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Ford 5.0 HO specs: 302 ci (5.0L) 8-cylinder, 4.00 x 3.00 in (101.6 x 76.2 mm) bore and stroke, 8.3:1 compression. Rated 180 hp, 1985. Used in the Ford LTD.
The Ford 5.0 HO is oversquare — the 4" bore exceeds the 3" stroke by 33.3% — a layout that favors airflow and RPM over leverage at the crank. The 3" stroke does not reach 4,000 ft/min of mean piston speed until about 8,000 RPM, so piston speed is not what limits this engine's revs — valvetrain and breathing are. A rod ratio of 1.697 is in the range most production engines fall in. Each of the 8 cylinders displaces 37.8 ci (619 cc).
8.3:1 on iron heads is low by modern standards and generally happy on regular pump fuel.
It is one of 40 engines in the Ford 302ci family, all of them 302 ci — the differences between them are in compression, heads and rating, not displacement.
| Displacement | 302 ci / 5 L |
|---|---|
| Bore | 4" |
| Stroke | 3" |
| Cylinders | 8 |
| Configuration | V8 |
| Compression ratio | 8.3:1 * |
| Rod length | 5.09" |
| Rod ratio | 1.697 |
| Bore/stroke ratio | 1.333 |
* Compression ratio from a single source; not yet cross-verified.
| Block material | cast iron |
|---|---|
| Head material | cast iron |
| Valvetrain | OHV |
| Fuel type | gas |
| Advertised HP | 180 hp |
| Years | 1985 |
| Year | Version | HP @ rpm | Torque @ rpm | Comp. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | net | 180 | — | — |
Factory specification sheet.
| Bore/stroke character | 1.333 — oversquare — bore exceeds stroke, which favours higher RPM and larger valves |
|---|---|
| Mean piston speed at 6,000 RPM | 3,000 ft/min — conservative for a street engine |
| Rod ratio | 1.697 — moderate — the range most production V8s fall in |
| Displacement per cylinder | 37.8 ci |
| Static compression | 8.3:1 — low by modern standards, generally happy on regular pump fuel |
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2 factory vehicles, 1985–1995. Each year opens that model's engine table.