Engine Longevity
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Freshman User
Joined: Feb 2005
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Engine Longevity
I am Planning to buy a 94 F150 4x2 with an E40d and a 302. I was just wandering what the typical engine life is for a 302 and if this truck is worth buying. When I Sold My 95 F150 4x4 about a year and a half ago It had a 302 with 135,000 on it with the M50d tranny. All the gears in the tranny were stripped (the reason I got rid of it) Sold it for 5 G's. This Truck I am considering has 145,000 on it, purrs like a kitten, not a physical blemish on the entire truck inside or out and the engine is spotless. The guy is asking $2,995. This seems pretty fair. I was just wondering if it is worth it depending how long down the road I'll have to put a new engine in it. Any information will be greatly appreciated.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 6,473
Likes: 4
From: Lafayette, IN
The 302 will last a long time if you maintain it and don't use your truck like a truck, and don't drive it like a racecar, either. Otherwise, the 302 is a car engine, not really a very good truck engine, so if you tow at all, or haul heavy loads, you're much more likely to wear it out sooner. My '90 puked up the #8 cylinder at about 93K, 30K after I had bought it. I did about 1100 miles of towing with it, I don't know what the PO did. I only got another 50K out of the truck.
Jason
Jason
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 9,557
Likes: 44
From: Concord, NC
I don't know why the 302 gets such a bad rap around here. It's a great motor, but don't expect it to be anything it's not. I have 170000 miles on mine, and yes, I can tell it's getting tired, but it still runs excellent and smooth and has plenty of oil pressure. I have towed 4000lbs on a somewhat regular basis for the past 4 years, and I have driven the truck hard and revved it unmercifully and it has taken all the hell I've put it through. Properly maintained, it should last a long while. Failure in the #8 cylinder is quite common though, simply due to the PCV valve routing. This is quite easy to fix by re-routing the PCV vacuum line to the main vacuum tee, as Ford did in the mid 90's.
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 580
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From: Chippewa Falls, WI
I have never owned a 302, but I have never really heard anything bad about them. Sure they don't have the power of a 351, but if you don't need it who cares. The only problems I have ever seen were in full size vans, never in a truck.
I would imagine that with proper upkeep you should be able to get lots of good miles out of your truck.
I would imagine that with proper upkeep you should be able to get lots of good miles out of your truck.
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 829
Likes: 1
From: Goose Creek SC
I just bought my 92 Flareside with the 5.0 with 157,200 on it. Runs like a top and has plenty of power. Tranny shifts so smooth you can't feel it, except when it goes into OD without accelerating....then it clunks a little.
Here's how I figure it:
The truck is minimum 14 years old, maybe closer to 15. Divide that 157K by 14 and it comes out to about 11,216 miles a year driven, way less than the average 15k a year. Original owners manual in the glovebox with some receipts for NC inspections. I figure someone took fair care of it. Any kind of maintenance at all with those few miles is going to be ok.
I still took it and put it in the air and checked brakes, exhaust, leaks, shocks, tires, hoses under the hood (look for original ford clamps), everything that could be checked so I knew what I was in to and made the dealer run a CarFax to be sure it wasn't wrecked or flooded or something.
That's what you need to look at. How many miles a year, how does it feel when you drive it, any records with it, CarFax, anything you can see to determine how it was used.
No guarantess of course, but you feel better going in.
Here's how I figure it:
The truck is minimum 14 years old, maybe closer to 15. Divide that 157K by 14 and it comes out to about 11,216 miles a year driven, way less than the average 15k a year. Original owners manual in the glovebox with some receipts for NC inspections. I figure someone took fair care of it. Any kind of maintenance at all with those few miles is going to be ok.
I still took it and put it in the air and checked brakes, exhaust, leaks, shocks, tires, hoses under the hood (look for original ford clamps), everything that could be checked so I knew what I was in to and made the dealer run a CarFax to be sure it wasn't wrecked or flooded or something.
That's what you need to look at. How many miles a year, how does it feel when you drive it, any records with it, CarFax, anything you can see to determine how it was used.
No guarantess of course, but you feel better going in.
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 126
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From: Indianapolis
I've got 114K trouble free miles on my 302 in my '96 so far. Sure, I'd prefer it was a 300 or a 351, but the truth is, I don't use my truck as a truck that often, and have never towed with it. It's got no noises, and as much power and oil pressure as it ever had. I really like my truck, and I want to see if I can get it to 250K as they say in the commercials.
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Junior User
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 91
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I have a 92 ex cab with 231k - E4OD - 302. Its whole life all it was used for was towing a racecare until a couple of years ago. Now it still runs excellent with the original motor less new heads and gaskets. The tranny had t be rebuilt about a year ago. The truck is still in good enough condition though that I would't hesitate to put a new motor in it. Its been a great truck.
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Junior User
Joined: Dec 2002
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My '92 extended cab with 302 and e4od has 198,000 with dual tanks. It uses about a quart of oil every 500 miles when I have to fill up with gas. The only thing unusual I have had to fix is the exhaust manifolds. On this engine the exhaust manifolds crack. I checked salvage yards but couldn't find any without cracks in the same places. Eventually I found some aftermarket ones that had ribs molded across the crack areas and haven't had any problems in over 120,000 miles since I put them on.
Cross-Country
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 84
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189K on 93 302. have had to change out water pump, rebuilt distributer, changed plugs and wires a couple of times. replaced thermostat. changed the oil every 5-10k miles whether it needed it or not. flushed and replaced tranny fluid once. Still goes pretty strong. Tranny sounds like it may only have another 30-50k or so.
All that said, I don't think anyone would give me enough to make me sell it (least nobody in their right mind anyway).
All that said, I don't think anyone would give me enough to make me sell it (least nobody in their right mind anyway).
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 4,816
Likes: 1
From: Davis & Newcastle, CA
Had a '94 302 Reg Cab Short box with around 230k miles and the thing ran like a dream. Only problem we had was with the E4OD tranny, had to get it rebuilt (1994 was before Ford perfected the E4OD). The engine itself was great though. Pretty quick with magnoflow exhaust and stock EVERYTHING else. I loved that truck, wish I could get it back.
-Chris
-Chris
Junior User
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 91
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I forgot to mention my first F150 was an 87 w/a 302 in it -C6 tranny. (That 3spd was indestructable) It had 340k when I bought it and I ran that thing hard till I sold it. It ran like new the whole time I had it.
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 3,978
Likes: 0
From: Central PA
I have had 15 F -trucks .5.0 5.8 460 you name it. I get all of them at around 100000 miles have found if I get a truck out in country (highway miles) .I change oil every 3000 miles They last 150000 or so . The best 225000 was 88 5.0 Its still on road .worst 300-6 I got new and it died at 20000 miles . But have had others for 200000 Miles I do haul weight once in while but not more than 1000 lbs and all highway miles.
All F150 4x4 sc trucks
5.0 safe to say 150000 is good
4- #8 went 130000 miles
2-Valve problem fixed run forever.
2- 175000
2- at under 100000 miles
1- bottom end went 125000 miles .Hey it was gone but I drove it 10 miles home
I wont go into 5.8 as they are mostly same.
460 200000 plus easy.F350
All F150 4x4 sc trucks
5.0 safe to say 150000 is good
4- #8 went 130000 miles
2-Valve problem fixed run forever.
2- 175000
2- at under 100000 miles
1- bottom end went 125000 miles .Hey it was gone but I drove it 10 miles home
I wont go into 5.8 as they are mostly same.
460 200000 plus easy.F350
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 566
Likes: 1
From: Virginia
I have a 92 Flareside with the 5.0/E40D combo. 154,000 miles so far with no problems. The only hauling I do is going to the dump once a week...which may total 100 pounds on rare occasions. I don't believe I'll have much tranny trouble for a while as the majority of my driving is done in overdrive on the highway. I have 3.55 gears in an open diff that turns 33s with no problems at all. Then engine is completely stock, but I put a SI/DO Flowmaster after-cat system on it.
Postmaster
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 3,529
Likes: 1
From: The Star-Club, Hamburg
I used to have an '85 F150 4x4 with a 302/AOD setup. Bought it from a fellow in town when it had 135K on the odometer and drove it another 40,000 miles with no problems, really. Sold it because it was starting to lose compression, which I chalk up to using it beyond what it was designed for. I towed wagons with it, carried loads that nearly drug the bumper, and just generally used it like you'd think a farm truck should be used, plus as a daily driver. I don't fault the design of the 302, and I'm pretty sure that if I'd not overused the truck it would still be on the road (well, in a manner of speaking... it had a pretty good case of rust going, too). Like has been said above, regular maintenance is your friend with a 302... treat it with respect and it should last you many miles.