DOHC 4.6 32v life expectancy

[dave]

Well I have seen heard some stories of dohc's not lasting and blowing up at
a young age.
I do track days with my totally stock engine and these DOHC engines raced
have a reputation of being fragile.
If I do blow it up I want to get right back out there with a minimum of
down time.
I plan on keeping my car for some time its perfect for me and easy to work
on.
So yeah i guess I'll drive into the ground.

Not sure about the DOHCs... (I have a '97 Cobra with around 42k miles)
I think it depends on how the car is maintained and used, but I don't see
why 150k is out of the question. I was in NYC limos that had in the high
300k miles on their 4.6's (not sure if the Town Cars are DOHC or SOHC).
The 4.6 is proving its existance in every Crown Vic police interceptor and
taxi.. and every Lincoln limo. There are a lot of these engines in fleet
service with high mileage. Depending on your driving habits, I'd say that
you should expect to see 150k easily.
Just out of curiosity, why are you pricing new engines already? Are you
planning to drive the car until it drops?
JS

I have 96 cobra with 50,000miles.
What is the most mileage on one of these engines anyone has seen.
I was figuring about 150k should be attainable with frequent oil

changes.

What do you guys think?
A new DOHC 4.6 cobra engine is about $5000.00.

[JS]

Easy to work on, huh? You haven't seen a Fox body 5.0 in a while, have you?

I love my car though. I've driven it hard for quite a while. The DOHC
engines have more moving parts... they have higher compression on cast
components... superchargers eat through them like candy. But, I think even
still, yours should last a while.

Here's a consideration though. If yours grenades, go with an '03 Cobra
engine (you can always remove the blower if you want, get the long block)
for the forged internals, or go with Sean Hyland Motorsports and get a
beefed up DOHC. Either should cure your stock problems... with something
more serious to boot.

JS

Post by dave
Well I have seen heard some stories of dohc's not lasting and blowing up at
a young age.
I do track days with my totally stock engine and these DOHC engines raced
have a reputation of being fragile.
If I do blow it up I want to get right back out there with a minimum of
down time.
I plan on keeping my car for some time its perfect for me and easy to work
on.
So yeah i guess I'll drive into the ground.

Not sure about the DOHCs... (I have a '97 Cobra with around 42k miles)
I think it depends on how the car is maintained and used, but I don't see
why 150k is out of the question. I was in NYC limos that had in the high
300k miles on their 4.6's (not sure if the Town Cars are DOHC or SOHC).
The 4.6 is proving its existance in every Crown Vic police interceptor and
taxi.. and every Lincoln limo. There are a lot of these engines in fleet
service with high mileage. Depending on your driving habits, I'd say that
you should expect to see 150k easily.
Just out of curiosity, why are you pricing new engines already? Are you
planning to drive the car until it drops?
JS

I have 96 cobra with 50,000miles.
What is the most mileage on one of these engines anyone has seen.
I was figuring about 150k should be attainable with frequent oil

changes.

What do you guys think?
A new DOHC 4.6 cobra engine is about $5000.00.

[JD Adams]

On Wed, 31 Mar 2004 09:37:45 -0500, "dave" <***@nospam.net> wrote:

** I have 96 cobra with 50,000miles.
** What is the most mileage on one of these engines anyone has seen.
** I was figuring about 150k should be attainable with frequent oil changes.
** What do you guys think?

Properly designed and lubricated, a modern fuel-injected engine should last
300,000+ miles of average driving before requiring replacement. Most don't
make it anywhere near this due to lack of maintenance.

Skippy Lube outfits also accounts for many early engine deaths as well. The
longest-lasting drivetrains I know about (one is at 472,000 and counting) owe
their continued existance to an owner who does their own maintenance.



-JD

--------------------------------
Enlightenment for The Masses:
http:/207.13.104.8/users/jdadams
--------------------------------

[Rein]

I have 96 cobra with 50,000miles.
What is the most mileage on one of these engines anyone has seen.
I was figuring about 150k should be attainable with frequent oil changes.
What do you guys think?
A new DOHC 4.6 cobra engine is about $5000.00.

If you did the following it will last way past 150K, possible 200K or
more
-frequent oil changes
-used good filters (read; no fram)
-On the first 10 miles of driving after a cold start no excessive
revving
-keep cooling system in good shape.
-made longer trips (engine fully heats up)


Remove NO-SPAM from email address when replying

[Rein]

The cobra engine is easy to work on ? yeah, if it's out of the car
perhaps...

Post by dave
Well I have seen heard some stories of dohc's not lasting and blowing up at
a young age.
I do track days with my totally stock engine and these DOHC engines raced
have a reputation of being fragile.
If I do blow it up I want to get right back out there with a minimum of
down time.
I plan on keeping my car for some time its perfect for me and easy to work
on.
So yeah i guess I'll drive into the ground.

Not sure about the DOHCs... (I have a '97 Cobra with around 42k miles)
I think it depends on how the car is maintained and used, but I don't see
why 150k is out of the question. I was in NYC limos that had in the high
300k miles on their 4.6's (not sure if the Town Cars are DOHC or SOHC).
The 4.6 is proving its existance in every Crown Vic police interceptor and
taxi.. and every Lincoln limo. There are a lot of these engines in fleet
service with high mileage. Depending on your driving habits, I'd say that
you should expect to see 150k easily.
Just out of curiosity, why are you pricing new engines already? Are you
planning to drive the car until it drops?
JS

I have 96 cobra with 50,000miles.
What is the most mileage on one of these engines anyone has seen.
I was figuring about 150k should be attainable with frequent oil

changes.

What do you guys think?
A new DOHC 4.6 cobra engine is about $5000.00.

Remove NO-SPAM from email address when replying

[Katmandu]

Not sure about the DOHCs... (I have a '97 Cobra with around 42k miles)

I think it depends on how the car is maintained and used, but I don't see
why 150k is out of the question. I was in NYC limos that had in the high
300k miles on their 4.6's (not sure if the Town Cars are DOHC or SOHC).
The 4.6 is proving its existance in every Crown Vic police interceptor and
taxi.. and every Lincoln limo. There are a lot of these engines in fleet
service with high mileage.

TownCars, CrownVics are ALL SOHC. NO exceptions.

The Marauder is the ONLY Panther platformed car to have a DOHC.


-ERIC


Depending on your driving habits, I'd say that

you should expect to see 150k easily.
Just out of curiosity, why are you pricing new engines already? Are you
planning to drive the car until it drops?
JS

I have 96 cobra with 50,000miles.
What is the most mileage on one of these engines anyone has seen.
I was figuring about 150k should be attainable with frequent oil

changes.

What do you guys think?
A new DOHC 4.6 cobra engine is about $5000.00.

[Wulf]

Post by dave
I plan on keeping my car for some time its perfect for me and easy to work

on.

Post by dave
So yeah i guess I'll drive into the ground.

There must be some definition of the word "easy" I am not aware of.

Wulf (who does not like working on them for warranty money)

[Big Al]

Post by Wulf

Post by dave
I plan on keeping my car for some time its perfect for me and easy to work

on.

Post by dave
So yeah i guess I'll drive into the ground.

There must be some definition of the word "easy" I am not aware of.
Wulf (who does not like working on them for warranty money)

At least you can see it. Look under the hood of a new Ford truck and see the
opposite of easy:) Like you needed me to tell you that. Soon the engines
will be completely encased in sheet metal, with 1/2 holes for the dipstick
and oil fill. The entire vehicle will have to be turned upside down to drain
the oil. The oil filter will be remotely mounted in the fuel tank, it will
be an assembly with the fuel filter, fuel pump and fuel level sender. Cost
about $500 to replace.

Al

[Garth Almgren]

Post by Big Al

Post by Wulf
Wulf (who does not like working on them for warranty money)

At least you can see it. Look under the hood of a new Ford truck and see the
opposite of easy:) Like you needed me to tell you that. Soon the engines
will be completely encased in sheet metal, with 1/2 holes for the dipstick
and oil fill.

One word: Boxter. :)

[DriveSpy]

Post by Big Al
Soon the engines
will be completely encased in sheet metal, with 1/2 holes for the dipstick
and oil fill.

Sounds like a Cessna I used to fly.