How long will these 5.0's last?
12-07-2008, 06:45 AM
#11
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: SC
Posts: 2,401
I've seen a lot of 5.0 with well over 200K roll through my shop. I bought a new Town car in 1987 When I gave it to my son in 1997 it had 245K on the clock and the valve covers had never been off of it. My son drove it for three years and I don't know how many miles he put on it after that but I know he drove it a lot and he never did anything to it. It was running great when he traded it in. It got Mobil1 from the first oil change and was changed +- every 5000 miles. Like anything else I think how well you maintain it determines how well it last.
I know one guy who has a 1970 Torino. He bought it brand new with 5 miles on the clock. He has driven it nearly every day since he bought it 39 years ago and as far as I know it's had two valve jobs and about 6 water pumps but the bottom end is all original. I shutter to think how many times that odometer has flipped over in that thing. It's still his primary transpotation an he drove it to VT last christmas. He takes great care of the car and it looks almost as good as it did the day I took him to pick it up new. It was his graduation present to himself from money he saved baging groceries at the Winn-Dixie for three years after school.
I know one guy who has a 1970 Torino. He bought it brand new with 5 miles on the clock. He has driven it nearly every day since he bought it 39 years ago and as far as I know it's had two valve jobs and about 6 water pumps but the bottom end is all original. I shutter to think how many times that odometer has flipped over in that thing. It's still his primary transpotation an he drove it to VT last christmas. He takes great care of the car and it looks almost as good as it did the day I took him to pick it up new. It was his graduation present to himself from money he saved baging groceries at the Winn-Dixie for three years after school.
12-07-2008, 07:09 AM
#12
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location:
Posts: 1,606
Although I'm a Mustang guy and have owned several, my favorite smallblock will always be the Dodge 340. The 87-93 '302 is a very close second and can take a ton of punishment so don't sweat it just treat it with loving care to offset the abuse...
12-07-2008, 07:34 AM
#13
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: North East Texas on the Red River
Posts: 886
How long is a rope? That's a question that is framed in the same way as the question in the original post.
A rope might be five feet long if used for a piggin' string, or 35 feet long if used for a lariat. An engine might not last until it's warmed up good, or it might go a million miles. It's almost totally determined by two things; how it's maintained and how it's driven.
Today's engines regardless of brand or size or configuration are ALL long lived. The reason?????...... Electronic Fuel Injection! There are several other less important factors that improve todays engine life, but EFI is BY FAR the most dramatic.
With EFI, you don't have a choke on a carburetor that is mostly not working properly or misused. Even if the choke is working properly, you are still dribbling raw fuel droplets down the cylinder walls during cold starts washing all the oil off the cylinder walls.
Additionally, EFI under most all driving conditions, while in closed loop mode, maintains a constant air/fuel ratio. Thanks to knock sensors, the system also prevents preignition which is a SERIOUS engine destroyer.
Add to EFI, the less dramatic of todays improvements including better lubricants, more precise parts machining and improved cylinder/piston/ring material packages, among a few other things and you have engines with the capability to last forever if maintained properly.
BTW, the highest miles I've ever put on an engine is 533K miles. If you're curious, it is a Mercedes diesel. The reason for the long life of diesel engines is a whole different story.
A rope might be five feet long if used for a piggin' string, or 35 feet long if used for a lariat. An engine might not last until it's warmed up good, or it might go a million miles. It's almost totally determined by two things; how it's maintained and how it's driven.
Today's engines regardless of brand or size or configuration are ALL long lived. The reason?????...... Electronic Fuel Injection! There are several other less important factors that improve todays engine life, but EFI is BY FAR the most dramatic.
With EFI, you don't have a choke on a carburetor that is mostly not working properly or misused. Even if the choke is working properly, you are still dribbling raw fuel droplets down the cylinder walls during cold starts washing all the oil off the cylinder walls.
Additionally, EFI under most all driving conditions, while in closed loop mode, maintains a constant air/fuel ratio. Thanks to knock sensors, the system also prevents preignition which is a SERIOUS engine destroyer.
Add to EFI, the less dramatic of todays improvements including better lubricants, more precise parts machining and improved cylinder/piston/ring material packages, among a few other things and you have engines with the capability to last forever if maintained properly.
BTW, the highest miles I've ever put on an engine is 533K miles. If you're curious, it is a Mercedes diesel. The reason for the long life of diesel engines is a whole different story.
12-07-2008, 08:59 AM
#16
M.A.D. Motorsports
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Indiana
Posts: 8,014
As long as you are not pushing the 500hp limit of these blocks down the track they will run forever. My brothers had over 200k on his and he beat the hell out of it. When he pulled it, still running strong but with a little vibration, it had a bent rod. Still could have gotten another 100k out of it if he really wanted to.
12-07-2008, 11:02 AM
#17
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,217
my car reads like 175000kms but carfax says over 300kms(....did carfax after I bought it). It runs like a top but burns/leaks a fair bit of oil. But the engine makes no weird ticking or knocks so I am not too worried a little bit of oil never hurt anybody. Still the fastest car at my school so I'm happy.
12-07-2008, 11:52 AM
#19
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 343
How long is a rope? That's a question that is framed in the same way as the question in the original post.
A rope might be five feet long if used for a piggin' string, or 35 feet long if used for a lariat. An engine might not last until it's warmed up good, or it might go a million miles. It's almost totally determined by two things; how it's maintained and how it's driven.
Today's engines regardless of brand or size or configuration are ALL long lived. The reason?????...... Electronic Fuel Injection! There are several other less important factors that improve todays engine life, but EFI is BY FAR the most dramatic.
With EFI, you don't have a choke on a carburetor that is mostly not working properly or misused. Even if the choke is working properly, you are still dribbling raw fuel droplets down the cylinder walls during cold starts washing all the oil off the cylinder walls.
Additionally, EFI under most all driving conditions, while in closed loop mode, maintains a constant air/fuel ratio. Thanks to knock sensors, the system also prevents preignition which is a SERIOUS engine destroyer.
Add to EFI, the less dramatic of todays improvements including better lubricants, more precise parts machining and improved cylinder/piston/ring material packages, among a few other things and you have engines with the capability to last forever if maintained properly.
BTW, the highest miles I've ever put on an engine is 533K miles. If you're curious, it is a Mercedes diesel. The reason for the long life of diesel engines is a whole different story.
A rope might be five feet long if used for a piggin' string, or 35 feet long if used for a lariat. An engine might not last until it's warmed up good, or it might go a million miles. It's almost totally determined by two things; how it's maintained and how it's driven.
Today's engines regardless of brand or size or configuration are ALL long lived. The reason?????...... Electronic Fuel Injection! There are several other less important factors that improve todays engine life, but EFI is BY FAR the most dramatic.
With EFI, you don't have a choke on a carburetor that is mostly not working properly or misused. Even if the choke is working properly, you are still dribbling raw fuel droplets down the cylinder walls during cold starts washing all the oil off the cylinder walls.
Additionally, EFI under most all driving conditions, while in closed loop mode, maintains a constant air/fuel ratio. Thanks to knock sensors, the system also prevents preignition which is a SERIOUS engine destroyer.
Add to EFI, the less dramatic of todays improvements including better lubricants, more precise parts machining and improved cylinder/piston/ring material packages, among a few other things and you have engines with the capability to last forever if maintained properly.
BTW, the highest miles I've ever put on an engine is 533K miles. If you're curious, it is a Mercedes diesel. The reason for the long life of diesel engines is a whole different story.
But a guy down the street had one and it would roast the tires at 225k with out a problem.
