Interesting (I think) reflection re: 3.8L and new Hurricane engine.
I've been wondering about this for years:
I wrote this up for my Yahoo profile:
-In 1999, Ford went crazy on the neglected 3.8L.Ford introduced a Yamaha/SHO style split-port intake manifold and combined the intake with a head utilizing 351/385/400 Cleveland architecture-the same used in the legendary Boss 302.Horsepower increased by 50 hp over the previous 3.8L, and torque rose to 225.The block was reinforced in key areas.In 2001, Intake Manifold Runner Control was introduced which increased torque production along with a new tune that bumped numbers to 193hp/245ft/lbs of torque (the spread between hp & tq points to the easy potential of the engine which was tuned primarily for MPG purposes).The main caps were strengthened in 2001,and the block was made stronger than the Forged ThunderbirdSC blocks of the early 90s.Ford also introduced a new crank alowing an easy swap of 4.2L cranks and more transmission choices.Sixers are pulling 600+hp from the new engines without worry of breakage-the same numbers of an OEM 5.0L. The engine only weighs 300lbs, making it perfect for handling/road racing.
Why would Ford develop an engine that they were planning to kill in 4 years -and THEN replace it with a weaker engine?!
I think I've figured it out.
The 3.8L being the ONLY OHV engine in the lineup was used as a proof of concept for the Hurricane engine.
I predict that if the engine makes the light of day, it will have a split-port intake combined with Cleveland technology - once THOUGHT to be unable to pass emissions and MPG requirements.
The 3.8L made CONSIDERABLY MORE power AND got better MPG than the old style 5.0L heads.
What do y'all think?
__________________
Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness,his upper rooms by injustice,making his countrymen work for nothing...Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar?Did not your father have food and drink?He did what was right and just,so all went well with him. He defended the cause of the poor and needy,and so all went well...But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain,on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion. Jer 22:13, 15-17
The technology produced 33% more horsepower and 11% more torque over the 5.0L style heads, meaning, if applied to a 5.0L the result would be 300 hp (with a conservative MPG tune).
If optimized, to a 1:1 hp/tq number the 3.8L would make 63% more hp over nominal.
meaning an optimized Hurricane using the SHO and Cleveland Technologies would make 367 hp without breaking a sweat.
__________________
Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness,his upper rooms by injustice,making his countrymen work for nothing...Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar?Did not your father have food and drink?He did what was right and just,so all went well with him. He defended the cause of the poor and needy,and so all went well...But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain,on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion. Jer 22:13, 15-17
Got to admit, it all makes sense (except the part about 600hp being the same as a oem 5.0 - those aren't "OE" numbers I've ever seen).
I've seen a few 3.8's with turbocharging making 600hp at the wheels - but only a few, and they weren't very streetable.
No, that's the limit the block will make before having real problems with splitting up the middle, etc.,
not that it's a streetable number (but there are a few streetable ones running around with dual power adders.
running 250+ hp 4.2L NA with a P1SC or turbo at 11 psi (for the SC -turbos are going 15+psi) which gets them 400+hp (which is streetable) then shooting it with a 100+ shot of nitrous when they "really need it."
__________________
Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness,his upper rooms by injustice,making his countrymen work for nothing...Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar?Did not your father have food and drink?He did what was right and just,so all went well with him. He defended the cause of the poor and needy,and so all went well...But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain,on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion. Jer 22:13, 15-17
-In 1999, Ford went crazy on the neglected 3.8L.Ford introduced a Yamaha/SHO style split-port intake manifold and combined the intake with a head utilizing 351/385/400 Cleveland architecture-the same used in the legendary Boss 302.Horsepower increased by 50 hp over the previous 3.8L, and torque rose to 225.The block was reinforced in key areas.In 2001, Intake Manifold Runner Control was introduced which increased torque production along with a new tune that bumped numbers to 193hp/245ft/lbs of torque (the spread between hp & tq points to the easy potential of the engine which was tuned primarily for MPG purposes).The main caps were strengthened in 2001,and the block was made stronger than the Forged ThunderbirdSC blocks of the early 90s.Ford also introduced a new crank alowing an easy swap of 4.2L cranks and more transmission choices.Sixers are pulling 600+hp from the new engines without worry of breakage-the same numbers of an OEM 5.0L. The engine only weighs 300lbs, making it perfect for handling/road racing.
Why would Ford develop an engine that they were planning to kill in 4 years -and THEN replace it with a weaker engine?!
I think I've figured it out.
The 3.8L being the ONLY OHV engine in the lineup was used as a proof of concept for the Hurricane engine.
I predict that if the engine makes the light of day, it will have a split-port intake combined with Cleveland technology - once THOUGHT to be unable to pass emissions and MPG requirements.
The 3.8L made CONSIDERABLY MORE power AND got better MPG than the old style 5.0L heads.
What do y'all think?
You are giving Ford far too much credit here. The Hurricane engine was never a proactive project, especially not one as far back as 99 (or earlier if you consider the fact that they worked on the engine a few years before it was introduced). Rather, the Hurricane engine program is a response to Fords competition coming out with big displacement, big horsepower V8's. The Hurricane engine program arose from the introduction of Dodge's Hemi and Nissan's 5.6 V8. Nice try, though!
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2008 Toyota Tacoma Prerunner SR5 Reg Cab
2.7 4 banger
No mods (yet...)
You are giving Ford far too much credit here. The Hurricane engine was never a proactive project, especially not one as far back as 99 (or earlier if you consider the fact that they worked on the engine a few years before it was introduced). Rather, the Hurricane engine program is a response to Fords competition coming out with big displacement, big horsepower V8's. The Hurricane engine program arose from the introduction of Dodge's Hemi and Nissan's 5.6 V8. Nice try, though!
Ok, so they just went crazy on an engine they were going to kill? and then replaced it with an engine with significantly less reliability & strength?
Maybe Ford is schizoid . . .
__________________
Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness,his upper rooms by injustice,making his countrymen work for nothing...Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar?Did not your father have food and drink?He did what was right and just,so all went well with him. He defended the cause of the poor and needy,and so all went well...But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain,on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion. Jer 22:13, 15-17
Ok, so they just went crazy on an engine they were going to kill? and then replaced it with an engine with significantly less reliability & strength?
Maybe Ford is schizoid . . .
They went crazy on an engine that found its way in more Mustangs than the V8 did and that had been making less horsepower than the competition for a few years. Remember that the V6 Camaro had been making over 200 hp for a while by 99. Ford was just trying to keep up. See a pattern here?
Also consider that the 4.0 is a "filler" engine. When Ford was planning the S197, they already knew that they had the 3.5 in the works, but it wasn't going to be ready. They needed a V6 in the mean time that was making more power than the current 3.8/3.9 and since the 4.0 was already doing that in the ranger and explorer, it was an easy and cheap fix to a temporary problem.
__________________
2008 Toyota Tacoma Prerunner SR5 Reg Cab
2.7 4 banger
No mods (yet...)
They went crazy on an engine that found its way in more Mustangs than the V8 did and that had been making less horsepower than the competition for a few years. Remember that the V6 Camaro had been making over 200 hp for a while by 99. Ford was just trying to keep up. See a pattern here?
Also consider that the 4.0 is a "filler" engine. When Ford was planning the S197, they already knew that they had the 3.5 in the works, but it wasn't going to be ready. They needed a V6 in the mean time that was making more power than the current 3.8/3.9 and since the 4.0 was already doing that in the ranger and explorer, it was an easy and cheap fix to a temporary problem.
it's been a filler for at least 3 years now . . . going on 4 . . .
the 4.0L doesn't make that much more hp -they could have just thrown in a 4.2L crank . . . .
__________________
Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness,his upper rooms by injustice,making his countrymen work for nothing...Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar?Did not your father have food and drink?He did what was right and just,so all went well with him. He defended the cause of the poor and needy,and so all went well...But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain,on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion. Jer 22:13, 15-17
it's been a filler for at least 3 years now . . . going on 4 . . .
the 4.0L doesn't make that much more hp -they could have just thrown in a 4.2L crank . . . .
Yes, but for some reason Ford chose the 4.0. In the end, everything comes down to the mighty dollar and though it may seem like it would be easier and cheaper to throw a 4.2 in the car rather than the 4.0, it wasn't. Perhaps the 4.0 is less costly to build. From what I've heard from a Ford mechanic of 30 years, the 4.2's have problems with the crank breaking. Despite the 4.0's bad service record, maybe it isn't as bad as the 4.2's. And, yes, the 4.0 doesn't have much more power than the 3.8 but it is enough to offset the increased weight of the S197 and looks good in the consumer's eyes.
__________________
2008 Toyota Tacoma Prerunner SR5 Reg Cab
2.7 4 banger
No mods (yet...)
They went crazy on an engine that found its way in more Mustangs than the V8 did and that had been making less horsepower than the competition for a few years. Remember that the V6 Camaro had been making over 200 hp for a while by 99. Ford was just trying to keep up. See a pattern here?
Also consider that the 4.0 is a "filler" engine. When Ford was planning the S197, they already knew that they had the 3.5 in the works, but it wasn't going to be ready. They needed a V6 in the mean time that was making more power than the current 3.8/3.9 and since the 4.0 was already doing that in the ranger and explorer, it was an easy and cheap fix to a temporary problem.
Except for the fact that the current 4.0 in the S197s is a completely new engine design....
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Yes, but for some reason Ford chose the 4.0. In the end, everything comes down to the mighty dollar and though it may seem like it would be easier and cheaper to throw a 4.2 in the car rather than the 4.0, it wasn't. Perhaps the 4.0 is less costly to build. From what I've heard from a Ford mechanic of 30 years, the 4.2's have problems with the crank breaking. Despite the 4.0's bad service record, maybe it isn't as bad as the 4.2's. And, yes, the 4.0 doesn't have much more power than the 3.8 but it is enough to offset the increased weight of the S197 and looks good in the consumer's eyes.
Nah, the newer 4.2Ls got a better crank.
GT-Eater and others are running 15lbs (SC) -30lbs (Turbos) of boost on 4.2L cranks with no breakage.
__________________
Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness,his upper rooms by injustice,making his countrymen work for nothing...Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar?Did not your father have food and drink?He did what was right and just,so all went well with him. He defended the cause of the poor and needy,and so all went well...But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain,on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion. Jer 22:13, 15-17
Interesting (I think) reflection re: 3.8L and new Hurricane engine. 
