Question: 5.0L - why Modular instead of Cyclone based?

[King_V]

I can't imagine this hasn't come up before. However, one of the things I thought was a sort of constraint for Ford is the bore spacing on the Modular engine. The spacing is fairly small, thus, they can't go big bore on it.

And, at 5.0L, and those enormous heads, the engine is huge in the engine bay.

Now, with ZERO personal experience, but just barely enough knowledge to make me dangerous, I wondered.... having seen a Cyclone V6 in a Mustang, and noting how small it was, and, noting that it's a twin cam engine, I was puzzled as to why a V8 wasn't based off of it, given the similar power/ci numbers.

I get that the engine would wind up being wider, as the V8 would be a 90-degree engine vs 60-degree, and I get of course that it would be longer, with two extra cylinders. I also realize that I've only had a brief glimpse at a Cyclone V6 in a Mustang.

It still appeared, though, that the heads, despite being four-valve, didn't have nearly as much girth as the four-valve modular heads do.

Am I missing something important here? Or could Ford make a V8 out of the Cyclone, with bigger bore potential, and less sizable heads?

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[1320']

The 5.0 is built on the same lines and foundry as the old 4.6L, so it was more cost effective to build it based on the Mod family vs a new line.

 

[paul123]

The engine bay with the V8 is tight. I would like to pop the hood on a V6 / EB and see how much more space there is. I remember looking at the V6 in an F150 and there was plenty of daylight around the engine. It looked easy to work on.

 

[04SloSnake]

The engine bay with the V8 is tight. I would like to pop the hood on a V6 / EB and see how much more space there is. I remember looking at the V6 in an F150 and there was plenty of daylight around the engine. It looked easy to work on.

You would laugh at the EB then. So much room for turbo activities.

 

[jasonstang]

The angle is what makes it look big. Also bigger bore so the head is wider.

 

[LETHAL]

That 3.7 is fugly..yet they leave it exposed and cover the decent looking 5.0 LOL

 

[King_V]

The angle is what makes it look big. Also bigger bore so the head is wider.

I suspected that the bank-angle might have something to do with it. I think the 3.7's bore is a little bigger though (assuming no mistakes in Wikipedia, 95.5mm, vs the Coyote's 92.2)

That said, I wonder what their deck heights are compared to each other, and I wonder if (with hindsight) Ford had gone with a bigger bore, but shorter deck height and thus stroke, if fitment might've been a little easier.

Ah well, what if . . what if . . what if . .

 

[Fleeger]

The cyclone v6 and coyote v8 do not share the V set up. The V6 is a 60° block vs the Coyote 90° V8. A 60° block v8 would have really bad harmonics or need a split pin crank which is no bueno.

 

[Strokerswild]

The cyclone v6 and coyote v8 do not share the V set up. The V6 is a 60° block vs the Coyote 90° V8. A 60° block v8 would have really bad harmonics or need a split pin crank which is no bueno.

This.

 

[arghx7]

The Taurus SHO had a 60 degree V8 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_SHO_V8_engine . It made sense for a transverse mounting. It was only a 3.4 liter engine.

Otherwise, 90 degree V8's are the norm due to the manufacturing and balancing issues already mentioned. 60 degree V8's are so obscure that I'm not sure if they are more advantageous for exhaust gas dynamics/scavenging. 90 degree V8's have uneven firing orders with a standard crankshaft, hence the flat plane crank and even firing order on the GT350.

 

[50hhh]

Imagine a turbo 3.4 v8 in a mustang.

 

[King_V]

I meant more along the lines of, what if a 90 degree V8 was designed based on the overall design decisions that went into the 60 degree Cyclone. But, as jasonstang stated, it wasn't anything else about the design, size of heads, block, etc., so much as the 60 vs 90 degree angle that makes the Cyclone look more compact.

 

[zackmd1]

Imagine a turbo 3.4 v8 in a mustang.

While it would be cool it just is not going to happen.... Not enough incentive and power offerings over an already developed 3.5 V6 to produce it. I don't think you will see any new advancements in V8 tech moving forward. You will get refreshes and such and at least for the foreseeable future the V8 will remain in the Mustang. I am guessing the next major platform redesign after the S650 will see the demise of the V8.

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