillo Billet Rods, these rods are designed to handle the increased horsepower and torque of a modified performance engine. With standard features many others charge extra for, and precision tolerances of just .0001, these rods are the best available. 

Crankshaft

Each crankshaft is precision balanced, and treated to a variety of treatments in order to ensure the best possible performance and durability. Our own in house CNC modifies the oil passages for increased flow, while added polishing steps ensure a perfect surface finish. 

Standard Components

• Built from your supplied Gen 3 5.0L Aluminum Block (New Production Blocks Available)
• Built using your supplied OEM Forged Crankshaft (New OEM Crankshaft Available)
• User Selectable Forged Pistons
• User Selectable Forged Connecting Rods
• Tri-Metal Performance Main Bearings
• Tri-Metal Performance Coated Rod Bearings

Machine & Assembly Work

• Deck Plate Honed Cylinders
• Main Housing Bores Align Honed 
• Block Deburr and Radiusing 
• Oil System Modifications
• Balance Rotating Assembly
• Rod Clearances Set
• Rings Hand Gapped and Filed
• Shortblock Assembly 

• 2007-2009 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 5.4 Liter Supercharged
• 2008-2009 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500KR 5.4 Liter Supercharged
• 2000 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra R 5.4 Liter Naturally Aspirated
• 1999-2004 Lincoln Navigator Base 5.4 Liter Naturally Aspirated