A disheartened 4.6L owner

[Unit 5302]

Originally posted by wade73:
just a thought, but aren't the 5.0's actually 4.9's?? if memory serves, they were a cc short of being able to even round up to a 5.0....4949 to be exact...

the 4.6's have a higher redline and a flatter horsepower/torque curve. having just spent a week in a friends low mileage '95 4.9L, I would take my 4.6 anyday...

The 5.0 was given the name 5.0 to avoid confusion with the 4.9L 300ci I-6 found in the truck lineup. This designation began in 1978 on the King Cobra version Mustang II. Technical displacement of the 5.0 is 4942cc (4942.22....). It's technical displacement in SAE is 302ci (301.59....) The 4.6L is technically 4.6L (4593.47...) or 280ci (280.31...). It's called a 281 though.

The 351W isn't actually a 351 either. It's a 352. they called it the 351 to avoid confusion with the 352 FE block that was retired.

The seat of the pants dyno doesn't work to determine powerbands. Rated hp and torque come in at a lower rpm than the ratings with the 4.6L, but neither engine revs well when stock, and the 4.6L favors the same shift points or lower than the 5.0. Furthermore, it actually took MM&FF more work to get the first Gen 1 GT into the 14's than it did for their first 99 Base Mustang. They were able to muster high 14's out of their stock 94-95GT's without a whole lot of fuss. By the way, I test drove a 95GT and thought it was a complete dog, so I can certainly agree with that.

Originally posted by Lizard King
...This guy in town has a very impressive 347 stroker (based on a 5.0, obviously) ... he should be running right now at about 350HP at the crank, he is going to add a 300 shot of nos (bottom end built for it). If you think about that for a second, not many 4.6 can say ... yeah I'll run a 300 shot of NOS. Allthough the new 4.6L stock can do some impressive numbers, the 5.0 can be very very impressive when properly modified.

I can also say with authority, 350hp at the crank from a 347 stroker isn't very impressive, and a 300hp shot on the top of 350hp will grenade a stock 5.0 block, it's just a matter or time. The stock 5.0 bottom end is good for 400hp+, and the stock block begins to get iffy at 400-450hp or so. Past 500hp and you're rolling the dice. Add a main girdle, a good rotating assembly and you might be able to run safely for an extended time at 500hp. A well built 347 stroker will put down 400hp at the crank without much problem. A well built 302 will put down 350-375. The weakness in the stock 5.0HO block (including 1986GT) is the main webbing. It's cast thin. The 1986 GT has a .030" thicker casting.