A 5.4 is stuck at 330 cubic inches. The Windsor isn't. If/when Ford does the smart thing and destroke and open up the bores, I'll give it another look. I wouldn't transplant a mod into another truck much less a Yugo.

 

i like my pushrods

 

From the factory the Windor was "stuck" at 351 cubic inches. Yet, we saw the aftermarket open it up to 393, 408 and even 427 cubic inches. The aftermarket already has the modulars to over 360 cubic inches with more to come, I'm sure.

 

Wow a 6.0 modular. $4500 for a bare block! What a bargain.



Variable valve timing doesn't sound very simple.

 

Sure it does... and I did overlook that, I hadn't realized the 3-valve 5.4L has variable valve timing. But none of the other modulars, the 4.6L, 2-valve 5.4L and V10 have VVT.

But VVT doesn't require OHC, just makes it easier.

 

I totally agree. I'll leave it at this: (loosely paraphrased from an automotive tech article about the differences in the big 3 V-8's)

Ford asks Dodge why do they need two sparkplugs. Dodge asks Ford why do they need OHC and 3 or 4 valves. Chevy asks Ford and Dodge why do they need any of that.

I guess I'm just old fashioned. Anyway you see it, if you fork over enough dough you can get whatever you like.

 

Go price an all aluminum 351W based block, then come back and talk.

 

there are kits to stroke/destoke the mod motors just like the old ones.

 

What advantage does a short stroke/big bore engine have in a truck?

The OHC 5.4L makes more power than the 351W or 350 ever thought about and it does it at a lower rpm.

 

Posted by ratsmoker...What are the DISadvantages of a very long rod/long stroke engine with small bores? Answer...there is no room for piston skirts large enough to stabalize them in the bore leading to the complaints of "piston slap" and knocking noises.

Apparently Ford was "trapped" by the modular's design of small bores and close bore spacing. They could have achieved larger displacment and been able to use pistons with enough diameter and skirt to prevent these problems. Those long 5.4L rods act like pry-bars on those small diameter, short skirt pistons. To me the modular's main limitation is the bore diameter.

Krewat...Relax.
Let's just use cylinder head gasket R&R as an example (this is an abbreviated description)
With a pushrod engine you remove the valve covers, intake and exhaust manifolds, pull the rockers and pushrods and remove the heads.
With the OHC modular V8 you do all of the above PLUS remove the crank pulley, timing cover (aprox 19 bolts) remove timing chain tensioner and guides, remove both timing chains, remove the bolts from the aluminum heads by loosening them 1/4 turn at a time in the reverse order of the tightening sequence. Then upon reassembly you must re-time both chains/camshafts and re-install all of the parts you just removed etc,etc...
That's a lot of extra time to R&R a lot of extra crap that never has to be touched to do the job on a pushrod engine.

 

The piston slap issue didn't have anything to do with stroke, bore or rod/stroke ratio. It has subesquently been fixed as well. BTW, Chevy has had some piston slap problems with their new engines as well, so it's not just Ford and it's not just their long stroke design that causes it. NEXT!

 

The question is whether you need all of that stroke (and friction that comes with it) to make good low end power. Not imo. 3.75"x3.75"=331. Plenty for torque and better suited for higher revving if hotrodded.

6 years later the piston slap problem has been corrected. Another casualty in the quest for low friction and light weight. Not in the same class as a sparkplug blowout.

 

The Chevy 454 has a stroke that is almost as long as the 5.4. The 5.4 even has a better rod/stroke ratio. I don't hear anyone griping about the inability to hotrod a BBC.

 

What piston slap? My 1992 crown vic (4.6L) and my 200 F-150 (5.4L) run perfectly quiet. I never have piston slap. They are by far the smoothest running engines I have ever seen. The chevy pushrod engines are the only engines I hear complaints about for piston slap. Maybe my 1992 was just a lucky car?

 

Please go to the modular forum here and do a search on this condition. Also see bigsnag's response on this "non issue"
That's because the big block Chevy has a big bore diameter and pistons to go with those long rods.