European v US automobile technology

I'm the original owner of a '93 Mustang 5.0 LX hatch, I fully expect it
to go 200k miles. Right now it's got 148k and it's still running strong.

It is getting a bit long in the tooth, but it's still a damn good engine
to get 300hp out of 4.6L. Its main problem is that it's physically huge.

I disagree that the mod motor is Ford's main problem; I believe their car
lineup (except for the Mustang) is what needs the most work. Boring,
boring, boring.

Certainly the 5.7, but I'm not so sure about the 4.7.

I think that over the years each American maker has had their share of
problems. For example, Ford's fox chassis is pretty much a flexible
flyer. They used this from the '80s right on up through a few years ago.

Given the current state of manufacturing these days, most cars are put
together pretty well. Even Hyundais and Kias aren't too bad...

 

Joe wrote:

Well, size is the least of my gripes with it. Main bearing alignment
that has to be shimmed by jackscrews, not enough "beef" in the bearing
web area, not enough beef in the head casting (especially early 5.4L
versions, which had a habit of cavitating through from the coolant to
the combustion chamber, YEARS taken to get control over the fit of
hypereutectic pistons, leading to piston slap and oil consumption
complaints out the whazzoo. Yoicks! Granted, most of these are solved
now (except for the silly main bearing locating system) but it took too
long.

On the other hand, the engine was much more of an innovator than a lot
of people realize. Much like the oft-maligned Chrysler A-604
transmission, a lot of the Modular's bad press comes from the fact that
it was a ground breaking design. First mass production use of
cracked-cap powdered-metal connecting rod technology, first mass use
(I'm pretty sure...) of HE pistons. Lots of cool stuff there, and lots
of "teething problems" as whenever you fundamentally shift production
methods.

They covered a multitude of sins (Focus, Freestyle, etc.) with the
current Mustang. That was a grand-slam home run. And call me sick and
twisted, but I have always and will always like the Crown Vic platform.
Especially in the form of the Maurauder, or an all-black Police
Interceptor with black steel wheels and chrome trim rings with mini
chrome hub covers

Certainly not power-wise, but the 4.7 has been almost without complaint
as far as early failures. It pretty much stepped in and took over right
where the (indestructible) 318 left off. In fact, it did FAR better than
expected an OHC engine to ever do when it came to keeping up with the
reliability standard that the 318 had established.

 

One of my favorite things to watch is when people discuss torque and
horsepower on USENET. Honest!! That should be the number prohibition on
here, from my experience.

 

To be honest, I think they lied. I have never heard of any mode of
transportation other than a school bus being governed at such a low speed.

In the states, nothing really was governed that I can remember until about
1985 or later, and I do remember 126 mph way back then as being the starting
point for things that had the first ever speed governors. This was of course
to stop you before the break point for H speed-rated tires.

These days, probably everything is governed at some speed, and I couldn't
possibly know what all those speeds are. But the era of 5.0 Litre Fords,
mentioned in this thread, is long over. Back then, I am pretty sure you're
right, governed speeds were pretty far above 100 mph.

 

There are LOTS of vehicles that have speed limitors built into the
OBD2 programming for "emmission reasons" Many of them ARE at 140kph.

Then there are those that just limit RPM when in neutral - and
everything in between.

Before emission controls, there were NO governed speeds, as far as I
know. There WERE lota of cars built with 85mph speedos though----.

 

And there were VERY few cars that couldn't bury the needle on those
speedometers. One of the most underpowered vehicles I ever drove was an
'83 Diplomat with a slant-6. That was the last year of the passenger car
slant-6, and it had been neglected for a good 5-6 years at that time-
more emission controls and lower compression every year, but no
improvements to the combustion chamber, intake, exhaust, or anything
that would have compensated and given it back the power it had before. I
think it was still rated at a bit over 100 hp, but if it actually
produced more than 90 hp, I'd be surprised. Still as smooth and reliable
as ever, though ;-) Anyway, even THAT thing could bury the needle on the
85 mph speedometer. You just had to wait a while...