Ok guys you gotta help me out my dad had a 95 F150 flareside XLT equipped with a 5.0L and a manual transmission
I have the 97 with a 4.6L and an auto transmission

The 302 went down at 105,000mi.
My 4.6 is still goin strong at 111,000 however one of his shop trucks is a 93 F150 XL with a 4.9L and a manual transmission
this thing has 384,000 mi. on the original engine......no problems whatsoever! I have a friend with a 97 4.2L that has 150,000mi. and he is having major engine trouble do you guys think these new gen. V8's are better than the olderones and the old gen. 6"s are better than the new?
Whats your favorite ford engine i would def. have to say the 300L6 is mine maybe not a powerhouse but definately a strong reliable engine!!.
JJ

 

The inline 6 is defenitely in a class by itself, it is one of the best engines ever made. I have heard of a lot of 302's going for 300k as well and i have seen others die a horrible death at 150k. It depends a lot on how it was driven and maintained.

In my opinion i think the pre 1995 engine are more reliable than the newer ones. engines now a days produce more horses per cube but i think the new vehicles are built to be throw away vehicles. They are not designed to still be around 20 years from now.

-Jon

 

I heard that argument 28 years ago when I was a mechanic. Heard it no less than every 5 years since then.

My 'throw-away' Escort finally died a Michigan-rusty death at over 130k miles -- on the original engine, clutch, and exhaust system. The front struts -- which everyone in the 'know' knew would be throw-away units -- were still original too.

My "junk GM diesel" was still going strong when I traded it in at somewhere around 170K miles on a new '97 F-150.

I can't remember the last time I saw a 'tired engine' -- defined as one which you could see smoke trailing out of the exhaust -- on the road. Owners simply get tired of driving cars -- or get tired of replacing $200 parts that should cost $50.

With simple care -- oil changes when due, and filters changed -- the engine should last a long long time.

Unless you have a '95 Windstar (like me) -- for which Ford forgot how to clamp major pieces of engine together without self-destructing.

Hmmm,

Perhaps you should worry...

 

To me all the older Ford engines were the best. Strong and buiilt to last. I tend to agree with Ford4ever, todays vehicles are built to last and run good for a shorter span than the old ones, it's a price you pay to drive new technology ( ie: 200 dollar parts that should be 50, like the stupid hub bearings on the 4x4).

Y2K
What are you talking about? Does it pertain only to the 95? My parents have a 96 that could have been built in 95. The only problem I knew of in the 6cyl Windstars is blown head gaskets.

 

The head gasket problem is legandary. So much so that they finally 'fessed-up' to troubles in other vehicles.

What happens is this: Head gasket leaks antifreeze into oil. Head gasket gets changed. Engine eats a rod bearing. Ford goes: "...Huh? Not our problem...".

Sorta like what happened to the 4.2 F-150 owners who experienced timing cover gasket leaks.

Shortly after the 'fix' of the leaking covers the engines develop bearing knocks.

Ford goes: "...Huh? Not our problem...".

See a pattern?

For some interesting reading on why my 95 Windstar has no resale value, see: http://home.att.net/~ccatanese/ford/mainx.htm

 

I agree with Y2K, you can make just about any engine last. In theory if you make an engine strong enough to last a mile it will last hundreds of thousands of miles.


JMC

 

IMO, not enough can be said about the inline 6
and the 302. They are two of the most reliable
motors on the planet. I have owned a couple of
vehicles with both engines and my parents have
owned a few with both. While not powerhouses,
they are very reliable. I can't honestly speak about
the newer versions because I haven't owned one
in a few years.

 

I'll add another engine to the mix the little 2.3l inline 4 was a very reliable engine as my firt one was in my 78 Mustang it had 110,000 miles on it when I bout and was still going strong then I sold it to a friend when I went into the Army he drove it for anothe 4 years it had 190,000 on it when it was junked out due to rust and 10 plus years of Michigan weather and the engine was still running strong not a power house but it got you where you wanted to go and one of my brother had 2 Mustangs with the 2.3 that went well over 100,000 and my youngest brother has a 92 Foed Ranger with the 2.3 and it has over 100,000 and it is still going strong.

 

well i had a 302 in my first truck that was handed down to me from my dad when i turned 16. being 16 i wrode it hard and often. when i bought my new truck ole gray had 160,000 strong miles. the only prb i ever had was the power stearing line were leaking but after some work those were fixed. so i liked my 302 alot better than my six banger now

 

My first truck was a Black 85 Ford Short Bed regular cab. Fuel injected little 302 was the fastest truck I ever had loved it. Finally cratered at 150,000 miles. But that was probably due to a bad driver

 

100,000 miles is a brand new engine in my opinion. An Aircooled VW can make it over that, and they are not known for longevity.

My fathers 2.3 Ranger made it to 250,000 miles. The only reason he pulled the engine was because he had some spare cash for once in his life. So he pulled it while he knew he could afford it.

The machine shop that did the rebuild didn't have to bore the cylinders. He asked my father why he pulled the engine. Then my dad told him it had 250,000...

 

i'm in on this one,

my first truck was a F-350 4X4 with a flat bed. 460 w a 4-speed. we used it on the farm for many years before and after i had it. was the best pulling truck we ever had. my kid brother used to stand on the seat and steer while we loaded hay on a wagon. he was about 3, or 4, at the time. you could put her in 1st gear, 4-low and walk faster than she would go. long live the 460, Rich.

 

Company that I work for has a 93 Ranger with 2.3L that our location put 98,000 miles on and was transfered to another location.

Last year I found out that that Ranger is still being driven everyday, has had one tune-up (at over 400,000 miles) and still serves faithfully.

I spoke with the Guy that drives it everyday. He said, "I will drive it till the wheels fall off--It won't die". This Guy is a die hard chevy fan.

Regarding the tune-up @ 400,00 miles: Ranger started running bad--took plugs out and found no electrodes left on plugs. Installed new plugs, etc.--truck runs like new.

This is un unbelieve testimonial. I can't believe that I tried to talk previous manager in to purchasing this Ranger with a V-6. Instead, previous manager was too tight with $$$ to order truck with V-6.

 

Ford engines are some of the most reliable you can buy at any price. With the millions that they build each year, I would almost bet money that they have about the same percentage of failures that BMW or Mercedes have, or even fewer. Just not as smooth as those engines are though. I remember a BMW that Automobile magazine tested about 5 or 6 years ago had an engine failure under there 1 year test. Can't remember seeing a Ford with that problem.

 

My brothers drag car is powered by a modded up 429(approx. rebuild cost was $4000(cdn) w/500+dynoed hp). One night at the drag strip, his throttle linkage jammed up under the air cleaner, holding the car at 3/4 throttle. Because of some complicated wiring he did by using an aftermarket electronic ignition box, he installed an alternate ignition switch for shutting the car down, which he forgot. Anyways, he threw the car into park after doing a few donuts in the field, the motor was buzzing up around 8000+rpm for about 5 seconds, and he ripped the ignition wires off. The only repairs he did on the engine, was replacing the keepers and retainers on the valve springs, and changed a main bearing on one cylinder. He's been drag racing the car ever since for approximately 9 years now. His times have yet to drop.