The Cast-Iron Coyote Engine

At 1,000 horsepower, even good engines can falter. The Coyote has been just such an engine, and serious drag racers often go through multiple engines a year. Ford Performance recently unveiled their answer to this problem: The Coyote Werewolf.

The Coyote Werewolf is designed to be a drag-racing friendly engine for Mustang owners who want to operate their pony cars at peak performance for extended periods.

The Coyote engine has several variants that are designed for special purposes, including the Voodoo engine that powers the GT350 as well as the Predator engine that makes the GT500 so fierce. But so far, all of the Coyote engines that Ford has produced have used an aluminum block engine construction. The major difference between the Coyote Werewolf and the other Coyote variants is that it will have a cast iron construction.

Cast Iron vs Aluminum

It’s no secret that cast iron is significantly stronger and more durable than aluminum. The Coyote Werewolf engine will go a step further by using class-50 cast iron. The “fifty” in “class-50” is an indication of the metal’s tensile strength. Class-50 cast iron can handle approximately 50,000 pounds per square inch.

Cast iron has other advantages, such as heat resistance, that make it an ideal material for engines that are likely to be pushed towards their upper limits. Like engines used in drag racing builds.

Most engines, including all of the other variants of the Coyote engine, are made out of aluminum. Though aluminum isn’t as durable or heat resistant, it is light and corrosion-resistant, advantages that make it a better choice for most drivers.

Aluminum engines frequently also have cast-iron cylinder liners, which is how these engines are still capable of outstanding performance without succumbing to heat-related warping.

For most people, the Coyote Werewolf won’t hold much allure. This is an engine built very specifically for drag racing, and in that endeavor it should be successful. Milder Mustang builds would likely find the additional weight of a cast-iron engine to be more of a burden than they could justify for the gains that only really emerge at the redline.

Many drag racers currently go through multiple engines per year. Because of the extreme demands of dragging a Mustang, engines can easily overheat and sustain warping or other issues. The goal of the Werewolf was to create an engine that could last through a drag racing season.

Other Engineering Developments

In addition to the cast-iron engine block, the werewolf will be gaining a few additional engineering components to improve performance.

The Coyote Werewolf is capable of being bored to 95mm and stroked to 99mm. If pushed to this limit, the displacement will increase to 5.6L. Because the engine is entirely cast iron instead of just the cylinder liners, it’s easy to see how the bore could be increased without compromising the structural integrity of the engine, but stroke was a little more challenging.

In order to create the space for the potential stroke increase, the crankcase had to be changed in order to raise the ceiling. Additionally, the team at Ford Performance used 12 mm head bolts, 6-bolt steel main caps, and drilled oil passages.

Enthusiasts examining pictures of this engine were quick to note that it seemed to feature a “closed deck” build as well, which will further improve the durability and strength.

Ron Ewert from Ford Performance stated, “Quite frankly, we don’t know what the power limit is,” but early estimates have the Werewolf as being capable of withstanding more than 2,000 hp.

What Else We Know

The Coyote Werewolf was revealed at the 2019 PRI show, and it’s estimated that it will cost between $5,000-6,000 and will have an early 2020 release. Though there are substantial engineering developments, as detailed above, we also know that this Coyote will share some similar features with the other variants.

The main bearing bore, deck height, and factory 100mm Coyote bore-spacing will all be identical to current Coyote engines. In addition to ensuring that existing bolt-on modifications will work on this Mustang, keeping so many measurements the same should make it an easy swap for Mustang enthusiasts looking to drag their pony cars.

Source:PRI 2019: Ford Performance Releases the Werewolf Iron Coyote Block, Dragzine | Ford Now Makes an Cast-Iron Coyote V-8 Block for Drag Racers, Road and Track | Ford Werewolf is a Cast-Iron Coyote for Drag Racing, Motorious