12 Of The Most Reliable V8 Engines Ever Made

Of the many existing engine configurations, few hold the history, reverence, and flexibility of the mighty V8. It has been around for well over a century and is found in cars, trucks, buses, and everything in between. Furthermore, while a V8 can be found in an amazing and exceedingly expensive hypercar like a 1,280-horsepower Koenigsegg Jesko, it can also power more ordinary cars, such as the Ford Crown Victoria.

Automakers choose V8 engines for a variety of reasons. They naturally run smoother with less vibration than a V6 or 4-cylinder and have a higher ceiling for power output. V12 engines can also produce high power but at the cost of increased complexity. Moreover, a V8 engine is relatively compact and able to fit in a wide range of vehicle applications. However, the reliability of a V8 relates directly to its manufacturing, and nothing about the V8 configuration itself guarantees a trouble-free machine. Furthermore, what constitutes reliability varies wildly. Does it require less maintenance? Will it continue running on one quart of oil? Does it break down the least? These are all valid questions, but how about which one can go for the most miles without rebuilding? That signifies long-term durability, and a durable engine is a reliable one. We searched with the final question in mind and found various examples indicating these to be the most reliable V8 engines, in no particular order, based on the most miles driven without requiring an overhaul.

Unless you are a bona fide BMW fanboy, you likely have some preconception that they are fussy and expensive German luxury cars that are unreliable and expensive to repair. Those things may be true, but the reliability factor may have more to do with poor maintenance, which can doom any car. Likewise, given proper maintenance, any car can exceed expectations. You may be surprised to hear about a BMW M5 with more than half a million miles.

The E39 BMW M5 was made from 1998 through 2004. Powering the car was a 5.0-liter V8 producing a naturally aspirated 400 horsepower. The S62 V8 engine is a highly technical engine developed using cutting-edge technology and sophisticated components to make it powerful yet refined. Potential weak spots include rod bearings, timing chains, and the VANOS variable valve timing system, all of which are very expensive to repair. However, they are also known to be strong and dependable when treated right, bucking the stereotype of German luxury sedans.

A 2002 model appeared on YouTube in 2022, showing an incredible 542,500 miles. Not only was it in excellent condition inside and out, but it was also claimed that the owner had never had the engine opened up for rebuild or repair and that it even had its original timing chain and guides. That is an impressive use of an M5, and though it may be the exception rather than the rule, it proves extra high mileage is possible from a complex BMW V8.

[Featured image by Neef - 2 via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY 2.0]

The development of the Ford Coyote V8 engine traces its roots back to 1991 when the first Modular Ford V8 engine came in the Lincoln Town Car. It was Ford's first mass-produced overhead-cam V8 engine, and it went on to be one of their most successful engines to date. Ford continued producing the 4.6-liter Modular engine through the '90s and '00s, increasing displacement and valve count, before ultimately replacing it in 2011 with a revised and upgraded version called Coyote.

Changes to the block gave it extra strength without increasing weight, but the biggest changes were in the heads. The new engine featured dual overhead cams with the game-changing Twin Independent Variable Cam Timing (Ti-VCT). This variable cam system provides dynamic control of valve timing, allowing engineers to use the ECU to manage fuel flow for incredible gains in power and efficiency.

While some may argue that complex modern engines don't have the longevity of earlier models, Ford Truck Enthusiasts interviewed a gentleman who bought a Coyote-powered 2012 F-150 in 2020 that already had 326,000 miles on it. After seeing it, he had thought it likely had about 60,000 on the odometer but was so impressed with the excellent condition of the truck, both physically and mechanically, that he bought it even after discovering the high mileage and had not experienced any problems by the time of the interview. Time will tell if it becomes another record holder, but it has already proven itself well.

Chevrolet re-engineered its line of V8 engines in the 1990s in an effort to update the technology and raise efficiency while lowering emissions. Furthermore, while its engines had been fuel-injected since the '80s, they used an inadequate throttle body fuel injection system instead of a much more efficient port fuel injection system. The Vortec 8100 lasted until 2001, ending decades of Chevy 454 production.

With its substantial 8.1 liters of displacement, the Vortec engine provides 340 horsepower and, more importantly, a significant 455 lb-ft of torque. The Drive caught wind of one that had provided a considerable amount of work even though the truck in which it sat looked a little worse for wear. Though it is not mentioned where it is located, a 2001 Chevy Silverado 3500 is still hauling loads for the owner of a salvage yard more than two decades after it left the factory. The pickup came with the 8.1-liter Vortec and is backed up by a manual transmission sending power to a single pair of wheels in the rear. The owner says that it has hauled up to 35,000 pounds of cargo while cruising at 70 mph with zero trouble.

You might think nothing of a Chevy 3500 pulling big loads, but this one looks rough. It is beat up on every panel and looks like it's held together by baling wire and hope. Yet, with more than 500,000 miles on the odometer, it continues to work, turning trash into treasure.

Around four decades worth of passenger cars and light trucks from the Ford Motor Company rolled out of the factories powered by what was essentially the same 302-cubic-inch Windsor V8 engine. Although some technical aspects would change, and a variety of updated components came attached to the block over the years, the block remained largely unchanged, with heads adapted through the years. Millions of Fords came with badges signifying the presence of a 302 V8 until 1977, with 5.0 replacing it afterward.

With the 5.0 Ford V8, the Mustang emerged in the '80s as a modern pony car, separating itself from its lowly and lethargic Mustang II predecessor and its serious lack of power. Initially, output increases were marginal, but the addition of multi-port fuel injection in the 5.0 H.O. engines made Ford automobiles competitive once again. While this engine was certainly a highlight of Ford's high-performance model, it was also found across its range of vehicles for years. The 5.0 engine was a staple for F-150 pickups, LTD Crown Victoria sedans, and Lincoln luxury vehicles.

Sometime at least 15 years ago, CNN interviewed and reported on a man in Topeka, Kansas, who drove a 1983 Lincoln Town Car. The Town Car in that year received the 5.0 Winsor engine with fuel injection, although it is a throttle body system good for only 130 horsepower. Regardless, the Town Car is built for comfort and would have been a fine place to drive a leisurely 1.3 million miles as this man did in his.

In 1991, the Lincoln Continental was an engine that represented a significant departure for an American-produced V8 engine. The engine that would eventually replace the long-lived 302 and 351 was the first regular production American V8 with overhead cams. The first variant displaced 4.6 liters, with a single cam on each head working two valves per cylinder. Its output of 190 horsepower was modest, especially by today's standards, but it represented an increase of 40 horsepower over its pushrod-based predecessor.

The Modular V8 expanded throughout the Ford lineup, eventually becoming the standard V8 on cars and trucks by the early 2000s. The 4.6-liter version powered Mustangs, Crown Victorias, and F-150s, while a 5.4-liter version later became available for trucks. When Ford developed this engine, it was looking for ways to increase efficiency while boosting power on a platform that would work with a low-stress load.

With the ample miles seen on vehicles like work trucks and taxis, plenty of Modular-driven Fords have high mileage. A video from 2013 by Schaeffer Oil shows the teardown of a 5.4-liter Modular V8 from a van used for security patrols with over a million miles on it. It had been well maintained using Schaeffer Oil products, and the internal parts came out looking extraordinarily clean with little wear. They credit the use of Schaeffer products for the engine's exceptional condition, but without a good foundation from Ford's quality manufacturing, it could not have gone that many miles in the first place.

While Mercedes-Benz vehicles are known for often being troublesome cars made with extreme sophistication and costly parts, they are also known to have built cars in the past that are incredibly durable and long-lasting. Mercedes is so proud of this fact that in the 1960s, it established a high-mileage award for owners who have taken their cars a bit further than most, and the current record holder is a Greek taxi driver who drove his 240D 2.8 million miles. However, the 240D is not a V8 vehicle.

It has been a while since this video debuted, but the YouTube channel Legit Street Cars managed to pick up a 2003 Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG with 401,000 miles. It was a one-owner car with extensive records that survived in great condition inside and out. The supercharged 32-valve V8 engine, when new, was good for 469 horsepower and made the E55 one of the fastest cars around in its day. It had always been serviced by the same dealer and still drove like new as it approached half a million miles. Based on records related to the car, the cost to keep the car going up to 400,000 miles, including tires, amounted to about $50,000 over 11 years. It may have needed some expensive repairs along the way, but the engine remained all-original and continued to run like new, even with so many miles.