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Production of the 2-v modulars ended a few years back. Guys who want to restore their no getting pretty old trucks are going to have no choice but to rebuild. Someone has got to have figured out how to build them by now. Sniff the exhaust. Smell like antifreeze? thats a problem.
It not a lack of knowing how. Its how mass production lines work.
I always say, your not buying a new engine when you get a remanufactured engine, your getting a lease on life for an older vehicle, a mass produced replacement. Dont expect 200K out of it. Expect 50K. Be ecstatic if you get 100k. Parts are re-used if they meet specs, and new parts can be of questionable quality and origin. For instance, stock powder metallurgy rods shouldnt be reused.....but are. But what to expect for $2500? You do get a 3yr 100k warranty with some. As long as you follow rules on frequent oil changes evey 3000 and document. However, if you have a problem you have to send engine back. They need to see the heat tabs to know it wasnt overheated, etc. This costs you time and money, which is what most people gripe about. However, many MANY people with prior hg failures have put crap into their cooling systems and poor cooling happens after engine replacement. Some vendors REQUIRE radiator replacement and receipt when engine is replaced to warranty due to this.
If you had a top rebuild done with best quality parts you would spend thousands more. Some cheap ones arent necessarily remanufactured as they are repaired. Only a few cyls bored oversize, etc instead of all. Does it really make a difference? probably not . But looks bad. Ford authorized remanufacturers have ford specs, other companies may simply attempt to reverse-engineer them. Possibly with poorer results.
That said...they arent as bad as some make them out to be. Todays best remanufacturers have the highest tech laser computerized laser measurement equipment and know what they are doing . Engines are computer spin tested for compression and oil pressure before shipment, etc. If they all failed in the warranty period, these mfgs would not be in business. Theres a few things that an installer and owner can do wrong with initial oiling and startup too, that can contribute to early failure. ? But plenty of mistakes can occur on mass production assembly lines too.
I have an AER engine, runs like a top perfect at closing in on 30k. I see no reason I wont get over 100k with this engine. Would I trust it to tow 7000 lb routinely? No. Would I abuse it playing in the mud with 44" tires? No.
The local installation shop that put mine in does a lot of engines, 4 bays. At 2.5 days per, probably 8 engines a week, 400 engines a year of all types. The owner told me they never see any problems with the 5.4 2V engine, and they had done many. They use AER, which does fords reman. The AER engine you get may be different from the one Ford sells direct, unknown. But my engine came with motorcraft plugs, motorcraft tstat. Did not come prefilled with oil like the one ford sells does. The installer used special oil for break in, and you have to change at 500, 1000, 1500, 3000, then every 3000 after. No synthetic for first 6000 miles . Synthetic will prevent rings from seating , and can burnish/extrude the crosshatch edges instead, and reduce their ability to hold oil. No highway driving at sustained rpm for first several thousand miles, etc. I followed their instructions on oil and break in to a T, no problems.
my one problem...they didnt reseat my power steering pulley all the way and I chewed up a couple belts before I figured it out.
It not a lack of knowing how. Its how mass production lines work.
I always say, your not buying a new engine when you get a remanufactured engine, your getting a lease on life for an older vehicle, a mass produced replacement. Dont expect 200K out of it. Expect 50K. Be ecstatic if you get 100k. Parts are re-used if they meet specs, and new parts can be of questionable quality and origin. For instance, stock powder metallurgy rods shouldnt be reused.....but are. But what to expect for $2500? You do get a 3yr 100k warranty with some. As long as you follow rules on frequent oil changes evey 3000 and document. However, if you have a problem you have to send engine back. They need to see the heat tabs to know it wasnt overheated, etc. This costs you time and money, which is what most people gripe about. However, many MANY people with prior hg failures have put crap into their cooling systems and poor cooling happens after engine replacement. Some vendors REQUIRE radiator replacement and receipt when engine is replaced to warranty due to this.
If you had a top rebuild done with best quality parts you would spend thousands more. Some cheap ones arent necessarily remanufactured as they are repaired. Only a few cyls bored oversize, etc instead of all. Does it really make a difference? probably not . But looks bad. Ford authorized remanufacturers have ford specs, other companies may simply attempt to reverse-engineer them. Possibly with poorer results.
That said...they arent as bad as some make them out to be. Todays best remanufacturers have the highest tech laser computerized laser measurement equipment and know what they are doing . Engines are computer spin tested for compression and oil pressure before shipment, etc. If they all failed in the warranty period, these mfgs would not be in business. Theres a few things that an installer and owner can do wrong with initial oiling and startup too, that can contribute to early failure. ? But plenty of mistakes can occur on mass production assembly lines too.
I have an AER engine, runs like a top perfect at closing in on 30k. I see no reason I wont get over 100k with this engine. Would I trust it to tow 7000 lb routinely? No. Would I abuse it playing in the mud with 44" tires? No.
The local installation shop that put mine in does a lot of engines, 4 bays. At 2.5 days per, probably 8 engines a week, 400 engines a year of all types. The owner told me they never see any problems with the 5.4 2V engine, and they had done many. They use AER, which does fords reman. The AER engine you get may be different from the one Ford sells direct, unknown. But my engine came with motorcraft plugs, motorcraft tstat. Did not come prefilled with oil like the one ford sells does. The installer used special oil for break in, and you have to change at 500, 1000, 1500, 3000, then every 3000 after. No synthetic for first 6000 miles . Synthetic will prevent rings from seating , and can burnish/extrude the crosshatch edges instead, and reduce their ability to hold oil. No highway driving at sustained rpm for first several thousand miles, etc. I followed their instructions on oil and break in to a T, no problems.
my one problem...they didnt reseat my power steering pulley all the way and I chewed up a couple belts before I figured it out.
I've seen many a remanudactured engine last 100k+ Not modular ford engines but plenty of others and I dont think mod motors are that special. You should be able to rebuild an engine and expect a good long life out of it. Most of the parts that get reconditioned simply dont wear out. Rods for instance. How can a reconditioned rod be any worse then a new one? Now if your building a high horsepower race engine thats a different deal and even new stock rods arent going to cut it. The future is going to be all about rebuilding these engines. The days of being able to find decent used ones in wrecking yards are just about over.
I've seen many a remanudactured engine last 100k+ Not modular ford engines but plenty of others and I dont think mod motors are that special. You should be able to rebuild an engine and expect a good long life out of it. Most of the parts that get reconditioned simply dont wear out. Rods for instance. How can a reconditioned rod be any worse then a new one? Now if your building a high horsepower race engine thats a different deal and even new stock rods arent going to cut it. The future is going to be all about rebuilding these engines. The days of being able to find decent used ones in wrecking yards are just about over.
Rods are a stress part, and it is a no-no to reuse the powder metal rods from a high mileage engine. But Im 100% sure it happens with some engines.
They been remanufacturing modular engines since they were introduced. 20 yrs.
Ford pioneered the engine remanufacturing business after WWII, as a way to give ford owners reliable economical engines to extend life of vehicle. Late 1940s was when america became an automobile nation.
Companies like Fred Jones and AER have been partnered with Ford, remanufacturing their engines for them, since 1947. These companies came into being ...expressly to remanufacture engines for Ford.
Production of the 2-v modulars ended a few years back. Guys who want to restore their no getting pretty old trucks are going to have no choice but to rebuild. Someone has got to have figured out how to build them by now. Sniff the exhaust. Smell like antifreeze? thats a problem.
I'd pull the top cover off your radiator and check the seals on your radiator tanks. The seal between the plastic and aluminum likes to leak, and it is almost impossible to see without removing the cover.
****Update***** Coolant leak started to get much worse last 500 miles, still no visible leak on the outside, pull it into my dads garage to finally pull the intake. unscrewed the oil fill cap to find
Idk about you but that's green water in my book. Pulled the intake and everything looked sealed up good was not going into the intake.
Called the warranty people. Now i understand they probably get alot of people who claim to be master mechanics, but i told guy i had excessive white build up on the oil fill cap and down inside. Now in past with my f150 that also sat alot i would get this but not nearly this amount. So he tells me its normal and maybe sometimes you just want something so bad you maybe just imagined the green in the oil milk..... Well i got the pictures so im going to try to some how send them. Here is my thoughts: 1) That is 100% coolant mixed into the oil in the picture. 2) Oil in the crank is not milky at all. 3) Leads me to think cracked head letting coolant into the head where its getting hot and steaming with the oil and is why its not mixing with oil in the crank....?? maybe im crazy. But thats only thought how there can bee visible coolant in oil milk in the head but no coolant in oil in the crank and no driveabilty issues... Warranty guy suggested that "if" is coolant in oil could be the oil filter adapter that bolts onto the block where coolant also runs too. but IMO that would make the crank case oil milky with out a doubt.
Going to try to get photos to em and see how goes from there.
Believe it or not the gunk on the oil cap is normal although that does look like allot of it. It is normal for the oil cap to get a build up like that though. Drain the oil. if there is coolant in it you see it. oil and coolant dont mix it will float to the top..
Believe it or not the gunk on the oil cap is normal although that does look like allot of it. It is normal for the oil cap to get a build up like that though. Drain the oil. if there is coolant in it you see it. oil and coolant dont mix it will float to the top..
Yeah it's way more build up then my ,f150 ever got. And the green specs in it is clearly visible.
I'll drain the oil but my experience in past of coolant mixing with oil it's always goes milky. I've never had it perfectly float on top. Always looked that even on dip stick picture for color reference only
Cracked the drain plug just enough and antifreeze started dripping so. Crazy I've never had it not mix into milk. Have to pull oil filter adaptor to satisfy them and them
Going to present all info to them and see how it goes.
02-25-2017, 02:32 PM
. Well i got the pictures so im going to try to some how send them. Here is my thoughts: 1) That is 100% coolant mixed into the oil in the picture. 2) Oil in the crank is not milky at all. 3) Leads me to think cracked head letting coolant into the head where its getting hot and steaming with the oil and is why its not mixing with oil in the crank....?? maybe im crazy. But thats only thought how there can bee visible coolant in oil milk in the head but no coolant in oil in the crank and no driveabilty issues... Warranty guy suggested that "if" is coolant in oil could be the oil filter adapter that bolts onto the block where coolant also runs too. but IMO that would make the crank case oil milky with out a doubt.
