Oh how I do love a good 4.6 v. 5.0 debate!
I think you're mixing your facts up a little, so feel free to listen. Ford hasn't hit a wall with the 4.6L.
I would tend to agree with him. It seems that the n/a limit from ford is 320 hp with the n/a 4.6.
There have been several models introduced in the last couple of years by Ford, Saleen, Steeda, etc that have put out 400fwhp while still maintaining perfect road manners, stout reliability and knocking down decent mileage to boot. That's more than any 5.0L owner could ever hope for!
Supercharging sure has come a long way in the last 15 years, thanks in large part to the companies who got their start with the 5.0 aftermarket
Still, I think a supercharged 5.0 with a T56 could hope for the same things. My best-friend and I are both going to test this theory in the coming year. If you stay tuned, I'll let you know how it works out. I'll bet I get better mileage than a stock GT500.
Sure, one might be able to put together a 302 OHV with aftermarket parts that might match those horsepower figures, but I've not seen one yet that would come close to matching any of the other above mentioned benefits offered by the OHC.
If you look for something hard enough I think you'll find it, and that goes both ways.
And at that point you've had to replace everything but the block in order to just match the power output.
At 400 hp? Nah, just the top end and bolt-ons, or nitrous
The OHV 302 has been around for over 40-years and it never made 400fwhp in any configuration....
Neither has an n/a 4.6. Too bad ford doesn't offer a blown 302, though I bet other companies do.
so I'd say considering the fairly short existence the 2V/3V/4V OHC engines have been in production, they're doing quite well by comparison.
I'd say they're doing ok. At least with the 5.0 around, the competition never dominated the entire mustang line-up in performance.
I'm sorry you're still not over the fact that the 302 OHV is dead and buried, never to return, but you really need to get over it.
No thanks, enough people still make parts, so I'll keep on driving my dead and buried 302 OHV.
It was a great little engine for its time, but times have changed and the 302 OHV had ran its course.
It's still a great little engine.
The new breed of mod motors may have their flaws, but they're still light years ahead of their predecessors from every technical standpoint.
Yeah, light years
Just to add fuel to the fire, here's the highest output n/a modular true 4.6 displacement crate engine ford racing performance offers:
4.6 aluminator long-block: $6,500/ 320 hp/ 473 lbs/ 10:1 compression
Ford Racing Performance Parts [M-6007-A46NA*]
For comparison's sake, here's the weakest 302: $4,800/ 340 hp/ 467 lbs/ 9:1 compression
Ford Racing Performance Parts 302-based engine]
Save $1,700, gain 20 hp, this is with the very mild E-cam (around 500 lift, and 220* duration int/exh)
The strongest 302 is very comparable in price to the aluminator, but still cheaper and a lot more powerful: $6,250 / 390 hp/ 549lbs/ 10:1 compression
Ford Racing Performance Parts [M-6007-Z50E*]
"Ok, but what about all the technology we have now," you ask!
The meanest 4.6-based n/a crate engine from ford: The cammer!: $29,500 (hi-tech indeed!)/ 400hp/ 534 lbs/ 11:1 compression
Ford Racing Performance Parts [M-6007-R50*]
So now lets look at the meanest 302-based crate engine from ford, the Z347: $8,995 (so low-tech it's $20,505 cheaper)/ 450 hp/ 560lbs/ 9.7:1 compression
Ford Racing Performance Parts [M-6007-Z347*]
How does such an old, low-tech motor that's run its course beat the baddest n/a motor that ford can produce with a 4.6? Easy, more cubes, and more aftermarket refinement. The Z302 makes about as much power, and it's extremely affordable. Since the Cammer is an all out race motor, though, it's much more comparable to the Z347. Because they're both n/a and weigh nearly the same, they'd both be great candidates for a road racing engine. I'll take the push-rod, though. It's bound to have a lower and wider power-band with a lot more low-end torque, which is better for coming out of turns. Plus parts will be cheaper to replace.
You're not going to impress me with the supercharged modulars, either. There's no magical quality that makes modulars respond better to boost than any other engine. The better n/a engine with the appropriate compression, cam, and blower or turbo makes the better boosted engine, too. So, give me one of the Boss 302-based crate motors with 8.5:1 slugs and let me slap on a blower. I'll put it up against any of the blown modulars.
All that said, I'm not advocating that ford dump the modulars, but since blowers are the only way they can seemingly get them to make power, then I would like to see one in a GT making the same power or more for the same price as the Challenger and Camaro.
Don't get me wrong, though. I come off like I hate modulars. It's not true. I love what ford is doing with its modulars, now! 500 hp in a factory stock ford mustang is incredible! It's just that I love 5.0s. I don't mean to diminish the accomplishments of the modular. I've never been impressed with the mustang GT.... never. I have been impressed with the blown Cobras, though. That was such a cool step forward by Ford. Going from 320 hp in '01 to 500hp by '06 (was this the first year of the GT500) is definitely cool. Now we've got those bow-tie boys playing catch up. I've been begging Ford to put the 5.4 in the mustang since its introduction into the pickup truck line. Now that it's in and it's blown, the Chevy boys will be whining about how fast the mustang is, and what ford has to resort to to beat them.... It's cool with me, as long as we stay out in front. I may not drive a GT500, but as a mustang guy, I love being able to claim them.
Don't bash my 5.0, though man. If ford wanted to make 500 hp from a blown 302-based motor in a production car, it'd be a done deal. Chevy can do it and better the modular's emission and mileage with a pushrod higher displacement V8. Ford could, if they wanted to, do the same thing.
Chris