Ford MOD motors sweep 2013 PHR Engine Masters!

[machoneman]

http://www.popularhotrodding.com/enginemasters/1309_2013_amsoil_engine_masters_challenge_friday_coverage/viewall.html

Ah, nothing like beating the very best Chevy LS engines.....sweet!

[jayb]

It's about time somebody in Engine Masters took those MOD motors to the competition.  Were they ruled out of previous competitions for some reason?

[machoneman]

In a sense yes. Although last year's rules may not have specifically banned OHC engines, the unlimited class did have a 500 CID minimum, which effectively relegated all OHC engines out of the competition.

This year the rules stated a 400 CID minimum, which with some very creative work (deck plates) allowed the relatively tiny OHC Ford's to be stroked and bored enough to met the minimums.  To me this shows that if Ford actually made a long stroke, wide bore MOD block of say 410-430 CID to handle even stock 4 valve, 4-cam heads they'd have real killer one could build upon! 

 

[Qikbbstang]

looking collection of header tubes. You know that all that header tubing with feet after feet of primary tubes is not going to pin-up its shining star on horsepower but rather on torque.
Results:
Kaase====721HP/675TQ------------2961Pts
Accufab====734HP/661TQ-----------2931Pts
BES Racing===========----------2863Pts
It was well indicated Kaase had 409CuIn but I did not notice the competitor Accufab's displacement, though you know they had to be over 400CuIn and no one is going much past the minimum with the Mod Motor. I still say Kaase's primary tubes are extended beyond the header flanges into the individual valve pockets though that is purely conjecture on my part. But I WAG believe any advantages from the pulses of long individual primary tubes would be diluted by two valves sharing a common port/valve pocket area.  Have to wait for the EMC Magazine for the details.  The use of long primary header tubes on four-valve motors is certainly unique and I only wonder if Ford has ever thought of this for production motors?
 You also have to love the bushel basket sized Velocity Stacks used by both the top Mods.  The turkey roaster looking X-ram intake manifold & cover on both the 1st and 2nd Mods are Ford's finest (dated technology) from the 2000 SVT COBRA R. Matter of fact the whole Mod Motor is over a decade old....The Coyote Mustang GT/Boss 302/GT500 motors are current state of the automotive art with literally light-years more power making technology precisely "variable cam controlling" that permits infinite combinations of the cams.  The fact is Popular Hot Rod with there slant on Chebby's OHVs simply do the "there ain't no elephant in the room trick"  when it comes to modern high tech small displacement engines which is exactly the path FoMoCo has chosen.

[jayb]

I'm sure that you are correct about the header tubes extending a divider into the port, to keep the flow path from each valve separate; doesn't really make any sense otherwise.  16 primaries!  That is really cool...

[lovehamr]

I'd like to hear it.  You know that thing has to have a distinct exaust note.

[babybolt]

It seems in general the the Engine Masters formula benefits engines around 400 cu in, and in the past it seems enlarged small blocks do better than destroked big blocks, probably due to the higher velocity of the small block ports adding mid-range torque.  Then add in the better breathing of 4V engines and you got three winners.

[Barry_R]

The modular did very well this year.  It was the first year that they allowed a 4 valve engine to compete, and they took the first three positions.  The 4 valve per cylinder configuration was illegal in prior contests.  Pretty obvious why - there is a very clear benefit to a 4 valve per cylinder design that would render all other entries non-competitive.  They just proved it.

Another advantage they had was that Cobra R intake - - it's an independent runner design packaged into an aluminum "box".  Independent runner intakes have a strong advantage in this contest, and were illegal for all entries, but the factory cast enclosure was an "opening" in the rules that only the modular had available.

There are also some pretty significant disadvantages to the modular.  The biggest being cost.  The three that were entered all have $3000+ billet crankshafts, aftermarket blocks, the "R" intake goes for thousands on ebay, and they were stretched to the absolute limit to reach the 400 cubic inch level.  You can easily build a 500+ cube FE wedge for way less money.  In addition a 4v modular is physically bigger than a Cammer...

The primary purpose of the challenge is to display creativity and diversity so that the magazines have material for future articles.  They do not want to have a single engine dominate year after year because they would not have anything to write about - and they would simply end the contest.  There is no Chevy bias at all - I think Fords have won more often, and they always cover them well in subsequent articles.

Articles will detail things, but Kaase's headers were very cool.  I think they are both more - and less - trick than the images show.  Jon said that they only had to be "as good" as his traditional headers for him to bring them.  Any improvement was just a bonus - the cool factor was the main draw.  The velocity and wave tuning aspects of the long and small diameter tubing were more important than the splitting of ports.

Any time you get to inspect a Kaase EMC engine you come away stunned with the degree of creativity and workmanship displayed.  The rest of us are just puppies in comparison...

[jayb]

So Barry, what's your expectation for next year's rules?  Will they allow the MOD motors to compete again, or are they going to be outlawed?

[fetorino]

Those Mod motors are more than just EMC winners

http://jalopnik.com/watch-a-2-000-hp-ford-gt-destroy-the-old-texas-mile-rec-1453540450

[KMcCullah]

It's good to see the LS get spanked. Even though it was an apples to oranges spanking. It's time for a certain few crafty FE guys to step up and create some DOHC four valve cammer heads. 

[cammerfe]

I will bow to no one in my respect for Barry, but in this instance I'll have to disagree. There has been a demographic that's gospel in the automotive magazine business practically forever---or at least going back into the mid-fifties.

What I like to think of as the 'Mullett Brigade' ---chibrolay-lovers--- make up about seventy percent of the readership of all the magazines that aren't brand-specific. It started with the Duntov philosophy going to GM and was strongly aided by the perception that the SBC fit into pre-war Fords most easily.

It may make no sense but the same way of thinking is still alive and kicking today. LS pushrod motors are quite regularly put into Mustangs today---see Yellow Bullet postings for confirmation.

That seventy percent of readership is a strong incentive to magazine honchos and will be the driver that biases what we see in magazines. That readership DOESN'T WANT Ford engines to be victorious. And so roadblocks will be placed in the path of victory for the Ford contingent.

KS

[jayb]

It's good to see the LS get spanked. Even though it was an apples to oranges spanking. It's time for a certain few crafty FE guys to step up and create some DOHC four valve cammer heads. 

My "Better Idea" is a 4 valve FE head that allows use of standard pushrod valvetrain equipment.  Same cam and lifters, with custom pushrods and rockers.  Same exhaust port outlet location so that existing headers fit.  Forget the fancy drive mechanism and the expense of four cams (or two, for that matter).  If you can get a standard pushrod engine to go to 9000 RPM, why bother with all the overhead cam paraphernalia?  Just go to 4 valves and get the breathing.

The only downside would be that it would not be likely to fit into Mustangs, Cougars, Torinos, etc.  The curse of the shock tower 

As you can probably tell, I've been spending some time thinking beyond intake manifolds 

[Heo]

I know i have seen some old Engine (probably 1920s) with 4 valves
and "fork" rockers. I dont remember if it was car or
motorcycle engine

[cammerfe]

There is an outfit called ARAO Engineering that has been making 32 valve heads for a number of years. Their approach has been to use billets and have both regularly-necessary machining, and also water jackets carved out as necessary.

They had one combustion chamber and general port/runner lay-out and move such things as bore centers, bolt holes and pushrod holes as necessary.

They use forked rockers.

Google the name for more information.

KS