Another Bad *** LS maverick

Well as a teenager I was a die hard Ford guy and everything else was junk. After being in the trade for quite a while now I have to say that my brand loyalty is all but gone. Engines are all made from the same materials,same engineers with the same education. Doesnt matter what company builds it they are all the same internal comb engine. They all have good and bad engines in the market. Most of the newer plants being good.

 

totally agree

id have a later hemi in a mav if i could get my hands on one at a decent price. i do however hate a traditional sbc in a ford mainly bc the people that do it are only doing it to be jack a's nowadays

cheap power is awesome but there is something to be said for originality

 

then you have the...aftermarket companys...they build the same part for all makes and models...

 

Agreed. I think I said earlier in this thread same thing. I'd put a late model Hemi in mine if it would fit. Be real nice with a 6speed manual.

 

yeah, HP or not I just can't bring myself to accept a Chebby Motor in a Ford. I won't even argue that you can stick a SBC in a ford quicker and easier and cheaper and run faster than you can build a strong running SBF and get the same results. I have seen my Brother-in-law put a 400 SBC in a fox body stang and run circles around the 302/5.0 and even the 351 crowd and do it damn dirt cheap, practically on junkyard parts, but I just don't like Chevy. and I still tell him it is a sacrelige....

I too was a DIE Hard Bleed Ford Blue type guy in my younger years and I have learned that there are good and bad in all car/truck makes. I bought my first Dodge in 1999 (I think it was) it was a 1500 Ram with the 5.2 318 Magnum engine and I couldn't be happier with the truck. It has only ever had one thing done to it (water pump) it has pretty near 200,000 mile and the only thing wrong with it now is cosmetically it is beat to death and the Air Conditioning has went to ****. Other than that it still runs strong and drives great. I bought that because at the time Ford didn't have a truck on the market that would fit my needs. they had just went to the 4.6 and the 5.4 and their extended cab sucked for back seat room and I needed the extra room for the kids and needed the power to tow with. I knew the 318 was a proven engine and would pull my camper and the Dodge had enough room plus some inside and i just wasn't sure about the 4.6 pulling my camper and being reliable (Ford hadn't proven them in the truck scene yet ) and the 5.4 definetly was too new for my liking.

But anyway if I were going to brand swap it would have to be a Dodge Hemi and not a Chebby. Even though it would no doubt be cheaper Dollar to horsepower to use the chebby I just couldn't bring myself to do it....

 

Not better. If only you guys had saw what i have been seeing in gm schools. They may run well but there build quality is junk! But, i will agree that mod motors are a total joke.

 

The modular motors might not be you're cup, but they are capable of making absolutely INSANE power. You can say oh it's a power adder, but there is'nt any of the big three company's that are close to it's capabilities. Some four cam 4.6's making well over 1000 hp with stock crank and block.

 

About to say I think they put a helion kit on the new 5.0 and it made like 600hp on 6lbs.......

 

Guess I'm the only one who remebers the early mod motor smoking like a tire fire after not to many miles.That was enough for me to never own one not to mention timing chain guides etc etc..

I think if anyone has this market curbed it's chrysler and that's what would be in my car if I had the cash.but I don't so I guess we will see how fast this little 350.00 5.3 is

 

I'd like to have a little fun w/ one of these cheby powered mav's. At the dragstrip that is.

 

I do remember those, I also remember all the aluminum heads from chebby dropping hardened valve seats out after a short time. Heck I have even seen whats left of an aluminum V4 in a vega after 40,000 of normal use...or the fact the 700 r4 transmission has all the same problems that the AOD does with improperly adjusted TV cables...

Whenever a company tries a completely new technology they will always have teething problems. Its just like the saying, "you never buy the first year of a new model"...Same goes with mechanical components because no matter how good of testing they do at the factory "Artificial intelligence can not replace Natural Stupidity".

As for Chrystler I think Fiat is having good response on it granted they have large powerful engines that make gobs of horsepower at the cost of fuel efficiency in the Hemi's (but heck every company has a hemispherically balanced engine now days) that falls under the more cubic inches to make up for the more advanced OHC engines. But the rest of their semi antiquated drivetrain is their failing, just like everyones review of the challenger, its fast but it drives like a bread truck.

 

The Hemi was marketing genius!! If they had built a 4 cam,4valve small cube V8 engine do you really think they would have sold as many units? Nope cause it would be just another generic engine that most guys cant relate to. Especially N.Americans.
The head design,valves,angles are actually very efficient and make a ton of power. Its not a clunky old Hemi. The fuel mileage is tough yes but your talking about a heavy weight pick up truck. The Hemi in the LX chassis cars does quite well for fuel mileage compared to the power output as far as I am concerned.
Its not like Chrysler doesnt have the technology, they chose to build the Hemi for a reason and it sure aint fuel mileage. Take a look at Chryslers new V6 line up if you want MORE ADVANCED OHC ENGINE design. Fiat is one of the largest engine producers in the world. They could supply a killer V8 platform if they wished. I suspect interesting things coming down the pipe.
Agreed on the Challenger chassis. Suspension is terrible and ride height is ridiculous. Drivetrain very capable though.

 

Unfortunitely it seems like allot of people in N.America are starting to relate to the 1 and 2 OHC 3 and 4 valve motors of smaller displacement, similar horsepower, a hemishperical combustion chamber and better fuel economy. When all you have to do to with an off the showroom floor car and just stick a red key in the ignition it turns it into a full race ready car, pretty much changing everything from cam position to injector pulse length, the technology is there it has been for a few years now and they get as good a fuel economy as other manufacturers de-activating cylinders while driving.

As for the MORE ADVANCED OHC ENGINE design, why are they just barely coming out with this when all the other N.American manufacturers are putting twin turbos on their OHC V6 and I4 engines that they had several years ago, and now they perform so well that the Ecoboost V6 trucks are actually stealing the V8 truck buyers(from their competitors too) because of better fuel economy with the same power...

But like I stated earlier Sergio Marchione is doing good things with chrystler there has been a brighter outlook with the company then I have seen in years. I would almost consider buying Chrystler products again but I think it will be another couple years before that happens... After the last garbage Durango with ghosts in the electircal system(the ghosts did things like turning the wiper blades on while driving, the peice of garbage nearly killed my whole family when the ABS locked up while we were going down a highway at 65 mph...thank god for the lemon law) we had I wont buy anything of theirs for awhile.. But im still keeping my 4.0 SEFI powered CJ because it works awesome..

Oh and that Minivan Pentastar V6 was the worst thing to ever happen to the wrangler, and there are many that will agree with me on that matter. It ranks up there with the Peugot transmissions in the late 80's

 

I'm not really interested in Fords with Chev motors, I appreicate the work and skill involved in building any car, and it's what being a Hot Rodder is all about..Blah blah blah.....
I've always looked at it as, Chevs are cheaper to build, since there are loads of aftermarket parts out there, and I realize not everyone has gobs of money to begin with.
I've owned a number of GM products over the years, and never had any huge issues with any of them. I've even owned a Dodge, and it's been good. But I am a loyal Ford guy, I've always (even while owing the GM's), had one Ford.
But in the end, I'm not so much of a "Hot Rodder" as I am a "Ford" guy.
Give me a well built, small block based 427 any day. Loads less work to drop into my Mav, and it may very well tear it to shreds, but it'll be fun doing it.