So it sounds like a handful of these motors have been turned into fire breathers. Evolution Performance has gotten one into the 8s if I recall...

So what are the bottlenecks? At what power levels do parts have to go?

I suspect that the pistons may be an early weak point. Even the mildly hotter BOSS version has forged pieces.

One of the guys I work with who was hell-bent on bashing the Mustang insisted that the 5.0's weak point was the oiling system...and that high power levels require a dry sump system...is that right?

Any info or insight would be extremely welcome.

 

Dry sump oiling systems don't necessarily provide better oil dispersion in the engine. They're main benefit is in how they handle high load cornering without starving oil pickups.

This isn't a concern in a drag car obviously.

Now, from an oil pump standpoint, if you're building a motor and aiming to make serious power, I would absolutely be upgrading at the very least the pump gears. Skimping out here could mean the difference between a 700hp engine that lives forever or dies early.

Realistically, these engines are similar enough to the old modular 4.6 that you can draw some conclusions. If you're wanting to make anything north of about 550 reliably without having to worry about how you drive the car, you're going to want a forged rotating assembly.

One of the reasons the Boss engines got forged slugs was to remove the piston oil squirters. Although the system works, it causes unneeded windage and drag in the motor which can limit rpm potential. So the piston squirters were removed which necessitates the need for forged pistons to cope with the heat.

If you're building an engine, this is certainly an option for you. If the mill your building is going to be increasing the RPM range much, it's probably an option that I would look seriously at. If not, you may opt to keep them in place.

 

Awesome info, Jason. Thank you.

How much power were people able to get out of previous modular motors with all the tricks- boost, nitrous...?