2011 Mustang Engines in High-Res
Posted by DrivingEnthusiast in Coyote 5.0 Engine, Duratec Engine, Ford Mustang on February 7, 2010
In our Ford engine section, we now have super high res pictures of the 2011 Mustang – both V-6 and V-8 “Coyote”.
Click here, and follow the links to the complete collection. Our collection on this site includes hundreds of engine images, saved permanently on the site to benefit engine enthusiasts and for the sake of posterity. The engine section includes most of the performance engines from the last ten years, as well as some unusual engines such as the Ford T-Drive. This collection is just one part of the site, which consists of over >24,000 files.
Re-read this blog for discussion of the individual engine components: http://www.drivingenthusiast.net/sec-blog/?p=4024
Representative thumbnails are below (click to view). Images are as high as >4000 pixels wide. You’ll need a high-res monitor and a fast connection to best view these images, and make sure your browser doesn’t automatically re-size them to fit the viewing window.
Ford Coyote Engine: The Missing Intake
Posted by DrivingEnthusiast in Coyote 5.0 Engine on February 6, 2010
Now that we know the new Coyote 5 liter is a heavily re-worked modular motor, it’s time to review some of the highlights of Ford’s past engine development efforts that should have been included with the Coyote.
First is the R50 engine – the 5 liter race version of the DOHC “Cammer” modular engine used in the FR500C Grand Am Cup race car. With the latest Ford GT cylinder heads and an 11:1 compression ratio this engine was said to produce 400 HP and 400 torque. Dyno charts were never made available and the engine was never EPA certified. However, judging from the intake manifold with it’s obvious long cross-runners, this design focused on high-RPM breathing at the expense of low end.
At $29,990 list, this is hardly something an enthusiast would shell out for. The rest of the engine can be built for less than half this cost. It would be nice if Ford would make the intake available.
Next is the original SHO engine. The addition of this intake manifold to an otherwise reasonably tuned engine resulted in phenomenal horsepower and drivability for it’s time. With both long and short runners, the engine made power over the entire band and sustained it wherever the driver needed it. The engine was capable of 9000 RPM, but the accessories were not.
It was an expensive intake manifold to produce, and the excessive number of band clamps and alignment of all the pieces certainly made it impossible to produce on a regular production line. It could be done simpler. But it certainly was the centerpiece of the car – a real reason for an enthusiast to open the hood.
Nonetheless, this type of intake manifold would make an enormous difference on an engine with the breathing capability of the Coyote – and power would be increased everywhere across the band. The expense of producing this in aluminum would be high – probably too high for the aftermarket. A phenolic plastic intake, made of the same material as the Coyote engine, would be easier to produce, easier to tool up for, and smoother insider than aluminum could be. And it would run cooler.
And instead we get a scroll-type intake, efficient but not outstanding. And a plastic cover over the engine… which looks like a marketing department’s view of the exotic intake manifold this engine is calling out for – and worthy of. The fake intake, chrome band clamps, and aluminum runners – all colored plastic – look shameful on top of this engine.
5.0 Mustang Magazine details the new Ford Coyote engine
Posted by DrivingEnthusiast in Coyote 5.0 Engine on February 6, 2010
Since the biggest enthusiast news in January was the new Ford engine, and since there isn’t any real news to be had about suspensions ;-) we’ll mention a 19-page article in the March 5.0 Mustang magazine. This article presents the new Ford “Coyote” engine in great detail, with numerous sidebars and photographs. You won’t find anywhere near this level of technical detail anywhere else.
Anyone considering this engine in the 2011 Mustang or F-150, or upcoming refreshed Ford Falcon, should buy a copy of this magazine. You’ll read it several times, and save it for posterity. Australian readers, find somebody to buy you a copy or get it scanned it in high resolution.
The article was of course written a couple of months ago, and given the mindset of the author the claim was made that this engine was developed solely for the Mustang. That of course is not at all true (nor economically feasible): it’s well known (and spy photographers have shown it under the hood of the F-150) that this engine will also be found in the F-150 and Falcon. The F-150 placement wasn’t announced when the article was written, so as a nod to this fact you’ll notice that the picture of the engine on the Ford dyno stand is actually the F-150 version (notice the very high angle on the throttle body).
The article is full of promising news and facts. If there is a downside, it’s that the rods are obviously too small and that the engine oil temperatures are a problem. Anybody with a supercharger installation who hasn’t gone inside the engine (such as the absurd rip-off Shelby GT-350), will have problems if the car is used for anything other than driving to car shows or squirting across intersections. Which is exactly what the majority wil lbe used for.
The good news is that the block is far stronger than presently needed, and that the engine was designed for EcoBoosting in the future – although it may be a supercharger and not twin-turbos in this case. There is the usual excuse for lack of Direct Injection, but it’s also said that it’s just a matter of time. That is a very good thing.
And overall this engine is a very good thing, and certainly long overdue. Ford has been experimenting with upgrades to the modular engine family almost since it came out. First with experimental 9000-RPM screamer (detailed in a very interesting SAE paper) with a valvetrain and valve placement designed to get around the narrow bores. Then with a 5-valve 380HP variant with cylinder heads courtesy of Yamaha and variable intake cam timing. Two of those engines were built: one was installed in the SVT Tremor prototype where it met an early death on Ford’s Dearborn test track due to oil starvation. This engine was never seen or detailed, with the exception of one lone photo from the top showing a Mark-VIII type intake manifold and nothing else indicative of function. Since then Ford has been focused on breathing with the Cobra-R cylinder heads and then the new heads for late lamented S197 Cobra (watered down to the “GT500″) as well as the 3-valve heads for the Mustang GT and Explorer. So now, 18 years after the delivery of the first 4-valve Modular, the evolution of the Mod Motor has finally taken the next step.
Ford unveils new ‘93 Taurus
Posted by DrivingEnthusiast in Automotive Humor on February 5, 2010
Reaction to Motor Trend’s 2011 Mustang V-6 “First Ride”
Posted by DrivingEnthusiast in Ford Mustang on February 5, 2010
Pre-production 2011 Mustangs aren’t yet available for the press to test, but the first rides for journalists in cars driven by Ford test drivers are just taking place now. Motor Trend was fortunate enough to be able to publish the first such ride in a V-6 Mustang equipped with the sport suspension and the new Mustang Club of America (MCA) package.
Unless you’ve been in a cave, you know that the 2011 Mustang finally gets a new V-6 engine, replacing ye olde 4 liter SOHC V-6 (an engine that trances it’s lineage back over 40 years and was only seen briefly in a Mustang in 1979 and in the Mustang II before that) with a very modern (nearly) state of the start 3.7 liter DOHC V-6 with variable cam timing on both the intake and exhaust. This is an update of the existing 3.5 liter Duratec, and the first rear wheel drive version of it in production (although when it was announced years ago, a rear wheel drive version of it was shown to the press – and that version never saw production). And you can thank the upcoming 2011 Explorer as well as Lincoln for this engine – just like the 5 liter the bill for developing this engine was paid for by much higher-volume car and truck lines.
Much more interesting than the ride impressions is the video of the car on a test track. It does well, as the following video shows.
The problem for Driving Enthusiasts, as well as Mustang enthusiasts (which are too often two entirely different things), is that it’s always been an “all-or-nothing car”: meaning a V-8 or nothing. The Mustang base engines have for many years of the car been just that: basic and boring. Nothing special about them at all, and certainly nothing to add to the driving experience. And Ford has almost never offered a handling suspension with non- V-8 engines. The only exception in the history of the Fox Mustangs were the turbocharged Cobras from 1979-1982 (‘81 and ‘82 in Canada only) and of course the late and very much missed Mustang SVO.
Now everything changes – Ford finally gets it. 305 horsepower in the base Mustang, limited slip diffs and 6-speeds all around, and an optional handling suspension (perhaps) worthy of a track day. Nobody can label this the “secretary’s special”, as 6-cylinder Mustangs were originally known. Lets not forget that the vaunted 96-98 SVT Cobra made 305 horsepower – nice in it’s day, but entirely out-dated now (and hobbled then with terrible cooling, a flimsy transmission, and a wobbly solid axle).
Of course we’re still stuck with the solid rear axle , a piece dating back to covered wagons of the type you see in Cowboy-and-Indian movies. There’s no excuse for that, especially since the car was engineered from the start for an IRS (which was only cancelled for cost and political reasons at the last moment before production). Shame on Ford for that, and it may take until 2015 until an IRS is finally put into production again. Only then will we have a real driver’s car, one that can be fully exploited and and therefore truly appreciated by a Driving Enthusiast. Driving Enthusiasts know that it’s suspension first, and engines second.
What’s next on the calender? Pre-production magazine tests in another month or two, followed a few months later by regular production vehicle tests and comparison tests. Take the pre-production tests with a grain of salt: the cars won’t necessarily be at final production specs and will anyway all have been very carefully built, tested, and minutely inspected. This is how the “car magazine” industry works: we found that awful truth out the hard way with the disastrous 1996 Mustang in both GT and SVT form, where pre-production articles had SVTs circling Ford’s Arizona test oval at >140 MPH (enough to cause this writer to early-order what became the first SVT delivered in Texas). Reality, which the car magazines didn’t know about at first and then ignored for several months, was a last-minute production change resulting in terrible cooling capacity which made the car very questionable for track event use (which we also found out about the hard way, as well as it’s tendency to gark it’s fluid in the middle of Texas-heat rush hour traffic). Think anything has changed? Wouldn’t you hope that Ford has learned it’s lessons by now? Well, the vaunted ‘99 and ‘03 Cobras suffered from the same lack of engineering and testing (resulting in infamous recalls and very expensive warrenty replacements). And don’t forget that the all-new S197 Mustang initially suffered from gas tank issues and still can’t be fully exploited in hot high speed track days due to inherently deficient cooling (something even the “pace car for the company” – the Ford GT – also suffered from). Finally, consider that the Camaro SS was very visibly tested by it’s development engineers at the Nurburgring, while the 2011 Mustang GT made one appearance at a pay-by-the-hour after-work public night at a small track near Ford’s HQ in Michigan.
So lets see a full track comparison test with production cars before we call a “win” here. And the same goes for the new 2011 Mustang GT, which we already know has oil temperature issues in such conditions. This writer is sensing that old familiar “Mustang feeling” again (having had 12 brand new late-model Mustangs before this, all extensively tracked, but all requiring numerous replacement parts just for track-day survival), but is wondering what it would be like to pull up to a dealer for service in a 2011 Mustang GT w/Track Pack with a large add-on air-to-oil cooler and 2-piece front rotors. Is it worth risking a warranty denial again? Is it worth arguing out a warranty issue with Ford’s regional warranty manager whose sole driving (enthusiast) experience is dragging his beer gut around in a Crown Vic? We think not. So far…
(postscript: Camaro V-8 enthusiasts take heart: a 5.5 liter direct injected V-8 is 2 years off!)
1998 Japanese Grand Prix crash
Posted by DrivingEnthusiast in Automobilia on February 3, 2010
A video from the 1998 Japanese Grand Prix. A very bad crash and explosion. And equally bad race officials?
The question is: why was this event being allowed to run in these severe fog conditions in the first place? The Ferrari driver, Tetsuya Ota, was extremely lucky to survive. The first corner worker on the scene, with a fire extinguisher, did well – but subsequent workers allowed the driver to move around on his own when he should have been restrained until the ambulance arrived, and until he was taken to whatever medical care facility was provided.
Ford 2011 Explorer Announcement reveals more information
Posted by DrivingEnthusiast in Ford Explorer on February 3, 2010
More clues about the all-new Ford Explorer can be found in a Ford Press Release issued early last week.
What do we know so far?
- Built on a Ford Taurus chassis
- Three engines: EcoBoost 4 cylinder, 3.7 liter Ti-VCT V-6, and the now-familiar EcoBoost 3.5.
- 25% increase in fuel economy over the current generation 4 liter base model
- Production in 4th quarter 2010
The naturally aspirated V-6 engine has been confirmed in spy photos of the engine in the engine bay – a fact that other web sites seems to continually miss amidst claims of an “all-EcoBoost engine lineup”. Very odd that this continues to be missed.
What can we extrapolate (speculate)?
- The 4 cylinder engine seems to be settling down at about 230-240 HP if web discussion can be believed. That’s a lot better than the 200 initially reported – if true.
- Reasonable outlook: 240 HP base, front wheel drive; 305 with optional V-6, FWD or AWD, and 355 with optional EcoBoost V-6, AWD only. 6-speed automatics across the board.
- This engine lineup would also suggest that a 4 cylinder EcoBoost engine will be the base engine in the Taurus, and that the 3.7 would replace the 3.5 V-6 (gaining fuel economy at the same time).
And the Explorer is clearly going to be large – perhaps a bit too large for this day and age?
And do we really need to be dragging around a third row of seats? Isn’t that what the Flex is for?
Ford Press Release follows:
FORD TO BRING NEXT-GENERATION FORD EXPLORER, 1,200 JOBS TO CHICAGO MANUFACTURING FACILITIES
- Ford will produce the next-generation Explorer SUV at its Chicago Assembly Plant beginning in the fourth quarter of this year, bringing approximately 1,200 new jobs to the Chicago region
- Ford will invest nearly $400 million in its Chicago Assembly and Chicago Stamping plants to launch production of the Explorer
- The next-generation Explorer will feature significant fuel economy gains of at least 25 percent over the current-model Explorer thanks to EcoBoost engine technology, six-speed transmissions and a unibody construction
- Ford has sold more than 6 million Explorers since the vehicle was originally launched in 1990; Explorer has been America’s best-selling midsize SUV for 15 of the past 19 years
CHICAGO, Jan. 26, 2010 – Ford Motor Company today announced it will produce the next-generation Ford Explorer SUV at the company’s Chicago Assembly Plant beginning in the fourth quarter of this year.
Ford is investing nearly $400 million in its Chicago manufacturing facilities to launch production of the new, fuel-efficient Ford Explorer. The company also will add 1,200 new jobs to staff a second production shift at Chicago Assembly Plant and increase production at the nearby Chicago Stamping Plant.
The next-generation Explorer will be built at the Chicago Assembly Plant on a flexible assembly line alongside the new Ford Taurus and Lincoln MKS sedans. Ford’s $400 million investment includes approximately $180 million in manufacturing investment at the Chicago sites and about $220 million for launch and engineering costs. In addition, Ford will be making significant investment in supplier tooling to support next-generation Explorer production.
“The new Explorer will redefine the SUV for the modern era – retaining the capability customers want while delivering superb fuel efficiency, comfort and convenience,” said Mark Fields, Ford’s president of The Americas. “This investment underscores Ford’s commitment to building world-class, fuel-efficient vehicles in America and creating new jobs that will contribute to our nation’s economic recovery.”
The new Explorer will deliver at least 25 percent better fuel economy than the current model. The vehicle will feature unibody construction, Ford’s EcoBoost engine technology, a six-speed transmission and lightweight materials. Ford will provide full details about the new Explorer later this year.
In addition, the next-generation Explorer will debut the auto industry’s first-ever production inflatable seat belts, designed to provide additional protection for rear-seat occupants – often children and older passengers who can be more vulnerable to head, chest and neck injuries. The inflatable rear seat belts spread crash forces over five times more area of the body than conventional seat belts, which helps to reduce pressure on the chest and to control head and neck motion for rear-seat passengers. Ford eventually plans to offer inflatable seat belt technology on other vehicles globally.
“Our Chicago Assembly Plant – with its excellent work force, lean and flexible manufacturing processes, and proud history of making great Ford vehicles – is the ideal choice for building the new Explorer,” said Jim Tetreault, Ford vice president, North America Manufacturing. “The plant successfully has launched two new vehicles in the past two years and our Chicago employees consistently deliver with an eye on quality, efficiency and safety.”
In planning for the company’s future manufacturing presence in the state, Ford worked closely with Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, who led an effort in passing legislation that allows Ford to participate in Illinois’ Economic Development for a Growing Economy (EDGE) program, which provides tax incentives to businesses that commit to new investments and create or retain jobs in the state. This legislation allows Ford to participate in the EDGE program through payroll tax credits rather than corporate income taxes.
“Governor Quinn immediately understood the importance of helping Ford by proposing and passing legislation that provides us with an alternative way to claim and secure these important tax credits,” Fields said. “We are grateful for his support of Ford and auto manufacturing in Illinois, and want to thank him for his leadership.”
“The production of the new Ford Explorer will create 1,200 new jobs here in Illinois,” said Gov. Quinn. “The Economic Development for a Growing Economy tax credit, which I put the full weight of my administration behind and signed into law in December, has provided much needed relief to our state’s ailing automotive industry and the necessary incentives for one of our nation’s leading car companies to stay in the Land of Lincoln.”
Ford’s investment of $400 million in Chicago-area manufacturing facilities and Explorer’s fuel economy improvement of at least 25 percent is also supported by Ford’s green partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy. Chicago Assembly Plant is one of 11 Ford facilities in the U.S. participating in the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Incentives Programinitiated by Congress and implemented by the Obama administration. The program is helping to develop advanced technology vehicles and strengthen American manufacturing across the country. Ford, Nissan, Tesla, Fisker and Tenneco are all participants in this initiative.
“Ford has been a major presence in our city since 1924 when it opened this plant to make the Model T,” said Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley. “The company has demonstrated its commitment to Chicago by spending millions of dollars to modernize the facility in recent years, and I want to thank the company for that commitment and for its faith in Chicago and its residents.”
The current Explorer and Explorer Sport Trac models are built at the company’s Louisville Assembly Plant in Kentucky. Shifting production of the next-generation Explorer to Chicago Assembly paves the way for Louisville Assembly to undergo transformation to a flexible, fuel-efficient small car plant from a truck-based SUV plant. Ford will begin producing new vehicles at Louisville Assembly based on its global C-car platform in 2011. The specific models will be named at a later date.
The Chicago Assembly Plant, opened in 1924, currently has approximately 1,200 employees working on one shift. Ford’s Chicago Stamping Plant, which opened in 1956, has approximately 700 employees on two shifts. Opened in 1955, Louisville Assembly Plant has approximately 1,000 employees operating on one shift.
# # #
Enormous Ford sales success in January 2010
Posted by DrivingEnthusiast in Ford on February 3, 2010
Kudos to Alan Mulally – his plan is working, despite it all. Despite Billy Ford almost wrecking the company, despite mad union demands, despite the U.S. Gov’t Executive Branch attempting to liberally spend it’s way out of the mess (and into an even worse one), and despite the economy (where unemployment may really be around 20%), the leadership of Alan Mulally and his terrifically talented team is working. Sales gain, market share, and resale value – to win in all three is outstanding.
Ford Press Release follows:
FORD KICKS OFF 2010 WITH 24 PERCENT SALES INCREASE, MARKET SHARE GAIN, THANKS TO PRODUCT LINEUP
- Ford, Lincoln and Mercury January sales up 24 percent versus year ago
- Cars up 43 percent, crossovers up 20 percent, SUVs up 8 percent, trucks and vans up 14 percent
- Ford brand sales up 26 percent, Lincoln up 16 percent and Mercury up 6 percent
- Ford’s U.S. market share estimated at 16 percent, up 2 points versus year ago
- Fleet customers are back in the market – and buying Ford; fleet sales more than doubled versus last January’s depressed levels
- Retail sales were 5 percent lower following December’s 18 percent increase
- New products drive Ford’s brand favorability and purchase consideration to record levels
DEARBORN, Mich., Feb. 2, 2010 – Higher sales for every brand and in every product category propelled Ford to a 24 percent sales increase in January versus a year ago.
Ford cars were up 43 percent, crossovers were up 20 percent, sport utilities were up 8 percent, and trucks and vans were up 14 percent. Among brands, Ford sales were up 26 percent, Lincoln sales were up 16 percent and Mercury sales were up 6 percent.
“Ford’s focus on building products consumers want to buy and love to drive will continue,” said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president, U.S. Marketing Sales and Service. “In 2010, we will give Ford customers even more reasons to Drive One.”
Ford estimates its January U.S. total market share was approximately 16 percent – about 2 percentage points higher than in January 2009. Last year, Ford posted its first full-year U.S. market share increase since 1995.
Plus, every consumer metric about the Ford brand – including favorable opinion, consideration, shopping and intention to buy – ended the year at record levels. Last year, favorable opinion improved 27 percent and intention to buy Ford increased 30 percent.
“People increasingly are discovering that the Ford difference is the strength of our products, particularly our leadership in quality, fuel efficiency, safety, smart technologies and value,” said Czubay.
Among full-line manufacturers, Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles recorded the largest gain in resale values from the 2009 to 2010 model year. The projected resale value of Ford vehicles increased by more than $1,300 per vehicle. Ford already holds a resale value advantage over its U.S.-based competitors, and it continues closing the gap on key imports with some Ford vehicles already having surpassed competing foreign vehicles.
“Resale value is a key indicator of brand health and an important contributor to the total value equation,” said Czubay. “Fleet managers monitor vehicle operating costs very carefully. They are giving Ford more consideration because of our improving resale values.”
In January, Ford sales to fleet customers more than doubled last January’s depressed levels (up 154 percent) when most fleet owners deferred vehicle purchases due to the credit crunch and uncertain business and economic conditions.
Ford posted gains in every fleet market – commercial, government and rental. On an annual basis, a majority of Ford’s fleet sales are to commercial and government customers where the Ford F-Series truck and Econoline van have long been top sellers. Today, products such as Fusion, Taurus and Escape are popular choices among fleet customers.
Additional Sales Highlights
- Ford Fusion, recently named Motor Trend’s Car of the Year, posted a January sales increase of 49 percent. The Fusion Hybrid recently was named North American Car of the Year. Fusion and Mercury Milan are the most fuel-efficient mid-size sedans in America.
- Ford Taurus sales totaled 3,768, up 121 percent versus a year ago. Since the introduction of the all-new model in August, Taurus sales are nearly double year-ago levels.
- Crossover utilities also posted strong sales increases. In 2009, the Ford brand was the top-selling brand of crossovers in the U.S., led by the Ford Escape. In January, Escape sales were up 29 percent versus a year ago, Edge sales were up 26 percent and Lincoln MKX sales were up 27 percent.
- Ford’s F-Series, America’s best-selling truck for 33 years in a row and best-selling vehicle – car or truck – for 28 years in row, posted a 9 percent increase in January, and Ford Ranger compact pickup sales were up 47 percent. In 2009, F-Series increased its leadership position among full-size pickups with a 4 percentage-point gain in segment share.
- Transit Connect, Ford’s new versatile, fuel-efficient small commercial van, posted January sales of 1,161. The Transit Connect recently was named North American Truck of the Year. Econoline, Ford’s full-size van, saw a sales increase of 5 percent.
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Whatever happened to the 2JZ-GTE S2000?
Posted by DrivingEnthusiast in Engine Swap, Honda S2000 on January 24, 2010
The original video we first showed on this site a few years ago has been removed… apparently the folks in Florida and their website are gone.
But thanks to YouTube, we can still enjoy the video:
Our concerns remain: the transmission has to be a Supra TT tranny or nothing, and the rear end has to be replaced. And that’s in addition to some serious cooling work. Anything else will never work for more than a few – very fun – weeks.
When a simple swap isn’t enough: Brad Bedell’s IS300 supercharged 4.3 V-8
Posted by DrivingEnthusiast in Engine Swap, Lexus on January 24, 2010
We first reported on an IS300 with a 4.3 liter V-8 back in 2006 when the swap was first accomplished.
It was an exceptionally clean swap expertly done by Brad Bedell of Dallas Texas. Brad once did some work on a Supra TT owned by a friend of ours and we’ve followed his adventures in Dallas ever since. Brad is a swap genius, and is probably even better known for his V-6 MR-2 swap. You can see all the details on his site here: http://www.bedellracing.com/
But sometimes the initial engine swap isn’t enough. The V-6 MR2 got a boost – literally – with a supercharger and nitrous. Now it’s the turn of the V-8 IS300 to get a supercharged, and that project is taking place right now.
Brad is also creating a new set of equal-length long tube headers to replace the custom set he built for the original swap.
Follow along here:
- Brad’s V8 swap page: http://www.bedellracing.com/v8swap/
- Diary on My IS forums: http://my.is/forums/showthread.php?t=287373