79 5.0 Fox Body Engine

1979 – 140 HP @ 3600

  • Taken from the 1978 Mustang II stock
  • Motorcraft 2700 2-barrel carburetor
  • 8.4:1 compression
  • Hydraulic flat tappet .050″ Duration-204/214; Cam Lift-.280/.295; Lobe Center-107/117.

1980/1981 – Nope

  • The 5.0 was replaced with a 4.2L V8 with 119HP

1982 Fox Body Engine

1982 – 157 HP @ 4200

  • Introduction of the 5.0 HO with the help of Jim Clarke
  • Cast pistons and 8.4:1 compression ratio
  • Heads with smaller “high velocity” ports and valves
  • ’73 Torino flat tappet cam (260°/278° int/exh duration,.416″/.444″ int/exh valve lift)
  • Double row roller timing chain
  • 369 cfm Motorcraft 2-barrel carburetor
  • Aluminum intake manifold
  • Dual snorkel, high dome cover, low restriction element, air cleaner
  • Cast iron exhaust manifold with a 2″ outlet, 2.25″ Y-pipe
  • Lightweight (120 lb.) thin-walled 302 block
  • Old-style 2-piece rear main bearing seal
  • 50 oz.-in. unbalance flywheel and 34 oz.-in. damper

1983/1984 – 175 HP @ 4200

  • 600 cfm Holley 4180C 4-barrel carburetor
  • New block and crankshaft using a one-piece main seal introduced mid-year
  • Redesigned choke, eliminating heat tubes from the manifolds

1985 – 210 HP @ 4400

  • New hydraulic roller tappet camshaft (266° duration and .444 valve lift)
  • Revised block (122 lb.) with two retainer bosses for roller tappets.
  • New cylinder heads, revised to allow service removal of the roller tappets
  • Distributor drive gear material changed to be compatible with steel camshaft
  • Forged pistons with low tension rings and thicker ring lands. Compression remained at 8.4:1
  • Holley 4180C carburetor, with improved secondary metering
  • Increased flow for water pump
  • Factory stainless steel tubular headers

1986 Fox Body Engine Specs

1986 – 200 HP @ 4000

  • Stronger block (126 lb.) with better oil control
  • Compression increased to 9.2:1 with flat-top pistons
  • High Swirl E6 passenger car heads with masked intake valve
  • Same roller camshaft as 1985
  • Multi-port speed density EFI, 58 mm throttle body and 19 lbs/hr. injectors

1987/88 – 225 HP @ 4000

  • Same Camshaft, exhaust manifolds, and block as 1986
  • Truck heads (E7) with revised combustion chambers
  • 0:1 compression TRW forged pistons with valve reliefs
  • Speed Density EFI with same intake runners, 60 mm throttle body

1989 Engine Specs

1989/92 – 225 HP @ 4000

  • Same block, heads, intake and exhaust manifolds as 1987
  • Mass Airflow (MAF) EFI allowing for better performing cams
  • The 89/92 5.0 offers the greatest performance potential

Power Rating Differences: The 5.0’s rated output of 225 HP for 1987-1992 was a NET rating.  And in 1993 Ford reduced it to 205 HP mostly in a way that suggested the 225 hp figure had potentially been a little optimistic. This was more of an SAE standards thing than the 93 model years getting less power.

1993 – 215 HP @ 4200

  • Mostly identical to 1989/92 engines
  • Hypereutectic aluminum pistons
  • Hi-torque, mini starter

93 Cobra engine specs Fox Body

1993 Cobra – 235 HP  @ 4600

  • Cast iron GT-40 heads
  • Cast aluminum GT-40 style intake
  • 65 mm throttle body, 24 lbs-hr injectors, 70mm mass air meter
  • 7:1 ratio roller rocker arms
  • Cam (F3ZE-6250-CA) with 270 int/exh duration and .480 int/exh valve lift
  • Special type exhaust manifolds
  • Specially programmed EEC-IV