The Modular engine is Ford Motor Company's modern V8 and V10 engine family. It gradually replaced the Windsor small-block and 385 big-block engines over several years in the mid-1990s. The engine is modular in that it can be adapted to V8 or V10 with a variety of 2-valve and multivalve heads. It is used in Ford trucks (called the Triton or Intech) and cars (called the Duratec). Ford recently introduced a 3-valve SOHC Variable Cam Timing system on this engine.
The engines were first produced in Romeo, Michigan; additional capacity was added in Windsor, Ontario.
4.6
The first in the family was the 4.6 L (281 inł) SOHC V8 found in the 1990s Lincoln Town Car. Over the years, the 4.6 came in 2-valve, 4-valve, and 3-valve versions ( single-, double-, and single-overhead cam respectively). It has also come with both iron and aluminum blocks. Bore and stroke are roughly square at 3.55 in and 3.54 in respectively.
All automotive Modulars are built at Ford's Romeo, Michigan Romeo #2 plant. This factory also produces most Modular-based Triton engines.
The Modular DOHC was on the Ward's 10 Best Engines list for 1996, while the SOHC was on the list for 2005.
2-valve
Vehicles using the cast iron 16-valve SOHC 4.6 include the following:
- 1991-1993 Lincoln Town Car, 190 hp (142 kW)
- 1994-1997 Lincoln Town Car, 210 hp (157 kW)
- 1994-1997 Ford Thunderbird, 205 hp (153 kW)
- 1994-1997 Mercury Cougar, 205 hp (153 kW)
- 1998-2000 Lincoln Town Car, 205 hp (153 kW)
- 2001-2002 Lincoln Town Car, 235 hp (175 kW)
- 2003-2004 Lincoln Town Car, 239 hp (178 kW)
- 2003-present Ford Explorer
- 2003-present Lincoln Aviator
- Ford Mustang, 260 hp (194 kW) and 302 ft.lbf (410 Nm)
4-valve
The aluminum 4-valve DOHC version was introduced in the 1993 Lincoln Mark VIII. It also featured a variable length intake manifold. The engine was revised for 1999 with better cylinder heads, a hotter cam, and an improved intake manifold.
Vehicles using the aluminum 32-valve DOHC 4.6 include the following:
- 1993-1998 Lincoln Mark VIII, 280 hp (209 kW) and 285 ft.lbf (386 Nm)
- 1995-1998 Lincoln Continental, 260 hp (194 kW)
- 1997-1998 Lincoln Mark VIII LSC, 290 hp (216 kW)
- 1999-2002 Lincoln Continental, 275 hp (205 kW)
- 1996-1998 Ford Mustang, Cobra, 305 hp (227 kW) and 300 ft.lbf (407 Nm)
- 1999/2001 Ford Mustang, Cobra, 320 hp (239 kW) and 320 ft.lbf (434 Nm)
- 2003 Ford Mustang Mach 1, 305 hp (231 kW) and 320 ft.lbf (454 Nm)
Cobra
Yet another variant was introduced in 2003 on the Cobra model. It came from the factory with an intercooled supercharger and is an aluminum DOHC 4-valve engine. Compression is 8.5:1.
32-valve supercharged Modular V8 from a 2003 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra |
Vehicles using a cast iron block with 32-valve DOHC aluminum heads include the following:
- 2003-2004 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra, 390 hp (291 kW) and 390 ft.lbf (529 Nm)
3-valve
A 3-valve SOHC head with variable timing has been introduced for the 2005 Mustang. It is similar to the Triton used in the Ford F-Series.
Vehicles using the 3-valve SOHC version include:
- 2005+ Ford Mustang, 300 hp (224 kW) and 320 ft.lbf (434 Nm)
5.4
The 5.4 liter version is used in Ford Trucks and called the Triton. A reinforced Roots-type supercharged version powers the Ford F-150 Lightning and new Ford GT. The Triton was on the Ward's 10 Best Engines list for 1997 and 1998 and again for 2000 through 2002.
6.8
The 6.8 liter V10 is another in the modular family. It was created by adding a pair of cylinders to the center of the 5.4 L V8. It uses a balance shaft to smooth the vibrations present due to the added cylinders. Output was 265 hp and 405 ft.lbf, less than Dodge's Ram Tough V10, but close enough to counter the psychological effects of that V10's presence in the Dodge Ram trucks. The Ford V10 was used in 1997- 2002 Ford Trucks as the Triton V10.