1981 5.8 ho

[DouglasJRizzo]

Hi.
New to the forums here.
Was trying to find some information on the 5.8 "High Output" option for 1981 LTD. Just how rare is this? I don't think it was Police only as it was mentioned in the civilian literature.
Was it one year only?
Going to start scouting one soon, preferably a high optioned Coupe or Wagon.
-Doug

[gadget73]

It wasn't really a high output engine. It was a 2bbl 351, made something like 180 hp. It was police sedan option only as far as I know, but could be had through 1991. Possible it was a civilian option in Canada, but not the US. Not common, and frankly its not that impressive either from a performance standpoint.

[Tiggie]

I think 81 was the last year of the civilian 351. Can’t say I’ve laid eyes on one though. 1979/80 are more common for the 351. I have seen quite a few 79’s with it. As Gadget says, they aren’t very exciting in terms of performance.

The early era cars have lots of interesting differences that make them unique and more desirable in my opinion. I say search for a 1979-81.

[Rodentkiller]

I had an 1980 CV with the 351M with the VV Carburetor and that was a royal Pain in my Ass to deal with and that was one of Fords failures.

[DerekTheGreat]

Haha as gadget said they really weren't really high output engines. And like Tigman said it basically went unchanged all the way to 1991. High[er] output by 1981 standards, No output by 1991 standards

If you want to find a 351 HO, find the actual "HO" 351 engine from a 1985/86 F series truck. They were rated for something like 220 or 230 HP and sported a 4bbl. Now from what I've read though, when the 351 went EFI in '87 they were rated for the same HP as the carb'd HO version they replaced. Whether or not they sport the same heads, cam and pistons (flat vs dished) is a mystery to me.

[gadget73]

The VV was it's own special demon. Apparently if you read the instruction manual and learn the correct steps to the voodoo dance and buy the special tool set from the Rotunda shaman you might get it to work correctly. I think a lot of people stuck 2bbl carbs on and just ran with it. They ran that thing through 1991 in the Vic. I really don't know why it never went EFI even if it was just for emissions reasons.

[knucklehead0202]

Yeah "high-output" in 1981 is about the equivalent of Michael J. Fox on a bicycle as far as power's concerned. I wouldn't get terribly excited about it unless you just want the bigger engine to build on and make better. First step would be to ditch the shitty induction system.

Personally i'd go full-retard and bore/stroke the 351, maybe to 408, put a healthy hydraulic roller cam it and efi. VV carbs are crap on a good day.

[DerekTheGreat]

"H.O." is a marketing gimmick designed to get men to at least half-mast and then make half assed decisions...

[DouglasJRizzo]

Ah. OK. I had some old civilian LTD literature from 1981 that indicated a "5.8 HO" engine option. I think it must be the regular old 351 VV engine with perhaps, a dual exhaust system. I had a 1980 LTD with that engine and it was absolutely awful. Too bad because the rest of the car was actually quite good. But that thing bucked, backfired, stalled and generally ran awful. Rather that search out some unicorn, it might be better to start with the best vehicle I can find and build from there.

[DouglasJRizzo]

It was police sedan option only as far as I know, but could be had through 1991. Possible it was a civilian option in Canada, but not the US. Not common, and frankly its not that impressive either from a performance standpoint.

It was mentioned in civilian US literature. Hence my curiosity.
It appears that it's not so "High Output." I might be better off building a decent 351.

[knucklehead0202]

Yeah the only real benefit to buying a 351 car is for the accessory bracketry on the motor so you can build a real 351.

[DerekTheGreat]

There's no need though, a 302 will get you there, just ask 87GTVIC

If you're asking me about boxes, 1987 and up is what you want. Early shit has early problems like nylon timing gears, common ground audio set-up, CFI (Although I like EEC-IV CFI, carpitators lower output. And the cool first year only stuff could be retrofitted with ease to your later car.

[DouglasJRizzo]

There's no need though, a 302 will get you there, just ask 87GTVIC

If you're asking me about boxes, 1987 and up is what you want.

I'm not dead set on any particular year, but I would prefer a 2 door well optioned. I believe that the 2 door disappeared after 1987.

[Mainemantom]

I'm not dead set on any particular year, but I would prefer a 2 door well optioned. I believe that the 2 door disappeared after 1987.

I have a very well optioned 1983 2 door MGM 302 with TBI. low miles for sale. It is put away for the winter. Available in the spring. It lived in Brick NJ. I shipped it to Ca., then to Maine.

[DerekTheGreat]

I'm not dead set on any particular year, but I would prefer a 2 door well optioned. I believe that the 2 door disappeared after 1987.

Indeed, the two door was not available after 1987, the face & ass-lift of '88 killed it.