Plenty of modded FE's out there. There's also several engine builders that specialize in FE's. Brent Lykins, owner of Lykins Motorsports, he's backlogged on custom FE builds. Jay Brown, owner of FE Power is also a well known FE guy that has his own line of products and is also involved in bringing to market the forgotten Ford Calliope 3V, dual camshaft (in block) engine.
Bulletproof Ford Engines
- Thread starter Zee09
- Start date
Of all manufactures I-6's for the win.
So, I grew up with crown vics. I never once in my life saw or heard of one "spitting a plug". Now that I have a 2011 P7B, I read about it all the time apparently. Well, mine seems fine, and when I changed plugs, I used a beam-style torque wrench and gently spun each one to 15 ft-lb. (the manual calls for 14, but I went 1 more as it was easier to read).
The 300 I6 had like 30 hp per liter. How could it not be reliable?
FE big blocks were likely Ford's best engine, or at least of that time. They built it forever. I think the smallest was 330 or 332 - I forget exactly. They used it in heavier trucks like panel vans, etc, for decades. Biggest would have been 428 which was a high performance thing. There was also a 427 - very different bore / stroke high performance which I think is the one Carol Shelby used.
390 was very common. They used it in trucks and in some Mustangs end of 60's but also in trucks for years after. I think they migrated to 360 during the 70's fuel crunch. Was a truck only engine I believe.
Their were different versions of the blocks over the years. The HP models were 4 bolt mains. The commercial lines had bigger rod bearings IIRC.
Grew up around a bunch of them in farm country.
67+ Mustang came with a 390 option. I just never knew anyone who modified the engine - just dropped in a 427 or 428
Cadillac had a 390 as well….1959 - 1963…IIRC.
There were tunnel port heads available back then for the FE's as well as the SOHC package you could order from the dealership.
My grandfather owned an LP Gas company from the 50's through the early 80's. Did some hill climb racing and circle track stuff. Ended up becoming friends with Ed Iskenderian (Isky Cams). Isky made him adjustable shaft mount roller rockers and custom ground cam for his "service truck" that he did a 12.5:1 390 FE in running on LP Gas.
Another thing guys would do is put CJ valves in the C6AE factory heads (Edelbrock aluminum heads are basically a copy of these) for a "stealth" performance bump.
1984 Mustang with 302 V-8. Couldn't kill that engine.
4WD
$50 site donor 2025
My dad had one - 3 on the tree
4WD
$50 site donor 2025
Had 3 company cars with those - we all got a new one at 100k - but if I was paying - didn’t need a new one …
4WD
$50 site donor 2025
I know a lifetime Tundra owner who would not chance the new V6 - and decided no V6 at all. F150 FX4 - 5 point oh ! Loves it …
Yikes…
…extra bad points if the computer can barely pronounce simple words. Not the worst IVE seen… but yeah this is BAD… SAFE TO SAY: I myself couldn’t get through it.
You can always sort videos from the good to the weak when you hear the computer start talking…
…extra bad points if the computer can barely pronounce simple words. Not the worst IVE seen… but yeah this is BAD… SAFE TO SAY: I myself couldn’t get through it.- Joined
- May 8, 2023
- Messages
- 75
didn't watch the video, in my time as a car guy, primarily ford man, my favorites
1. 302/351w
2. 460
3. 2.7 EB
4. 2v modular (4.6/5.4/6.8 v10)
5. 3.0
6. 300 i6
7. 5.0 coyote
8. 7.3L Godzilla
9. 4.0
10. 2.9L
thats no particular order, but are all engines I've had great luck with or seen live incredible life spans. Never really got the ford hate, my first truck was a 89 f150 with a 302 I bought out of a junk yard, it had been towed with the driveshaft in and nuked the trans, put a 2nd hand aod in it and despite that engine being a sludge monster (wish I had pics of the valley when I did the intake manifold) I drove it another 100k on top of the 280k recorded on a notebook in the glove box and I haven't been failed yet.
1. 302/351w
2. 460
3. 2.7 EB
4. 2v modular (4.6/5.4/6.8 v10)
5. 3.0
6. 300 i6
7. 5.0 coyote
8. 7.3L Godzilla
9. 4.0
10. 2.9L
thats no particular order, but are all engines I've had great luck with or seen live incredible life spans. Never really got the ford hate, my first truck was a 89 f150 with a 302 I bought out of a junk yard, it had been towed with the driveshaft in and nuked the trans, put a 2nd hand aod in it and despite that engine being a sludge monster (wish I had pics of the valley when I did the intake manifold) I drove it another 100k on top of the 280k recorded on a notebook in the glove box and I haven't been failed yet.
Did you guys get the 'Sigma' over there? They were a 4 cylinder 16v DOHC all aluminium engine available in 1.25, 1.4, 1.6 and 1.7 litres.
They sold tons of them over here. They came in loads of Fords from the late 90's and I believe the very last of them were in the KA+. I believe Mazda fitted them to the Mazda3 and 121 also. Some had variable timing, most fixed cam. There was a spicy 155bhp version of the 1.7 in the Ford Racing Puma that would rev to well over 7000rpm.
I may be wrong, but I'm sure the 1.6 4 cylinder Ecoboost was derived from the Sigma too.
Early models were badged 'Zetec S' on the rocker cover, then they changed it to 'Zetec SE' and later versions just got called the Duratec or Duratec Ti-VCT if it had variable timing.
The things were utterly bulletproof!
My Mother gave me her 2003 Ford Focus back in 2010. It was a 1.6 'Zetec SE' with 79k on the clock. I fitted a set of Shawspeed SS4 cams with some adjustable cam pulleys, some ARP big end bolts and a 1.7 VCT inlet manifold with a 2.0 Zetec throttle body and the thing gained 60% more power and used to sing to 7,800rpm.
They sold tons of them over here. They came in loads of Fords from the late 90's and I believe the very last of them were in the KA+. I believe Mazda fitted them to the Mazda3 and 121 also. Some had variable timing, most fixed cam. There was a spicy 155bhp version of the 1.7 in the Ford Racing Puma that would rev to well over 7000rpm.
I may be wrong, but I'm sure the 1.6 4 cylinder Ecoboost was derived from the Sigma too.
Early models were badged 'Zetec S' on the rocker cover, then they changed it to 'Zetec SE' and later versions just got called the Duratec or Duratec Ti-VCT if it had variable timing.
The things were utterly bulletproof!
My Mother gave me her 2003 Ford Focus back in 2010. It was a 1.6 'Zetec SE' with 79k on the clock. I fitted a set of Shawspeed SS4 cams with some adjustable cam pulleys, some ARP big end bolts and a 1.7 VCT inlet manifold with a 2.0 Zetec throttle body and the thing gained 60% more power and used to sing to 7,800rpm.
Early Focus had the zetec. I don’t remember too much about them though other than the 2.0/6spd manual svt version being rev happy & having no overdrive gear(6th was 1:1).
Not sure about the 1.6 but always thought the 2.0 ecoboost was based on the ford/mazda disi 2.3.
