What was/is the most reliable IC engine of all time?

[OVERKILL]

Gas? There are a few already mentioned (like the redblock) but my personal vote goes to the Ford 300 I6, which was used on everything from irrigation pumps to gensets to snowcats. They just ran and ran and ran.

Think we already had a thread like this a few years ago? LOL. I remember casting that same vote.

 

[Chris142]

There are some water-cooled engines along a gas line out in the desert. They are so dirty,rusty etc that I can't i d. Them. Look like they have been running since WW2. They are just chugging along

 

[OVERKILL]

There are some water-cooled engines along a gas line out in the desert. They are so dirty,rusty etc that I can't i d. Them. Look like they have been running since WW2. They are just chugging along

Snap some pics, we might be able to ID.

 

[maineiac]

We have lots of experience with the Cummins 5.9 and 6.7 ISBs. The pre common rail ISBs run forever. The common rail engines with much higher specific power don't last as long, but also run for a long time.

I also posted this here in another thread.

"John Deere 6.6L inline 6 cylinder naturally aspirated diesel. Very heavy duty and ran forever. They are the most bullet proof engine I've ever operated."

That motor is popular with Lobstermen up here - 20-30,000 hour motors and that's when operating in a horrible environment and being laid up for 6 months each year.

 

[maineiac]

Anything with a turbo


....my mistake, I thought you were asking for the least reliable engines of all time

That's a wholly inaccurate statement. All these tractor motors that are posting 1mm+ miles are turbo motors. Any motor properly designed and built for turbo application can be an uber-reliable motor - diesel or gas.

 

[Duffyjr]

GM's 3800 wasn't to bad after you fixed the upper/lower IM gaskets. A lot of them still out there.

 

[Kristian]

Nissan TD series were/ are really high quality.

 

[Oillover]

That's a wholly inaccurate statement. All these tractor motors that are posting 1mm+ miles are turbo motors. Any motor properly designed and built for turbo application can be an uber-reliable motor - diesel or gas.

In that case, the BMW N54 and N55 also should make the list of reliable motors.

 

[Aichiguy]

Toyota 1.8 (sloth)
Toyota 2.5
Ford 1.9

 

[dareo]

ALH TDI 1.9 liter was amazing for a light i4. The Cummins 5.9 12 valve with P7100 pump takes my vote for the best reliability and durability.

Gasoline? Toyotas like 3.4 and 4.7, next tier down i would place the GM 6 liter and other non AFM LS V8s.

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

Most late 90s Toyota’s?

 

[dareo]

Some people: “ford 2 valve 5.4.”

Nobody: “ford 3 valve 5.4.”

 

[spasm3]

Air cooled VW engines.

 

[UncleDave]

DD60
Cat 3406
Small block chevy 327-350.
Kubota D722.

 

[2EHA]

Air cooled VW engines.

serviceability sure, longevity is another story

 

[GSCJR]

GM's 3800 wasn't to bad after you fixed the upper/lower IM gaskets. A lot of them still out there.

This, but the generation prior to the intake manifold gasket and EGR port issues (see image). But definitely not the earlier varient we called the 3.8L that used the nylon timing gears and had a rough idle.

 

[Scuder]

Just ask the Holy Modal Rounders.

 

[CharlesInCharge]

Some good entries and I don't know the answers but I see some trends.

I didn't see anything modern, or Audi, or BMW, or VW, or Benz listed. I might have overlooked it, but so much for "German engineering, overbuilt, blah blah blah."

If I were an engineer making the best engines I could, I would take a list such as this, take the best elements of the best most robust engines made, and simply improve upon them where necessary without any major redesigns which might make the design not as good.

And this puzzles me. Why do we have so many poorly designed engines, transmissions, and widgets in the world when we know what truly works and what does not, yet we seem to continue to try to make junk when the formulas have been nearly perfected?

 

[wemay]

Toyota 5SFE 2.2L

 

[OVERKILL]

Some good entries and I don't know the answers but I see some trends.

I didn't see anything modern, or Audi, or BMW, or VW, or Benz listed. I might have overlooked it, but so much for "German engineering, overbuilt, blah blah blah."

If I were an engineer making the best engines I could, I would take a list such as this, take the best elements of the best most robust engines made, and simply improve upon them where necessary without any major redesigns which might make the design not as good.

And this puzzles me. Why do we have so many poorly designed engines, transmissions, and widgets in the world when we know what truly works and what does not, yet we seem to continue to try to make junk when the formulas have been nearly perfected?

The BMW M54 I6 is generally quite reliable, but it has some added complexity (VANOS, DEEZA valve, air injection...etc) that means it is going to require more maintenance than something like the ancient Ford 300 I6.