you are looking for, there is nothing more impressive than opening the hood and seeing those DOHC valvecovers staring at you. But the 4.6 SOHC can be dressed out to impress as well. Superchargers, turbochargers, and nitrous are available for all the platforms and most certainly dress up any engine compartment.
The modular engine that fits your project goals, engine compartment, and budget is the right one for you. Read on to gain the expertise to select the right one.
Selecting a suitable transmission for your modular engine and swap project is a little simpler, even though Ford used a variety of automatics and manuals. Except for in the first few years, most of the automatics were electronically controlled, making it fairly straightforward to choose a transmission to tie in to your electronics package selection. In 1999, Ford upgraded from mechanical speedometer cables to an electronic pickup, so older-style gauges don’t work with the new VSS signals on most modular engine transmissions.
All but two modular engines have the same bellhousing bolt pattern. The exceptions are: the very first blocks that were mated to the non-electronic AOD transmissions, which had a small-block Ford pattern, and the 1995–2002 Lincoln Continental, which was a front-wheel-drive, front-sump engine with a different pattern for the transaxle (and carried PN F6OE). The 4.6- and 5.4-bolt patterns are the same.
The vehicle VIN tag tells you which type of transmission was installed in your vehicle, and it’s usually listed under “TR” on the tag. Earlier cars carried a five-digit code; the first two digits of the number tell you what type of transmission was installed in the vehicle. Later, Ford went to a single-letter code for transmission identification.
Listing each type of transmission is difficult. Much like with the original Ford Toploader, there are variances in the cases and the input/output shafts, depending on the car or truck the drivetrain was installed in. Transmissions can be grouped together, and Ford mated the modular engine to an array of automatics and manuals. Following is a list of transmissions (with the exception of some heavy-duty trucks). I discuss more about fitting transmissions in Chapter 8.
In the late 1990s, Ford discontinued the old-style mechanical speedometer gear in favor of an electronic pickup called the Variable Speed Sensor, or VSS. A spoke wheel passes through a magnetic field and the computer counts the triggers and calculates the speed of the vehicle. Calibrating the speedometer is a snap any time you change gears or tire size. The downfall may come in some older street rods that still use a mechanical speedometer, but there are ways around it. Aftermarket transmissions are available in mechanical or electronic versions.
The modular bellhousing pattern (right) is similar but different than the small-block Ford pattern. The most significant change is that the center two mounting bolts now run through the transmission dowel alignment pins rather than just above them. Note the size of the mini starter and its position on the bellhousing. The modular also has an extra bolt on the driver’s side for a seven-bolt pattern.
Automatics
Most modular engine applications use an automatic transmission. Except for the transaxle found in the Lincoln Continental, all are robust transmissions derived from earlier transmissions. As the transmissions added gears, their size increased as well. The earlier 4-speed overdrive transmissions may not be in fashion, but they have the advantage of robust design, and the aftermarket has developed them to handle huge horsepower loads. Another advantage of earlier transmissions is that they fit into tighter transmission tunnels, making them easier to install than the latter units. (See Chapter 8 for specific information on all of these transmissions.)
AOD/AODE: This is a 4-speed automatic with overdrive. Released in 1980, the first automatics were vacuum-operated and fully actuated. The stock overdrive transmission is rated at 300 hp and 275 ft-lbs of torque. The “E,” or electronic, versions were released in 1992, and the PCM controlled the shifting duties on these transmissions. The AODE has stronger internals than the vacuum-operated AOD. The AOD was installed in the first few years before the AODE arrived in 1994. The AODE was used for a couple of years until it was replaced by the 4R70 series transmissions. The AODE was also used in the 1994–1995 Mustang GTs. An AODE is a much better option than the AOD, and certainly if the transmission came with the modular engine.
4R70W/4R70E/4R75E/4R75W: The 4R series of overdrives was an upgrade of the AOD platform. The “4” stands for four forward gears, the “R” stands for rear drive, and the “W” stands for a wider gear ratio. The “E” version designates throttle-by-wire technology. The 4R series transmissions began replacing the AOD transmissions about 1994 and were used up through 2011 in large cars such as the Ford Crown Victoria.
E4OD/4R100: This heavy-duty 4-speed overdrive incorporates some of the older C6 automatic internals, but this new-generation transmission was installed in bigger vehicles and trucks. While the 4R70W was used with the smaller 4.6 blocks, the E4OD was used behind the 5.4 and applications where additional torque was needed. These transmissions were used in Ford trucks and vans 1996–2004.
5R Series: Primarily the 5R55S, this is a 5-speed automatic used to replace the 4-speed. A 5R100 version was used in Super Duty trucks and was different from the 5R55 series because it was derived from and replaced the heavy-duty 4R100 4-speed automatics. This light-duty transmission had been around a couple of years until it was fitted into the 2005–2010 Mustangs, and the 5R100 replaced the 4R100 in 2005–2010.
6H and 6R Series: The 6HP26 was developed by ZF and was used behind some 2005–2008 Lincoln Navigators. The 6R80 and other 6R series 6-speed automatics were developed from the ZF transmission and built under license by Ford. The 6R series replaced the 5R series in 2011. The 6R140 series replaced the 5R100 in Ford heavy trucks and vans in 2011.
Manuals
Manual transmissions are found in the Mustang and Ford trucks, but keep in mind that the shifter location on these transmissions dictates the use or application of the transmissions. Ford mounts the truck engine up and under the chassis cab, so the shifter position is typically midpoint on the housing. Mustang transmissions are generally found at the end of the tailshaft or even remote behind the shaft. The earlier manual transmissions were a bit weaker and went through some warranty issues, and the latest versions tend to have issues with the shifting. The T-56 series, while bigger and bulkier than the earlier transmissions, is very robust and is still favored by the aftermarket community. It can also be found in both clutch fork and hydraulic throw-out bearing versions from Ford. (See Chapter 8 for more information.)
Tremec 5-speeds: Starting with the 1996 Mustang GT, Ford began using the Tremec T-45 5-speed, which was upgraded to the TR-3650 in 2001 and was used up through 2010s. The T-45 suffered from shifting issues and the 3650 corrected some of those problems. Ford issued numerous service bulletins to remedy the shifting problems on the 1996–2000 transmission. These primarily focused on fifth/reverse gear forks, which were jamming and breaking, so upgraded forks were offered to resolve this problem.
Tremec 6-speeds: The T-56 was first installed in the 2000 Cobra R, and then the 2003–2004 Terminator Cobra. It’s a stout transmission that’s also been installed in the Corvette Z06, Dodge Viper, and Aston Martin Vanquish. This transmission can handle a lot of torque. These transmissions can transmit up to about 700 hp, which is suitable for most high-performance
