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- Joined
- Nov 30, 2001
- Messages
- 6,924
- Reaction score
- 514
- Points
- 113
- Location
- Gnaw Bone, Indiana
- Vehicle Year
- 2007
- Make / Model
- Toyota
- Engine Size
- 4.0
- Transmission
- Manual
The SOHC 4.0 is all of the things everyone wished they could do to their pushrod 4.0. It had some chain guide disintegration problems but that should be behind it by now. By current standards, a SOHC 4.0 should be on par with a typical 2.5 liter, variable-valve timing, 4-valve motor. The SOHC 4.0 is old now and it was intended as a conversion to the pushrod 4.0 to bring it into the 200hp range to make it competitive in advertising. When it came out, it was competing with the 190hp Vortec 4300 in the Chevy/GMC. Both are great truck motors, but bad for advertisers because they post low peak numbers. All 4.0s are great truck motors, as is the 4.3. For hauling ass, any 2.5 with all the modern fixings will kick its ass. But to me, a truck motor is a power plant that has to move the truck and whatever I chain it to, plus keep the winch batteries ncharged and the cab heated. I'm really happy with the pushrod motor.
Those V8 replacement suggestions are not high performance motors. Even a 5.8 is weak in today's terms. A 460 from a late 70's truck is just 200hp. I would rather have a sohc 4.0 than any of those.
My wife's car is a 2005 Honda Pilot with a 255hp 3.5 liter motor. It's old--we bought it new--but it's my baseline for respect. If it will kick your builds ass, don't build it. I know for a fact it will destroy a 2000 Explorer Sport with a sohc 4.0. What's the point of building that? Four valves, variable cam timing, variable geometry intake manifold--these are all things Ford installs reluctantly. Back when I was a kid--GM put a 4-barrel on everything but almost all Ford's only had the stupid Autolite 2V carb. Ford was stingy back then and still is.
Build your truck for what it's meant to be--a truck. Focus on the truck things because even with a 210hp 351W, every V6 built in the last 10 years will kick its ass.
Those V8 replacement suggestions are not high performance motors. Even a 5.8 is weak in today's terms. A 460 from a late 70's truck is just 200hp. I would rather have a sohc 4.0 than any of those.
My wife's car is a 2005 Honda Pilot with a 255hp 3.5 liter motor. It's old--we bought it new--but it's my baseline for respect. If it will kick your builds ass, don't build it. I know for a fact it will destroy a 2000 Explorer Sport with a sohc 4.0. What's the point of building that? Four valves, variable cam timing, variable geometry intake manifold--these are all things Ford installs reluctantly. Back when I was a kid--GM put a 4-barrel on everything but almost all Ford's only had the stupid Autolite 2V carb. Ford was stingy back then and still is.
Build your truck for what it's meant to be--a truck. Focus on the truck things because even with a 210hp 351W, every V6 built in the last 10 years will kick its ass.
