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What Does The Name “Modular” Mean?
One of the primary areas that Ford assessed as it contemplated a new engine was “what” to build and “how” to build it. While Ford pioneered the use of the assembly line in production, the process was sometimes inefficient. Whenever they needed a different engine, Ford had to “retool” the production line with new equipment each time. The $4 billion analysis showed them that stopping production and rebuilding the plant for each motor was costing the company lots of money.
The answer to this dilemma lay in creating an engine that could be made “modularly” so that the same line could build different-sized engines with nearly the same equipment. The move to a modular assembly line would not only make the company’s plants more efficient, but it would allow them to adapt to the various needs of the consumers. They could make the cars Americans were buying and shift quickly as those purchasing habits changed. Ford started the modular engine production at its Romeo and, later, the Windsor engine plant.
The Variants in the Modular V8 Family
To better understand the Ford modular engine, we need to look at the main variant engine configurations developed over the years. Several different engine displacements were made, but all modular engines featured overhead cams, almost square bores, and aluminum cylinder heads to help reduce weight. The typical cylinder bore spacing was 3.937 inches (100 mm), which allowed for easier upgrades as demands for more power began to take hold.
4.6L Modular V8
The modular V8 engines were first introduced for the ‘91 Lincoln Town Car. The motor was a SOHC 4.6L V8 producing 190 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. The engine had a smaller displacement than the older push-rod 302, producing almost 20% more horsepower (40 hp). The result of the new lighter engine was almost instant, producing better acceleration times with increased fuel economy, so Ford considered it a win-win.
Before too long, the Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis used the two-valve SOHC in their models. Within five years, it was finding its way into the ‘97 F-Series, Expedition, E-series vans, and the ‘97 Mustang GT. As the 21st century dawned, Ford used the modular V8 as the primary powerplant in almost every truck, SUV, and full-sized car.
During its time, the 4.6L modular had three-valve and four-valve variants. The three-valve engine was adapted for the 2005 Mustang GT, while the four-valve variant was the only DOHC version of the 4.6L and was used by Lincoln (marketed as the Four-Cam in ‘94 and then as the In-Tech afterward).
The engine also featured an aluminum engine block. (Except for the 2003-2004 Mustang SVT Cobra had a cast iron block. Ford also used a supercharger with the engine, taking the power output to 390 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque. Owners were delighted when their sportscars ran 4.5 second 0 - 60 track times).
5.4L Modular V8
While the popular 4.6L was finding a place in various models, it made sense for Ford to develop a 5.4L SOHC modular V8 engine for their Ford trucks, full-sized SUVs, and vans beginning in 1997. The engine shared the same bore as its smaller sibling (3.55 inches) but was given a longer stroke (4.165 inches) to generate more power. Instead of an aluminum block, Ford’s engineers felt that a cast iron block with aluminum cylinder heads provided more integrity to the engine.
Once again, Ford developed 2, 3, and 4-valve variants for the 5.4L. While the initial power ratings (235 hp) were not all that great, Ford continued to work with the engine, bumping the power ratings to 260 hp a couple of years later. They jacked up the power considerably by adding a supercharger to the special F-150 SVT Lightning and Harley Davidson editions produced from 1999 through 2004.
Ford did use the 5.4L in several performance Mustangs during that time. In 2000, the supercharged version of the 5.4L was an option on the Mustang SVT Cobra R (385 hp), the 2004 - ‘06 Ford GT (550 hp), and the 2007 - 2012 Mustang Shelby GT500 (550 hp).
5.0L “Coyote” Modular V8
The “Coyote” is probably the best-known engine in the Moduar V8 family. Developed in response to the increasing displacements of GM and Mopar, Ford needed an engine that could produce adequate power but not differ too much from the 4.6L to keep production lines flowing and costs in check.
The 5.0L V8 was developed for use in the 2011 Mustang GT and Ford F-150. The Coyote shares the same bore spacing, bolt pattern, and deck height, but Ford increased the bore and stroke to achieve significant power boosts. Ford made a few other mods, but the result was an engine that could compete with the GM 6.2L LS3 and the 6.4L Mopar Hemi but do so at a cheaper cost.
The Coyote modular V8 went through several generations in the next few years, each one increasing the power outputs. (Adding components like VVT, better fuel injection, and larger intake manifolds helped). In 2018, the 5.0L redesign pushed power outputs to 460 hp for the Mustang and a respectable 385 hp for the F150.
5.2L Voodoo/Predator Modular V8 Engines
In honor of the 50th anniversary of the Ford Mustang, the company introduced the Voodoo engine in the 2016 Mustang GT350 and the 350R. The motor could produce tremendous power (526 hp and 429 lb-ft of torque) due to its use of a flat-plane crankshaft. (The Voodoo is the only modular engine to have this configuration).
In 2020, Ford enhanced the 5.2L by introducing the “Predator” version of the Shelby GT500. While the engine used a cross-plane crankshaft rather than a flat-plane, it shared several other components with the Voodoo. The Predator produced 760 hp and 625 lb-ft of torque, giving the ‘20 Mustang a 3.3. Second 0 - 60 time. The engine was so popular that in less than a couple of years, Ford was also using it in the F150 Raptor edition truck.
Other Modular V8 Engines
While there have been several other lesser-known variants of the modular engine, Ford did produce a 5.8L “Trinity” motor for the 2011 - ‘14 Mustang Shelby GT500 and, for a time, played with a V10 “Triton” version as a gasoline alternative to the Super Duty diesel engines and as an engine option for the Excursion in the early 2000s.
Is the Modular V8 A Good Engine?
By and large, the Ford modular V8 engines have been reliable workhorses for various vehicles, but they have had a few issues over the years. The 4.6L engines were notorious for timing chain pre-tensioners failing and cracks developing in the intake manifold. The 5.4L V8s had spark plugs that often broke when trying to be removed, causing pieces of the plug to get stuck or fall into the combustion chamber causing serious headaches for service techs. The 5.0L Coyote engine was relatively bulletproof, but the 5.2L models were the subject of a massive Ford recall a couple of years ago due to faulty pretensioners.
In general, the modular engines are significant because they were, in many ways, the solution to Ford’s success over the last three decades. It is doubtful that Ford would have remained competitive without developing the modular design approach. Like any engine, the modular engine will give you back the care and attention you give it, with adequate power and acceptable fuel efficiency in most models.
