The following appears in the March issue of CarCraft under the heading, "Ford Shoots a Three."
Ford has been openly flirting with three-valve combustion chamber design for about a decade, and later this year it will turn that flirtation into a full-blown marriage when it introduces a three-valve version of its 5.4L Triton SOHC V-8.
With GM's Vortec truck V-8's and the Dodge hemi clearly outpacing Fords's Triton range of V-8's in power output, it was obvious the Blue Oval corporation would have to do something to keep up. Keeping up will come in the form of a new version of the SOHC Triton V-8 to be introduced in the all-new '04 F-150 featuring cylinder heads with three valves per cylinder.
Ford's three-valve Triton uses two modestly sized intake valves and a single large exhaust valve. A second cam isn't necessary with a three-valver, and that saves on parts and parasitic valvetrain loss. But like a four-valve design, the three-valve combustion chamber features central spark-plug placement and a symmetrical shape, and it can take advantage of electronic variable cam timing, which Ford pairs with variable ignition timing.
The result of all that technology is, says Ford, a 5.4L V-8 that makes 300 hp at 5,000 rpm and 365 lb-ft of torque at 3,750rpm - the same horsepower output GM claims for the 6.0L Vortec 6000 used in the Silverado with 5 lb-ft more torque and 250 fewer rpm in the rev band. That's impressive, but it's also 45 hp and 15 lb-ft down from what Dodge claims for the 5.7L, dual-spark plug Hemi it's now installing in the Ram 1500.
Ford won't stop with a three-valve 5.4. The 4.6L Triton V-8 and 6.8L V-10 will likely get similar combustion chambers soon. And the supercharged version of this engine in the next SVT Lightning should easily blast out more than 425 hp.

 

a little bird told me that the '04 Lightning changes
will be mostly esthetics. The big '05 changes are
sucking all the engineering resources.

And, yes, Margaret, there will be an '04 Lightning.

At least that is what I remember from conversations,
but I am getting old, ya know ... CRS disease ...

 

Thats not what was said at the F150 reveal in Detroit. When asked repeatedly when the next Lightning would be out both Scarpello and Colletti dodged the question. The answer was something like as soon as possible. The Design engineers stated that there would likley NOT be a 2004 in the 2003 body style AND that the new Body style Lightning would not be ready in normal 2004 model year ...

If the 2004 Lightning was that close they would have rolled it out with the 2004s at the reveal, instead they rolled out the ONLY Concept they had... Cudos for picking a decent Color....

Doug

 

Good point

 

Maybe Doug ... Guess we will just have to see who's got
the better ear inside, eh? I agree that the new body style
will prolly not make it til 2005 with all the improvements, but
FORD would be stupid to not have this premier money maker
out there every year that they can ...

Just my opinion, based on anonymous sources ...

 

There wont be a 2004 Lightning. They arnt even done designing it yet, let alone have a powertrain setup tested and ok'd from CAFE and C.A.R.B. There is a protocol that has to be followed.

Was there a 2002 Cobra? No...

Will there be a 2004 Cobra? No.. Why? Because they need 1 extra model year to finish design and testing. This is why they are doubling production for 2003. Research Ford's trend and you can see how it all works.

The Lightning and every other SVT Vehicle is a Niche Market... If you think this is their premier money maker, you are greatly mistaken. Look at the production #'s and you will see they probably break even on it. The money makers come from the V6 mustang, F150 and Focus.

 

I think what Cliff is saying with out naming sources.... is that they will make a 2003.5 ( or something ) Lightning with the same body style next fall.

I had heard that there would be 2004 f150's in BOTH body styles -But I cant figure out why unless they simply cant keep up with demand for the new body style. Or they cant get the plants switched over quickl enough.

Cliff - I wasnt trying to get in a pissing match.
I was just trying to share the info that I learned in Detroit. We wont know for sure till December or later. However the info heard from the Marketing Execs ( Tom Scarpello, Ford SVT sales and marketing manager - And SVT Director John Coletti ) and the design engineers is worth more to me than info or a rumor from an unnamed source... But we all know that marketing types are evasive till the info serves their purpose so who knows....

And one more point, - most questions have been about when the NEW one is coming ... I cant be sure if the question was worded if the NEW one will be the NEXT one or not ... Either way - It'll be fun guessing till then

Doug

 

Nor was I, Mr. Boss ... and I appreciate your Detroit insights

It is however VERY interesting the difference between
"public" acknowledgement and "semi-private" ... After
all, they have to build what? 800000 trucks for next year?

Cliff

 

Hmmmm ... check back here in Nov/Dec time frame eh?

 

My personal opinion is that the Lightning IS NOT a $$ maker. It is purely a great marketing tool. Its pupose largely is to get people interested in and talking about trucks and get them to go to the dealer. The # they sell is so small that the revenue from them is a drop in the bucket compared to your 800,000 number...

Having said that - Depending on when they decomission the Ontario Plant ( here it is listed as July 2004 ) they may make another run just to keep people going in to the dealer for that reason

I just need to keep head gaskets and rods in mine till the next version comes out

Doug