3rd Gen Stock Horse Power

[Jellysick]

I rode in a friends new Nissan Pathfinder last night and I have to say its a nice ride. What I dont get is how they can get a V6 engine in the pathfinder and crank out 270 horsepower (or whatever it is), and the V8 we get in the Explorers is only pushing 240. I know there are things you can do to increase the horsepower, but still! Whats the deal!?

I do have to say the options and the interior in the Explorers is WAY better than anything you find in a Nissan - it still is just a mystery to me.

Isn't the 4.6L V8 that is in the Explorers the same as the V8 in the Mustangs?

 

[briwayjones]

I just looked on the Ford site and it said the HP for the 4.6 V8 is 292. Where you talking about an older Explorer?

 

[wheeler]

Horsepower is the amount of work an engine can do in a given amount of time. So an engine that is designed to work at high rpms has an advantage over one designed for lower rpms atleast in the horsepower category. A more important measurement for a truck-type engine is torque and the torque vs rpm curve. The ford v-8 will make better torque at a lower, more usable rpm than the nissan v-6. Today's high reving engines don't typically make good low end torque compared to engines like the old 300 straight 6 that gave you 90% of it's twisting force at 1200 rpm. Now peak torque numbers occur in the 3000 rpm range for gassers.

Everyone wants horsepower numbers, but I could care less what the power is at 6000 rpm. I spend WAY more time at 2000 rpm...

 

[Jellysick]

It looks like it does say 292, but thats for the 2006 model - I dont know if anything has changed between the '06 model and models such as mine (2002). I could have swarn that my 4.6L V8 was rated at 240 horsepower. Sounds pretty pathetic now that I can't say for sure.

Good point though about the horsepower vs. torque, I completely agree with what you said. But when he got on the gas when I was in the pathfinder, that thing had some get up - especially for a V6. My explorer seems to wind out at high RPMs and it loses that "get up and go" feeling. I do remember when I had a LOADED down 4'x6' enclosed trailer behind the explorer. I felt like I could pull anything - definitely had plenty of towing power.

 

[spindlecone]

Your 02 is 240, the 06 is 292 but is the 3 valve 4.6

 

[Jellysick]

OK I found a site with 2002 Explorer 4.6L V8 Specs. It said it produced 240 horsepower and 280ft-lbs of torque at 4,000rpm. The Nissan Pathfinder is rated at 270 horsepower at 5,600rpm and 300ft-lbs of torque at 4,000rpm. With those numbers and the above statement regarding torque vs. horsepower, it still sounds to me that the 4.0L V6 under the Pathfinder's hood is still cranking out more power.

 

[jrford]

Another point is generally for the same displacement motor - Higher HP shorter life . . lower HP longer life. Look at F1 NASCAR motor, they put out 500-1000 hp but have to be rebuilt after every race if they make it. If you took that same motor and dialed it down to say 200hp it may run forever.
Also to the new '06 4.6 3v is sweet, mostly the same as the 'stangs.

 

[Jamo]

I could have swarn that my 4.6L V8 was rated at 240 horsepower. Sounds pretty pathetic now that I can't say for sure.

My 2002 is a 4.0 with only ~215 HP!

 

[spindlecone]

My 2002 is a 4.0 with only ~215 HP!

Sorry Jamo
If your built date is before mid year 02, your H.P. is 205, after that 210

 

[awdrocks]

02'-05' Explorer do have the same PI motor as the 2v Mustangs... but our SUVs lose power due to a few factors.... fan clutch, pullies and headers can account for the 265hp rating difference of the better 2v PI Mustang at the crank... then concider our Auto and longer drive shafts bigger wheels and in some cases AWD and the rwhp is probably another 5% lower than an auto PI 2v Mustang with an auto at the wheels.

The Pathfinder has more liters per cylinder than our motor and their are a LOT of factors that can make it have more horsies. Compresson ratio etc...

Take him to a secure track and run him to the 1/4. I bet you spank him.

 

[CaptainObvious]

I've got to admit, I was quite smitten (there's a word I haven't used in a while) with the Nissan Pathfinder Armada. That was once nice ass ride, big roomy, very nice. I had it down in Florida for 2 weeks. Man that thing was great. However, I seriously gassed it up every two days, granted I didn't drive it easy. I looked at one before the Explorer, but once I saw the price I had to walk away.

 

[techieman33]

Stop complaining, my explorer only makes 155hp.

 

[Jellysick]

I'm far from complaining about my explorer, it just seems strange to have a 4.6L V8 pushing those kinds of numbers. I am familiar with the differences between the explorer and the mustang and what would drop the horsies down in the explorer - still a good point though.

So, you say the explorer would beat him in the 1/4 mile? I've never raced (officially) and just from how I drive the explorer, it seems like just about anything would beat it off the line. Its when I'm going ~50mph and decide to jump on it to pass someone that it can really get up and go.

How about pulling power? That pathfinder is supposedly putting out a bit more torque at the same RPMs as the '02 V8 explorer. How do you guys think these numbers compare in real life scenarios?

You guys have some good stuff to say! I like to have a little background before I start to talk $hit to him

 

[Jamo]

Sorry Jamo
If your built date is before mid year 02, your H.P. is 205, after that 210

crap crappity crap crap!

Oh well, I bought the Explorer to haul my family around. I've got the TBird for speed!

I looked at a '06 Pathfinder a few months back. VERY nice. I couldn't justify losing 60% of the purchase value in the first 4 years, though, so I bought a 4 year-old Explorer that someone had already taken the depreciation hit on!

With people shying away from buying SUVs these days, I was able to buy my Explorer for LESS than wholesale and actually paid $700 less than the dealer had in it. Edmunds lists my truck, with the options and mileage, for an even $20K. I bought it for a hair over $16K. Dealers are desperate to dump SUVs these days. Every day they stay on the lot is another day they have to spend money to maintain them.