How Long Can/Will Your Gen1 Last?

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B E N

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It's not necessarily a fallacy, it's more that it depends on your goal in the end with the powerplant you are putting together.
Aim low for 250 hp and yes you can either make a very small displacement motor with forced induction or some other power adder or a larger displacement engine but there is a point at which your goal will go beyond what a particular displacement could achieve. No one with current technology can make a 10,000 hp motor with a displacement of 1500cc, we do it with 500 cu in hemi's in top fuel motors with superchargers that have a parasitic loss of a wrx sti. In the case of the raptor there are plenty of different ways to get to 400-600 hp to push our boat anchors along but it's highly unlikely to see a desirable torque and hp curve out of a boosted to the moon 2.5l screamer with current technology. Just my .02

So now were talking about 10,000 hp raptors? I can think of something more unrealistic, but it will take a few moments.

And yes, you can have a 2.5l engine with a good torque curve. In fact, ford has one in the current generation f150, the 2.7l ecoboost. 335hp, 400ft lbs at 2750rpm. More than enough to move a truck around, not to mention a 2250 RPM power spread between peak torque and HP, where the 6.2l only has a 2000 rpm spread, and fewer gears to choose from. That is a much meatier power band, even if less powerful.

That 2.7l has replaced and exceeded the 5.4l, which had double the displacement but did not make as much torque at ANY point in the usable RPM range. So yes, we have replaced displacement with good cylinder heads, VVT, VRL and boost. And in another 10 years the 6.2l will be eclipsed by something of about half the size.... Oh wait, it already has been.

As I said before, I like my 6.2l fine, it makes an excellent noise, makes plenty of power, and is stone dead reliable. I bought my raptor because I was sick of the 3.5l ecoboost, but if I wanted to make power it would not be my choice.

The 6.2l has a ton of dated tech in it, it has since day one, it was designed as a throw away engine by Ford because they needed something new and saw fuel prices skyrocketing. If it had better cylinder head architecture maybe it would be worth arguing over, but the specific output is low, the aftermarket is not there. It is a great, long lasting engine, in stock form. Turn the wick up very far with boost and it fails, it isn't a gen 4+ LS. There is nothing about it that makes it legendary or particularly desirable, which is a good part of why you don't see them in hot rods or widespread aftermarket support. They are not exactly fuel efficient either.

If people were keeping the stock 351m and c6 in dentside trucks, or y blocks and granny 3 speed in their early gens, or flatheads in their 34's the trucks wouldn't even be highway worthy. But because they are willing to modernize the trucks stay relevant and interesting. At some point the Raptor will become the same thing. No one is making a magazine cover with a 6.2l and a blower. Throw in a 7.3l, or a 5.2l out of a gt500 and you will start generating some interest, and can keep up with a modern truck. The raptor was the top dog of its day, and now it is aging and slow on the street, need to keep them relevant.
 
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W0n70n

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So now were talking about 10,000 hp raptors? I can think of something more unrealistic, but it will take a few moments.

And yes, you can have a 2.5l engine with a good torque curve. In fact, ford has one in the current generation f150, the 2.7l ecoboost. 335hp, 400ft lbs at 2750rpm. More than enough to move a truck around, not to mention a 2250 RPM power spread between peak torque and HP, where the 6.2l only has a 2000 rpm spread, and fewer gears to choose from. That is a much meatier power band, even if less powerful.

That 2.7l has replaced and exceeded the 5.4l, which had double the displacement but did not make as much torque at ANY point in the usable RPM range. So yes, we have replaced displacement with good cylinder heads, VVT, VRL and boost. And in another 10 years the 6.2l will be eclipsed by something of about half the size.... Oh wait, it already has been.

As I said before, I like my 6.2l fine, it makes an excellent noise, makes plenty of power, and is stone dead reliable. I bought my raptor because I was sick of the 3.5l ecoboost, but if I wanted to make power it would not be my choice.

The 6.2l has a ton of dated tech in it, it has since day one, it was designed as a throw away engine by Ford because they needed something new and saw fuel prices skyrocketing. If it had better cylinder head architecture maybe it would be worth arguing over, but the specific output is low, the aftermarket is not there. It is a great, long lasting engine, in stock form. Turn the wick up very far with boost and it fails, it isn't a gen 4+ LS. There is nothing about it that makes it legendary or particularly desirable, which is a good part of why you don't see them in hot rods or widespread aftermarket support. They are not exactly fuel efficient either.

If people were keeping the stock 351m and c6 in dentside trucks, or y blocks and granny 3 speed in their early gens, or flatheads in their 34's the trucks wouldn't even be highway worthy. But because they are willing to modernize the trucks stay relevant and interesting. At some point the Raptor will become the same thing. No one is making a magazine cover with a 6.2l and a blower. Throw in a 7.3l, or a 5.2l out of a gt500 and you will start generating some interest.
Apologies if that didn't read right, I wasn't saying that a 10,000 hp motor is going in to a raptor, I was saying that it just depends on your goals and that there is a maximum amount of power that can be squeezed out of any given displacement with current technologies and fuels. Yes the 2.7 is better than the 5.4 for all kinds of reasons but the 2.7 is close to the maximum output it will get to on pump gas while the 5.4 has been built and raced at considerably higher power numbers than by people like MMR. My point is that if your goal is 335 hp and 400 ft.lbs then yeah the 2.7 is a better candidate than the 5.4 but if your goal is 700 hp you are unlikely to get there on a platform that small.
 

vegascarnut

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Ok guys, talk is cheap—like me!! I built my supercharged 6.2l setup from a wrecked 1 season Indmar marine engine for about $4500, including tune, plugs, and everything else. Runs like a champ! I’ll get excited when I see someone build something different and cool that runs. I’m all about an EV Raptor conversion, but until then…I’ll be shredding tires and pulling stumps with what I’ve got.
 

EricM

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Here comes the fun police! Killer of dreams!
Yup. That's all it is, dreams. I'm someone who deals in reality. Life is too damn short to dream about doing things that will never be done.

Nobody here is swapping a Coyote, or 7.3L or any damn thing else into a Gen 1 Raptor. When someone does you can say "I told you so", but I'm telling you- it ain't happening.
 

Yukon Joe

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Ol' Night Raptor is hanging in there as a DD, but with Covid, it hasn't gotten to many miles, as I'm working from home. It's got about 137K miles. 10 to 15 % easily off road or towing.
It needs some maintenance as some of the suspension upgrades require every few years.

The rocker panels (inner and outer) were shot along with the cab corners about 2 years ago. Luckily they were fixed under an aftermarket under body coating warranty. Cost them $8500 for the fix. Now it's good for another 10 years.
 

Stu

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I just sold my 2017 SCREW taking advantage of this ridiculous market and picked up a 2010 SCAB - one owner all history with 119k miles. So far very happy with the truck.
 
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MDJAK

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I just sold my 2017 SCREW taking advantage of this ridiculous market and picked up a 2010 SCAB - one owner all history with 119k miles. So far very happy with the truck.
One would think the ridiculous market prices would redound to the price of a Gen1 also. Good luck with it. Post some pics.
 
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