Ok here's my 2 cents..

Ford best engine- 300 i6
Chevy best engine- ls based truck motors.. 4.8, 5.3, 6.0 The block and stock internals can handle over 1400 hp! What other motor out there can do that? And they are easy as crap to work on, parts interchange from vettes, and they are relatively cheap..

Ford worst engine- Sohc 4.6 and 5.4.. They dont make much power, not many aftermarket parts, and they are hard to work on and break down too much

 

Forgot to mention the toyota 4 bangers.. Just about any of them are indestructible and make great power for their size

 

I had two F-150's with the 4.6 V8, and never had any issues with them. They didn't have as much power as the 5.4, but it was enough for what I needed. I thought it performed well for me.

 

everyone here seems to think the i6 300 is the best motor ever, let me tell you something,,,,,,,there right!!! that pooch of a 6 cylinder would take more abuse than a spoiled princes whipping boy!!! I swear you could pour sand in the cylinders and like an Ak-47 they'll keep rapping off striaght as ever. however>> there is another....the 460. as long as you feed it oil!? but if you fed it oil I personally have seen 4 460's that with oil but little else. back when cars were cheap and everywhere, watched all of them exceed a trial of a 1/2 hour burn outs and after the tires blow run them on the rims until something gives in the drive traine and then put a brick on the floor and start the stop watch. to see how long it would last.. we would be parked outside the bar and have to go in before they'd give.. 3 hours minimum, everytime. gauranteed we'd be drunk before they would blow...hhhhhh god bless wisconsin country!!!!!!!

 

LOL. Has to be a post with most fail I've ever read here on FTE.

 

The 5.4L makes more overall horsepower than the 460. Aftermarket parts? What are you trying to accomplish? The entire engine has to have systemic engineering to run correctly.

Break down too much? I beat the heck out of numerous fleet 4.6L and 5.4L motors since they were introduced in on road/off road applications and at speeds over 100 mph at times. They were far more reliable than many other engines.

I am not a fan of the way the modular motors were engineered. Poorly designed spark plugs, coil-on-plug design, etc. but no engine is easy to work on any more. Shade tree mechanics are left to tinker with cars and trucks from the 1950s and 1960s.

Anecdotal stories or a lemon engine are not proof of blanket assertion.

 

I agree with you. Had many IH gassers on the farm in loadstar trucks and the motors were indestructible. Dont know if they were sleeved or not but I recall the 345 in several and had one with IIRC a 504 cid, man that thing would run. Almost makes a bored block engine seem like a "throw away" motor to me. Had some oldddd farm all tractors that were sleeved as well, durable as hell.

 

What a waste of a good engine.

 

Also there was a 4 cylinder Pontiac that was one half of a Pontiac V8.

 

Whaat ?

 

Best in my opinion

1. Chevy 350
2. 426 Hemi

Worst

My parents owned an 80's ford escort wagon and that engine was an absolute money pit. As my dad put it, "No ***** and always on the side of the road."

 

Best in no particular order
Ford 300 I6
GM 235/250 I6
Mopar 225 Slant 6

Ford 289 , 351C , 390

Chevy 283 , 396

Worst

GM 350 Diesel Conversion Abortion

 

Not really sure what the best Ford engine is but I can tell you the 4.6 was very reliable. I am a retired OK state trooper and drove several crown vic's with the 4.6 and all of them were traded in with at least 125K. Never had one thing done to the engines other than normal maintenance. The 4.6 crown vics were the best units I drove. I've driven 2 350 Chevy's, one was the LT1, and 318, 360 and 440 Ply and Dodge. The 4.6 wasn't the fastest but was the most reliable that I worked out of. My 91 Chevy 350 TBI was the worst unit I drove. It was probably in the shop at least a dozen times. The 94 LT1 350 was one helluva engine. My BIL has a 2005 150 4.6 with well over 200K and as far as I know it has never had the engine worked on. Right now I am driving a 2012 F250 6.2 and I am quite pleased with it.

 

IH did the same thing to make a four for the Scout.

 

I think some people are missing the point on best and worst engines. Just because an engine puts out a f-ton of HP doesn't make it the best. Should take into account the cost of operation, availability etc. try to find a 426 hemi for cheap

My opinion's
4cyl:
First part of this thread someone said the toyota 22R was the best and i would have to agree. Reliable, very good engineering,and VW diesel 4cyl's
I-6:
Tie between the 225 slant,Ford 300 and BMW's E series inline engines
V-6:
Toyota 3.0 v6 found in Camry's and Lexus. Very reliable
V8:
Chevy 350. Sorry but this engine is a work horse.Parts are common and cheap

Worst engines
My personal opinion, every chevy and dodge 4cyl made in the 1980's