Hey ya'll,

Why is the 5.4L & 4.6L in this "modular" class?

What does modular mean?

Thanks!

 

Parts are interchangeable thats all.

Rich

 

Actually Rich you are only partially correct. Most of the parts are interchangeable. The modular term comes from how the engines' blocks in this class were designed. The 4.2 V-6, 4.6 and 5.4 V-8's, and 6.8 V-10 were designed with the ease of production and modification for future uses in mind.

The design is like a bunch of building blocks. Each cylinder is a "block." It has the necessary cooling and oil ports built in around it and these ports follow an identical path on every one. So the input of one "block" will fit up to the output on the adjoining "block." You could make a V-4 out of 'em, or an inline four, or even a V-16 just by moving these "blocks" around, removing them, or adding them. The possibilities are limited only by the engineer and meeting the needs of Ford (which is why we don't have a V-16).

Generally modular means you can build to suit, as long as you remain in a fixed parameter (kind of like the mobile home idea). You get a 28'x66' house anyway you want as long as it remains within a given set of floor plans and the 28'x66' perimeter.

Hope that gives you a better idea.

-Kerry