4.6 vs 5.0

tangerine · Jul 8, 2004

I can back up my claims. Stock for stock the 99's will out run the 93's. If you do all the same modding but with out stroking either motor the 4.6 will still come out on the end. I have seen a 99 gt with a blower, cams, tune and the other bolt ons go in to the 550 hp range without going into the internals or with out any heads or intake. A 92 lx with heads cams and a intake and the same blower only went 497 hp. Both are at the wheels and both with 14 psi and pump gas. A 4v motor will put out those kinda numbers with out a blower. I like the 4.6 and I like the 5.0. I have built a many 5.0 but I do know which one is better because I have seen the #'s. This all by what I have seen and read so don't start attacking me.

CManT1914 · Jul 8, 2004

tangerine said:
I can back up my claims. Stock for stock the 99's will out run the 93's. If you do all the same modding but with out stroking either motor the 4.6 will still come out on the end. I have seen a 99 gt with a blower, cams, tune and the other bolt ons go in to the 550 hp range without going into the internals or with out any heads or intake. A 92 lx with heads cams and a intake and the same blower only went 497 hp. Both are at the wheels and both with 14 psi and pump gas. A 4v motor will put out those kinda numbers with out a blower. I like the 4.6 and I like the 5.0. I have built a many 5.0 but I do know which one is better because I have seen the #'s. This all by what I have seen and read so don't start attacking me.

That's a 4V motor. I love my 5.0, and I would LOVE to sport a 4V Mustang. A 2V, maybe, maybe not. I personally believe, (as do many others) that the 5.0 is a better motor than the 4.6 2V. 5.0 verses 4.6 4V though, that's another story. But hey, I love ALL Mustangs. I'll even give props to the Mustang II, cus it kept them alive back then. But personally, when I buy another Mustang, it will be either a 94-95 5.0, or a 2003+ 4V.

CManT1914 · Jul 8, 2004

tangerine said:
I can back up my claims. Stock for stock the 99's will out run the 93's. If you do all the same modding but with out stroking either motor the 4.6 will still come out on the end. I have seen a 99 gt with a blower, cams, tune and the other bolt ons go in to the 550 hp range without going into the internals or with out any heads or intake. A 92 lx with heads cams and a intake and the same blower only went 497 hp. Both are at the wheels and both with 14 psi and pump gas. A 4v motor will put out those kinda numbers with out a blower. I like the 4.6 and I like the 5.0. I have built a many 5.0 but I do know which one is better because I have seen the #'s. This all by what I have seen and read so don't start attacking me.

Woops, I misread your post, I thought that was with a 4V motor. Still, I meant what I said about my different opinions on the 5.0/2V/4V.

340.29m/s · Jul 8, 2004

Long live the 4.6 DOHC 4V!

tjm73 · Jul 8, 2004

NewStangNewbee said:
Can I be the only one to say that the 4.6 is a better engine than the 5.0?

I'll give you different, but not better. In some instances the 4.6 is better, in others the 5.0 is better. Dollar for dollar the 5.0 is cheaper to modify. In terms of smoothness and efficency the 4.6 is hands down the winner.

Mustang5L5 · Jul 8, 2004

I own both as well. I can't really compare them though because i hav a modded 5.0 (engine, suspension, braking, etc) and i'm comparing it against a stock 99+ GT. My particular 5.0 beats my GT in acceleration, braking and handling.

SO i'll just offer my opinion on both motors.

5.0
Tons of low end power. Even when stock it would plant you in the seat at 1500-2000RPM. It's always tricky to launch the car with so much low end grunt and a lighter rear. This light rear end also makes it scary to give it gas around a corner. You gotta learn to back off the throttle in the turns because the rear will step out on you. Stock 5.0's suck up top, but some better breathing heads and a cam can fix that. Dollar for Dollar, parts for 5.0's are dirt cheap.

4.6L
Very smoother refinied modern motor. Love the sound. It sounds newer than the gurgling 5.0. Doesn't have that much low end grunt. Launching is a bit easier and the added weight over the rear gives the car a far more planted feel. I can be in a turn and give it full thottle and the car will stay glued to the road. Handles well but you can feel the added weight over the Fox. Over 3000RPM the motor pulls hard. My only gripe is the lack of low end power. I like to cruise around town at 2000RPM. In my 5.0, that was right where all the torque was, so if i needed to accelerate to merge, i could roll on the gas halfway and still take off like a mofo. With the 4.6L, 2000RPM just doesn't have that much power. I floor it and i still worry if i will make it in time. I really need to downshift the car in this situation which annoys me. I'm used to having power in every gear at every RPM. Not so with the 4.6L. You really need to keep the revs up. Not a problem though, i just need to learn this.

All and all, i love both car/motors. I choose to keep my '03 stock simply because i need a commuter car with A/C, that rode nice and was peppy. I don't want to go too crazy with mods. With my 5.0, it's old, parts are cheap, and it's already got a solid mod platform to build on. A few guys have told me to put gears, long tubes, mid-pipe and cat-back on my 4.6L, but right there is half of what i need for a supercharger for my 5.0 which already has those things.

RedGTvert · Jul 8, 2004

tjm73 said:
I'll give you different, but not better. In some instances the 4.6 is better, in others the 5.0 is better. Dollar for dollar the 5.0 is cheaper to modify. In terms of smoothness and efficency the 4.6 is hands down the winner.

It might be cheaper to mod, but the stock 5.0 block is crap. At 500rwhp it is getting ready to split in half. The 4.6 can take double that.

Mustang5L5 · Jul 8, 2004

RedGTvert said:
It might be cheaper to mod, but the stock 5.0 block is crap. At 500rwhp it is getting ready to split in half. The 4.6 can take double that.

And how many of us are rolling around with 500rwHP??

tjm73 · Jul 8, 2004

RedGTvert said:
It might be cheaper to mod, but the stock 5.0 block is crap. At 500rwhp it is getting ready to split in half. The 4.6 can take double that.

500 rwhp in a factory 5.0 block is a fools combo. Why would you spend the money to build such a beast and not step up to a R302 block or a FRPP block or even one of the new Dart blocks?

And I doubt a factory 4.6 iron or aluminum black could take 1000 rwhp. But I'm not saying the 4.6 is infierior. Just that after driving my 2 cars it's hard to have a favorite because they both have such great attributes.

I thought about moding my 4.6, but have decided to leave it pretty much as is. Too expensive for me to bother with right now. Maybe in the future. Right now it looks like I might be selling my convertible and starting a street rod project.

Modular2v · Jul 8, 2004

my 94 5.0 would get its a$$ eatin alive by my 03 gt

RedGTvert · Jul 8, 2004

Mustang5L5 said:
And how many of us are rolling around with 500rwHP??

First, that is not the point. Second, 500rwhp is becoming more of a common thing nowadays with the 4.6 2V.

RedGTvert · Jul 8, 2004

tjm73 said:
500 rwhp in a factory 5.0 block is a fools combo. Why would you spend the money to build such a beast and not step up to a R302 block or a FRPP block or even one of the new Dart blocks?

And I doubt a factory 4.6 iron or aluminum black could take 1000 rwhp. But I'm not saying the 4.6 is infierior. Just that after driving my 2 cars it's hard to have a favorite because they both have such great attributes.

I thought about moding my 4.6, but have decided to leave it pretty much as is. Too expensive for me to bother with right now. Maybe in the future. Right now it looks like I might be selling my convertible and starting a street rod project.

Fools combo? A set of decent heads, nice cam, decent intake and an S-trim will get you in the neighborhood of 500rwhp.

Read the boards about all the 5.0's that did just that and split the block in half. It doesn't take a brain surgeon to realize that anytime you build a beast on a stock bottom end that you risk popping an engine. It's just with the 5.0's you need to step up to an R block or a Sportsman block to be able to support that HP.

With a 4.6, you do not have to go to an aftermarket block.

As far as doubting, Cobra Killer is 800+rwhp on a 2V factory block.

There have been several people who made 1000+rwhp on a 4.6 Aluminum block bought at the Ford parts counter. It can be done, and has been done.

Joe Stewart, Dave King, Mohovitz. Granted, there aren't many, but it has been accomplished.

For the everday Joe, looking to make 600-700rwhp, the one thing that need not be a purchased is a special racing block. The 4.6 will take the pounding. Look at the numerous 650+rwhp '03 Cobras running around with the same engines as came from the factory. Could the stock 5.0 block do that? Heck no.

Mustang5L5 · Jul 8, 2004

RedGTvert said:
Could the stock 5.0 block do that? Heck no.

So what? Buy a new block.

From DSS

306/308 w/Level 10 Race prep Block = $1499.95
4.6L Mod w/Level 10 Race prep Block = $3999.95

And just for comparison

Super Pro Bullet. DSS claims it will reliably handle 650+ HP.
306/308 = $2699.95
331/347 = $3199.95

Still cheaper than a 4.6L short block.

I get what you are saying about the blocks. These days with CAD software and computer stress analysis, it's very easy to design a beefy block. I'll give Ford a hand for making the 4.6L block nearly indestructable.

But the 5.0 motor is still cheaper to mod. And you can get HP out of a 5.0 as well. I'm in the planning stages for a supercharged 331 for my 5.0. I wouldn't waste my time at all on a stock block.

Defleshed · Jul 8, 2004

5.0s are still my favorite modding engine. What other V8 rear wheel drive sports car can you get a blower for that cheap on.

tangerine · Jul 8, 2004

The other think about the 2v to the 5.0. You can put heads cams and an intake on a 5.0 right. Tell me how many different aftermarket heads for a 5.0 and a how many for a 4.6. The only one for the 4.6 are the frpp and who is going to spend that kinda money. I would name the ones for a 5.0 but we would be here all night. On the intake subject they only make 3 intakes for the 4.6 and only the people that can turn 7 or 8,000 is the only ones that can really benifit from them. So if you look at it as the 4.6 to the 5.0 try to make 540 at the wheels on a 5.0 with stock heads and an intake.

millhouse · Jul 8, 2004

tangerine said:
The other think about the 2v to the 5.0. You can put heads cams and an intake on a 5.0 right. Tell me how many different aftermarket heads for a 5.0 and a how many for a 4.6. The only one for the 4.6 are the frpp and who is going to spend that kinda money. I would name the ones for a 5.0 but we would be here all night. On the intake subject they only make 3 intakes for the 4.6 and only the people that can turn 7 or 8,000 is the only ones that can really benifit from them. So if you look at it as the 4.6 to the 5.0 try to make 540 at the wheels on a 5.0 with stock heads and an intake.

Hell, try doing that on a 2v without heavy amounts of boost. On a turbo application, people have made 500+rwhp on a stock 5.0 engine...albiet a bit risky, and they perhaps blew some headgaskets, it's been done.

Even though the stock 5.0 block typcally wont last much past 500rwhp, the 2v and 4v's wont either due to their internals. Either car is going to have to have some engine work done in one way or the other to have any type of reliability (there are a few rare exceptions to the rule on both behalvs).

5spd GT · Jul 8, 2004

tangerine said:
I can back up my claims. Stock for stock the 99's will out run the 93's. If you do all the same modding but with out stroking either motor the 4.6 will still come out on the end. I have seen a 99 gt with a blower, cams, tune and the other bolt ons go in to the 550 hp range without going into the internals or with out any heads or intake. A 92 lx with heads cams and a intake and the same blower only went 497 hp. Both are at the wheels and both with 14 psi and pump gas. A 4v motor will put out those kinda numbers with out a blower. I like the 4.6 and I like the 5.0. I have built a many 5.0 but I do know which one is better because I have seen the #'s. This all by what I have seen and read so don't start attacking me.

So since the 99+ 4.6 starts out with more horsepower which it gives it the advantage means it is a better engine...

I was looking for actual numbers and stats on the engines to be labeled as a better engine...not which has more horsepower after being modified...

NewStangNewbee · Jul 8, 2004

no pushrods!

C.Harris · Jul 9, 2004

RedGTvert said:
It might be cheaper to mod, but the stock 5.0 block is crap. At 500rwhp it is getting ready to split in half. The 4.6 can take double that.

Hmmmm, but will those rattling rods live?

It does take more than just a block to make an engine.

4.6 vs 5.0

tangerine

Member

CManT1914

New Member

CManT1914

New Member

340.29m/s

New Member

tjm73

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

RedGTvert

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

tjm73

Modular2v

RedGTvert

RedGTvert

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

Defleshed

Satanic Mechanic

tangerine

Member

millhouse

5spd GT

"the 5.0 owns all"

NewStangNewbee

Banned

C.Harris

Da Boss

Similar threads

4.6 vs 5.0

Member

New Member

New Member

New Member

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

Satanic Mechanic

Member

"the 5.0 owns all"

Banned

Da Boss

Similar threads

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency