This is a Ford Aluminator V8, it’s a crate engine capable of 580 bhp at 7,800 rpm and 445 lb ft of torque at 4,500 rpm, and the name comes from the fact that it has an aluminum block and heads to help keep weight down.
The Aluminator V8 is directly based on the earlier Voodoo V8 that was developed for the modern Shelby GT350, but we go into far more detail on all of this below. Essentially, Ford created the Aluminator to offer a cross-plane variant of the Coyote-based Voodoo to the aftermarket crowd as a reliable, lighter-weight crate engine.
The “Aluminator” name comes from the fact that it has an aluminum block and heads to help keep weight down. Image courtesy of Ford.
History Speedrun: The 5.2 Liter Ford Aluminator V8
When Ford Performance released the 5.2 liter Aluminator XS V8 it was to be the most track-focused naturally aspirated V8 crate engine the company had ever offered. It had been developed as a hand-built derivative of the Shelby GT350’s 5.2 liter Voodoo V8, but the Aluminator was designed to deliver a race-ready engine with the broad torque curve of a cross-plane crankshaft – rather than the flat-plane design used in the production GT350.
The foundation of the Aluminator is a cast aluminum 5.2 liter block – inside you’ll find forged Mahle pistons, Manley H-beam connecting rods with ARP2000 bolts, and a forged steel crankshaft and it has a 12.0:1 compression ratio. Cylinder heads are fully CNC-ported aluminum units from the GT350, with high-flow ports, larger valves, and roller finger followers for reduced friction.
Power is rated at 580 bhp at 7,800 rpm and 445 lb ft of torque at 4,500 rpm, making it the most powerful naturally aspirated modular crate engine Ford Performance had offered at the time of release. Induction comes via a Cobra Jet-tuned intake manifold and a dual 65 mm Cobra Jet throttle body, with engine management all handled by Ford’s Performance Control Pack and the standalone PCM, when installed in non-OEM applications.
Cooling and lubrication were specifically designed for endurance racing – with a GT350-style oil pan that has integrated windage and slosh baffles to sustain long track sessions at the higher end of the tachometer.
The Aluminator V8 is directly based on the earlier Voodoo V8 that was developed for the modern Shelby GT350, but we go into far more detail on all of this below. Essentially, Ford created the Aluminator to offer a cross-plane variant of the Coyote-based Voodoo to the aftermarket crowd as a reliable crate engine. Image courtesy of Ford.
The engine’s lightweight design and bulletproof internals made it a popular choice for road-race Mustangs, Factory Five Cobras, and other custom Blue Oval builds requiring high sustained output without forced induction.
The Aluminator V8 is now available to buy direct from Ford here with an MSRP of $29,145 USD, crate dimensions of 42″ x 42″ x 45″ and a crate weight of 502 lbs.
Images courtesy of Ford
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