I had a 2.9 Ranger with no engine problems except the cork valve cover gaskets and a friend's '89 is still going strong at over 150,000 miles with no internal engine work. The AODE transmission, electric transfer case and 7.5 inch rear axle have all had to be rebuilt, but not the 2.9 engine.

The German (originally) Ford V-6 family, 2.6, 2.8, 2.9 and 4.0 (pushrod) are all 60 degree V engines that are inherently balanced. This is much better than the 90 degree ones that shake or need balance shafts, like the 3.8 that is basically a cut down 5.0 V-8.

Jim

 

What engine parts interchange between 2.8-2.9? Is the 2.9 just a larger version of the 2.8? My 2.8 has 100,000 miles on it and is still going strong, uses a little oil but no worse than when I bought it with 30,000 miles. I suspect the valve guides but the oil useage problem isn`t bad enough to worry about at this point.

 

We're beginning to study small engines in the ag shop at school. We have all Briggs for demo engines. I can tell you this much: Get an I/C, it has roller bearings on the crank at the ends and make sure it has the cast iron sleeve and the oil slinger, not the dipper finger.

 

Ford 3.0 vulcan, not much power but a screamer! Sounds like a powerful engine but not much until 3000 rpm plus just my 2¢ At least it doesnt sound anemic like a 4.3 boat anchor, I mean motor

 

If not even better. My new daily driver is the 99 F250 DSL I just bought but I also have 2 Grandprix GTP (supercharged 3800) I have done consiterable work to my 1998 Grandprix and I'm running low 12 to high 11's in it while still getting well over 20 mpg. The 2001 Grandprix GTP (same supercharged 3800) is what my wife drives to work. Aside from a smaller pulley it has nothing else done to it and she gets closer to the 28-30 mpg.

IMO the L67 (1997-2003 supercharged 3800) and the new L32 (2004 supercharged 3800) are some of the best motors out there. Both still have there stock bottom ends and neither has given me a bit of trouble.

Dont worry I still like my Power Stroke Dsl because it does exactly what I need it to. But that Buick 3.8 is a damn fine motor.

 

I'd have to agree. My Dad just got another GM car with the 3800. He put 250,000 miles on the last one. The Transmission went bad at that point, and the cost of rebuilding or replacing it, was more than the car was worth. The motor was still running fine and not burning any oil. The new car is getting 32 mpg's on the high way. The Buick V6 has been a good engine in racing too. The Menardi indy racing engine was based on the Buick. It's a classic American engine design, right there with the Ford 289/302, the flat head V8 and the 427 side oiler..... Oh yeah, the original Chrysler Hemi's.

The most over rated engine of all time, is in my opinion, actually the small block Chevy. It's popularity is simply, because it's cheap and easy to work on. Parts cost less, and people are less confused by what parts fit. However, every time Iv'e seen one torn down, with over 75,000 miles on it, it had a to have the ridge's reamed to get the pistons out. I've never seem that on a Ford 302, even with 200,000 miles. I was at a machine shop once talking to the machinest when another small chevy came in. He pointed out the mark on the pan rail were the broken connecting rod hit it: "That's pretty common on bow ties." he said. Another mechanic told me he was so sick of replacing flattened cams in Vortech truck motors, that he won't work on them any more. Cubic inch for cubic inch, the small block Ford will run circles around it.

 

HAH! You ever tried to work on or tune that rear distributor with the hood on!?

 

Please, the small block Chevy has to be the easiest engine to work on in the history of V8s.

 

I disagree. In the history of V-8's it would have to be the flathead Ford. However, those things needed to be worked on very frequently.

Jim

 

Ok, then, the SBC is the easiest engine to work on in the history of modern V8s.

 

:- What is hard about a 289/302/351? Zillions built and installed from 1964 to 1998, from small cars up to 3/4 ton trucks. Last I heard there was no rocket science /black magic invovlded. This is 2004 not 1954! Grab a used 302 and have fun! If more power is desired then use parts from a 5.0 and crush some orange or what ever gets in the way! Nothing hard about that and nothing more fun.

 

I think you might be confusing easiest and least expensive. When you get down to it the 351 and the 350 work the same way and most the parts install the same way also. So working on them really isnt an issue. Even price is becoming less of an issue now there are so many aftermarket choises now and that brings prices down. I would be willing to wager that there is more SBC motors laying around then Fords.

Really now it comes down to what your more comfortable with. I grew up with GM in the garage and I know them pretty much in and out. Could I work on a Ford? Of course but I would not be as efficiant as a person that has worked on them most of their life.

Not to mention if your trying to compare GM and Ford by motors from decades ago. I would sugest you turn a few pages and get on the right chapter. There were great motors then but those motors are not here now. If you think the LS1 and the Ford 4.6 are the same motors from then you would be sadly mistaken. Maybe great great grand kids but deffinatly not the same.

 

Oh, no, not even close to being the same engines from back in the day. I'd also wager that there are more chevy engines laying around than Ford engines, and we all know why.
Believe me, I am way more comfortable working on a Ford than anything else, I just can't seem to see it as being worth it to fix anything other than a Ford. Just seems way easier to find chevrolet parts, even though it is not too hard to find Ford parts.

 

There are more Chevy SB parts available because the Chevy SB has a heritage from 1955 to the latest LS2 in the 2005 'Vette. The bore spacing and basic layout are the same. All parts do not interchange, but it is the same engine "family", making it much more attractive to aftermarket suppliers. This is not true for all of GM, just Chevy. Try to find aftermarket parts for a Buick, Pontiac or Olds V-8. There are a few out there, but not many.

Ford decided to confuse the market over the years by making a 352, 351C, 351M, and the 351W, which is way to different from a 302W for making aftermarket parts to fit both.

Jim

 

Jim, your post somehow reminds me of long ago when I was 12 or so, I went to a Local Mudbog competition they had at a Short track. This Huge Bronco came up to the starting line.. The announcer got everyone going, he said " Are there any Ford lovers out here?" The Crowd went wild. Then he said, "is there any Chevy lovers out here? "The crowd went wild again, Then of course he said, "alright all you ford guys, here ya go, a Big, Bad, CHEVY powered Bronco"..ahah.. Well Guess you had to be there..
Proceed!!

Ron
Excursion, yadda yadda yadda