You're not up to the miles yet. The 3 valve is terrible. It's well known of its problems. Oil tunnels in the head are too small. Rocker oil holes wear out. Mine did make it to 215k but then the whole top and front end needed replaced. And that's with always synthetic oil changed every 5k. My 2 valve van I only sold due to body rust. The engine was at 250k with nothing major ever, and I didn't care for it like I have the Expy engine.
Water pump?
- Thread starter blackedoutlimited
- Start date
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Trainmaster
Old School Member
Not bad for what you think is one of the least reliable engines made. I've accepted at once an engine reaches 150K or so they are on borrowed time. Sure, most last a lot longer but I think 200K miles is a pretty good longevity.
maxxplatinum9137
Well-Known Member
@Thomas D this would be your pink fluid. Check your turbos and your water pump. Guarantee it’s coolant
Motorcity muscle
Full Access Members
Your not happy because the the engine was done at 200,000+ miles. Still do not see your point about the three valve 5.4, any engine that makes it to 200 is what I would call a great engine.
Brons2
Well-Known Member
Look at the statement I responded to. People who own 5.4 3Vs shouldn't throw shade on the Ecoboost. The weaknesses of the 5.4 3V engine are well known, do I really need to run down the list? Sure they can be made more reliable if you plan on a complete timing components change every 100-150K or so.
I'm not talking trash, I'm talking reality. I own a 5.4 3V with 144K, I have skin in the game here. There's no way I'd turn down a brand new Ecoboost over a 5.4 3V, all other things being equal. A V8 is not automatically better. The EB has way more mid range power and driven conservatively will get better mileage.
Of course neither gets great mileage, it takes energy to move a 6000 pound vehicle around.
Regarding the 2V motors, they are much more reliable but one might argue they don't make enough power to hurt themselves
Brons2
Well-Known Member
215K is pretty good. Mine is at 144K and I have the parts to do the full timing job, front and top, in the garage. I'm going with the spring actuated tensioners and high volume oil pump as well.
Running thicker oil definitely quiets things down with the phasers, rough idle and noisy starts if you're having those like I am, but it's a band aid not a permanent fix.
Back to the original topic, Water pump leak. I have a 2017 King Ranch EL. Last year, around this time of year (I live in Delaware) I saw a rather large puddle of coolant under the vehicle. I removed all the "underware" from under the engine and I could see the coolant dripping from bottom of the engine but never found the smoking gun. I left the covers off and watched this thing for about 3 days. No leaks came back. This year, when the outside temp dropped, we got in the car to leave and got NO heat from the blower. The water temp on the gauge showed normal. When we got home, I found massive drips under the vehicle again. Again, I removed the under covers and could not find any active leaks. I refilled the reservior and the interior heat came back. I know it was very low on coolant, but I still cannot find the leak. I see a dark mark similar to, but not as bad, as the original post but I do not see anything dripping. Now, a day or 2 later, it is not leaking again. Is there somthing on the water pump that could randomly leak but then seal itself again? Kinda like a hose when it's cold outside that leaks but when the motor heats up the leak stops? Any insight would be greatly appreciated.
99WhiteC5Coupe
Full Access Members
Based upon my experience (see post #2) - I would suspect your water pump is leaking.
Mine only leaked with the engine running and warmed-up (2015 model). Two trips to the dealer. On the second trip, I insisted the technician examine the vehicle from underneath. He found dried coolant residue around the water pump and said it had a slow leak.
Due to the expansion and contraction of various components with heat and cooling, your leak could be intermittent (and only when driving at speed with the engine warmed up)?
Thanks for your response. I'm used to working on old vehicles (1964 1/2 Mustang, 64 TBird, 1984 Blazer...etc) and back then, the pressure relief on the water pump was plug that would pop and not close again. Is that the same for the newer water pumps or is it possible that the overpressure valve on the water pumps now close after they've popped? I have a theory, I may have a slow leak somewhere. When the coolant level gets too low and the engine get too hot without fluid, the pressure valve on the water pump pops and spews coolant. Since I've refilled the coolant, about 1 week ago, I've seen no leaks again. I've left the under carriage covers off so I have a better handle on when it starts leaking. I really don't want to pull this thing apart if I'm not sure that's the issue. It's the wife's car and she paid a pretty penny for it.
sub0cool
Active Member
Yeah water pump. Tascaparta.com got the part and swapped it. Recommend doing the front of the engine pullies and bet while you have it apart. Silly simple change, didn’t take long at all to do.
