For the Aussy's... Need your help (engine)

[Brian Hamilton]

Hey guys,
My friend and I are looking for a couple of engines that only you lucky Aussy's got. We are looking for the FPV 4.0L DOHC Turbocharged 6 cylinder as well as the FPV 5.4 DOHC V8. I know they're a little difficult to come by, but if someone knows of a salvage yard where you can get a full front clip, or something like that, (with engine, transmission, wiring harness, ECU, etc.) it would be incredible.

What we're planning is to install the 5.4 in my Crown Victoria and ditch the 4.6 SOHC.

As for the 4.0 Turbo, we're going to install that in a 1984 Mustang SVO road race car. My friend Nick wants to run it in AIX and there's no minimum weight for the 4 or 6 cylinder engines. Also the engine has to be a factory motor. We were thinking about a 3.7L 4 cylinder built in the 70's & 80's by Mercury Marine and using a Ford 460 cylinder head, but it came in a boat, not a vehicle. No go with that. The 4.0L straight 6 with a turbo seems like a really great choice. Plus, we like to be a little different.

So, can anyone help us out? If you can find out pricing and availability, that would be great. Also, if you can't find the FPV versions of these engines, that's OK. As long as we have the 5.4 DOHC and the 4.0 Turbo, we can always build them up.

Thanks guys in advance!!!

Brian

 

[Ron Earp]

Not to dampen your spirit or anything, but you can make all the power you could ever harness in that chassis from the 2.3L turbo motor that is in that SVO now. And you can probably do it all for the cost of simply shipping the 4L turbo over.

If a 5.4L DOHC Ford is what you seek get a motor from the Lincoln Navigator. While these engines were only rated at 300hp, it isn't a problem to make 500hp with them - Patriot heads, cams, bit of massaging on the valve jobs with good hardware and you'll be there. Sure, the Boss motors in Australia are rated from like 350-425hp, higher than the motor here, but you're just a few phone calls away from having the same engine - or better actually.

I seriously thought about getting a Mercury Marauder as a daily and doing it up with a six speed and so on. I did look into it and also replacing the 4.6L with a 5.4L DOHC w/blower. I came up with some potential interference problems with the hood line but that can be solved with various aftermarket hoods.

 

[Brian Hamilton]

Ron,
You're right about the 2.3 making SERIOUS power. We did one at Motion Dynamics that was 650 RWHP in a 1988 Turbo Coupe. The engine was over $16,000 when we got done with it (Esslinger aluminum head, bigger valves, porting, custom cam, header, 2.7 billet stroker crank, Pauter rods, Wiseco pistons, roller conversion, custom T3-T04S turbocharger, etc. etc. etc.)

The thing we're going with on this build is something unusual. It's either this engine or a 460cid stroked 351-W based engine. Of course using an aftermarket tall deck block. This car is not really going to stay an SVO as far as looks go. It's been wrecked in the front and the engine is shot as well as the suspension. So it's getting Maier Racing 3" flared fenders and rear quarters as well as new bumper cover, lights, fiberglass doors (maybe), fiberglass hatch, lexan windows, etc. It's going to be a full out race car and we just wanted to make people say "What the hell is that?!" when we open the hood. Haha

I have a salvage company that just replied to an email I sent them 2 days ago and they have a complete 4.0L drivetrain for $9500 AUD or about $7500 USD with shipping and all. Not a bad price, but maybe someone here has something better available.

I have nothing against the 2.3's but man, working on them constantly for 5+ years makes you tired of them. LOL

Laters,

Brian

 

[Doug S.]

Not to dampen your spirit or anything, but you can make all the power you could ever harness in that chassis from the 2.3L turbo motor that is in that SVO now.

At one time I wanted to build a Wilton Tiger, sort of an MG type replica. I was motoring down a street in Houston, TX and actually saw one, stopped the guy and we had a good chat. I had plans on putting a 351C into the small bodied kit, thank goodness I never got into that project--but the car did have a 2.3L 4-banger, and the idea of massaging that motor sure did cross my mind! What a ride that would have been at the HP levels that 2.3 can achieve!!!

Doug

 

[Ron Earp]

Ron,
You're right about the 2.3 making SERIOUS power. We did one at Motion Dynamics that was 650 RWHP in a 1988 Turbo Coupe. The engine was over $16,000 when we got done with it (Esslinger aluminum head, bigger valves, porting, custom cam, header, 2.7 billet stroker crank, Pauter rods, Wiseco pistons, roller conversion, custom T3-T04S turbocharger, etc. etc. etc.)

But that is Customer money with dealer markup. You and I can do it a lot better on our dollar.

One doesn't have to have that Esslinger head for huge power, so knock that off. Port your own, get a good cam. O-ring the head and block. The stock crank can take some serious power, put some rods in it, pistons, T3/O4 with a good impeller and you'll hit 500 at the wheels for not much coin. under $5k easy unless you are buying at the Sachs Fifth of aftermarket parts. Ebay is your buddy.

That inline six from down under is really cool. But, it ain't cheap. Did I read that motor is being dropped shortly? Not that it matters, but I liked it and the world is a better place with it.

 

[Brian Hamilton]

But that is Customer money with dealer markup. You and I can do it a lot better on our dollar.

One doesn't have to have that Esslinger head for huge power, so knock that off. Port your own, get a good cam. O-ring the head and block. The stock crank can take some serious power, put some rods in it, pistons, T3/O4 with a good impeller and you'll hit 500 at the wheels for not much coin. under $5k easy unless you are buying at the Sachs Fifth of aftermarket parts. Ebay is your buddy.

That inline six from down under is really cool. But, it ain't cheap. Did I read that motor is being dropped shortly? Not that it matters, but I liked it and the world is a better place with it.

Yeah, little markup. But you gotta make money in business. It sure was a runnin' sombitch though!!!

As far as the 4.0L, yeah they're dropping it in 2010 for the new EcoBoost engines Ford is coming out with. I kinda wanna see what they're planning on doing with these... Aluminum block & heads, V6, twin turbocharged, direct injected, & DOHC... Hhhmmmm

 

[Doug S.]

How come the Aussies always get all the good stuff?????

Doug

 

[Brian Hamilton]

How come the Aussies always get all the good stuff?????

Doug

Aussies & Europeans. You'd think that American car manufacturers would give US the good stuff, but OOOOH NO!! They give all the cool crap to them... Turbo Focuses & Focus RS's along with the Aussy FPV vehicles are just a few of the neat things we don't get. We also never got the really cool Japanese stuff either. Skylines are at the top of my list there, but I'm not going to whine about it here... LOL

Where are my Aussy buddies!! I know some of you are reading this!! Help a brotha out! Hell, I'd take an intake manifold from a FPV 5.4 DOHC, that's honestly the major thing I need. LOL Ron's right, I can use a Navigator engine for the swap.

 

[David Lowe]

Hi Brian
I know the New Roaring Forties are currently putting the Ford Boss 5.4L DOHC engine in their latest RFGT40's. It might be worth contacting them as they would be purchasing engine, wiring harnesses and parts etc... on an individual basis.
David

 

[Stu Coleman]

You could try these Ford Forums and head to the Section for Site Sponsors - there are a number of places there that might sell what you are after. I've had no personal experience though.

Australian Ford Forums - powered by vBulletin

or more direct

Australian Ford Forums - just arrived BA MK2 Pursuit Ute, coming soon BF GT-P

I'm sure someone else here will have more direct contacts for you

cheers
Stuart

 

[Bill Hara]

BA 4.0ltr Turbo on ebay Australia at the moment, and a 5.4 Boss also.
The Yella Terra blower is a great development for the 5.4 DOHC.

Personally, the 4.0ltr turbo motor I had in my Ute was superb, would love to see it in a different application. It is a real pity Ford US put a stop to this engine, only because Ford Australia didn't have anyone to share the development costs with as there was no support for LHD Falcons in the States or the Middle East. The current output of 317kw is pretty special...

 

[Brian Hamilton]

BA 4.0ltr Turbo on ebay Australia at the moment, and a 5.4 Boss also.
The Yella Terra blower is a great development for the 5.4 DOHC.

Personally, the 4.0ltr turbo motor I had in my Ute was superb, would love to see it in a different application. It is a real pity Ford US put a stop to this engine, only because Ford Australia didn't have anyone to share the development costs with as there was no support for LHD Falcons in the States or the Middle East. The current output of 317kw is pretty special...

Absolutely incredible. Thank you so much!!

Now, in your Ute, how was the turbo lag? Noticeable or not? This is going in a road race car, so if there was not really a noticeable lag, then we can probably go with a larger turbo and still be OK. As long as we get thr turbine side right. Haha.

Thanks again,

Brian

 

[Jac Mac]

Before you get real excited about the 4.0 six, remember it is really nothing more than a dressed up 250 cu in inline six that was fords fit everything six in the 70's & 80's. New block with smaller bore & NVH tech but crank & rods are still essentially the same items from that era with metric threads etc. Its the cyl heads & electronic tech that have turned it into a stormer & believe me thaey do get up & go, BUT if you were to try & push the RPM further etc it might be a steep learning curve.

 

[Bill Hara]

Sorry Brian, missed your reply...

The lag in the ute wasn't noticeable as I had a 5 speed in it and at 2500rpm it would pull like a train right upto 6000. The F6 (before the latest release) ran 270 kw and had a more pronounced lag - but that was in a 6 speed auto I once test drove. The current F6 actually has 310kw and a heap more torque but basically the write ups I have read say the same thing, 6 sp manual great, 6sp auto noticeable lag.
To answer JacMac, the 4.0ltr in-line 6 is like grandpa's axe, 5 new handles and 6 new heads, not much left from those early engines. The current crop of tuners are getting 350 - 370kw with only an exhaust change, tune and valve spring change, revving to 7000. These standard XR6 sedans are pulling 10 or 11 sec 1/4 miles day in day out with the only complaint being brittle transmissions. Guys running 9 and low 10 passes are changing rods, pistons and injectors.
Pretty impressive really... I'm wondering how I can expain my reasoning to the GLW(good lady wife) for buying one of these instead of some stupid diesel powered oil sniffer that she wants in these high oil priced times....

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

Hi Bill, Any idea of the fitted cost of the Whipple blower for the 5.4 DOHC?

Don't worry mate I found it! $9,988 non inter-cooled and $13,130 inter-cooled plus about $800 to fit.

That's about $110.00 per extra Horse according to their Dyno readout. Pretty good value.

 

[Bill Hara]

Pete
Herrods run the kit at about $11000 drive in drive out, but if you shop around you'll find some tuners doing for more, some doing it for less. It will give you around 320kw at the wheels, however a water to air intercooler will add a bit more to that. A sharper tune will also add big power but less driveability.

 

[Brian Hamilton]

Well I'm still trying to talk my buddy into getting the 4.0L. I think it'll be an awesome engine to throw in an SVO. He's leaning more towards the 460 ci Windsor based engine for the race car, but we recently acquired a FREE SVO to play with. So we most likely will throw one of these in there with the T56 and Maximum Motorsports suspension and Maier Racing wider fenders. The FREE car has no drivetrain in it and needs a touch of work to get it straight. It'll be some work, but I think a 4.0L powered SVO street car with a 6 speed and awesome suspension would be pretty killer. We're probably just going to go with an intake manifold, valve spring kit, custom exhaust (duh), and Front Mount Intercooler and see what we make. And of course a tune, the shop we worked at has a dyno so we can do all our tuning there with the wideband.

Now I just have to convince him to part with the cash... hahaha

Laters,

Brian