I'm sorry but they are pushing things way too far with all the VVT and direct injection.
It is a shame. They had engines pretty much figured out and perfected. Only problems were underbuilt parts and cheap plastic intakes etc.
Now for that "holy" increase in MPG they are pulling out a lot of stops. Not like this stuff is really new...just that is wasn't worth it for them to bother.
So do we blame the govt for requiring better MPG? I sure do!! But it wasn't worth it for car companies to use these designs and now they are running out of choices.
Pluses and minuses with all designs....and for me and many others the minuses way outweigh the positives.
Extra maintenance and repairs, often reduced longevity.
I really don't count two engines having the same longevity if one has 250K and has never had the valve covers off and the other has had the heads off. NOT the same to me.
They have exceeded the power levels that normal vehicles need or most people will ever use so also a waste.
2200 PSI direct inj mechanical pump just ****** me off!!!
We have left the Golden Age of automobile engines. We might end up in another good period and get back to where we were with low maintenance and repairs with long lifespan but t will be a good number of years if they get to there.
For the near future expect more and more new cars to become this way and the typical vehicle engine to need regular maintenance and even internal engine repairs at under 120-150K. When they are all this way we will have little choice and it will be the "norm" so it becomes acceptable. BULLCRAP!!!
Why is it only old people put their foot down and ***** and complain and point out things the way they are and what's wrong with the situation and why it shouldn't be that way???
Most just rationalize it and accept it WAY too easily.
On a positive note.
We had the golden age of muscle cars in the 60-70s and thought it was all over with the anemic 80-90s cars. Then HP came back (AND NO! It wasn't because of "technology" like direct injection) They could have done all of that in the 80s...It just wasn't cool or acceptable to society, parents, insurance companies, law enforcement etc.
They have surpassed the acceleration of the old cars...(of course they can do that with electric cars too)
Maybe after we are over the growing pains now, we will end up in a 2nd great longevity cheap cost of ownership/maintenance period and we might think of a 2004 5.4 as archaic and old design as a hand crank model T.
But following the trends now we will probably migrate toward all electric and gas won't evolve much more....for a while.
Humans have this ridiculous habit of getting bored and messing with things that don't need to be messed with. I'm fine with researchers and inventors doing crazy things but mainstream- if it ain't broke. don't fix it.
All big cycle and circles.
I can see the day when electric cars have dominated for 50-75 years and then a slightly new "technology" allows intenal combustion to do something better than it used to....and here come the new style engines- again!!!
Sad part of life. It is not new and exciting at all. It's a waste of time and effort and always destined to repeat itself.
Tick tick tick tick rattle rattle.
I had a tick in my Town Car 4.6 about 4 time after colder temp start up after about 40 seconds running. It would go away in few minutes or if I turned it off and restarted it would be gone.
I changed the oil and after about 3 days I haven't heard it since. That was 4 years ago.
That was at 218K. now coming up on 250.
They can keep their WAY OVERPRICED, maintenance and repair intensive newer vehicles!
