Lifetime of the Internal Combustion Engine

[Gene K]

Ive seen Large Diesels (CAT 3406E) with 2.1 million miles and heard claims as high as 2.7 million. Irv Gordon's P1800S Volvo Gas Engine has been over 2 million miles since its last overhaul (He overhauled at 680,000 miles as preventative maintenance which appeared to be unneeded).

What is the theoretical limit for an internal combustion engine?

 

[chet2]

who knows?...engines can take a lot of abuse and the way you are talking 3 million miles is very doable...engines and oil quality are great now

 

[Ben99GT]

Doug Schell's "million mile van" is up to 1,217,011 miles now. 1997 5.4 2V with no overhauls.

Other than that Volvo, I don't know of another gas engine with that kind of mileage.

 

[Popinski]

What about that SAAB 900 with 2,000,000 miles with the turbo that was original and still working?? I saw it at the Detroit Auto show. The owner used nothing but Mobil 1. SAAB gave him a free viggen.

If I ever buy a new car, I will use nothing but Mobil 1 or Amsoil throughout its whole life.

 

[ekpolk]

Originally Posted By: Popinski
...

If I ever buy a new car, I will use nothing but Mobil 1 or Amsoil throughout its whole life.
I wouldn't really fault you for that choice, but a counter-point would be that Doug Schell has used nothing but plain conventional oil in the "Million Mile Van". What's probably lurking in the background is that the driving pattern necessary to accumulate these sorts of mileage totals would usually be those that demand the very least from an oil. That would be very, very long range steady cruising with a corresponding tiny number of cold starts per mile driven.

 

[StevieC]

+1 EKPOLK, I thought the same thing...

A great accomplishment for the van but in retrospect not that big of a deal considering the truck spent most of its time running and at a constant temperature and so did the oil causing minimal wear and demands on the engine/oil.

Cold starting and the constant heating and cooling of engine parts is what kills and engine and puts stress on the oil.

 

[Scienceman]

Of all the engines I have seen, The 7.6L International seems to withstand the most miles.

Anyway..I would love to see a million mile car in person!!!!

 

[Nick R]

Million mile van updates. Transmission called it quits finally, and rear end screamin. Engine running a bit rough too he said, time for tune up. Amazing though
http://www.millionmilevan.com/

 

[Ben99GT]

Originally Posted By: Popinski
What about that SAAB 900 with 2,000,000 miles with the turbo that was original and still working?? I saw it at the Detroit Auto show. The owner used nothing but Mobil 1. SAAB gave him a free viggen.


Never heard of it.

 

[StevieC]

Originally Posted By: Ben99GT
Originally Posted By: Popinski
What about that SAAB 900 with 2,000,000 miles with the turbo that was original and still working?? I saw it at the Detroit Auto show. The owner used nothing but Mobil 1. SAAB gave him a free viggen.


Never heard of it.
Me either...

 

[Drew99GT]

Originally Posted By: Ben99GT
Doug Schell's "million mile van" is up to 1,217,011 miles now. 1997 5.4 2V with no overhauls.

Other than that Volvo, I don't know of another gas engine with that kind of mileage.


Two Chevys have done it.

I'm guessing they don't burn a quart of oil per tank of gas like the Ford. Ouch!

 

[StevieC]

Too bad they aren't like that anymore...

 

[Drew99GT]

Million mile Lincoln Town car. Haven't seen any million mile Toyotas, Hondas, or Nissans.

 

[Popinski]

Originally Posted By: StevieC
Originally Posted By: Ben99GT
Originally Posted By: Popinski
What about that SAAB 900 with 2,000,000 miles with the turbo that was original and still working?? I saw it at the Detroit Auto show. The owner used nothing but Mobil 1. SAAB gave him a free viggen.


Never heard of it.
Me either...


I was wrong.

It was only 1,000,000 miles and he got a 9-5 Aero.

http://www.saabusa.com/saabjsp/about/pr_061218.jsp

 

[rjundi]

Originally Posted By: Popinski
Originally Posted By: StevieC
Originally Posted By: Ben99GT
Originally Posted By: Popinski
What about that SAAB 900 with 2,000,000 miles with the turbo that was original and still working?? I saw it at the Detroit Auto show. The owner used nothing but Mobil 1. SAAB gave him a free viggen.


Never heard of it.
Me either...


I was wrong.

It was only 1,000,000 miles and he got a 9-5 Aero.

http://www.saabusa.com/saabjsp/about/pr_061218.jsp


Very impressive for a turbo charger to last that long beyond a turbo application engine.

 

[Ben99GT]

Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
Originally Posted By: Ben99GT
Doug Schell's "million mile van" is up to 1,217,011 miles now. 1997 5.4 2V with no overhauls.

Other than that Volvo, I don't know of another gas engine with that kind of mileage.


Two Chevys have done it.

Either one make it to 1.2 million miles with more left?

Quote:
I'm guessing they don't burn a quart of oil per tank of gas like the Ford. Ouch!

A 350 Chevy? They were probably fumigating traffic at 150K...

 

[Drew99GT]

The craziest thing about that Ford van - original water pump and rad hoses!

 

[01rangerxl]

Originally Posted By: Nick R
Million mile van updates. Transmission called it quits finally, and rear end screamin. Engine running a bit rough too he said, time for tune up. Amazing though
http://www.millionmilevan.com/


That's cool he decided to rebuild the trans and not junk it yet.

IIRC, I read somewhere he was changing the transmission fluid every 50K miles. I don't remember reading anything about rear diff OCIs though. I wonder if the factory fill was still in it?

 

[01rangerxl]

Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
Originally Posted By: Ben99GT
Doug Schell's "million mile van" is up to 1,217,011 miles now. 1997 5.4 2V with no overhauls.

Other than that Volvo, I don't know of another gas engine with that kind of mileage.


Two Chevys have done it.

I'm guessing they don't burn a quart of oil per tank of gas like the Ford. Ouch!

I think there was another one too. K&N used it in their ads for a while because that's the filter the owner used. I believe the truck was a 1998ish K2500 with either a Vortec 350 or 454.

There was also an issue of "My Ford" (magazine provided by some dealers with new cars) that had an article about a 1980 or 81 F-100 with a million miles on it.

 

[chet2]

that was hilarious reading about million mile van...he does not change oil until it turns black somewhere between 10-20000 miles...one time he went 55000 miles between oil changes...i give up, no more 6k oil changes anymore...15k with cheapest oil i can find