Police Interceptor Engines

BlackenedSVT

Active Member
Jan 18, 2004
1,841
7
38
New Jersey
Hey all. I've been away for a LONG time. Haven't been on the forums for like 6 months now. But im back :D

I know i have discussed this before, but i can't find the thread.
What type of engine does the Police Interceptor Crown Vic (police cars) use? Also what are their stats and hp ratings?

I debated this with a few kids in my Lincoln Tech (automechanic school) the other day and heard some INTERESTING remarks.

- I thought the Interceptor engines were a 4.6L SOHC engine, rating about 280 hp.

- Another friend from said that the police use Cobra motors in their crown vics. Because he said hes seen them pull HARD on the highway going fast and they just keep on goin at high speeds. So assuming this kid was right, that would put the police cars up to 320hp, which i was PRETTY sure that they don't have. Plus i have worked on cop cars with my DARE officer when i was younger and i dont remember a cobra motor being in them.

- a third kid (and an idiot LOL) says that the police cars use Corvette engines. He said that the CROWN VICs (not the camaro aniv. edition, mind you) that his friend (who is a cop and told him this) use the corvette engines.
I told him unless its a 2000-2 Camaro Z28 or SS, it isn't going to have an LS1 engine in it...especially not in a Ford car none the less. This would also put police interceptors up to 350hp with those LS1 engines....which i know the crown vics dont have.

So can someone, maybe some of you police stang-netters out there, clarify this dispute? What engine does the crown vic police cars use and whats its 1/4 time and hp rating?

I was pretty sure my GT would beat a cop car from a roll and especially from a dig.

/discuss...
 
Here is a link to the Ford Fleet vehicle page for the Crown Victoria Police Interceptor. This is another link for information regarding Crown Vic Police Interceptors. The motors are the 4.6 2V SOHC motors and not the Cobra motors. They are rated at 250HP for current interceptors. Dodge is pushing out new Police Interceptors with its new Charger/Hemi combination that is sure to be a deadly combination.
 
They use your basic 2v 4.6 that you'd find in a Mustang GT (260 horse). They do have one feature that makes them EXTREMELY fast though - its called a radio ;) .

Back when they were running Caprices (and some staties up here still are - word has it that they won't give em up because they were so much better than the Crown Vics they get now) those cars had the Camaro/Impala SS spec LT1 as opposed to a normal caprice spec 350. In addition, the 98-up Camaro cop cars had an LS1. As far as the ford stuff, the vast majority (save maybe some special order stuff that a department might do on their own-such as buying a cobra or something) is your basic run of the mill 2v 4.6 (both the stang and the Crown Vic) with your typical cop mods (gearing, bushings, swaybars, etc.)
 
ok, i didnt want to be the one th let the cat out of the bag but here goes. the secret to police interceptors being faster than any other car on the road is.........the TURBONATOR! :shock:


haha, yeah the whole police interceptor legend about them being badass and able to run down anything on the road is just a myth. somethig even i used to believe as a kid.
 
UDTBadkarma said:
- a third kid (and an idiot LOL) says that the police cars use Corvette engines. He said that the CROWN VICs (not the camaro aniv. edition, mind you) that his friend (who is a cop and told him this) use the corvette engines.
I told him unless its a 2000-2 Camaro Z28 or SS, it isn't going to have an LS1 engine in it...especially not in a Ford car none the less. This would also put police interceptors up to 350hp with those LS1 engines....which i know the crown vics dont have.
Tell your friend that in the mid-90's, when the Caprice Classic was still in service a lot of the got a slightly detuned version of the L "T" 1......but the Caprice Classic was discontinued in 1996, before the LS1 even made it's debut. No Ford Police car ever got a Chevy motor! :nonono:
 
The new Hemi chargers are taking over. I'm noticing a lot of the local PD's are starting to get a few. I had the pleasure of watching one zip by me WOT with the lights on. I was so tempted to drop a gear and give chase.

I wonder how quick they are with all the equipment. light bar, push bar, etc.??
 
Around here we just got one of the Hemi Chargers and a V6 Charger. Ive seen the Hemi and some told me they saw the V6. I must say they look pretty sweet for a cop car.

Also about the Crown Vics, there was one that raced at the track with the light bar and all the other stuff on it and it ran like a 15 or 16 sec 1/4 mile.