Eulogy
Thread Starter
Cobra Member
Joined: October 23, 2009
Posts: 1,312
Likes: 2
From: NW Minnesota
Eulogy
As I recall, today is supposed to be the last day that Ford is building 2010 Mustangs. Farewell, 4.6, you've been great. Sure, there were concerns about you in the beginning but you matured into a fine Mustang powerplant. Farewell, 4.0, you've been . . . an adequate small truck engine.
Cobra R Member
Joined: September 11, 2009
Posts: 1,776
Likes: 0
To be gone but not forgotten. Add it to the history. 
As it's time has come for the bigger and better!
Random Interesting fact on the 4.6L
It was the 10,000,000th engine to come out of Ford.
http://www.thetorquereport.com/2009/...oduces_is.html
As it's time has come for the bigger and better!
Random Interesting fact on the 4.6L
It was the 10,000,000th engine to come out of Ford.
http://www.thetorquereport.com/2009/...oduces_is.html
So long 4.6 and hello 5.0! 
Post *****
Joined: December 14, 2007
Posts: 19,953
Likes: 4
From: State of Jefferson Mountains USA
20 years of 4.6L performance from Lincoln Town Car to F150 to Mustang
Ford has a long history of V8's dating back to the 1932 Flathead in the Model B. When they rolled out the 4.6L/281 in 1991 in the Lincoln Town Car (no it's NOT a truck engine! 
) it later became the foundation for the best selling truck in America, and finally America's favorite and longest running muscle car.
Like Lotus founder Colin Chapman's thesis that "the area above the cylinder head gasket is the most important", Ford wasn't satisfied with a simple 2V design for the 4.6 engine. In addition to tuning the 2V for Mustang applications, they ramped up high output NA versions with the conventional 4V DOHC's.
But in time, Ford had a better idea
and it was the 3V SOHC that showed their engineering prowess yet again. Much improved over the 2V (initially in the low 200HP range peaking at 260 [04 Mustang]), with less weight and about half the rotational mass & drag from 4 cams in the 4V (initially in the high 200HP range peaking at 310 [04 Mach 1] to 320 [01 SVT Cobra]), the 3V peaked at 315HP & 325 pound-feet torque in the 2008.5 Bullitt (which carried over to the 2010 S197 'D'). With a redline at 6500, top speed of 151, the Bullitt's best published time (MT) was 0-60 in 5.0 seconds, ¼ mile at 13.7 seconds and 102.7 MPH. And along with that fun, it provides EPA of 15/23 mileage - reasonable for a modern muscle car (many report higher results).
Innovations like 3V from SOHC, VCT, CMCV system for low end torque and meeting emissions, FRPP Cold Air Intake, Adaptive Spark Ignition System and more, achieved repeated recognition for its performance as well as its durability: "The 3-valve SOHC 4.6 L engine was on the Ward's 10 Best Engines list for 2005–2008."
Although the 281 is a small block V8 like the 289 in the original Pony Car and much smaller than the '68 Bullitt movie Mustang, look at the performance comparisons:
For 1965 the compression ratio of the base 289 was raised to 9.3:1, increasing power and torque to 200 hp (149 kW) @ 4400 rpm and 282 lb·ft (382 N·m) @ 2400 rpm. The four-barrel version was increased to 10.0:1 compression, and was rated at 225 hp (168 kW) @ 4800 rpm and 305 lb·ft (414 N·m) @ 3200 rpm. Engine specifications were unchanged for 1966 and 1967.
The 390 cu in (6.4 L) 2v is rated at 265 bhp (197.6 kW) @ 4,100 rpm, whilst the 4v version was rated at 320 bhp (238.6 kW) @ 4,100 rpm in certain applications. Certain 1967 & 68 Mustangs had 390 4v engines rated at 335 horsepower, as did some Fairlane GTs.
So although the new 5.0 4V DOHC TiVCT is a superb engineering & performance achievement, and having cut my performance car teeth on a Lotus 907 4V DOHC for 15 years, I can enthusiastically say that I revel in owning the best Retro Mustang - the 05-09 S197 - with the best of the 4.6L/281 engines - the innovative 3V! Like they say, its best to retire when you're at the top!
The 4.6L's long and great 20 year run served many a Ford vehicle and Ford owner, served as a test bed for Ford engineers, and without it in the S197 Mustang, there would be no retro Challenger, Camaro, nor the new next level 5.0.
And best of all IMO, I own the best of the 4.6L 3V with only 9800 miles on the clock in a Steve McQueen Bullitt Mustang!
That's what you call a double tribute!!
) it later became the foundation for the best selling truck in America, and finally America's favorite and longest running muscle car.Like Lotus founder Colin Chapman's thesis that "the area above the cylinder head gasket is the most important", Ford wasn't satisfied with a simple 2V design for the 4.6 engine. In addition to tuning the 2V for Mustang applications, they ramped up high output NA versions with the conventional 4V DOHC's.
But in time, Ford had a better idea
and it was the 3V SOHC that showed their engineering prowess yet again. Much improved over the 2V (initially in the low 200HP range peaking at 260 [04 Mustang]), with less weight and about half the rotational mass & drag from 4 cams in the 4V (initially in the high 200HP range peaking at 310 [04 Mach 1] to 320 [01 SVT Cobra]), the 3V peaked at 315HP & 325 pound-feet torque in the 2008.5 Bullitt (which carried over to the 2010 S197 'D'). With a redline at 6500, top speed of 151, the Bullitt's best published time (MT) was 0-60 in 5.0 seconds, ¼ mile at 13.7 seconds and 102.7 MPH. And along with that fun, it provides EPA of 15/23 mileage - reasonable for a modern muscle car (many report higher results).Innovations like 3V from SOHC, VCT, CMCV system for low end torque and meeting emissions, FRPP Cold Air Intake, Adaptive Spark Ignition System and more, achieved repeated recognition for its performance as well as its durability: "The 3-valve SOHC 4.6 L engine was on the Ward's 10 Best Engines list for 2005–2008."
Although the 281 is a small block V8 like the 289 in the original Pony Car and much smaller than the '68 Bullitt movie Mustang, look at the performance comparisons:
For 1965 the compression ratio of the base 289 was raised to 9.3:1, increasing power and torque to 200 hp (149 kW) @ 4400 rpm and 282 lb·ft (382 N·m) @ 2400 rpm. The four-barrel version was increased to 10.0:1 compression, and was rated at 225 hp (168 kW) @ 4800 rpm and 305 lb·ft (414 N·m) @ 3200 rpm. Engine specifications were unchanged for 1966 and 1967.
The 390 cu in (6.4 L) 2v is rated at 265 bhp (197.6 kW) @ 4,100 rpm, whilst the 4v version was rated at 320 bhp (238.6 kW) @ 4,100 rpm in certain applications. Certain 1967 & 68 Mustangs had 390 4v engines rated at 335 horsepower, as did some Fairlane GTs.
So although the new 5.0 4V DOHC TiVCT is a superb engineering & performance achievement, and having cut my performance car teeth on a Lotus 907 4V DOHC for 15 years, I can enthusiastically say that I revel in owning the best Retro Mustang - the 05-09 S197 - with the best of the 4.6L/281 engines - the innovative 3V! Like they say, its best to retire when you're at the top!
The 4.6L's long and great 20 year run served many a Ford vehicle and Ford owner, served as a test bed for Ford engineers, and without it in the S197 Mustang, there would be no retro Challenger, Camaro, nor the new next level 5.0.And best of all IMO, I own the best of the 4.6L 3V with only 9800 miles on the clock in a Steve McQueen Bullitt Mustang!
That's what you call a double tribute!! Last edited by cdynaco; Mar 13, 2010 at 09:41 PM.
GTR Member
Joined: February 18, 2010
Posts: 4,990
Likes: 1
From: S.E. Texas
Except that the 4.6 was so under-developed as a performance platform when it was first put in a Mustang and the new 5.0 is clearly more toward the high end of its developement from the start.
Tasca Super Boss 429 Member
Joined: November 14, 2007
Posts: 3,651
Likes: 8
From: Pacific NW USA
Bittersweet day today. I've owned 4.6 Mustangs with every valve count offered: 2V (2000 Spring Feature GT), 3V (2007 GT), and 4V (2003 Mach 1). All good performers.
Mach 1 Member
Joined: September 8, 2009
Posts: 787
Likes: 0
From: Wake County, NC
Ford has a long history of V8's dating back to the 1932 Flathead in the Model B. When they rolled out the 4.6L/281 in 1991 in the Lincoln Town Car (no it's NOT a truck engine! ) it later became the foundation for the best selling truck in America, and finally America's favorite and longest running muscle car.
Like Lotus founder Colin Chapman's thesis that "the area above the cylinder head gasket is the most important", Ford wasn't satisfied with a simple 2V design for the 4.6 engine. In addition to tuning the 2V for Mustang applications, they ramped up high output NA versions with the conventional 4V DOHC's.
But in time, Ford had a better idea and it was the 3V SOHC that showed their engineering prowess yet again. Much improved over the 2V (initially in the low 200HP range peaking at 260 [04 Mustang]), with less weight and about half the rotational mass & drag from 4 cams in the 4V (initially in the high 200HP range peaking at 310 [04 Mach 1] to 320 [01 SVT Cobra]), the 3V peaked at 315HP & 325 pound-feet torque in the 2008.5 Bullitt (which carried over to the 2010 S197 'D'). With a redline at 6500, top speed of 151, the Bullitt's best published time (MT) was 0-60 in 5.0 seconds, ¼ mile at 13.7 seconds and 102.7 MPH. And along with that fun, it provides EPA of 15/23 mileage - reasonable for a modern muscle car (many report higher results).
Innovations like 3V from SOHC, VCT, CMCV system for low end torque and meeting emissions, FRPP Cold Air Intake, Adaptive Spark Ignition System and more, achieved repeated recognition for its performance as well as its durability: "The 3-valve SOHC 4.6 L engine was on the Ward's 10 Best Engines list for 2005–2008."
Although the 281 is a small block V8 like the 289 in the original Pony Car and much smaller than the '68 Bullitt movie Mustang, look at the performance comparisons:
For 1965 the compression ratio of the base 289 was raised to 9.3:1, increasing power and torque to 200 hp (149 kW) @ 4400 rpm and 282 lb·ft (382 N·m) @ 2400 rpm. The four-barrel version was increased to 10.0:1 compression, and was rated at 225 hp (168 kW) @ 4800 rpm and 305 lb·ft (414 N·m) @ 3200 rpm. Engine specifications were unchanged for 1966 and 1967.
The 390 cu in (6.4 L) 2v is rated at 265 bhp (197.6 kW) @ 4,100 rpm, whilst the 4v version was rated at 320 bhp (238.6 kW) @ 4,100 rpm in certain applications. Certain 1967 & 68 Mustangs had 390 4v engines rated at 335 horsepower, as did some Fairlane GTs.
So although the new 5.0 4V DOHC TiVCT is a superb engineering & performance achievement, and having cut my performance car teeth on a Lotus 907 4V DOHC for 15 years, I can enthusiastically say that I revel in owning the best Retro Mustang - the 05-09 S197 - with the best of the 4.6L/281 engines - the innovative 3V! Like they say, its best to retire when you're at the top! The 4.6L's long and great 20 year run served many a Ford vehicle and Ford owner, served as a test bed for Ford engineers, and without it in the S197 Mustang, there would be no retro Challenger, Camaro, nor the new next level 5.0.
And best of all IMO, I own the best of the 4.6L 3V with only 9800 miles on the clock in a Steve McQueen Bullitt Mustang!
That's what you call a double tribute!!
) it later became the foundation for the best selling truck in America, and finally America's favorite and longest running muscle car.Like Lotus founder Colin Chapman's thesis that "the area above the cylinder head gasket is the most important", Ford wasn't satisfied with a simple 2V design for the 4.6 engine. In addition to tuning the 2V for Mustang applications, they ramped up high output NA versions with the conventional 4V DOHC's.
But in time, Ford had a better idea
and it was the 3V SOHC that showed their engineering prowess yet again. Much improved over the 2V (initially in the low 200HP range peaking at 260 [04 Mustang]), with less weight and about half the rotational mass & drag from 4 cams in the 4V (initially in the high 200HP range peaking at 310 [04 Mach 1] to 320 [01 SVT Cobra]), the 3V peaked at 315HP & 325 pound-feet torque in the 2008.5 Bullitt (which carried over to the 2010 S197 'D'). With a redline at 6500, top speed of 151, the Bullitt's best published time (MT) was 0-60 in 5.0 seconds, ¼ mile at 13.7 seconds and 102.7 MPH. And along with that fun, it provides EPA of 15/23 mileage - reasonable for a modern muscle car (many report higher results).Innovations like 3V from SOHC, VCT, CMCV system for low end torque and meeting emissions, FRPP Cold Air Intake, Adaptive Spark Ignition System and more, achieved repeated recognition for its performance as well as its durability: "The 3-valve SOHC 4.6 L engine was on the Ward's 10 Best Engines list for 2005–2008."
Although the 281 is a small block V8 like the 289 in the original Pony Car and much smaller than the '68 Bullitt movie Mustang, look at the performance comparisons:
For 1965 the compression ratio of the base 289 was raised to 9.3:1, increasing power and torque to 200 hp (149 kW) @ 4400 rpm and 282 lb·ft (382 N·m) @ 2400 rpm. The four-barrel version was increased to 10.0:1 compression, and was rated at 225 hp (168 kW) @ 4800 rpm and 305 lb·ft (414 N·m) @ 3200 rpm. Engine specifications were unchanged for 1966 and 1967.
The 390 cu in (6.4 L) 2v is rated at 265 bhp (197.6 kW) @ 4,100 rpm, whilst the 4v version was rated at 320 bhp (238.6 kW) @ 4,100 rpm in certain applications. Certain 1967 & 68 Mustangs had 390 4v engines rated at 335 horsepower, as did some Fairlane GTs.
So although the new 5.0 4V DOHC TiVCT is a superb engineering & performance achievement, and having cut my performance car teeth on a Lotus 907 4V DOHC for 15 years, I can enthusiastically say that I revel in owning the best Retro Mustang - the 05-09 S197 - with the best of the 4.6L/281 engines - the innovative 3V! Like they say, its best to retire when you're at the top!
The 4.6L's long and great 20 year run served many a Ford vehicle and Ford owner, served as a test bed for Ford engineers, and without it in the S197 Mustang, there would be no retro Challenger, Camaro, nor the new next level 5.0.And best of all IMO, I own the best of the 4.6L 3V with only 9800 miles on the clock in a Steve McQueen Bullitt Mustang!
That's what you call a double tribute!! 