Ok... I've now been here long enough to lodge my foot in my mouth. First, I own a Ford. I have owned, at one time or another, 5 different Ford trucks or SUVs. The last Ch*vy I owned was an '82 Citation in college. HEY! It was FREE!
However, I was reading Motor Trend's latest issue, the Truck of the Year. I already knew that the Envoy won due to some early thumbing. As I read the article, the only thing that was clear was that the new Nissan WOULDN'T win. Except for the pictures, one wouldn't know it was even in the running. So, with skepticism, I read on trying to figure out how the Envoy could beat the new Explorer. To their credit, MT explained fairly well why they picked the Envoy. One of the most impressive bits of machinery on the new GMC was the General's all new, all aluminum 4.2l I-6 that pumps out a whopping 270 HP and 275 lbs/ft of torque. By comparison, the Explorer (which Edmunds lists showing NO V8 availability????) with the 4.0l V-6 pushing an anemic 210 hp and 254 lbs/ft of torque.
Why is Ford short changing us in the engine department? GM's Vortec V-6s have been pushing out lots more power than Fords and now this new I-6 is really almost pushing us with the V8s aside as well! Even the Mustang took special massaging and several trips through FORD's SVT to pull even CLOSE to GM's F-body cars.
Come on Ford! Let's have it!

 

i agree with you ford dosen't seem to compete in the engine department,chevy-gm has 3 nice engines the 4.8,5.3,6.0 and they all get excellent fuel mileage in comparison to ford.I guess ford has been number 1 for so long that maybe the development dept has fallen asleep or are on cruise control.

 

people who like fords buy a ford, these lamer engines havent seemed to effect sales...
look at dodge they do have a new one, but are still using the 5.2, 5.9 318/360's. that 318 has been around for something like 45 years
yet people buy em up like crazy, i agree ford should definatly be outdoin gm, but why would they invest money into designs that are still making plenty $$? its a buisness i guess not a drag race.
besides not all new awesome designs proove to be so awesome after a few years. it could be ford is scared to try something too new, why not let gm test out the water if it works out make a good copy, ill be waiting for fords 4.5l aluminum block i-6, puttin out v-8 power.
-Sam

 

It ain't all in the numbers gm would like you to see! When your 5.3 gm is putting out 285 horses at 5200 rpms, and 325 lb-ft at 4000 rpms it don't mean jack!

I'd rather be running the 5.4 Ford at 260 horses at 4500 and 350 lb-ft at 2500 rpms thanks!

 

I agree with Weldman. I want my power to come in at low RPM. Seems Ford is at the cutting edge of design anyway, as the only of the big three with ohc V engines as their standard line (though I prefer pushrod engines). The new Ford engines power outputs look pretty good to me, especially for their size. As for GM's new I6, it may be to high tech. Let's wait and see what kind of problems it has. What I want is not more high tech, but give me a 1940's era inline flathead six--I prefer simplicity! If I recall correctly, that flathead kicked out its torque peak at a whopping 1200 RPM!

 

Did you happen to see the 0 to 60 times for the envoy and explorer, the envoy as I recall beat the explorer by only a second in time and less than 1 mph in the 1/4 mile. So all that power looks good on paper but doesn't give it a huge advantage on the street.

 

Has anyone driven a new Trailblazer or cousin? I have and the new 4.2L I6 is nothing outlandish. The 270hp is @ 6000rpm. It is an okay motor but not a V8. While I prefer a I6 anyday to a V6, the 4.2L I6 doesn't compare to any newer V8, even if it does "supposedly" have 10hp more than the venerable 5.4L. The 5.4L would rip it a new one anytime.

I don't know about anyone here but I have never had a motor to 6k, and don't plan to go above 3500 for my normal driving. Forget the 4.2L! I also don't want part of the axle sticking through my oil pan!

Ford if your listening, bring back the 300!

As for the 5.3L to 5.4L debate, I'm sorry to say my father owns a 01 Silverado with the 5.3L and is comtemplating trading it for a Supercrew. I've had alot of time behind both the 5.4L and 5.3L and they both have they're advantages and disadvantages. The 5.4L has good hp, better than any of Ford's older small blocks, and EXCELLENT torque. MPG leaves somewhat to be desired, but considerably better than the vernerable 351 could get. The 5.3L on the other hand, gets EXCELLENT mpg, but the worst torque of any truck. The 5.3L needs to be rapped up, like a 302, to get good torque. The HP may be high, but I have yet to feel this 285hp.

In '03 Ford is unveiling a new 3 valve head design for the Triton's. I've just heard rumors on power displacements and what motors get the treatment is still fairly unknown. For fact the 5.4L will get it and is rumored to have 310hp/390ft/lbs of torque. I would assume, since that's a 50hp/40ft/lbs gain, the 4.6L will get 280hp/330ft/lbs of torque?

I got my information from a well-informed friend and Ford employee.

'93 F-150 loaded and modified!

Several other project vehicles

 

I agree with the HP & TQ statements. Who the heck wants high end torque in a truck you might be using for towing or anything else a truck was made to do. I have seen the new Z71 trucks down at the track and they all run 16.5's. Pretty pitiful for all the "horsepower" they produce. I work part time at a quick lube and everybody that has a 4.6 seems to be happy with the mileage but nobody brags about their 5.4L on MPG.

 

Ok... I don't know where you guys are getting your ooomph... But my 4.6L I feel suffers from lack of low-end torque. It is impossible to ascend all but the shallowest of grades without popping out of OD and revving the engine up around 2700 or 2800 rpm. I have tried different rpm ranges in driving up hills around town and ANYTHING below 2000 rpm is useless and typically I need to be in the upper 2000 range to get any good get-up-and-go.
I want to tow a pop-up with this thing but will be periennially out of OD with it.

 

>I want to tow a pop-up with this thing but will be
>periennially out of OD with it.

While the popup probably dosen't weigh that much, I don't think you are supposed to run OD with a load. At least in a manual tranny, OD is the weak link and you don't want to put a lot of torque thru it with a load. My '95 F150 300 I6 with 3.08 rear and 2000 pound trailer ran 3000 miles from Michigan to Wyoming, Colorado and back and I never had it in OD. It turned about 2500 rpm going in the upper 60s of MPH. I will admit my motor home is run in OD most of the time, but the fact that the OD is in a motorhome tells me it must be OK to run it. It has a 460 and an automatic, but I have to cut out OD for steeper grades.

 

What gear ratio do you have in your 4.6L truck? The 4.6L's have better torque and especially better torque in low rpm's than 5L's do/did and I tow with mine okay. I can tow in OD, but I don't use cruise because it will shift all the time.



'93 F-150 loaded and modified!

http://briefcase.yahoo.com/toydestroyer1

 

Guess I must be lucky. My 98 F150 Ext Cab 4x4 will get 19 mpg on the road as long as you keep it under 65 and thats with the 5.4L. Ive never had it get worse than 13. I know several guys with extended cab chevys with the 5.3s and theirs is no better. Im with you guys on the GM engines, there alright if you want a race car. I have driven on of my buddys new chevy and It feels more to me the tranny is slipping then 285 hp.

 

Is there a way to tell what ratio rear end one has?

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 11-Dec-01 AT 08:32 PM (EST)]I once swore I would never buy a vehicle built after 1972.

My thoughts on it are these:

If you can't modify it - Either don't get it or suffer.

That sounds really cold, and it is.

I don't really like new cars and trucks. They have no style, compared to the older ones. They are like some of the developements I have seen, where cookie-cutter houses stand all in a row and the homeowners(?) association forbids individuality...

Forget that, man. I'll go with a street rod every time! Or at least something so close to one that it's personally comfortable to ME

 

xp8103: The easiest way is to look at the door code on the door, and then look in the back of your owner's manual and match the code.

greywolf: While I both disagree and agree with you, I think it's all people choice. But I will say this, at least they're Fords.


'93 F-150 loaded and modified!

http://briefcase.yahoo.com/toydestroyer1