Which engine lasts longer? 4.0 OHV or 5.0? | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Which engine lasts longer? 4.0 OHV or 5.0?

Which engine lasts longer? 4.0 OHV or 5.0?

  • 4.0 OHV

    Votes: 11 45.8%
  • 5.0

    Votes: 13 54.2%

  • Total voters
    24

Rick

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Year, Model & Trim Level
'93 XL '20 ST
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I know we have a lot of members with 300k+ on their 4.0 OHV V6s, but do the 5.0s last that long too?
 



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Oooo this will be a good one! Very interested to see the results of this, hopefully it doesn't get too heated here though
 






I think they are very similar in reliability. The real factor is the owner or who takes care of it. Any engine not taken care of will use oil, and die sooner than later.

My newest 98 uses a quart of oil in about three weeks. That's the previous owner's fault, not the engine's, or mine. An engine getting low on oil will not last 300k miles with the continued neglect. Eventually it will end up three quarts low, and the driver will wonder what the new noise is, ... and keep driving it. That's how you kill one of these, or ignore the cooling system etc. I'm keeping up with this 5.0, it's getting synthetic and never gets too low. I'm sure the valve guides and seals are worn, rebuilt heads should solve that this Winter.

Who is the person taking care of the car, that's the best question.
 






Neglected engines rarely go for 300k, so the poll would be about motors which have been cared for.
 






There are many variations of care, not just good or bad. I could get a million miles from most good engines, if I bought them new.

Great example, the 4.0 SOHC is a time bomb, with my care it may go 200k, or 500k, but I'm changing the timing chain components timely, every 75k or so. That engine isn't fair to compare with, because those parts would fail way before 300k with normal care(not neglect, simply proper care like anyone who brags they've got 300k from any engine). Only a replacement schedule of care can keep those going for a long time.

Most people skimp on care at some point in time, using cheap oil, or let it go 7k by accident, or forget to do coolant hoses for too long(and it blows a hose or overheats etc). The 4.0 and 5.0 engines are great engines, they do tolerate more than fragile engines like the 4.0 SOHC.
 






Every explorer 302 I've had over 250k had to at least have 10w40 oil in it to keep oil pressure at idle.

I have not owned as many ohv 4.0s but I've seen a bunch in the junk yards with over 250k. I've seen a few that were very neglected with over 200k still running like a champ. Same can be said for the 5.0 but I feel people use v8 trucks harder.

My vote is that the v6 ohv is better in all around longevity with given circumstances.

The 4.0 sohc will only make it to 300k after being pulled apart a time or two for timing guides even with synthetic oil changes every 3k.
 






Great example, the 4.0 SOHC is a time bomb, with my care it may go 200k, or 500k, but I'm changing the timing chain components timely, every 75k or so. That engine isn't fair to compare with,

Which is why the poll is for 4.0 OHVs and 5.0s ;)
 






Trick question Rick!

Since they are both the same pushrod design with no real inherent flaws, I'd say it's a tie. The biggest difference would come down to transmission options. A 4r70w can take 250,000+ miles of hard abuse if the fluids where changed at least once or twice. 4.0 transmissions, not so much. The 5.0L also tend to get rode harder either from towing heavier loads or from people not able to resist hammering down to feel the v8's power. Modern synthetic oils and surface conditioners make things like bearing, ring, oil pump, lifter bore, etc wear virtually none existent. Never heard of a timing chain break, just stretch a bit, but they will both keep on a ticking none the less. I guess it comes down to how long it takes for a valve spring to snap and how long you can ignore a seal or gasket (like a rear main and oil pan) leaking onto your driveway.

I voted 5.0L because.....well, just because. :D

:burnout:
 






Getting picky, the 4.0 has a few less parts, and the 302 parts are much more available, in stock or tons of choices different forms. The parts are good solid stuff, not overly taxed by big power or rpm's. The pistons are weak links if you try to upgrade parts, but most people don't alter much at all for either engine. It should come down to usage that the transmission has to survive, and the care they get.
 






The pistons are weak links if you try to upgrade parts

Had a friend who had Trickflow head, intake, cam with a s-trim on a stock100,000 miles short block that dyno'd a hair over 550hp. The block ended up ripping completely in two. Bad tuning is what ruins pistons.

I remember Lidio made a point when he had 21psi on a stock 97 cobra engine and ran it all season (high 9's, over 50 passes at 8,000rpm with a 4r70w) with no issues when people said the stock hypereutectic pistons wouldn't be able to handle that amount of power and boost.
http://www.alternativeauto.com/10_inside_our_9_second_dohc_32v_stock_pistons_and_all/

I have heard of the stock rods stretching and rod bolts breaking on motors that continuously see +6,500rpm.

The pistons are the last thing Id worry about on a 5.0L
 






The pistons are the last thing Id worry about on a 5.0L

I need to post a pic of a 5.0 piston from an 99 explorer with a "tick". It sounded like a bad rocker arm but boy was I wrong. Top 1/4 of the piston down to the ring was just missing. Crazy thing was there was no apparent damage to the head or valves and there was a ton of carbon over top of it showing it had been ran like that for awhile. Truck was all stock but was abused by a high school kid.
 






That's a new one to me!

Manufacturing defects are also a possibility for any part. Bad injector cause it to lean out and melt it away perhaps?
 
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Another point:

Rated mpg:
4.0=14 city/19hwy
5.0=13 city/18hwy

You have the ability to tow more, be more reliable(transmission), more aftermarket parts available(besides headers :(), and have a faster truck with a 5.0 vs 4.0 at little to no expense in overall mpg. That is if you can resist keeping your foot out of it.

Just a thought.

But then again trail putting/revving and hill climbing might be a different story.

Do you trail guys see a big difference in fuel consumption between v6 and v8 on your long outings?
 
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My first 5.0 had 220k on it, with zero engine related failures, 20k oil change intervals, constant rev limiter bouncing, neglect, and plowing. No noises, or oil leaks, and would make the 10k mark when the filter was changed without having to add oil. Very stout.

Undoubtably the 4.0 is also a very long runner.
 






5.0, mainly because of the better tolerance for heat, plus they are tough as all get out. If you run a 4.0 even a little hot it'll blow a head gasket without a second thought. Other than that they are solid engines, under powered, but reliable.
 






Did I mention 5.0L Explorers get a "V8" emblem and the 4.0L don't?


hford1.jpg


Fun Fact! Henry never posed for a picture with a V6.

Point: V8
 
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From what I've seen 300k is the general upper limit for most OHV 4.0s and 300k should be the expected life for a 5.0.


Had a friend who had Trickflow head, intake, cam with a s-trim on a stock100,000 miles short block that dyno'd a hair over 550hp. The block ended up ripping completely in two. Bad tuning is what ruins pistons.

I remember Lidio made a point when he had 21psi on a stock 97 cobra engine and ran it all season (high 9's, over 50 passes at 8,000rpm with a 4r70w) with no issues when people said the stock hypereutectic pistons wouldn't be able to handle that amount of power and boost.
http://www.alternativeauto.com/10_inside_our_9_second_dohc_32v_stock_pistons_and_all/

I have heard of the stock rods stretching and rod bolts breaking on motors that continuously see +6,500rpm.

The pistons are the last thing Id worry about on a 5.0L

It's pretty well known that after 500hp from a 5.0 you're playing with fire.

What a 4.6 piston is capable of does not make an argument for or against a 5.0 piston.
 






What a 4.6 piston is capable of does not make an argument for or against a 5.0 piston.

I was pointing out to CDW that the factory Ford hypereutectic pistons are not a weak link, which I believe was what he was referring to when saying they are the weak link. I forget to mention my friends Mustang was a 93.

All Ford ecoboost engines come with hypers, 5.0L TI-VCT has hypers, 4.6 SOHC and DOHC have hypers and there are too many people running "street boost" with them reliably (+500hp) to say they are THE weak link but I guess you can also reason they most defiantly are a weak link if you have a bad tune in which case the tune is the weak link and a blown engine is the effect.

That's all I was saying.
 






I understood the comment, I call the pistons a weak link because most guys doing performance upgrades don't have perfect tunes. They may get there eventually, but they basically all start out with their old tune and see how it runs. The last thing they worry about is the final tune, to them that's part of the finishing touches. The weak hypereutectic pistons don't like poor timing or fuel mixtures. Yes they are way stronger than cast pistons, and will handle hundreds of HP of normal fuel/timing.

But forged pistons live better with bad tunes, they aren't immune but much stronger. I expect to find out how the Explorer pistons like 400hp before I upgrade the engine. I would not build an engine combo with mild or more boost for long term use, without forged pistons. That's what I meant by watch out for the stock pistons, the audience being young novices who don't know enough about boost and piston quality.
 



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bottom end on both 4.0s is pretty bullet proof , i know of several pushing 400,000 , thats with valve train refurbished in the ohv and guides and tensioners in the sohc , as for any sbf the bottom end just cant hold up as well , although its a close race , with that said if you are building either of the ohvs some simple oiling mods will greatly improve longevity, i vote 4.0 ohv
 






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