Gm blocks are used because that is what PVM and others have been using,
After Ford discontinued making the 5.8 W motors, (arguably the best marinized recreational boat motor), it was only a mater of time before all the old stock of blocks were used up. The stock of blacks made it after the 96 year when the 351w blocks were last made, until the 2002 model year. That's actually pretty good IMHO.
Ford, as well as every other American car manufacturer was in a rough time in the late 90's into the early 2000's, some more so than others, hence the bail outs taken to keep them from bankruptcy. Note, Ford didn't take a bailout and part of the wise decisions they made prior tot he American automobile makers was to not proceed in the marinization of the triton series of V8s, 4.6, 5.4, and 5.4 supercharged v8s. Yes, there were some hiccups and failures int he test mule 5.4's, but who's to say on how hard they were pushing these motors? I bet had ford not scrapped the low volume money losing PCM opportunity to develop the triton motors for marinization, that tey would have quickly figured them out.
Maybe we simply would have gotten closed cooling systems as a standard instead of RWC way earlier?
The triton motors have no issue "lugging around 1500-2000" as was stated, as truck engines, that isn't an issue, and I seriously doubt that was the reason that any failures happened on the test mules. Anything else would be speculation.
It's all speculation, but the test mule 5.4 SC marinized motors out there were probably making a lot more power than the 360-380 hp in the lightning pick up.
Since GM motors (excaulibur and others) had been used for a while, it was easy to simply ramp up production of marinization of those. No speculation required on that one.
After Ford discontinued making the 5.8 W motors, (arguably the best marinized recreational boat motor), it was only a mater of time before all the old stock of blocks were used up. The stock of blacks made it after the 96 year when the 351w blocks were last made, until the 2002 model year. That's actually pretty good IMHO.
Ford, as well as every other American car manufacturer was in a rough time in the late 90's into the early 2000's, some more so than others, hence the bail outs taken to keep them from bankruptcy. Note, Ford didn't take a bailout and part of the wise decisions they made prior tot he American automobile makers was to not proceed in the marinization of the triton series of V8s, 4.6, 5.4, and 5.4 supercharged v8s. Yes, there were some hiccups and failures int he test mule 5.4's, but who's to say on how hard they were pushing these motors? I bet had ford not scrapped the low volume money losing PCM opportunity to develop the triton motors for marinization, that tey would have quickly figured them out.
Maybe we simply would have gotten closed cooling systems as a standard instead of RWC way earlier?
The triton motors have no issue "lugging around 1500-2000" as was stated, as truck engines, that isn't an issue, and I seriously doubt that was the reason that any failures happened on the test mules. Anything else would be speculation.
It's all speculation, but the test mule 5.4 SC marinized motors out there were probably making a lot more power than the 360-380 hp in the lightning pick up.
Since GM motors (excaulibur and others) had been used for a while, it was easy to simply ramp up production of marinization of those. No speculation required on that one.
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