Engine Longevity ? How far can they go ?

[surfstar]

I've got 338k on my 1993 Mazda 2.0L MX6.

More outstanding is that its the original clutch still and when I first bought it at 80k miles, a hard 1-2 shift at high RPM resulting in slipping. Stopped that behaviour and no issues [knocks on wood] since.
Doesn't leak oil (slight weeps, not enough to get on the ground) and still gets 34+ MPG highway.

150-200k is nothing. Should be considered middle age at most.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Saw 520,000 on a Ford V10...not easy miles either: its in a 2000 F550 4x4 repo truck.

 

[PandaBear]

It all depends on whether there is a design error or abuse. Most engine nowadays don't die from metal fatigue or worn bearing / ring / gasket if there were no design issue or abuse (boost).

 

[MarkM66]

I also think it depends on if someone is actually paying attention to the vehicle. By that I mean, if something is a miss, does it get rectified.

Maybe it's just my area, buy when I browse car ads on craigslist, I'm surprised by how many cars have non original engines. I seriously doubt that was by fault of the car, the owner screwed something up!

 

[Bluestream]

Originally Posted By: KernelK
Originally Posted By: Bluestream
For the average person; 1-2 million miles is very doable. Most people get sick of the car before that time..


This might be overstating the case slightly when you consider the average motorist drives 12-15,000 miles a year. At 15,000 miles a year it would take over 66 years to drive a million miles.

Driving a million or two in the same vehicle is an outstanding achievment, not an average one.


That's my point.I can be done by anyone, but the average motorist never keeps the car long enough

 

[cb_13]

The most miles I ever saw was a van that had 750k on a 7.3 diesel. The guy claimed it was the original engine but who knows that was the first and only time I ever saw the vehicle. The vin tag and odometer can go 2 million miles easily if you wanna keep rebuilding around them.

 

[Cujet]

I would "guess" that most engines are capable of a solid, no-risk 250,000 miles, with regular oil changes, coolant changes, regular replacement of tune up parts and no overheating.

The problem comes in when the plastic radiator leaks, the driver does not notice the loss of coolant and the head gasket fails (or some other life reducing event occurs) .

More than anything else, regular, quality maintenance is required.

Obviously, considerably more miles can be expected with very frequent use, long trips, good luck, good design and so on.

 

[Vikas]

It is also matter of time. If you drive 10K miles per year, it will take 25 years to reach the quarter million mark and that is difficult for whole lots of reason.

On the other hand if you drive 30K miles per year, in eight years you will reach that milestone. That is not too difficult for a modern car.

Also if you are putting that many miles, those are going to be highway miles which puts considerably less stress on the drive train and rest of the vehicle. For example, you would not be opening and closing your sunroof every few miles which you might be if those were short trip. That is just a single example but similar principle applies to number of gear shifts, number of engine starts or windows up and down etc. Very few items in the car wear out based on the mileage alone. Alternator is the only thing which comes to mind, although it is also related with the engine speed and electrical load. Most everything else wears out based upon number of trips and age.

- Vikas