Prince Valiant
04-01-2009, 09:01 AM
Inside sources have confirmed that the Boss engine has been put back on the shelf.
"At this time, it's too expensive to bring this engine to the market. While the engine is essentially done, it cost more to build than would likely bring in in terms of new business; we would actually decrease our profit margins on trucks."
There had been much debate early in the BOSS program about the final form the engine should take. Much of the advantage of the Hemi and GM's LS series V8's over their modular counterparts were that the pushrod design was cheaper and thus more profitable, as well as more compact. Originally, the upcoming BOSS engines were to follow the pushrod example so as to give them a cost advantage over the smaller, less powerful modular V8's.
About 3 years ago though, Ford decided to save development cost by essentially copying the modular motor on a large scale...but giving it the large bore spacing and bores as to allow it to grow. Therefore, the BOSS retained the more expensive to produce OHC design.
Part of the problem, our sources say, is the problems they have been having in test mules with their timing belts. One of the new features of the BOSS engine over the modular were to be it's use of a long life timing belt.
"These new timing belts have a high failure rate from 50,000 miles onward," according to our engine source. "These belts were supposed to last 300,000 miles."
Our source also noted that Ford will watch the success of the "Ecoboost" engines very closely. "It's possible that if the ecoboost v6's and small diesels when they eventually come online are a success, there would be little to no need to continue the modular engines. Of course, the ecoboost will need to be sucessful in both the trucks and Mustang for this to occur."
Continue to follow Leftlanenews for further developments.
Leftlanenews.com (http://www.mycrunkspace.com/content/graphics/13905dabb740fdf890b908bd961a18f4.gif)
"At this time, it's too expensive to bring this engine to the market. While the engine is essentially done, it cost more to build than would likely bring in in terms of new business; we would actually decrease our profit margins on trucks."
There had been much debate early in the BOSS program about the final form the engine should take. Much of the advantage of the Hemi and GM's LS series V8's over their modular counterparts were that the pushrod design was cheaper and thus more profitable, as well as more compact. Originally, the upcoming BOSS engines were to follow the pushrod example so as to give them a cost advantage over the smaller, less powerful modular V8's.
About 3 years ago though, Ford decided to save development cost by essentially copying the modular motor on a large scale...but giving it the large bore spacing and bores as to allow it to grow. Therefore, the BOSS retained the more expensive to produce OHC design.
Part of the problem, our sources say, is the problems they have been having in test mules with their timing belts. One of the new features of the BOSS engine over the modular were to be it's use of a long life timing belt.
"These new timing belts have a high failure rate from 50,000 miles onward," according to our engine source. "These belts were supposed to last 300,000 miles."
Our source also noted that Ford will watch the success of the "Ecoboost" engines very closely. "It's possible that if the ecoboost v6's and small diesels when they eventually come online are a success, there would be little to no need to continue the modular engines. Of course, the ecoboost will need to be sucessful in both the trucks and Mustang for this to occur."
Continue to follow Leftlanenews for further developments.
Leftlanenews.com (http://www.mycrunkspace.com/content/graphics/13905dabb740fdf890b908bd961a18f4.gif)