small block V8's

[toph99]

I was reading this month's issue of Muscle Mustangs & Fast Fords, and they occasionaly said "modular 4.6L V8" or "racers with both module and small block's can race in this class" etc. so what's the difference? i know the title's decieving but i figure i'll catch more of you

also, does anyone still have that web page where you can put in gear ratio, tire size, rpm, etc. and it'll spit out how much your speedo will be off with different tire sizes, or you can enter the other info and find out gear ratio etc.?

thanks

 

[Ornery]

The 302ci is "old fashioned". The new 4.6L (289ci) has a wondrous, high tech overhead cam. :Q

 

[Pacfanweb]

The 4.6 and 5.4 V8's, along with the V10, are modular designs, meaning they share the same basic design. They can be made in different sizes by simply changing # of cylinders, or bore and/or stroke, without redesigning the whole engine. They are also overhead cam.

By small blocks, they are referring to the older V8's, such as the 302 and 351.

For your other question, try here

 

[Zenmervolt]

<< The 302ci is "old fashioned". The new 4.6L (289ci) has a wondrous, high tech overhead cam. :Q >>

Ah, but man can that ol' 302 in my dad's Explorer can pull. Talk about a workhorse engine, the 302's put in a good 40 years of service. Still, gotta love the 351 Cleveland too.

ZV

 

[Ornery]

I'm sure not a fan of newer more complex designs. I'll take fuel injection, but the rest of these modular engines just looks too complicated and expensive to fix. I hear rumors that the damn intake manifolds are prone to cracking... swell

 

[Pacfanweb]

<<Ah, but man can that ol' 302 in my dad's Explorer can pull.>>

Hey ZV, betcha my wife's '02 Explorer with the 4.6 V8 will dust that 302.

<<I hear rumors that the damn intake manifolds are prone to cracking... >>

Earlier models of the 4.6 in Mustangs and Crown Vics did....they had plastic intakes that cracked all the time.....there was a recall on it, 97M91 was the number, if I recall correctly. Pretty sure it's expired now. We fixed a bunch of them, though.

What the 4.6 and 5.4 are getting famous for now is oil leaking from the headgaskets. Ford has plenty of experience recalling headgaskets, as anyone with a 95 Windstar with a 3.8 V6 can tell you.

 

[yakko]

Why is a 4.6 liter considered a small block? I know there are cars out there with 2 liter V-8s. That is a small block.

 

[Tominator]

The 4.6 is not a 'small block' as the term is normally used in regards to engine design.

During the 60s a small V8 was put into small cars and a larger or 'big block' was used in large cars. The 'small' was smaller in the physical dimensions of the block compared to the 'big' which was of course larger. Because GM, Ford and Chrysler had both it became a generic term.

 

[Zenmervolt]

<<Hey ZV, betcha my wife's '02 Explorer with the 4.6 V8 will dust that 302.>>

I don't know. What's the towing capacity? It's nearly 5.5 tons with the 302. (see edit below) Plus, IMO the 302 has a better sound than the 280. (280 ci = 4.6 litre) One quick question though. The 302 in my dad's Explorer has developed a demand for premium fuel. It pings on regular and on plus. However, the fuel mileage seems to take a substantial dive when using premium. So far we've been unable to figure out what's up. Any ideas?

ZV

EDIT: Wow, I don't know what I was smoking when I said the above about the towing capacity, but it must have been some strong stuff. No idea why I thought it was 5.5 tons. Real number for the 302 V8 in the Explorer is 5680 lbs. Sorry.

 

[Ornery]

Hard to believe, but a 5.7L (350ci) is considered a small block.

That sounds pretty disgusting, Pacfanweb, about the head gaskets. We've got a '95 4.6L sitting here with about 80K on it. If it's driven like a granny mobile, the gasket should stay intact, right... RIGHT? :Q

Edit: "Any ideas?" Could it be the knock sensor? I have no idea where that is located, how it works or how to test it, but I'm pretty sure there's one in there.

 

[Zenmervolt]

<<Hard to believe, but a 5.7L (350ci) is considered a small block.>>

Bah, that's only because we don't have the 409 (6.7 litre), 427 (7.0 litre), 454 (7.4 litre) and 502 (8.2 litre) V8's anymore. I'd love to see a Crown Vic with a good ol' 454 under the hood.

ZV

EDIT: Knock sensor is a good idea. I suppose we don't have much choice other than to take it to the mechanic since we don't normally mess with the electronics.

 

[notfred]

The 302 and 351 are fantastic motors. How many serious problems did you hear about in a car with a 302?

Oh, and I bet my 302 will dust your 2002 explorer

The chevy 350 was (still is) a good motor, too.

 

[yakko]

Thanks for the answer Tominator.

 

[Kilgor]

<< I'd love to see a Crown Vic with a good ol' 454 under the hood. >>



Yeah the CrownVic would be a decent car with a Chevy motor in it.

 

[Ornery]

"...a good ol' 454 under the hood."

Hell, I don't think I can squeeze my hand in there with a 4.6, let alone a 351ci or larger. These damn little cars these days... :frown:

 

[Tominator]

Ornery I bought my Dad's '95 Marquis with the 4.6...130,000 on it and it runs like a new car...

 

[Ornery]

Something tells me you don't drive it like a granny mobile either. They shoot out of the hole pretty good, don't they? I'm actually surprised they don't do better than a 16.3 quarter mile the way it moves.

 

[Zenmervolt]

<<

<< I'd love to see a Crown Vic with a good ol' 454 under the hood. >>



Yeah the CrownVic would be a decent car with a Chevy motor in it. >>

Semantics. Don't have the Caprice anymore, gotta use the Crown Vic. I realised the 454 was a Chevy right after I posted, oh well. Buddy of mine has a '68 'Vette (I think it's a '68, it's the first year of the "stingray" body style) with the L71 Tri-Power 427. Only puts out 435 HP. Absolutely beautiful car, he did a complete restoration right down to the correct bolts. Looks better than it did when it came off the assembly line.

ZV

EDIT: Getting facts straight.

 

[Tominator]

I'm not as hard on cars as I used to be....this ones got the POLICE PACKAGE!

 

[notfred]

<< I'm not as hard on cars as I used to be....this ones got the POLICE PACKAGE! >>



You mind telling me what the top end on that car is? I'm curious to know if I could outrun the police.
I'm not planning on trying to outrun them, I just want to know if I could

 

[Ornery]

• Wouldn?t you feel more comfortable in a car built originally to police specifications?

 

[Kilgor]

<< You mind telling me what the top end on that car is? I'm curious to know if I could outrun the police. >>



Can't out run the radio.

Crown Victoria
0-60 top speed
1990 N/A 121
1991 11.4 121
1992 N/A 124
1993 9.57 123
1994 N/A 128
1995 N/A 132
1996 9.10 135
1997 10.5 129
1998 9.01 130
1999 8.55 129
2000 8.75 129
2001 8.7 129
2002 8.42 129
2003 8.84 127

Michigan State Police Tests

 

[notfred]

<<

<< You mind telling me what the top end on that car is? I'm curious to know if I could outrun the police. >>



Can't out run the radio.

Crown Victoria
0-60 top speed
1990 N/A 121
1991 11.4 121
1992 N/A 124
1993 9.57 123
1994 N/A 128
1995 N/A 132
1996 9.10 135
1997 10.5 129
1998 9.01 130
1999 8.55 129
2000 8.75 129
2001 8.7 129
2002 8.42 129
2003 8.84 127

Michigan State Police Tests >>



No, but I could outrun all those cars

 

[Ornery]

Cop-mobiles don't have much to work with. Once upon a time, you could make a real machine out of a Caprice, Polara or Crown Vic. Now there's nothing under the hood for a decent foundation. Pathetic...

 

[LAUST]

"The Blindspot"