4.0 L OHV underpowered???

[Nate1]

I love my SOHC. My car really doesnt ever feel sluggish, unless of course you are dealing with the emissions systems. Then again I have 4.10s... but still... I have pulled fullsizeds out of mud and done some safe (oxymoron?) racing, and I can hold my own well.
I had an OHV '92, which did feel a little sluggish, but it wasnt too bad.... still, its no porsche....
IMHO the best is a V8... but a SOHC will definatly do if its a few $k cheaper
-----Nate

 

[SaleenEXP]

If I remember correctly, the stock 3.8 in the Thunderbirds had around 140hp, I have no idea how some of you could think their fast (unless your truck is running poorly ) b/c they are a little slower then an ohv V6 Explorer. I knew a few people with them and they were very slow for a car, now the supercharged and turbo coupes were pretty damn quick on the other hand. But the stock 3.8 was a dog in performance.

DonM - somethings wrong with your truck b/c your slower then the older Pathfinders like you said in another thread, when you sjould easily be able to take them stock b/c their engines are anemic with their gearing.

As for the V8's, 5.0 all the way . I can pull 16.1-16.2 consistantly in the 1/4 at about 85mph in our stock 00' 5.0 Mounty 2wd with a powerbrake launch. The last time I was at the track, late last summer, that was quick enough to take a Civic Si and two Durango R/T's, then I got the **** smoked outta me by an fox body Stang with a lot of mods (ran high 11's) and I have no friggen idea why they set me up against him and we weren't braket racing either, musta thought I was Troll or something

I thought our 94' (RIP lol, damn sister) was ok with mods and 3.27 gears for an ohv V6, our Mounty is like a sports car compared to it though......But now everything's slow to me ever scince my mom's friend had his Ruf Porsche seriously modded 2yrs ago to push close to 700rwhp (awd though with a few things from AutoThority shhhh...don't tell Ruf), all I gotta say is it makes my friends ACR Viper seem very slow

 

[Alec]

Yup, those Tbirds were slow unless they had the s/c. Even the 4.6 Tbird was pretty slow. The new ones aren't that quick either.

A moderately built OHV (intake, exhaust, chip, tb) with stock tires should be running mid-high 16s at the track.

 

[DonM]

Alec, i cant say what im running for sure, but it feels like 19-20!

The chip helps a bit, but even with all the mods, I still wouldnt say the engine was putting out 160HP?

Im running stock tires and gears.

 

[Majisto]

Stock SOHC runs low 16s How are those new 5-speed manual SOHCs? I bet they run a lot faster.

 

[Rhett]

My friend's 88 T-bird had a 3.8 in it--
later he bought a 97 or so T-bird with a 4.6 in it--
and the 3.8 t-bird was faster. Maybe he had a turbo or supercharged 3.8 in there but I don't think so. The 4.6 T-bird he has now is a dog. I don't know if it's the gearing, or the way Ford has the computer tuned on it. I know 4.6's are capable of of some power since Mustangs use that engine too.

 

[JGAMBLE]

while yes the 4.6 in the Bird is down on power compared to the mustang, the 4.6 is down on power period. I'm sure people will disagree with me, but just buy you a couple hotrod magazine and look at the number of fast 5.0 versus the number of fast 4.6's I'll bet it's more than 10 to 1, and it costs a lot less to work a 5.0.

 

[Morgan97Ltd]

the 4.6 t-birds were low 16s in the 1/4 and the 3.8s were even slower at high 16s i believe. my friend had a 3.8 and it was pretty freakin slow whenever i drove it... i forget what the supercoupes ran (supercharged 3.8), but i wanna say something like low-mid 15s. they were quick cars for their size and had lots of potential.

EDIT: i know a couple people with 4.6 t-birds with a lot of mods and they're very lucky to break into the 13s, i think most are mid-14s or slower, again this is more than your basic intake/header/exhaust, but i'm not sure exactly what all was done, if someone shows interest i'll ask