4.6 V.s 5.0

93TransAm · #1 06-08-2006, 07:07 PM

Whats the big diffrence i know the 5.0 is bigger and the 4.6 is more efficient but modding wise, is the 5.0 really that much easier?

Like if i did the same mods to a 4.6 and a 5.0 what would be the H.P gains for each like the diffrence and what would be the diffrence in price for all the parts?

Thanks

351wStang · #2 06-08-2006, 07:26 PM

They are two completely different motors. The 5.0 is a pushrod motor, it also is in the windsor family. The 4.6 is a modular motor, which means it has overhead cams where the 5.0 has one cam in the middle of the block. I say the 5.0 is easier to mod. As far as installing the parts it is much easier. The 4.6 is shoehorned into it's engine bay. Also you can get a good 5.0 cam for $150-$200, the 4.6 cams with easily run you over $500. The PI head 4.6's are pretty good but the non-PI head 4.6's have a serious lack of power. You can get GT-40 heads for the 5.0 off of an explorer in the junk yard. There are several good heads for the 5.0 out there around $1000. The 4.6 on the other hand doesnt have near as many aftermarket options as the 5.0. For about $2500 you can have a pretty sick little 5.0 street car. I guess you could do the same with a 4.6 but it would probably call for boost or nitrous. Talk to someone who has put long tube headers on a 5.0, then talk to someone who has put long tube headers on a 4.6. The 4.6 guy will tell you its not just a slide them in and bolt them up, where thats about all you have to do with a 5.0. Now with my 351w I had to put the headers in with the motor but it is taller and wider than the 5.0 with bigger headers. I was about a 1/2" shy of getting the headers in without lifting the motor up. Modular guys will swear by the 4.6. Pushrod guys will swear by the 5.0/5.8. If you are not very experienced which no offesnce but you dont seems to have much wrench time under your belt, I would suggest a 5.0. It will be much easier on you.

TheStang00 · #3 06-08-2006, 10:39 PM

+1 to what he said ^

the 4.6 revs more freely and if built right can be a very good engine. however it has some problems, the main is that it is much more expensive to build. another thing is that the engine is huge. despite being smaller in displacement, it is larger by a longshot even compaired to the 351 (5.8). thats one design flaw in the 4.6l. other than that its a pretty good engine, although it could be more efficient... since thats obviously the only point of having an OHC engine. in my opinion if ford is going to make their V8 engines OHC then they need to design a completely new engine. the current ones really arent that efficient for an ohc engine, it does work extremely well with boost though. personally i wish ford chose to develope the 302/351 more, much like gm has done with the ls series engines, than choose the mod motors.

thunderbird muscle · #4 06-13-2006, 09:35 PM

I love my 4.6, but I also loved my 5.0 (bronco) I used to have. Like they said parts for the 4.6 are generally more expensive then the 5.0. If your not doing the work yourself the labor will end up costing more for the 4.6 then the 5.0. I believe they are both able to be built into wonderful motors, but I'm in the process of replacing my old 4.6 with the larger 5.4(like changing a 302/351) then its to be turboed(still working the placement of the turbos because of space)

giddyup50 · #5 06-15-2006, 10:22 PM

5.0=Easier to work on, less expensive parts, great engine.

4.6=Harder to work on, more expensive parts, great engine.

Stock vs. Stock, they get around the same MPG.

I think you all know the one I would choose!!

Oh yeah, the 5.0 has more support for aftermarket performance parts, but the 4.6 is getting better than it was befor.

6speed · #6 06-16-2006, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by giddyup50

5.0=Easier to work on, less expensive parts, great engine.

4.6=Harder to work on, more expensive parts, great engine.

Stock vs. Stock, they get around the same MPG.

I think you all know the one I would choose!!

Oh yeah, the 5.0 has more support for aftermarket performance parts, but the 4.6 is getting better than it was befor.

this statemnt i wouldve agreed with a few years back, but the 4.6 aftermarket support has grown big time. you'll see more ads in mags and in stores for 4.6 parts than anything these days. there is an aftermarket version of everything that comes factory on those cars.

and 'easier' to work on is in the opinion of the person doing the work. i am more familiar with the 4.6 and i know it top to bottom, i would find it harder to work on a 5.0. the 5.0 guys always say the 4.6 is harder to work on, ive never worked on both so i cant say but it seems to me that they dont know much about the 4.6 so theyll just say that.

SkylineUSA · #7 06-17-2006, 12:30 AM

A 4.6 3v or 4v, specially the 4v is a more effcient engine, and will always be more effcient.

Yes, the 5.0 is a little easier to work on. I can do a cam change in a couple of hours, doing a 4.6 will take a little longer. Also the 4.6 is a lot wider.

If the price is right, I would go with a 4.6, but then again can you through a carb on a 4.6?

My choice is 5.8 with chevy rods

for the money!

TheStang00 · #8 06-17-2006, 12:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkylineUSA

A 4.6 3v or 4v, specially the 4v is a more effcient engine, and will always be more effcient.

Yes, the 5.0 is a little easier to work on. I can do a cam change in a couple of hours, doing a 4.6 will take a little longer. Also the 4.6 is a lot wider.

If the price is right, I would go with a 4.6, but then again can you through a carb on a 4.6?

My choice is 5.8 with chevy rods

for the money!

so the chevy rods are cheaper? i wonder why that is

SkylineUSA · #9 06-17-2006, 01:10 PM

No, it has do with the 351w oiling issue, not the price of the rods, that is just a bonus, because there more on the market. All aftermaket rods are made by the same manufacture.

silverstangs · #10 06-29-2006, 07:58 PM

I'll take a modular anyday, it's not like a STOCK run of the mill 302 bare block will last too long when pushing over 500hp... the modulars on the other hand... have already been proven to handle more than 1000rwhp...

Keep in mind I'm talking about the bare blocks themselves....... I split 7 different 302's straight down the center when I tried to push 500+rwhp... we just finished my brother's 4.6 modular and hit 728rwhp without a stud girdle... I'm hoping to push 800~850rwhp when I'm done...

SkylineUSA · #11 06-30-2006, 12:07 AM

Good point, but that cannot be said about the 351

Silver, nice site you have!

TheStang00 · #12 06-30-2006, 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silverstangs

I'll take a modular anyday, it's not like a STOCK run of the mill 302 bare block will last too long when pushing over 500hp... the modulars on the other hand... have already been proven to handle more than 1000rwhp...

Keep in mind I'm talking about the bare blocks themselves....... I split 7 different 302's straight down the center when I tried to push 500+rwhp... we just finished my brother's 4.6 modular and hit 728rwhp without a stud girdle... I'm hoping to push 800~850rwhp when I'm done...

heh, havent seen you on here in a long time.

silverstangs · #13 06-30-2006, 12:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkylineUSA

Good point, but that cannot be said about the 351

Silver, nice site you have!

Yeah that is true, but then again the casting is also much thicker......

I uhh.. thanks.... glad someone likes my broken site....

I had became my own web hosting company but I never took the time to fix the site back to what it was...

oh but I do have some images up that you may like

http://www.silverstangs.net/gallery/

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