Ford 281ci Specs: 3.551 x 3.543 in

Ford 281ci specs: 3.551 x 3.543 in (90.2 x 90 mm) bore and stroke, shared by all 21 versions. Displacement, compression and factory ratings, plus rod ratio.

At a glance

Displacement	281 ci
Cylinders	8
Bore	3.551–3.553"
Stroke	3.543"
Compression	9.3–11.0:1
Advertised power	190–510 hp
Years	1992–2011
Cylinder head data	5 of 21 engines

Engines in this family

Engine	Displacement	Bore × Stroke	CR	HP
Ford 281ci · 3.551" × 3.543" · 10:1	281 ci	3.551" × 3.543"	10:1	205–430
1994 281 210HP	281 ci	3.551" × 3.543"	9.8:1	210
Ford 281ci · 3.551" × 3.543" · 9.3:1	281 ci	3.551" × 3.543"	9.3:1	205–225
1996 281 305HP	281 ci	3.551" × 3.543"	10.15:1	305
1996 281 290HP	281 ci	3.551" × 3.543"	10.05:1	290
Ford 281ci · 3.551" × 3.543" · 10.1:1	281 ci	3.551" × 3.543"	10.1:1	430
2008 281 510HP	281 ci	3.551" × 3.543"	9.5:1	510
Modular 4.6 SOHC	281 ci	3.551" × 3.543"	—	190–292
Modular 4.6 SOHC CNG	281 ci	3.551" × 3.543"	—	—
Triton 4.6 SOHC	281 ci	3.551" × 3.543"	—	215–240
Triton	281 ci	3.551" × 3.543"	—	—
Triton 2V SOHC	281 ci	3.551" × 3.543"	—	220–248
Modular 2V SOHC	281 ci	3.551" × 3.543"	—	248
Modular 3V SOHC	281 ci	3.551" × 3.543"	—	292
4.6 DOHC 4V	281 ci	3.551" × 3.543"	—	305–320
4.6 SOHC 2V	281 ci	3.551" × 3.543"	—	260–265
4.6 DOHC 4V supercharged	281 ci	3.551" × 3.543"	—	390
4.6 SOHC 3V	281 ci	3.551" × 3.543"	—	300–315
Ford 281ci (1995)	281 ci	3.551" × 3.543"	—	205
Ford 281ci · 3.553" × 3.543" · 10.5:1	281 ci	3.553" × 3.543"	10.5:1	270
Ford 281ci · 3.553" × 3.543" · 11:1	281 ci	3.553" × 3.543"	11:1	235

Factory cars with a Ford 281ci

• Ford Crown Victoria: 1992, 190 hp; 1992, 210 hp; 1993, 190 hp; 1993, 210 hp; 1994, 190 hp; 1994, 210 hp; 1995, 190 hp; 1995, 210 hp; 1996; 1996, 190 hp; 1996, 210 hp; 1997; 1997, 190 hp; 1997, 210 hp; 1998, 200 hp; 1998, 215 hp; 1999; 1999, 200 hp; 1999, 215 hp; 2000; 2000, 200 hp; 2000, 215 hp; 2001; 2001, 220 hp; 2001, 235 hp; 2002; 2002, 220 hp; 2002, 235 hp; 2003, 224 hp; 2003, 239 hp; 2004; 2004, 224 hp; 2004, 239 hp; 2004, 250 hp; 2005, 224 hp; 2005, 239 hp; 2005, 250 hp; 2006, 224 hp; 2006, 239 hp; 2006, 250 hp; 2007, 224 hp; 2007, 239 hp; 2007, 250 hp; 2008, 224 hp; 2008, 250 hp; 2009, 224 hp; 2009, 250 hp; 2010, 224 hp; 2010, 250 hp; 2011, 224 hp; 2011, 250 hp
• Ford Thunderbird: 1994, 205 hp; 1995, 205 hp; 1996, 205 hp; 1997, 205 hp
• Ford Mustang: 1996, 215 hp; 1996, 305 hp; 1997, 215 hp; 1997, 305 hp; 1998, 225 hp; 1998, 305 hp; 1999, 260 hp; 1999, 320 hp; 2000, 260 hp; 2001, 260 hp; 2001, 265 hp; 2001, 320 hp; 2002, 260 hp; 2003, 260 hp; 2003, 305 hp; 2003, 390 hp; 2004, 260 hp; 2004, 305 hp; 2004, 390 hp; 2005, 300 hp; 2006, 300 hp; 2007, 300 hp; 2008, 300 hp; 2008, 315 hp; 2009, 300 hp; 2009, 315 hp; 2010, 315 hp
• Ford Expedition: 1997, 215 hp; 1998, 215 hp; 1999, 240 hp; 2000, 240 hp; 2001, Triton; 2002, Triton; 2003, 232 hp; 2004, 232 hp
• Ford F-150: 1997, 220 hp; 1998, 220 hp; 1999, 220 hp; 2000, 220 hp; 2001, 231 hp; 2002, 231 hp; 2003, 231 hp; 2004, 231 hp; 2005, 231 hp; 2006, 231 hp; 2007, 248 hp; 2008, 248 hp; 2009, 248 hp; 2009, 292 hp; 2010, 248 hp; 2010, 292 hp
• Ford Explorer: 2002, 239 hp; 2003, 239 hp; 2004, 239 hp; 2005, 239 hp; 2006, 292 hp; 2007, 292 hp; 2008, 292 hp; 2009, 292 hp; 2010, 292 hp

What varies across the family

Stroke is constant at 3.543" across the family — the displacement spread comes from bore, so these share a crank and differ in the block.

Compression spans 9.3:1 to 11:1, so fuel requirements differ meaningfully between members — worth checking before assuming parts interchange.

Each engine page carries rod ratio, mean piston speed, bore/stroke character and cylinder head specs where published, and links into the calculators with its dimensions already filled in.

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