I saw a very odd motor today that I didnt know existed. Apparently Ford built 50 of them and this might be the only one that wasnt destroyed. Five cycle gas engine with water injection, 427 displacement, exhaust exits at the top back of the manifold, and it is designed to run at 300-320 deg.
The owner is a fantastic guy. He also had a 62 Galaxie with a factory Ford 483 and a 4 speed. The car had visor and dome light delete of all things. The factory side dump exhaust made out of driveshafts was amazing. This is just the tip of the iceberg with the crazy amount of hi-po Ford stuff in this man's shop.
Im gonna need more info on the 5 stroke engine. Thats something that i never heard of.
I cant pretend to know much about the gas/steam engine above. The owner is the real deal though. The amount of rare Ford factory lightweight race parts in his warehouse is absolutely mind boggling.
Six stroke because you have to exhaust the steam created by the water injection! I’ve heard of this but didn’t know about the Ford prototype(s). I’ve heard it cools the engine and creates power from the steam production. I guess corrosion is an issue as is carrying enough water to do it. I wonder if you need as much water as gas?
In reply to dculberson :
I had never heard of this before either. That port in the last picture is the exhaust port for the engine. I havent found really any information on the engine or any of the serial numbers.
I've heard about the theory, seen an animation or two, but I didn't realize anybody actually made one, let alone 50.
Cool concept, but there's got to be a good reason development stopped pretty much when it started.
Say what now? Driveshaft side exit exhaust? Is that like a “Motec system exhaust”?
Interesting. With the "Prechamber engine" name, I would have expected something like a Honda CVCC.
When I saw the prechamber sticker I assumed it was an indirect injection diesel engine. When I saw that there was no exhaust on the side the owner took pity on me and explained that the engine was a gasoline engine with water injection. Im guessing that the 300+ deg running temp of this engine would have made it prohibitively expensive in the 70s. They would have had to use expensive (for the 70s) gaskets, oil, etc to keep the engine reliable long term. The owner said that the Henry Ford offered him a boatload of cash for this engine a few years back, but he just isnt the type to part with things. This guy has racks full of plain 427 engines, factory SOHC 427 engines, factory 483 engine plus parts, Ford factory fiberglass doors and fenders, Lee Iacocca's Galaxie with electronic ignition, and etc.
So what you're saying is, GRM needs to interview this guy?
Uh yeah- GRM interview please. Also, more pictures of random items whose existence cannot otherwise be verified by Wikipedia.
MadScientistMatt said:Interesting. With the "Prechamber engine" name, I would have expected something like a Honda CVCC.
I'm starting to wonder if you may actually be right, and that the 'telephone game' effect has occurred during the passing of the oral history of this engine along with each time it changed hands.
The term "Prechamber Engine" denotes something entirely different from a combined cycle engine. Ford definitely did development work on a small number of prechamber engines in the 70's, including some based on the 400 V8, but in the conventional use of the term and along the same lines as that of the Honda CVCC. It wouldn't make much sense to also use this same designation on an unrelated combined cycle engine development program. Nor to have such an official and conspicuous name plate if it were an otherwise undocumented program, as opposed to the published program bearing the same name. Note the thermostat mount and orientation on the block appears to also be consistent with that of the 400 rather than the 427.
Pre-chamber motors go back to the 50's maybe even earlier in aircraft MB got some patents I recall in the 50's for a prechamber motor.
I'm not saying that that engine doesn't displace 427 cubic inches, but the bell housing bolt pattern looks more 335/385 series than FE.
Would love to see the carburetor throat. Would like to see if an extra "barrel" exists, a la Honda for the rich mixture required by the prechamber on a stratified-charge motor.
I have never heard of those engines. Glad to see a manufacturer thinking outside the box, even if it fails.
A friend's uncle back in the 60s who happened to be the Sheriff said Ford was testing water injection in the police interceptor engines. It didn't work out,
Driven5 said:I'm starting to wonder if you may actually be right, and that the 'telephone game' effect has occurred during the passing of the oral history of this engine along with each time it changed hands.
The term "Prechamber Engine" denotes something entirely different from a combined cycle engine. Ford definitely did development work on a small number of prechamber engines in the 70's, including some based on the 400 V8, but in the conventional use of the term and along the same lines as that of the Honda CVCC. It wouldn't make much sense to also use this same designation on an unrelated combined cycle engine development program. Nor to have such an official and conspicuous name plate if it were an otherwise undocumented program, as opposed to the published program bearing the same name. Note the thermostat mount and orientation on the block appears to also be consistent with that of the 400 rather than the 427.
Ford used this term on a patent from 1980 for a diesel engine with a direct injection system and an indirect injector, as well. This engine doesn't appear to match that prechamber engine, however - I can't see the system in Ford's patent fitting under the valve covers.
You'll need to log in to post.
