The GM 3.1L v6 with the intake manifold gaskets that always leaked coolant, what a burning bag of dogsh#@

 

Wife had a 2.8L we had to put new intake gaskets on before we sold it and the head gaskets blew then. Good timing???

 

As did we where I work had that 2.8L V6 with 196000 not one problem with it still ran when we traded it in.

 

I had a 89 Beretta GT with a 2.8 5 speed before I had my truck - I gave it to my son-in-law for a work beater, it now has 162k on it with zero major engine issues. The only weak item has been crankshaft position sensors, it's eaten about 4 or 5 of them since new. It finally ate the O2 sensor last month, a new one cost $21 and took 15 minutes to change from up top. The car is a piece of crap, but the engine is strong.

 

Well I can get 23mpg if I drive the speed limit, so it's not the worst. I just don't drive the speed limit, lol. I definately would of got one of the newer ones with the good(new) 4cylinder if I had known.
Quite reliable though 149k and going strong, just make sure you change the Camshaft Synchronizer to keep your oil pump turning.

Get it up! I want to see.

 

I've had 2 gm 2.8's and both shot a plug out of the #3 cyl. The last one I just put some red thread lock on the plug and then sent it to the auction.

 

I agree, I had this engine in my 99 ranger for about a year. Terrible gas mielage for very little hp to make it worthwhile. Also the pinging issue was annoying as hell, ford just told me it was "common" and to "not worry about it".

Also whoever said the 6.0 powerstroke, you're right on. there is a reason ford is ditching navastar after all these years, the 7.3 was the best powerstroke to date.

Also someone mentioned the 5.0 V8, are you high? What was wrong with that engine? Those were very easy to get hp out of and durable.

 

Lets not forget the chevy 4.4L V8 in the early 80's they graced the caprice and wagons with, and I think some of the monte carlo's. Those were junk. Also we had the Olds 260 V8, I agree about the 3.1/3.4 chevy's, couldn't keep the intakes from leaking on those but they did run for tons of miles if you kept up on them. Not very fast but torquey. Oh we can't let out the old mazda 2.5 either......

 

i don't know about th 3.0 being that bad of a motor, i had a 2004 ranger edge reg. cab short box 5-speed 4wd with 3.73' and 265-75/16 and with gas at 4 something a gallon, 40$ would take me back and forth to work most of the time for a whole week. oh yeah and i drive at least 60 miles a day!!

 

My 1998 F150 5.4L uses about 1 quart every 3000 miles. Ford considers that normal. I disagree.

 

Disagree all you want, but even a quart every 1500 miles is "normal". If an engine used *NO* oil, I'd be worried that the oil is not getting where it needs to go.

 

Especially for an almost 11 year old truck. I'd like to ad another engine to the list. The gm 8.1L. My parents had one, it would tow almost anything, but burned 1qt of oil every 900miles. IF you do a search on the wed, there are, or were a lot of people very upset about these engines.

 

The only enging that dosen't have intake problems from gm when they were putting in their dex-cool was a 4 banger, and who has ever tried to work on a v6 from mits, or the v6 in the 300zx. Those are nightmares.