Aluminator 5.2 XS in a street car

[Performance nut]

I'm looking at potential engine mods and wondered if it is just better to go the long block route and pick up more in the long run. The question is getting this to work in a street car application. I know Ford says "racing only" but I'm wondering if that is corporate lingo for CYA or if things are missing to make this emissions compliant making it truly a race only engine. For example, if I literally transplanted everything from my 2018 including the stock headers with cats, would this technically work just like my 2018 (obviously after a tune) or would a significant amount of things need to be overridden in order for my check engine light not to explode from all the codes from all the missing sensors and inputs?

Again, I realize this will require a tune to function. What I'm curious about is things like when you add headers and you get errors due to the cat. Something tells me this might work for a street car but there is always something missing that will throw this for a loop.

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[Performance nut]

@SteedaTech your car is what inspired this question. So if you have some input here, it would be appreciated

 

[EFI]

They say race only it was never tested to comply with DOT/EPA emissions regulations (unlike their production engine) so to cover their butts they say race only.

But that doesn't mean you can't drive it on the street. People have done "race only" modifications to their cars since the IC engine was invented.

And this is just the engine. What you do with the exhaust and other sensors is up to you. If you take this exact unit and drop it into an otherwise stock S550 it will work exactly as the OEM 5.0 (of course it has to be tuned). If you install headers with no cats, it's no different than installing catless headers on a 5.0.

 

[bauern]

Mainly due to the cams which are bigger than the original Coyote or Voodoo.

The cams are the same size as the Voodoo cams. The only difference is that the cam lobes are arranged for the Coyote firing order.

The 5.2 Aluminator is the same as a Gen2 Coyote, so if you intend this for a 2018+ (Gen3) Mustang, you'll need the Gen2 Control pack which would make this a difficult swap technically. If you replaced the Aluminator heads with your Gen3 Coyote heads, you could swap it much easier. Piston crowns are different so PTV clearance needs to be checked.

 

[bauern]

Realistically, if you were determined to go to 5.2L's, the most economical way would be to buy block, crank, rods and pistons (3.700" 2018 style), balance and assemble, then transfer everything else from your 2018, then tune. Sell the left over short block.

 

[Performance nut]

The cams are the same size as the Voodoo cams. The only difference is that the cam lobes are arranged for the Coyote firing order.

The 5.2 Aluminator is the same as a Gen2 Coyote, so if you intend this for a 2018+ (Gen3) Mustang, you'll need the Gen2 Control pack which would make this a difficult swap technically. If you replaced the Aluminator heads with your Gen3 Coyote heads, you could swap it much easier. Piston crowns are different so PTV clearance needs to be checked.

Realistically, if you were determined to go to 5.2L's, the most economical way would be to buy block, crank, rods and pistons (3.700" 2018 style), balance and assemble, then transfer everything else from your 2018, then tune. Sell the left over short block.

This is what I was looking for. Economics is one thing since I don't have a bottomless wallet. But bang for buck is a factor for me since I was wondering if $100 there, $1000 there, $600 over here ends up having less results than if you just go all the way from the get go.

 

[bauern]

What's "all the way from the get go"?

 

[Performance nut]

What's "all the way from the get go"?

Fully built engine from day one and swap the old engine out rather than modify the existing engine. I know the factory Coyote isn't anything to sneeze at, it is quite capable. But after you pay to get cams, intake manifold, blah blah blah… one has to wonder if it is just better to go the long block route and save time and money with similar or better results. If you go the short block route, yeah you save money but you are in for time. Probably not a huge deal if you have time to spare, the tools, and the know how. Having someone build an engine usually yields better results depending on the builder but it can also yield a lighter pocketbook.

The one plus about building it yourself or at the very least sourcing all the parts for someone else to build is you can optimize the build as much or little as you want. Coatings, knife-edging the crank, lighter rods... the FPR stuff you get what you get (which again is pretty awesome). For me, it isn't a competition machine so every HP isn't needed. It won't be a dyno queen so I don't really care too much about what it puts out. So long as it keeps trying to push me into the back seat when I hit the accelerator, I'm good.

 

[Bear_Stang]

I'm looking at potential engine mods and wondered if it is just better to go the long block route and pick up more in the long run. The question is getting this to work in a street car application. I know Ford says "racing only" but I'm wondering if that is corporate lingo for CYA or if things are missing to make this emissions compliant making it truly a race only engine. For example, if I literally transplanted everything from my 2018 including the stock headers with cats, would this technically work just like my 2018 (obviously after a tune) or would a significant amount of things need to be overridden in order for my check engine light not to explode from all the codes from all the missing sensors and inputs?

Again, I realize this will require a tune to function. What I'm curious about is things like when you add headers and you get errors due to the cat. Something tells me this might work for a street car but there is always something missing that will throw this for a loop.

Many aftermarket parts are listed as "racing only". Aftermarket trany & exaust components come to mind. Hell, kooks green catted headers are epa complaint and they still have to say "only race use".

Anywho, The Aluminator will likely be more expensive and you will likely not be able to use the 2/24 warranty it is sold with as ford only honors motors listing "M-9000PMC***" for their 5.0 mustangs. The major advantage of spending this cash is that you will save some - massive amounts of time (based on your skill level). Since you are looking at over 15k worth of work, you might want to shop around for built 5.2 motors. If they exist, they will not be signed by some guy at ford, but you might see comparable power.

-Edit-
Also, Hogan's Hero's is CLASSIC!

 

[olaosunt]

I had Billet pro shop build me one .
Gen I voodoo block.
Same internals as the 5.2 Alluminator:
Mahle 12:1 pistons/Manley H rods ,coated bearings .
CP boss crank instead of the 5.2 ford racing crank used in the Alluminator. Boss crank has slightly shorter stroke -3.649 vs 3.661 so slight decrease in compression /cubes - 11.9/314 vs 12/317.
GT 350 pan and pump with upgraded billet OPG/CS
ARP main studs and bolts .

Same GT 350 heads with Ford racing cams.

PAC valve spring upgrade over Alluminator.

ARP head stud upgrade over alluminator bolts .
Assembled with same VCT and complete from panto cover but no Cobra jet intake .

I plan on
putting a 2.3 Edelbrok on top of it so it ends up looking like below (I think that is a 2.6)

Total cost to built is about $14k(without the supercharger- add $4500 for that ) which is a lot less than the $19K that the “first gen” 5.2 Alluminator XS(that used the Gen I voodoo block ) MSRP ,but the Alluminator does come fully dressed and includes the cobra jet intake.

The current Alluminator 5.2 XS(Gen 2) now uses the upgraded voodoo/ predator block - M-6010-M52B and MSRP is $22k

https://performanceparts.ford.com/part/M-6007-A52XS

Lowest retail I have seen is about $17K which is not bad really if you get a 2/24 warranty .

You can still build the same as I did even with the more expensive block for about $15K.

 

[bauern]

Fully built engine from day one and swap the old engine out rather than modify the existing engine. I know the factory Coyote isn't anything to sneeze at, it is quite capable. But after you pay to get cams, intake manifold, blah blah blah… one has to wonder if it is just better to go the long block route and save time and money with similar or better results. If you go the short block route, yeah you save money but you are in for time. Probably not a huge deal if you have time to spare, the tools, and the know how. Having someone build an engine usually yields better results depending on the builder but it can also yield a lighter pocketbook.

The one plus about building it yourself or at the very least sourcing all the parts for someone else to build is you can optimize the build as much or little as you want. Coatings, knife-edging the crank, lighter rods... the FPR stuff you get what you get (which again is pretty awesome). For me, it isn't a competition machine so every HP isn't needed. It won't be a dyno queen so I don't really care too much about what it puts out. So long as it keeps trying to push me into the back seat when I hit the accelerator, I'm good.

I hear you, but you could have a complete 5.2 long block built with Gen3 coyote heads for way less than the aluminator. Swap over the ancillaries and front drive and you have a couple of hours extra work. It would be plug and play basically. Works with your current computer, harness and fuel system. A tune and your set. The Gen3 intake manifold is very good and you can get a ported one for that little extra umph.

With the Aluminator and control pack, you'll have a lot of extra work after the engine is installed. You'll have to install the extra computer and harness because you'll need the OE computer to run other things. The fuel system needs to be changed as the control pack uses a return style system and not returnless nor direct injection. You'd be in for a lot more time this way.

As an aside the Gen3 coyote heads flow pretty well:
https://performanceparts.ford.com/download/PDFS/Coyote Technical Reference2.pdf

"All new, stronger cylinder-head casting, including further revised ports from Gen 2 resulting in flow characteristics approaching the CNC’d ports in the GT350 5.2L."

 

[olaosunt]

I hear you, but you could have a complete 5.2 long block built with Gen3 coyote heads for way less than the aluminator. Swap over the ancillaries and front drive and you have a couple of hours extra work. It would be plug and play basically. Works with your current computer, harness and fuel system. A tune and your set. The Gen3 intake manifold is very good and you can get a ported one for that little extra umph.

With the Aluminator and control pack, you'll have a lot of extra work after the engine is installed. You'll have to install the extra computer and harness because you'll need the OE computer to run other things. The fuel system needs to be changed as the control pack uses a return style system and not returnless nor direct injection. You'd be in for a lot more time this way.

As an aside the Gen3 coyote heads flow pretty well:
https://performanceparts.ford.com/download/PDFS/Coyote Technical Reference2.pdf

"All new, stronger cylinder-head casting, including further revised ports from Gen 2 resulting in flow characteristics approaching the CNC’d ports in the GT350 5.2L."

That’s EXACTLY what I am doing right now for my 18 GT /whipple .
I am at $4600 delivered on the 5.2 Short block .... subtract $1250 if you use a Gen 3 coyote block instead of the 5.2 .
Starting with a “predator “ block .
12.1 Mahle pistons
Manley rods /bearings
Boss crank .
I already have billet OPG/CS on the current motor I will reuse and swap over everything else and then build the stock block with Mahle drop in pistons /Manley H tuff rods .... so I have a spare
Cost of 2 new short blocks will be less than $7K.

 

[olaosunt]

I also considered having my builder convert the short block to a timed long block(complete from pan to cover ) ready to drop in.
it was going be another $5200 added to the cost of just the short block !

I decided the time saved and less hassle/labor to swap a long block vs short block was not worth that much .

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