Vortec engine supperior to Dodge or Ford?

[eryoung]

Hello,

I was driving in to work this morning and on the left of me was a Dodge Ram with a Magnum engine and on the right of me was a Ford with a Triton. What is the difference between the Vortec and the other big 2's. Is the Vortec a better stronger engine or is it the weaker of the two? Just was wondering? Anybody out there have any input on this?

Take care

[knightjp]

Oh I have no idea which of the two is better... have a look at my thread.
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...25#post6927525

[Schurkey]

The Ford Modular engines are pure junk. They're too busy spitting spark plugs into the hood to make any power. Ford has to put a supercharger on them to get decent output; and pretty much ANY engine can be a hero if it's got an iron lung. Ford had something like 13 years of development time on the Modular; and the LS kicked it's ass the first year the LS was in production.

Mopar Hemis in any configuration can make serious power. The modern Hemi is serious competition for the LS-series (but it takes twice as many spark plugs to do it...)

[knightjp]

Originally Posted by Schurkey

The Ford Modular engines are pure junk. They're too busy spitting spark plugs into the hood to make any power. Ford has to put a supercharger on them to get decent output; and pretty much ANY engine can be a hero if it's got an iron lung. Ford had something like 13 years of development time on the Modular; and the LS kicked it's ass the first year the LS was in production.

Mopar Hemis in any configuration can make serious power. The modern Hemi is serious competition for the LS-series (but it takes twice as many spark plugs to do it...)

I honestly don't know what you drive or what basis you based the comparison of the Ford Modular engines on, but having researched forum after forum, comparison tests, reviews (of both used and new vehicles) and owners statements for more than a year, I can safely say that Ford's modular engines are great engines. Yes they have a fault with the spark plugs, but as it turns out, its a fault not with the engine but with maintenance...
I have a testimony of a Ford F150 work truck, completely misused and trashed by the company that owns it and yet still after many years has not had a single mechanical failure. Cosmetically its shot, but mechanically its tough.
I'm also sure that if you were to research on your precious LS engines, you'd find that people have posted about faults with it too...
Every engine has its faults, whether they're major or not depends on the person who owns the car.

LS engines are pushrod engines. GM is the only manufacturer producing such engines for their current lineup... Every other manufacturer, as far as I know, has gone the DOHC route; inclusive of Mercedes, who happens to make the most powerful N/A V8 in the world.
By sticking with the old tech, GM has managed to retain some of the character that its engines are known for and made it easier for the aftermarket.
Ford has been changing its engine lineup for a number of reasons. In the 60s they dominated NASCAR because of this and they were about to be wiped away by Dodge's Hemis; when they decided to make one of their own... BOSS 429. Unfortunately no one ever got find out how the BOSS would have done against the Hemis, but we all have fantasies.
Anyways as a result, Ford is a leader of the three in using smaller engines to get the job done. You always noticed that in the Camaros and Mustang comparisons, the Mustangs always had smaller engines.
Dodge... off the grid on my list until they brought back that iconic Hemi. Ofcourse other Chrysler V8s did have their moments, but non brought such an aura as the Hemis did.
Ofcourse I did notice the first incarnations of the modern Hemi engines were brilliantly configured for the modern age with fuel-saving technologies that the other two were finding hard to put in their units, but the modern Hemis did lack that punch and large BHP numbers that we're used to taking about when we talk Mopar.
Ofcourse, now as of late, Dodge is addressing that issue. And we're starting to see numbers that were expected and worthy of a Hemi badge; with the latest tech to make it viable for times.

Out of the 3, the Dodge makes the more glorious exhaust note.

Frankly I tend to wonder if the new Hemis were developed along with Mercedes as they were a merged company. With that in mind of I wonder if the glorious engine notes are a sign of the latest AMG V8s having anything in common with the Hemis.

[Schurkey]

Originally Posted by knightjp

LS engines are pushrod engines. GM is the only manufacturer producing such engines for their current lineup... Every other manufacturer, as far as I know, has gone the DOHC route

Originally Posted by knightjp

I did notice the first incarnations of the modern Hemi engines were brilliantly configured for the modern age with...

...PUSHRODS

Originally Posted by knightjp

And we're starting to see numbers that were expected and worthy of a Hemi badge; with the latest tech to make it viable for times.

Out of the 3, the Dodge makes the more glorious exhaust note.

Like that can't be changed by replacing the mufflers.


LS = good but not perfect engineering.
Hemi = good but not perfect engineering
Modular = better luck next time







If you think that spitting sparkplugs is a maintenance issue, you'd better go back and do some research. Start with the amount of thread engagement Ford so brilliantly engineered into the OEM plugs and cylinder heads.

[Later edit] Come to think of it, didn't the Hemi kick the Modular's ass in the Hemi's first year of production, too?[/Later edit]

[knightjp]

Originally Posted by Schurkey

If you think that spitting sparkplugs is a maintenance issue, you'd better go back and do some research. Start with the amount of thread engagement Ford so brilliantly engineered into the OEM plugs and cylinder heads.

So which means all the owners I spoke to here and my own eyes, were lying to me when about the good reports with the Modular engines. And that work truck I mentioned earlier wasn't in front of me this morning.
As far as the spark-plug issues go, yes, I did my research. It simply came down to the wrong people working on the engines instead of someone who knows what they were doing.
Either I'm loosing my mind or you're completely biased about Ford's modular engines.
2011 Ward's 10 Best Engines isn't my opinion... but certainly proves my point about the modular design... In my opinion...

LS = good but not perfect engineering.
Hemi = good but not perfect engineering
Modular = good but not perfect engineering

Originally Posted by Schurkey

Come to think of it, didn't the Hemi kick the Modular's ass in the Hemi's first year of production, too?

Yes and No... While Ford's V8 wasn't featured in the Ward's list when the Hemi debuted does suggest that, the list shows that in later years, Ford did come back with an improved version every time. From what I know is that Ford has been working on the modular design for sometime. And every new update has its share of bugs and kinks to work out. GM and Dodge aren't exactly issue free in their engine department either. I could name a few issues.

[j cAT]

having owned a 5.3L vortec in a 2000 silverado and with my 135,ooomi on it , I find the engine a solid performer. so far no engine component failures. uses a 1/2 qt of oil every 8,ooomi on mobil one synthetic.

still has plenty of power and tows my 4,oooLB boat no problem.

MPG is 18.5-19 in the summer..

being on these forums a few years the engines with proper maintanence go 180-225,ooo mi with little issues.

that's the engine ...........

now the brakes ,,,,, thats a hole lot of GM crap !

[knightjp]

Originally Posted by j cAT

having owned a 5.3L vortec in a 2000 silverado and with my 135,ooomi on it , I find the engine a solid performer. so far no engine component failures. uses a 1/2 qt of oil every 8,ooomi on mobil one synthetic.

still has plenty of power and tows my 4,oooLB boat no problem.

MPG is 18.5-19 in the summer..

being on these forums a few years the engines with proper maintanence go 180-225,ooo mi with little issues.

that's the engine ...........

now the brakes ,,,,, thats a hole lot of GM crap !

That's awesome that you don't have any issues to report. However to answer the initial question, I wouldn't call the Vortec engine superior to Ford and Dodge, but it has a good rep... So does Ford and Dodge with their fans.....
I'm a petrolhead, so I'm a fan of all great engines and cars.
Every engine has a flaw, whether it is major or not, depends on the person owning the car...

Originally Posted by j cAT

now the brakes ,,,,, thats a hole lot of GM crap !

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by knightjp

That's awesome that you don't have any issues to report. However to answer the initial question, I wouldn't call the Vortec engine superior to Ford and Dodge, but it has a good rep... So does Ford and Dodge with their fans.....
I'm a petrolhead, so I'm a fan of all great engines and cars.
Every engine has a flaw, whether it is major or not, depends on the person owning the car...

like I stated I have no knowledge on these newer ford/dodge truck engines.

the vortec 5.3L for me and other forum members that do take the time and expense to maintain the engine have had good results ..

If you can get over 150,ooo on a truck engine with no issues ,, that is a very good deal...

with the cost of fuel being expensive and going up , this engine does provide good MPG.. I know that the ford engine is not that good , in that area..also I found out recently that the new toyota engines , also have lower MPG than my 2000 5.3L ..

for those thinking of purchasing a vehicle with the 5.3L do not ignore the cooling system ...put in the proper amount of dexccol with distilled water as this engine will get damaged if the dexcool is not of the proper concentraion and has NON distilled water in it...

using 65% dexcool works great .

[knightjp]

Originally Posted by j cAT

like I stated I have no knowledge on these newer ford/dodge truck engines.
the vortec 5.3L for me and other forum members that do take the time and expense to maintain the engine have had good results ..
If you can get over 150,ooo on a truck engine with no issues ,, that is a very good deal...
with the cost of fuel being expensive and going up , this engine does provide good MPG.. I know that the ford engine is not that good , in that area..also I found out recently that the new toyota engines , also have lower MPG than my 2000 5.3L ..

Ford and Dodge have had similar things said about their vehicles. And yes, getting over 150,000 on an engine is an excellent deal. It just goes to show that if we were to investigate most of the horror stories said about various vehicles, not just GM, Ford and Dodge, we'd find in most cases it comes down to poor maintenance and nothing else.

Originally Posted by j cAT

for those thinking of purchasing a vehicle with the 5.3L do not ignore the cooling system ...put in the proper amount of dexccol with distilled water as this engine will get damaged if the dexcool is not of the proper concentraion and has NON distilled water in it...using 65% dexcool works great .

Good advice to me...