High Mileage SOHC

[Bumper]

Since the OHV 4.0 and the V8 5.0 have proven themselves to be long lived engines, what can we expect after a few years with the SOHC? Who has the highest mileage on a SOHC and what have been your major problems, specifially with the engine?

 

[Billy177]

the timing chins and manifold gaskets have been th only prolblems that i am aware of. i think someone around here has 200k on one

 

[MattStarr]

Ive got 98K on mine and counting.... knock on wood...

 

[gfisch]

Got 130k on mine and no probs yet

At least not w/ the engine

 

[wallygetsit]

122K with no problems.

 

[famvan]

I'm new to the list, just bought a used 97 XLT with 108K, and I'm a little anxious about the talk of high mileage. I'm a Volvo driver, my car (245) is 14 yrs old with 258K and running strong with no leaks. Why and hell can't I expect the same from this Ford? It's all about maintenance, I know the story, but still, I need to get another 100K out of this vehicle.

For the record, my "X" has a small coolant leak, a problem with the AC, and a slight leak out of the transfer case. I hope this is it for a while.

Steve
'97 XLT 108K

 

[MONMIX]

258k
Yeah those Volvos just don't die do they ?
I had a 73 as a first car back in the mid 80's.
That thing was solid as a rock and every thing worked like a charm.
Atleast untill I lost an agruement with a Dodge Ram.
Still I drove home, he needed a roll back.

 

[Billy177]

every volvo we have ever owned has lasted over 100k the one that we have now 91 is still running good with monir vaccum leaks it has 135k on it and after my dad bought it we foundout it had not had a single thing done it to it maintence wise except fot 7 oil changes since new

 

[RedXplr]

my good friend has 190,000 on the sohc. Not one problem with the engine. He is not even that good about changing the oil every 3,000. Does not burn or leak oil, and he still pulls his 21 foot donzi everysummer!

 

[socky3850]

I have 122K miles on mine. I've had all of the recall items and the cassette (changed 3 times) and intake o-ring issues. The engine still runs well but is noisy due to what Ford calls a carbon knock. I have my doubts about their diagnosis but they say this will not affect engine operation.

 

[sk1er17]

134K on my 98 SOHC. Runs awesome and its been SUNK!! (yea, went underwater around 105K miles)

Repairs:
Keep up maintnance: oil every 3K, did plugs and wires at 120K
Recently did the fan clutch (like a few weeks ago)
Belt tensioner..

Engine wise its been excellent i guess. only other things done to the truck was the 4x4 shift motor.

It did have a rear-main leak that was minor- but 1 bottle of some stop-leak stuff fixed it (suprisingly, guess the gasket just needed to be rejouvenated)

 

[sk1er17]

oh yea, and i beat the hell outta mine- offroading, towing a 21 foot boat, and i had a lead foot when i first got it! (what can i say? the sohc's fast )

 

[sk1er17]

Originally posted by socky3850
The engine still runs well but is noisy due to what Ford calls a carbon knock.

Guys, sorry for the triple post but i just remembered this:
For anyone with an SOHC, there is a knocking noise for a few minutes right after startup. If this is what socky is referring too it is harmless. There's a TSB on it that i can print out at work if someone wants to see it.

Has to do with an airpocket formation that works its way out of the casette (is that why you had yours replaced 3 times?)

 

[BuckTales]

98k on my 97 XLT - just did a plugs, wires, etc type tuneup and she's still running strong.

 

[Majisto]

121K miles. Solid as a rock. Hasn't been treated very well either. Great engine!

 

[socky3850]

The knocking sound that you might hear at start-up is related to the cassette and is why mine was replaced 3 times. The last time was at about 70K miles and has been fine since. The carbon knock that I referred to started at about 120K miles and is not really a knock in the sense of a ping or rod knock. Rather, the noise comes from the passenger side of the engine and is constant while the engine is running. This sounds almost like the noise that a water pump makes with bad bearings. I was worried that it was a bad rear timing chain or cassete because I had read a post a long time ago where someone with a SOHC had a defective part and ended up blowing the engine. Ford tells me that this is not the issue in my case. I guess that I'll just see what happens. With the excellent maintenance that this engine has had over its' life I shouldn't have any unusual noises.

 

[GJarrett]

139k on mine so far and besides the timing chain/o-ring recall stuff the only failure maintenance I've had to do to it is replace the thermostat twice. Nothing else has worn out on it - still has the original water pump, alternator, etc, and still strong as new.

The radiator fan clutch seems to be a little loose and may need replacing soon; if so, that'll be the first thing besides the tstat to fail on mine.

 

[frickea86]

90k and so far not any big problems....nock on wood...i like the engine...just switched over to synthetic and love it even more..

 

[sk1er17]

Carbon knock

hmm, does it almost sound like a little hammer tapping on metal on the passenger side of the engine compartment?

mine started doing that recently but usually only i notice it and it doesnt seem like its every time my trucks running...

id imagine if the chain tensioners were going id have more of a noticeable problem then a knocking sound.

BTW; how much did ford charge to replace the cassette?

 

[socky3850]

Carbon Knock

That's exactly what it sounds like. The noise is on the passenger side and sounds as if it's toward the rear of the engine. All of the cassette replacements were done under warranty or as part of the OM12(?) program.