Car Craft Magazine Homepage Car Craft
 

Great American Engines - 5.4L Supercharged Ford GT

Ford's entry to the super-car market was a stunning one. The GT40 concept was so highly lauded that Ford had no choice but to put it into production as the Ford GT. It may look like the GT40's of LeMans fame, but make no mistake: the heart of this beast
By Henry De Los Santos
Photography by Randy Lorentzen, Planet R, Ford Motor Company
Ford GT Engine Front Lead

Ford GT Engine Side Cutaway
Making its debut appearance in the '05 Ford GT, the all-aluminum 5.4L DOHC engine produces an incredible 550 hp in factory production trim. Rumor has it that these engines may eventually find their way into less radical production vehicles.

Ford GT Engine Internal
At first glance, the 5.4L GT engine may appear to be equipped with the same supercharger found on '03 Cobra Mustangs and Lightning trucks, but it's not. Ford opted for a much more efficient Eaton-built twin-screw supercharger that produces 12 psi of boost. The Cobra and Lightning rely on a Roots-type blower (also made by Eaton) that produces 10 psi for the Cobra and 8 psi for the Lightning. Inside, the secret to high boost levels on pump gas is the integrated air-to-water intercooler that rests between the upper and lower manifolds. After the air is compressed by the supercharger, the intercooler significantly drops the hot inlet temperatures to reduce the risk of detonation, all the while maximizing horsepower potential.

Ford GT Engine Throttle Body
Supplying the air to the supercharged 5.4L is a stout throttle body that features twin 70mm throttle blades.

Ford GT Engine Injectors
Unique to the GT, Ford utilizes dual 32 lb/hr injectors on each cylinder to supply its demanding fuel needs, as well as aid in greater injector control to pass stringent emissions requirements.


Discuss in Our Forums
Get Adobe Flash player
Get a FREE no-hassle price quote on any new car.

Related Photos

Related Articles

 
Shock & Bar - Bolt-On How-To
A Simple Yet Effective Suspension Upgrade... more
 
Emergency Solution!
Got a parking brake on your car? Betcha do. Does it work? Probably not, at least not real well.... more
 
Distributor Gears: What’s The Deal?
Look at the effort that goes into a ring-and-pinion installation, yet no one thinks twice about the... more
 
How To Build A Rearend
It can be hard to purchase parts that don’t offer some sort of aesthetic appeal or an obvious... more

 

Get Adobe Flash player