I see where the 2005 6.8 liter (only 415 cu in!) V10 puts out 310 horses @ 4250, and 425 ft lbs of torque @ 3250 RPM. The 2005 6 Liter V8 (only 366 cu inches) 32 valve engine puts out 325 horses @ 3300 RPM, and 560 ft lbs of torque @ 2000 RPM. Both of these engines are dead stock with no headers.

What I do not understand is why we can't get similar numbers from a FE - I realize most people on this board are racers, and are looking for high rev engines, but I am wanting one that will last and tow - put down better than the above numbers in the 2k to 3500 RPM range. I want to start up a grade with a load and look for those stinking diesels to wax.

What would it take to get 560 ft lbs of torque at 2K? Can it be done with an engine that will last 100K miles under that sort of use?

 

Someone correct me if I am far out in left field......

I have seen and heard of many newer engines that are creating more HP and T due to individual electronic ignition. By that I mean they have a coil system for each cylinder as well as a computer that controlls the individual firing of each cylinder. Add to that computer controlled fuel injection, multi valve systems and stock three inch exhaust and you can't help but get better numbers as long as no one angers the gremlins in the little black boxes.

Then you take and put a four or five speed electronically controlled automatic behind the darn thing and pull to your hearts desire.

It just worries me when I open the hood and don't recognize much of what I am seeing......

 

You are right, of course, but you are only talking about a small increase in power, however, there is a increase in drivability issues. With a perfect tune on a test bed dyno, the differance in power output can only be very small.

 

Well, the 6.0 V8 is a turbo charged DIESEL, with a variable pitch turbo. It makes high boost off idle. Quite a wonderful invention. Adapt it to an FE and I'm sure you can get all kinds of LOW rpm torque also.

With all the technology leaps since the FE came out, it is pretty easy to make these kinds of numbers. Timing and fuel management really help.

 

The FE died almost 30 years ago and the techonolgy is pretty old, but you can get outrageous numbers out of an FE. Plain and simple, its capable of a ton of power but its old.

 

I've seen some dyno #'s on FE's that will put those things to shame.

Check out Ratsmoker's dyno page.

http://www.clubfte.com/users/ratsmoker/Dyno.html

The build I'm (still in process.. poor block's been sitting a long time) working on should put out 415 horses at 5500rpm (peak) and 480+ft/lbs between 2000-3500 rpm.

Compared to 310/425 on that V10.. Yea, I'll be happy

 

There's one big thing you're forgetting - the numbers for the V10 are NET - with accessories. That's good for 50 ft/lbs or more torque being lost.

When you run an FE's specs through Desktop Dyno or some such, you are looking at GROSS output without accessories.

The 390 I built for my '74 has 11:1 compression, 292/292 adv duration cam, .554/.554" lift, CJ exhaust valves, headers, TRW forged pistons, etc. etc. Someone desktop-dynoed it and it was lucky to put out 425ft/lbs GROSS.

My '01 V10 puts out 425 NET. Meets much stricter emissions, same gas mileage (15 or so on the highway), etc. etc, it's totally stock, starts right up at 10 degrees F idles smooth as glass, you get the idea.

I can't justify the '74 anymore except as a hobby... I was idling it near the garage door one day for 15 minutes and I heard this weird beeping noise - it was the CO detector in the garage going NUTS because it was at 625ppm which means DEATH in 45 minutes - I got so sick I was vomitting all night.... and the truck was parked 20 ft away from the garage. I don't have to worry about CO as much with my '01

Big thing for newer motors is the long-individual-runner intakes that EFI gets you - can't do that with a carb.

 

Did you guys notice that the 6.8 liter V10 has a stroke of 4.16? That is almost 2 tenths of an inch more than even a 428! Lets just level the playing field. If someone built a 390 with a 4.125 crank, a stock cam, and sequential EFI I'll bet it would out perform the V-10. It would not get the mileage because of a less efficient overall design, but it wouldn't be that far behind. I have a 99 V10, and it realistically gets about 10 mpg on the freeway. 13 if I baby it. And believe me, the advertised numbers on my engine are BEST CASE numbers only, I doubt I've ever experienced them.

-Scouder

 

Yup, that's one of the modular's strong points, it's long stroke - but then we get things like piston slap (not me, though)...

I would imagine you are right about an FE with that much stroke. The right cam (and cam timing), the right long-runner intake, etc would surely make up the difference. Look at what a 390 does over a 360 - only 30 cubes but a heck of a lot more torque than just 30 cubes would make - same with the 410 over the 390 - only 20 cubes more, but more torque than the cubes would make ..

With roller tappets and rockers and a real roller timing chain, the "efficiency" would probably come way up, enough to make the OHC vs. pushrods a moot point.

Interesting ...

 

Remember, the FE 427 "SOHC" put out around 640 HP. So you could consider that with overhead cam heads the FE holds holds its own with the new mod motors.
Paul G.

 

Slap Tec3 fuel injection and ignition on a mild 428 with a roller cam and it'll blow a new V10 away. The $3K price scares most away though. This is a long way out, but I'm working on a patent for variable duration camshaft timing. I like FE's and it's highly likely with the oil supply already at the deck surface, an FE will become the overhead variable duration camshaft testbed. Likely a 390 bottom end. A single small diameter jackshaft in the head belt driven 1:1 with the crank driving one of my 2:1 variable cam duration and timing units for each camshaft lobe through camfollowers to the valves. 2 valves per cylinder and semi-hemi chambers. This is NOT something that will ever be produced as an add-on for older engines, but it'll be cool to see an engine family that's been out of production for 28 years be at the forefront of emurging engine technology.

 

How many of these were made and where can I get my hands on one?

 

I'll find you one for just 10% of the purchase price :-)

 

You can expect to pay well over $20K for a complete original SOHC 427 engine. You don't see them very often. I have only seen one once in person. They are out there if you have the cash. Ford wanted to put it in the NASCAR galaxie's but Nascar said no way. Ford would have crushed everyone on the track. Too bad, if Nascar had said yes, you would have been able to buy a SOHC galaxie. Here is a picture of what one looks like. They came from ford with either a single 4 barrel, or dual 4 barrel. This one is set up with what I believe is a hilborn injection setup, but I'm not so sure of that. Do a google search for "Ford Cammer" or "Ford SOHC" and you can find a good bit of info on the motor.

Paul G.

 

a buddy of mine has two of them. blown injected on nitro methane. he's got a couple of old comet funny cars. i'll see if he wants to sell one...