mustangs and explorers

[tom clancy]

in the 02-03 Explorer they use a 4.6L V8. Is that the same engine that they put into the 02-03 mustangs?
Why does the mustang have 260hp and the explorer have 240?
Are there differant componets?

thanks.

 

[redShift]

Id say they have much different weights.

 

[section525]

Its probably the same as the 5.0 Explorers VS 5.0 Mustangs. They use different exhaust setups, possibly different cams, and the computers are different. You could probably get the Explorer 4.6 to easily match the power of a Mustang 4.6 by doing a few small mods.

 

[tom clancy]

but weight shouldn't affect hp, right?

 

[tom clancy]

mustang:
compression: 9.4:1
redline: 6000
torque: 302
hp: 260


explorer:
compression: 9.4:1
redline: 6000
torque: 282
hp: 239

 

[RiverRat]

The 4.6 GT and the 4.6 Explorers are both iron block al head right? If thats true then the engines should be about the same weight.

 

[SaleenEXP]

Originally posted by tom clancy
in the 02-03 Explorer they use a 4.6L V8. Is that the same engine that they put into the 02-03 mustangs?
Why does the mustang have 260hp and the explorer have 240?
Are there differant componets?

thanks.

It is a Modular based engine (Romeo) and is also related to the Triton engines which are pretty close. Different tunning, no dual exhaust and mid-pipe and different cam grind a few other things set it apart and why it has less hp and tq but still is very strong. Rev's and makes power up top like GT but has the low-end of the Triton series.

It's basically a Romeo block, they stopped making the Windsor blocks a few years ago, I think in 99', and now Mustangs and Explorers use the Romeo block which has a few upgrades from the Windsor based 4.6 engines and is a little stronger.

Still a kick ass engine and truck, my neighbor ran a 15.7 at somewhere around 87 mph at the strip (Moroso Speedway) in his 02' 4.6 Explorer (2wd w/ 3.73 gears) , while the best I could manage in our 5.0 Mounty stalling the convertor was a 16.2..........he pulls away from me at any speed very quickly whether it's off the line or from a roll.

 

[tom clancy]

has anyone put a dual exhaust on their 02-03 V8?
do they make aftermarket cams yet ?

if they make aftermarket stuff (headers, cams, exhaust)for the mustang, can you use it on the explorer?

 

[Aaron 4.6]

I would have to see some engine pics to be sure, but I can't see why the popular Mustang mods wouldn't apply to the X as well. I owned a 99 GT for quite a while and there were a few really productive parts out there for them. I picked up about 16 rwhp and 15 rwtq with only a $320 investment in Steeda underdrive pulleys and a Steeda timing adjuster. I stepped the gears up to a 4.10 and it was a monster out of the hole. The 4.6 SOHC still noses over after about 5300 rpm (I imagine this would happen closer to 4800-5000 rpm in an X) so it needs some head porting to breathe in the upper RPMs. The truck intakes suck when it comes to making power as well. You can get replacement Mustang intakes for about $125, I wonder how easy a swap would be?

 

[coolchris]

Originally posted by tom clancy
but weight shouldn't affect hp, right?

im pretty sure that weight does affect hp... i just learned all this stuff in physics

 

[Texplorer]

But does the weight affect the HP rating when they test it. Dont they test the HP at the flywheel, that is the HP they put on the sticker. Not rwhp. Then the weight wouldnt be a factor.

 

[Aaron 4.6]

The weight will affect acceleration. It does NOT affect power.

F=ma. If you hold F constant and increase "m", then "a" must get smaller.

The reason the X motor makes less power is the intake is restrictive and the cams are tuned to make power lower in the rpm range. So far as I know the rotating assemblies, heads, valves, and compressions are all the same.

 

[Alec]

Also keep in mind that max hp and tq aren't all that matters. Maybe the X motor has a more even curve and makes more tq down low, even if it makes less peak?

 

[RocketMan444]

The horsepower difference is more then likely the single exhaust of the Explorer in comparison to the Mustang Dual exhaust. I'm not sure if there is a difference in the throttle body or not.

 

[SaleenEXP]

Weight has no affect on hp, horse-power is nothing but a calculation reached from torque. Torque is what accelerates you.

The 4.6 in the Explorers is a Romeo block just like the Mustangs from 00' and up. The Explorer has different cam grinds, tuning for a more low-end tq band, and doesn't have a stock h-pipe and true duals like the stang, a couple other differences. (which really doesn't matter that much anyway scince the stock h-pipe and cats on a Stang are extremely restricitve).

It has less peak tq, but as Aaron4.6 pry knows, you would think the 4.6 in the new Explorers/Mounty's is putting out a lot more power, it has an extremely wide tq band and pulls strongly right to redline and is matched perfectly to the 5 speed auto especially if equiped with 3.73 gears, it'd be even better if they offered 4.10's.

If you haven't driven one, go test one, you'd be damn suprised at how fast they are considering they weigh a couple hundred more pounds then a 2nd gen Explorer but will destroy a 5.0 Explorer/Mounty in acceleration, and the 5.0's are no slouches, I took 2 Durango R/T's and a Civic Si at the track running a 16.2, but my neighbors 4.6 Explorer literally smokes me. They'll stay neck and neck with an auto IS300 or manual one (should have added that Majisto) up to about 65mph and then the IS will slowly pull away

 

[Majisto]

Originally posted by SaleenEXP
Weight has no affect on hp, horse-power is nothing but a calculation reached from torque. Torque is what accelerates you.

The 4.6 in the Explorers is a Romeo block just like the Mustangs from 00' and up. The Explorer has different cam grinds, tuning for a more low-end tq band, and doesn't have a stock h-pipe and true duals like the stang, a couple other differences. (which really doesn't matter that much anyway scince the stock h-pipe and cats on a Stang are extremely restricitve).

It has less peak tq, but as Aaron4.6 pry knows, you would think the 4.6 in the new Explorers/Mounty's is putting out a lot more power, it has an extremely wide tq band and pulls strongly right to redline and is matched perfectly to the 5 speed auto especially if equiped with 3.73 gears, it'd be even better if they offered 4.10's.

If you haven't driven one, go test one, you'd be damn suprised at how fast they are considering they weigh a couple hundred more pounds then a 2nd gen Explorer but will destroy a 5.0 Explorer/Mounty in acceleration, and the 5.0's are no slouches, I took 2 Durango R/T's and a Civic Si at the track running a 16.2, but my neighbors 4.6 Explorer literally smokes me. They'll stay neck and neck with an auto IS300

Actually, I raced and beat an IS300 in my SOHC so hmm... Fun race

Anyways, yes, they measure horsepower from the crank so weight does nothing to stop this. Remember Horsepower = Torque * (RPM/5252), and we all know the torque output is not affected by weight.

Now as you increase weight, you want to increase torque, as torque is the amount of load an engine can take, and horsepower is the speed. Horsepower is a power output (740 watts or so) kinda like we use MHZ to measure the power output of a computer processor, but as can be seen, MHZ isn't everything. The bus speed and architecture of the chip can make a 1400 Mhz outperform a 1800 MHZ, just as a smaller motor can out-perform a larger motor with a smoother torque curve, and better breathing systems.

 

[Thetz20]

weight does not effect hp it will effect acceleration and 1/4 mi et's thats all.

 

[zensius]

I wouldn't put a Mustang intake on an X as I would think it would make it slower. The X intake is designed to make torque which you need to pull a boat, climb a hill, etc. Plus an X weighs more.

 

[TPLYNCH]

Hey Tom, LOVE your books!

 

[PUR PONY]

the explorer 4.6 block is aluminum and the mustang 4.6 block is iron...... but that has nothing to do with HP.... however it would be awesome if the factory mustangs had the aluminum block also for weight reduction on the car...........

most all of the mustang performance parts for the 4.6 will interchange with the explorer..... but there are really not that many parts yet for the 4.6 mustang.... aftermarket is just starting to take off. The 5.0 has been around for years and there are thousands of parts for these......

If I had a new 4.6 X... I would strip the engine down... drop in a '03 cobra crank, forged pistons, get the cams reground, heads ported and flowed, roots blower, tune, few odds and ends and put down 400rwhp pretty easy.