10 FORD ENGINES THAT ARE ALMOST TOO RELIABLE

Known for adapting the moving assembly line to improve the efficiency of how his cars were built, Henry Ford revolutionized the automotive manufacturing industry. Also, with the introduction of the Ford Model A, the Ford name became synonymous with building cars. But Ford's first invention was actually an engine. Completed by the late 1890s, his first engine was a gasoline-powered inline-two cylinder that displaced 59 cubic inches and spun a 2-speed manual transmission. Henry Ford, then, continued to improve the engine and, in 1896, was used to power his first car, called the Quadricycle.

Since that first engine in the 1890s, Ford has been developing engines along with their cars, and with each new model, came a more advanced, efficient, and higher-performing engine. Design and engineering of a new engine is no small task and yet, throughout the years, Ford has been constantly improving the quality of their powertrains for better reliability and longevity without sacrificing performance.

Engine reliability is a difficult topic to discuss. With so many factors affecting an engine's efficiency and performance, it makes the reliability and longevity of an engine almost relative. But their long history of manufacturing cars and engines has proven Ford's reputation for not only building reliable cars but equally reliable engines. Here are some from the Blue Oval's long tenure, which are “Built Ford Tough”.

Flathead V8

Expected Average Mileage: 50,000-70,000 Miles

Credited for single-handedly sparking the aftermarket industry in America, where hot rodding was and is still the craze. The Flathead V8 is arguably more iconic than the car it came in. It was introduced in 1932 powering the Ford Model 18, which is more simply known as the “Ford V8”. While it wasn't the first V-8 ever made, it is widely regarded as the V-8 that democratized the engine configuration.

Engine Specifications And Applications

(Info sourced from Engine Labs)

Combining power and smoothness that were considered to be reserved for cars for the wealthy, like Rolls-Royce and Cadillac, Ford had a genuine hit on their hands. And it wasn't long before speed junkies discovered the Flathead responded well to modifications due to its robust construction, at least for its time, and soon found itself in anything that was intended to go fast.

It was also because of this that Flatheads that were left as they came from the factory gained a reputation for reliability and longevity. 50,000 miles in 2023 may not sound like much, except to maybe Ferrari collectors, but back in 1932, the newfangled contraption out-lived a horse, and then some.

289 V8 Small Block

Expected Average Mileage: 100,000-120,000 Miles

Much in the fashion of the Flathead V8, the 289 Small Block became just as iconic as the Mustang that it was first sold with. Continuing their dedication to improvement, the 289 took the role of the 260 V8 in 1963, bringing a bigger displacement, which in turn meant more power. By the following year, the 289 small block powered all of Ford's full-sized sedans and thus started its long and storied career.

Engine Specifications And Applications

(Info sourced from Muscle Car Club)

The 289 has a cast-iron block but was significantly lighter than the big blocks of the time. It was dependable, relatively thrifty to maintain, and was even durable enough to stand up to high-horsepower upgrades, providing desirable characteristics across all Ford models that utilized the Windsor-manufactured V8.

Available in several configurations, the 289 also proved to be versatile. From a two-barrel carburetor, 195-horsepower standard mill to the four-barrel, 271-horsepower HiPo K-code engine that also used a more aggressive camshaft, higher flowing fuel pump, along with cylinder head and bottom end improvements.

FE V8 Big Block

Expected Average Mileage: 120,000-130,000 Miles

Just like the 289, the Ford FE engines were just as versatile, being used in cars, trucks, and even in marine and industrial applications. Straddling between big-block and small-block Ford engines, the FE engine was the bread-and-butter powertrain for the Blue Oval for quite some time, fitted to almost anything except for their heavy-duty trucks.

Engine Specifications And Applications

(Info sourced from Curbside Classic)

With such broad application, the FE engines were known to be a robust and hearty motor that could take quite a lot of abuse especially when fitted with the side-oiling system that lubricated its main bearings first. Configured in a wide range of engine capacities, Ford-Edsel engines powered the Ford Thunderbird, the majority of F-series pick-ups, Torinos, and Fairlanes along with a host of Edsel and Mercury vehicles. Notably, Ford's race cars in the 60s, from NASCAR, drag racing, and even the Shelby Cobra and GT40s that dominated Le Mans mostly featured a configuration of the FE V-8 engine.

302 V8

Expected Average Mileage: 140,000-200,000 Miles

Falling under the small-block family of Ford engines, the 302 was widely used across the Ford line-up from the Fairmont, Crown Victoria, Ranchero, and, of course, the Mustang. As was the norm, the 302 also found itself in Mercury vehicles like the Zephyr, Grand Marquis, Capri, and the Cougar. Thus, it's no surprise why the 302 remains with a strong fan base, decades on.

Engine Specifications And Applications

(Info sourced from Vehicle History)

During the oil crisis, the Ford 302 found itself modified for fuel efficiency and dropped power to just under 130 horsepower. But the 302 proved itself as a durable and versatile engine, providing a base for the legendary Boss 302 Mustang. Better breathing heads, a slight bore and stroke increase as well as a higher compression ratio became the formula for the impressive 290-horsepower Boss 302. Proving its popularity, the 302 carried into the 1980s as "5.0" and continued to power the same Ford and Mercury models from the previous decade.

5.0 Coyote V8

Expected Average Mileage: 200,000 Miles

Specifically designed to provide thrust for the 2011 Mustang GT and F-150, the Coyote V-8 is part of the Modular engine family. All new and highly-advanced, it was intended to take the fight to GM's 6.2-liter LS3 and Chrysler's 6.4-liter Hemi. Featuring variable timing for the first time, the 5.0 V-8 balanced fuel economy and performance while being mindful of emissions.

Engine Specifications And Applications

(Info sourced from Steeda)

Featuring an all-aluminum construction and double-overhead camshafts, the Coyote V-8 was light and was strengthened without adding block thickness. While it's still in use today, the 5.0 Coyote has gone through three generations of developments to build on the power and durability that the first Coyote brought to the newer generation of Mustangs.

In the F-150, the same engine is configured with fewer horsepower but more torque. With a lower compression of 10.5:1 compared to the Mustang's 11.0:1, reworked heads, altered cam profile, and different tuning, the Coyote V-8 is still an engine option for America's best-selling truck.

4.2-Liter V6

Expected Average Mileage: 150,000-250,000 Miles

For 46 years, the F-150 has been the top-selling truck in America, so it isn't a surprise when Ford develops a new engine to primarily power their F-series line-up. The 4.2-liter V6 sometimes called the "Essex V-6", is exactly that. Replacing the 4.9-liter straight-six, the 4.2-liter engine encountered a few issues in its first year in service but was promptly rectified by the following year.

Engine Specifications And Applications

(Info sourced from F150 Hub)

The Essex V-6 powered Ford's light and medium duty trucks as well as its E-series vans and the Mercury Monterey. Initially plagued by various gaskets and intake manifold issues, the Essex V-6 proved to be reliable once Ford had rectified these concerns and is known to last over 200,000 miles with proper care and maintenance. Powering their best-selling vehicle surely played a role in prompting a quick response from Ford to avoid the issues affecting sales of America's most loved truck.

3.5 V6 EcoBoost

Expected Average Mileage: 250,000-300,000 Miles

Taking over the heavy lifting as Ford's primary power source, the EcoBoost family has itself in everything from the Ford Fiesta to their Ford GT halo-car. And Ford being Ford, the EcoBoost also provides the muscle for the latest generation of trucks and SUVs. Being a relatively new engine and technology, the 3.5-liter EcoBoost has already proven itself to match the toughest V-8s Ford has ever produced.

Engine Specifications And Applications

(Info sourced from Ford Authority)

While the 3.5-liter EcoBoost lacks two-cylinders that many Ford enthusiasts preach-poetic about, it substitutes the missing cylinders with an equal number of turbochargers that allows its performance to surpass the V-8s that were a staple in the Ford arsenal.

And Ford didn't pussy-foot into twin-turbocharged powerhouses as well, debuting the second generation of the iconic GT with the same 3.5-liter twin-turbo engine that is heavily based on the engine found in the F-150. With some reports of the 3.5-liter EcoBoost engines already knocking on the door of 200,000-miles, Ford's faith in the engine surely isn't misguided.

3.0-Liter Vulcan V6

Expected Average Mileage: 300,000 Miles

Designed from the ground up to be reliable, fuel-efficient, and cheap to maintain, the 3.0-liter Vulcan V6 is Ford's often unsung hero of the 1990s. Though nothing about the Vulcan V-6 was revolutionary at the time of its debut in 1986, it was engineered for big mileage without needing much maintenance. Although the Vulcan got off on a rough start with premature failures of head gaskets, and idle and water pump issues, the Cologne V-6 replacement turned its reputation around three-fold in 100,000-mile increments.

Engine Specifications And Applications

(Info sourced from Curbside Classic)

The key to its stellar durability is its simple construction. Its pushrod OHV valvetrain housed in its cast-iron block was a proven formula. Only the Vulcan V6, was fed by electronic fuel injection that allowed the use of traditional gasoline, or ethanol, and even a mixture of both. Making power for the Taurus, Probe, Aerostar, Tempo, and eventually the Ranger, the Vulcan was and is one of the Blue Oval's most bulletproof engines.

5.4-Liter Triton V8

Expected Average Mileage: 300,000-450,000 Miles

As a distant relative to the 5.0 Coyote under Ford's Modular engine family, it's no surprise the Triton V8 is as reliable as its younger cousin. Providing power for the most iconic Fords of the late 90s to the 2000s, the Blue Oval's engineers stuck with what they knew best. Tough, reliable, and power-dense V-8s.

Engine Specifications And Applications

(Info sourced from Ford Authority)

Finding itself as the V-8 option for the Ford F-series trucks, E-series vans, the Mustang, and a heavily redesigned version of the Ford GT, the Triton V8 wasn't only reliable, but also adaptable. Available in a single- or double-overhead cam configuration with two-, three- or four-valves per cylinder.

Initially introduced in 1997 with a two-valve SOHC valvetrain, before shifting to a double-overhead cam with four valves per cylinder in 1999. Ford engines are known to be tough in general, but none of their gasoline engines compare to the 5.4-liter Triton when it comes to durability and reliability, regularly clocking 450,000 miles with only regular preventive maintenance.

Power Stroke Diesel V8

Expected Average Mileage: 200,000-500,000 Miles

Available in several displacements throughout its generational development, was originally manufactured by Navistar for Ford's heavy-duty trucks. Propelling Ford's toughest and most powerful vehicles, the Power Stroke turbo diesels are undoubtedly the most durable engines with the Ford name. The inherent robustness of diesel engines allows the Ford coal burner to produce monstrous amounts of torque as well as last upwards of 500,000 miles.

Engine Specifications And Applications

(Info sourced from MotorTrend and Ford Authority)

Praised for new turbo-diesel tech, the first Power Stroke engine was introduced in 1995 in the Ford F-250, displacing 7.3 liters while producing a humble 215 horsepower and 425-pound feet of torque. But fast-forward to 2020, the Ford Super Duty is motivated by the most powerful non-commercial iteration of Ford's turbo-diesel superstar. With 475 horsepower and a Koenigsegg-challenging 1,050-pond feet of torque from a remarkably smaller 6.7-liter.

From the Ford Super Duty to the even larger and harder-worked F-650 and 750, the Power Stroke V8 turbo-diesel has proven to be one of the longest-lasting engines ever produced. And when speaking of reliability and longevity, it's hard to argue with half a million miles. That undoubtedly, is "Built Ford Tough."

2023-11-30T23:10:33Z dg43tfdfdgfd