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Aluminum block for 2011???


RobertinArgyle

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I have a 1999 Ford Lightning I am thinking about trading in on a 2010 GT500. I heard someone mention on another board that there would be an aluminum block motor for 2011. Can anyone verify/refute this rumor or point me to information about this? If this is true I would wait for the 2011 model..... Input greatly appreciated. Oops- Just noticed a post earlier this am on the same subject. Sorry for the redundant post!

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Seeing as how nobody has replied yet, I'll offer this. Ford racing has an aluminum wet sump block for the 5.4L (I keep reading how you can't use the alum 5.4 because it's dry sump app won't work in the 500). Maybe, just maybe they will make the switch in 2011.

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Just my opinion, but given were the economy and auto sales are currently and not sure they will improve much in 2009 I don't see Ford spending the money to make the change unless it saves them money....and in the short term not sure I see how that could happen. A personal decision but I am not waiting on the 2011 models in order to get the Aluminum block. Others on this forum may have better information (insider information) and if so let's hear it.

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I personally can't understand why Ford would go to the expense of switching the 5.4L to an aluminum block when it has already been rumored that the modular engine family (4.6, 5.4 & 6.8) will be replaced by the 5.0 Coyote and the 6.2 Boss (or Premium or Hurricane or whatever they are calling it this week). I would rather see a twin turbo or even a supercharged 5.0 Coyote in the GT500 rather than waste money on extending the life of the 5.4. A twin turbo 5.0 would have to be more efficient with similar power to a supercharged 5.4 and would eliminate the need for a separate engine machining and assembly line.

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When we toured Romeo plant they were producing an aluminum block 5.0 L but would say what they were going in.

 

Well, if we can believe all the rumors it will go in some version of the 2011 Mustang and the F150. I don't know if there will be an iron version for the trucks or if they are only planning an aluminum version of the 5.0 Coyote .

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I read the 2011 aluminum block was a 6.2L, not a 5.4. Rumored at 550hp, King Cobra a little over 600.

 

http://www.muscularmustangs.com/index.php

 

 

550 hp 5.4 spray bore .(yes aluminum block)

2 3/4 inch exhaust hydro lock rear (time will tell ) but my guess is the 2011 will be the one to have.

King Cobra is a maybe depends on sales and regulations.

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Hydraulically opperated traction lock rear...great for giving the most traction coming out of a turn on a road course or a straight line.

 

Thanks George. BTW your caps and Joes shipped yesterday at 2pm from the post office here in battleground WA. Alloy Daves shipped today.

 

On the Alum Block. I was talking to a certian person the otherday in the know about the weight of the alum block.

 

It only saves about 70 pounds. Theres no way we are going to feel that savings on the street.

 

What's the BIG deal about the alum block. Please tell me why it's the cat's meow.

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Thanks George. BTW your caps and Joes shipped yesterday at 2pm from the post office here in battleground WA. Alloy Daves shipped today.

 

On the Alum Block. I was talking to a certian person the otherday in the know about the weight of the alum block.

 

It only saves about 70 pounds. Theres no way we are going to feel that savings on the street.

 

What's the BIG deal about the alum block. Please tell me why it's the cat's meow.

 

As far as I know the weight is the big deal on the Aluminum block. I would have thought it would save more than 70 pounds, but even 70 is a lot. Agreed, you would not notice much on the street.

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Thanks George. BTW your caps and Joes shipped yesterday at 2pm from the post office here in battleground WA. Alloy Daves shipped today.

 

On the Alum Block. I was talking to a certian person the otherday in the know about the weight of the alum block.

 

It only saves about 70 pounds. Theres no way we are going to feel that savings on the street.

 

What's the BIG deal about the alum block. Please tell me why it's the cat's meow.

 

Grabber,

 

Yes you will feel it; just not in acceleration.

 

The place where this weight difference shows up the most is in steering response; handling. And yes 70 pounds is huge when it is on the very front end of the car.

 

Our Terlingua is actually almost 500 pounds lighter than the GT500's and it's all in the engine bay. The handling characteristics are absolutely night and day. I would drive the Terlingua in town every day (except that it's not mine ) because of how much fun it is to turn corners in this thing.

 

Now 70 pounds won't be nearly that dramatic, but you WILL feel it in the steering wheel.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hello All,

 

I too am interested in the '10 GT500 with only hesitations b/c of the rumors around the aluminum 5.0 in '11. However, everything I've read with hours upon hours or searching all remains hearsay with only a few pictures. All of it also only talks about the GT and not the GT500.

 

Another thing, the Hurricane 6.x engine has be talked about for 3 years now and it still hasn't come to market. I even remember guys posting about their plants building them and that we should wait b/c it'd be in our next model year F150 (I currently own a fully customized 2005 F150). Well it never came, and definitely never showned up in the F150.

 

I'm just a little skeptical that an aluminum 5.0 that just starts circulating in the last couple months, will make it in the 2011 prod run and be released next year job 1. That just defys everything that Ford has done up to this point.

 

Agreed, though an aluminum engine is exactly the handling improvment this car needs to improve upon the suspension upgrades they made for the '10.

 

Thoughts?

 

Duke

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Hello All,

 

I too am interested in the '10 GT500 with only hesitations b/c of the rumors around the aluminum 5.0 in '11. However, everything I've read with hours upon hours or searching all remains hearsay with only a few pictures. All of it also only talks about the GT and not the GT500.

 

Another thing, the Hurricane 6.x engine has be talked about for 3 years now and it still hasn't come to market. I even remember guys posting about their plants building them and that we should wait b/c it'd be in our next model year F150 (I currently own a fully customized 2005 F150). Well it never came, and definitely never showned up in the F150.

 

I'm just a little skeptical that an aluminum 5.0 that just starts circulating in the last couple months, will make it in the 2011 prod run and be released next year job 1. That just defys everything that Ford has done up to this point.

 

Agreed, though an aluminum engine is exactly the handling improvment this car needs to improve upon the suspension upgrades they made for the '10.

 

Thoughts?

 

Duke

I think many people wish they knew.

 

On the other hand how much more would this cost on top of the current car?

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I can only tell you what we saw when we toured the Romeo plant & that is they were building 5.0 L aluminum block engines & further down they build an extension to buid 5.7 litre about th same size as the 390cu & it was to be an aluminum block engine. I ask the question at that time what were they putting these 5.0L engines in & are guide said he couldn`t say right now. I suggest the Mustang but got no answer.So maybe late 10` or 11` ?

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I think many people wish they knew.

 

On the other hand how much more would this cost on top of the current car?

 

That is one thing that really has me wondering. The cost of aluminum has sky rocketed in the past couple months. This is why I really wonder why Ford would do this now, and if they do, what the impact to the price is.

 

A 5.7L aluminum is the first I've heard. The only engines I've heard spoken are the V6 ecoboost (seen pictures, but press release from Ford says it's dead now), 5.0 aluminum (seen pictures, no word from Ford), and then 6.2L (spoken on the F150 forum F150online.com by guys saying they work in the production line and have seen the engine being built or tried for fitment with the production assembly equipment for trucks)

 

Then there is the undeniable oddity of why Ford would upgrade the 5.4 with a few tweaks here and there to improve performance (this was still $ spent, though largely pulled from the KR) on the current 5.4. Only to change to an aluminum 5.0, 5.7 or 6.2 next year.

 

Then also pair that with just a 2 year contract with dealers and it makes you wonder.

 

New engine in '11 for GT500?

New engine in '12 for GT500 with new dealer contracts?

New engine only goes in the regular GT in '11?

GT500 dies in '12 to help preserve shelby brand?

 

If I was a betting man, I wouldn't bet on us seing a new engine in the GT500 in '11. Too many ugly factors from a financial standpoint.

 

1. Cannot amoritize cost of tweaks to current 5.4 engine over several years

2. Cost of aluminum

3. Unknown in car sales and economy to spend more money on R&D and incur build expenses

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Duke,

 

You have some good points. I think you may be right, but no one can confirm. I can tell you want the 2010. Go for it.

 

haha, very close. Just need to put the final costs together for the screen porch the wife and I want and then we'll see what's left over for a down payment on some boyhood fun. I'd also like to see it in person first.

 

Talk about a gamble. We'll all hold our cards close and see what Ford holds soon enough.

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That is one thing that really has me wondering. The cost of aluminum has sky rocketed in the past couple months. This is why I really wonder why Ford would do this now, and if they do, what the impact to the price is.

 

A 5.7L aluminum is the first I've heard. The only engines I've heard spoken are the V6 ecoboost (seen pictures, but press release from Ford says it's dead now), 5.0 aluminum (seen pictures, no word from Ford), and then 6.2L (spoken on the F150 forum F150online.com by guys saying they work in the production line and have seen the engine being built or tried for fitment with the production assembly equipment for trucks)

 

Then there is the undeniable oddity of why Ford would upgrade the 5.4 with a few tweaks here and there to improve performance (this was still $ spent, though largely pulled from the KR) on the current 5.4. Only to change to an aluminum 5.0, 5.7 or 6.2 next year.

 

Then also pair that with just a 2 year contract with dealers and it makes you wonder.

 

New engine in '11 for GT500?

New engine in '12 for GT500 with new dealer contracts?

New engine only goes in the regular GT in '11?

GT500 dies in '12 to help preserve shelby brand?

 

If I was a betting man, I wouldn't bet on us seing a new engine in the GT500 in '11. Too many ugly factors from a financial standpoint.

 

1. Cannot amoritize cost of tweaks to current 5.4 engine over several years

2. Cost of aluminum

3. Unknown in car sales and economy to spend more money on R&D and incur build expenses

 

FYI the ecoboost is ready and will appear in the Lincon MKT first I believe.

The 6.2L was found in the new F-150 Harley. Click here for 6.2l boss pic

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FYI the ecoboost is ready and will appear in the Lincon MKT first I believe.

The 6.2L was found in the new F-150 Harley. Click here for 6.2l boss pic

 

I read the dead ecoboost bit on a mustang website.

http://www.muscularmustangs.com/2009/news0...ustang_dead.php

 

I'd bet no ecoboost for the mustang but you're right it's definitely going in the MKT and then their other cars/suvs.

 

 

I had completely forgot about the 6.2 in the 2010 Harley. Was that an aluminum or iron block? I cannot tell. Kind of makes you wonder...then again I don't see that thing being squeezed in a mustang, it's huge.

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I read the dead ecoboost bit on a mustang website.

http://www.muscularmustangs.com/2009/news0...ustang_dead.php

 

I'd bet no ecoboost for the mustang but you're right it's definitely going in the MKT and then their other cars/suvs.

 

 

I had completely forgot about the 6.2 in the 2010 Harley. Was that an aluminum or iron block? I cannot tell. Kind of makes you wonder...then again I don't see that thing being squeezed in a mustang, it's huge.

 

Don't quote me but I read the 6.2 in the Raptor was cast iron. Not positive though.

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Thanks George. BTW your caps and Joes shipped yesterday at 2pm from the post office here in battleground WA. Alloy Daves shipped today.

 

On the Alum Block. I was talking to a certian person the otherday in the know about the weight of the alum block.

 

It only saves about 70 pounds. Theres no way we are going to feel that savings on the street.

 

What's the BIG deal about the alum block. Please tell me why it's the cat's meow.

 

I don` know if its the cat`s meow but it is lighter & less heat soak compared to the cast iron block .If I had a choice I would take the aluminum block over the cast iron.

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I don` know if its the cat`s meow but it is lighter & less heat soak compared to the cast iron block .If I had a choice I would take the aluminum block over the cast iron.

 

I agree with you. The aluminum block is worth waiting for. I am waiting for it.

 

;)

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