What Was The Deal With The '96 And Up 4.6

mpeach1976 said:

I'm not even sure if this applies to the '96 and up 4.6... I remember hearing that back in the day there was some misinformation going on with the published horse power being a lot higher than the actual horse power. I was just curious what that was about. Can someone explain how that was discovered and resolved?

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I think what you might be referring to is the '96-'97 cars making 215hp and then being bumped to 225hp in '98. From what I understand, the difference was little more than alterations to the fuel and timing curves and a slightly freer flowing exhaust. It really didn't make a difference in any case, as none of the '94-'98 cars could get out of their own way.

There were also discrepancies the way the 5.0L was rated after 1992. There were no difference what so ever between the '92 and '93 5.0 HO OHV engines, but due to changes in the way the horsepower was rated by Ford, published numbers dropped from 225hp, to 205hp.

Personally, I think it was a publicity stunt by Ford in order to make the weaker 5.0L in the '94-'95 SN95 cars sound more robust. The '95-'95 ECU's had a less aggressive fuel and timing curve than the Fox body ECU's and they employed the use of the T-Bird style upper intake manifold (in order to clear the SN95 hood-line), which knocked about 10hp out of the top end. This brought the horsepower rating down from 225hp, to 215hp. Fords answer to this was to underrate the outgoing car by 20hp, so that the new SN95's 215hp rating didn't look so bad.

mpeach1976 said:

Interesting. that's the motor that made it into the '03 Mach1, right? Tweaked of course, but into the Mach1 none the less.

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Well....all 4V's of that era were "tweaked" versions of the last.

For instance, the Mach 1 got different heads, cams, intake and pistons than the '99 Cobra....but it's still the same "basic" set up.