Happy Birthday Barra! - Page 2

Syndrome · 04-12-2017, 01:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJM83

Seems roughly around 15 years ago Ford released the XR6 Turbo.
image
image
Always been a massive fan of it and now own one, some interesting stuff i didnt know in the below article.
https://www.motormag.com.au/features...t-supercharged

Picked up the magazine aswell.

It was released 20 years too late!

GASWAGON · 04-12-2017, 10:28 PM

Well i'll be damned i've been majorly corrected.

I always thought the 'Barra' name was for 4.0 DOHC straight 6's only.

Dr Terry · 05-12-2017, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoolBFWagon

Well i'll be damned i've been majorly corrected.

I always thought the 'Barra' name was for 4.0 DOHC straight 6's only.

Well it does appear from the posts above that the Barra name was for the BA/BF platform, not the the 6-cyl engine.

Dr Terry

**GO FURTHER** · 05-12-2017, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr Terry

Well it does appear from the posts above that the Barra name was for the BA/BF platform, not the the 6-cyl engine.

Dr Terry

... and the FG / FG X platforms including Sprint 6.

Dr Terry · 05-12-2017, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GO FURTHER

... and the FG / FG X platforms including Sprint 6.

Yes, but it doesn't seem to rate a mention in any FG or FG-X literature.

Dr Terry

chrisandsharon · 05-12-2017, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr Terry

Yes, but it doesn't seem to rate a mention in any FG or FG-X literature.

Dr Terry

In what way Dr Terry - the Barra was manufactured through to 2016 which covers the FG/FGX

commodorenutt · 05-12-2017, 02:32 PM

It's 48-215 vs FX all over again.....

Bossxr8 · 05-12-2017, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mercury Bullet

Being fully imported wouldnt it be the yanks giving it a codename?

No foa input on this motor as far as I know.

Not entirely true. Manifolds were specific to Falcon. Plus a few other things to suit the Falcon engine bay. Although the engines were from the US.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr Terry

Yes, but where ? They get several mentions in BA & BF sales brochures, but nowhere in FG etc. or anywhere else that I can find.

I'm happy to be corrected on this but I believe the whole Barra name for 6-cyls up to 2016 is just a colloquial nickname & not official Ford usage at all.

Dr Terry

I tend to agree with you on this. I think the Barra term was just carried over from BA by the public, but from what I can remember the internal codename for the engine was Orion, just like the FG was referred to in development. And at that stage the Barra engine was internally known as Copperhead due to the upgrades done for BF. Barra was used a lot through the whole life of the DOHC 6 but I don't recall Ford using the name officially for FG onwards. It's just that the public and the media still called it that.

**DFB FGXR6** · 05-12-2017, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Not entirely true. Manifolds were specific to Falcon. Plus a few other things to suit the Falcon engine bay. Although the engines were from the US.

I tend to agree with you on this. I think the Barra term was just carried over from BA by the public, but from what I can remember the internal codename for the engine was Orion, just like the FG was referred to in development. And at that stage the Barra engine was internally known as Copperhead due to the upgrades done for BF. Barra was used a lot through the whole life of the DOHC 6 but I don't recall Ford using the name officially for FG onwards. It's just that the public and the media still called it that.

This.

From FG onwards Ford stopped officially using the Barra name for its engine line up. This didn't stop the media or enthusiasts using the name to describe FG I6's. And why not, it's a unique nickname and instantly recognisable what Barra means to those who love these magnificent engines.

https://fordforums.com.au/vbportal/v...?articleid=432
The above is the official press release for the FG series powertrains, again no reference to Barra in the naming of these engines.

commodorenutt · 06-12-2017, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

I tend to agree with you on this. I think the Barra term was just carried over from BA by the public, but from what I can remember the internal codename for the engine was Orion, just like the FG was referred to in development. And at that stage the Barra engine was internally known as Copperhead due to the upgrades done for BF. Barra was used a lot through the whole life of the DOHC 6 but I don't recall Ford using the name officially for FG onwards. It's just that the public and the media still called it that.

Orion is all I ever knew it as from FG onwards - engine components we supplied, whether it be FG or SY/SZ, where called Orion in their description, but FGs also used Orion on things like the boot carpet labels & other trim items with a complex part sticker. I always figure plastic intake = Orion, but that doesn't account for the Turbo.

Just like the 2010 onwards 5.0L were all referred to as Miami, despite their Coyote origins. All the part descriptions featured that name.

FG50T · 05-12-2017, 06:50 PM

If the BarraT was available to Americans and Japanese it would be the #1 engine in the world no ifs or buts about it.

Trump · 05-12-2017, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FG50T

If the BarraT was available to Americans and Japanese it would be the #1 engine in the world no ifs or buts about it.

As good as it was, it needed an alloy block, forged crank and a mild destroke to 3.7 litres to be considered in the upper echelon of engines.

Syndrome · 05-12-2017, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trump

As good as it was, it needed an alloy block, forged crank and a mild destroke to 3.7 litres to be considered in the upper echelon of engines.

Trump · 05-12-2017, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Syndrome

image

Kurac

Syndrome · 05-12-2017, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trump

Kurac

Pizda.

roddy1960 · 06-12-2017, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trump

As good as it was, it needed an alloy block, forged crank and a mild destroke to 3.7 litres to be considered in the upper echelon of engines.

G'day , while all that sounds awesome in an ideal world, it's the fact that the I6 Barra became a genuinely beaut , reliable and exciting engine for us mere mortals .
The ability to see the performance , reliability and even economy out of it for affordable numbers from 2002-2016 is something that Ford Australia should be proud of in my book especially given the development constraints that would have been imposed on them as the Falcon and Territory marked dwindled.

Maka · 05-12-2017, 09:44 PM

But the key to the Falcon's later i6's impressive torque figures is the undersqare nature of the donk Mr Trump?

Would that destroke negatively affect the non stressed, v8 like torque feel of the stock configuration off the line, compared to a more oversquare shorter stroke engine, just wondering lol?

cheers, Maka

Trump · 05-12-2017, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maka

But the key to the Falcon's later i6's impressive torque figures is the undersqare nature of the donk Mr Trump?

Would that destroke negatively affect the non stressed, v8 like torque feel of the stock configuration off the line, compared to a more oversquare shorter stroke engine, just wondering lol?

cheers, Maka

The destroking would have brought it to pretty much square. That would have meant a higher redline; it would still have a long stroke. The net effect would have been more peak power, marginal increase in torque and a smoother engine.

Kieron · 06-12-2017, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trump

The destroking would have brought it to pretty much square. That would have meant a higher redline; it would still have a long stroke. The net effect would have been more peak power, marginal increase in torque and a smoother engine.

Problem is, torque would move up the rev range meaning more rpm and fuel consumption. Ford initially tried a DOHC 4 valver back in the 80’s on the 3.2 engine and found it was no better than the 3.9 SOHC 2 valver.

No doubt, if Ford though a squarer engine would be better, they would have gone for it.

Maka · 06-12-2017, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kieron

Problem is, torque would move up the rev range meaning more rpm and fuel consumption. Ford initially tried a DOHC 4 valver back in the 80’s on the 3.2 engine and found it was no better than the 3.9 SOHC 2 valver.

No doubt, if Ford though a squarer engine would be better, they would have gone for it.

Im curious to know if that early 4 valver had its stroke shortened, would you know Kieron?

cheers, Maka

Kieron · 07-12-2017, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maka

Im curious to know if that early 4 valver had its stroke shortened, would you know Kieron?

cheers, Maka

Yes mate, 79mm vs 99 for the 3.9. The 3.2 was actually available early in the EA’s in SOHC centre point injection configuration. There are a few pics around of this early DOHC, think I have a black and white one but I’m O/S at the moment so can’t access it.

marty351 · 06-12-2017, 02:48 PM

Puta madre!

Nu66et · 08-12-2017, 04:00 PM

That 1987 engine is still 4L, not a 3.2L variant. Neither had VCT and any 3.2 variant may not havr had a BBM either. Both would make a big difference on the torque curve.

**DJM83** · 08-12-2017, 06:59 PM

Id love some more info on this engine, this stuff fascinates me.

Dr Smith · 15-12-2017, 11:33 AM

https://www.motormag.com.au/features...t-supercharged

Quote:

And so a new Aussie performance hero was born, with Barfield in particular confident it would be a success: “I named it ‘Gull’ (as in seagull), because we knew it was going to s**t on everything.”..

Imagine rolling up at Dearborn and explaining to the executive team that one.....only an Australian would even try

**DJM83** · 17-09-2022, 02:37 PM

So it seems around this month its 20 years since we got the XR6 Turbo.
Probably doesnt mean a lot to many. But its still as iconic now as it was IMHO.

EBSXR6 · 17-09-2022, 04:07 PM

When Ford began developing the 4 Valve head for the 6 Cylinder BMW and Jaguar were the only companies building larger capacity inline 6s with 4 valves per cylinder.
Ford owned Jaguar at the time so had access to their knowledge and i.p.
Ford Australia Engineering Department were also lent a BMW M5 by a Melbourne Dealer the engine was dismantled as part of the development process.
A bad design feature on the Barra, the Alternator should have been located above the Power Steering Pump.

Imagine if Ford had have built a block out of a lightweight metal.

**DJM83** · 17-09-2022, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EBSXR6

When Ford began developing the 4 Valve head for the 6 Cylinder BMW and Jaguar were the only companies building larger capacity inline 6s with 4 valves per cylinder.
Ford owned Jaguar at the time so had access to their knowledge and i.p.
Ford Australia Engineering Department were also lent a BMW M5 by a Melbourne Dealer the engine was dismantled as part of the development process.
A bad design feature on the Barra, the Alternator should have been located above the Power Steering Pump.

I know there is probably some folks on here that might possibly been involved in the development of the barra, in particular the turbo variant.
Id love to know some of the stuff behinds its development, im curious thats for sure.

roddy1960 · 17-09-2022, 07:56 PM

It's a beautiful thing the mighty Barra.. I think why it's become a truly great engine is involving the reason behind the thread title and that it's been around 20 years. In that time it has gained popularity and not just in Australia . Also there is a Billett verson of it now too .

It's inherently loaded with torque at any spec level , it's durable/reliable and capable of rocket ship distances , it's very upgradeable to cope with big power increases if done correctly and from personal experience it's surprisingly economical if driven sedately ..

Something else too . The older engine that the Barra succeeded, the good old Intech / VCT was in many ways near as good in a similar way , especially in regard to reliability . Once again I speak from personal experience .

The way we dealt with the beaut Ford V8's over the decades is amazing but a core of why the Falcon here in Australia lasted so long was I'd say was as much because of the inline sixes and how we developed them into truly wonderful powerplants you could rely on .

roddy1960 · 17-09-2022, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EBSXR6

When Ford began developing the 4 Valve head for the 6 Cylinder BMW and Jaguar were the only companies building larger capacity inline 6s with 4 valves per cylinder.
Ford owned Jaguar at the time so had access to their knowledge and i.p.
Ford Australia Engineering Department were also lent a BMW M5 by a Melbourne Dealer the engine was dismantled as part of the development process.
A bad design feature on the Barra, the Alternator should have been located above the Power Steering Pump.

Imagine if Ford had have built a block out of a lightweight metal.

How about these Barra's that feature during this vid............https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atqQ3WPMmiQ