Originally Posted By: wemay
Volkswagen 2.0L 8v 4cyl. 1993-present
Weren't these engines prone to major oil burning, at least the earlier models through the mid to latish 90's? My unsolicited vote is for the after 1996 Ford modular engine and the earlier 2.0L Ford Zetec engine.
I believe the Iron Duke had a design problem the lead to early head gasket failure. The cylinder bores were too close and there wasn't enough sealing surface for the gasket .
Ford 3.0 Vulcans go many miles if the camshaft the sensors don't go out. You can beat the tar out of them because they HP/Liter is low they can't easily hurt themselves. About 155 HP depending on the model.
Toyota/Lexus 1UZ-FE is 1 of the most reliable V8 engine. This engine in my 1994 LS400 didn't need any work after 22 years 38x,xxx miles. Even the valve cover gaskets are original.
Ford 7.3 powerstroke, run hundreds to 200k miles or more and can't recall ever losing one. And they were not babied. Run hard, put away wet. GVW always over 12,000 lbs.