How many miles do you have on your engine?

Everything to do with engines, options, upgrades.
dblcola
Posts: 21
Joined: August 24th, 2016, 12:31 pm
Location: 1997 Premier

Re: How many miles do you have on your engine?

Post by dblcola »

Had 68K on our 97 model and its in the shop getting a remanufactured one installed this week. Started using oil intermittently and then hydraulically locked up about two weeks ago. The Chinook had sat for about 9 years , in an airplane hanger, before we purchased it. We put about 3k on it since purchasing it. Lucky us. lol
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Blue~Go
Senior Member
Posts: 3716
Joined: July 31st, 2014, 1:01 am
Location: 1999 Concourse

Re: How many miles do you have on your engine?

Post by Blue~Go »

Geez, that's a bummer. I don't totally understand that (hydraulically locked), but then I'm not a mechanic so no reason I would. Now I'm curious though.

There is another member (bfischer I think), who had to replace his engine (V10) on the way home from picking up his Chinook (!). However, it had a lot of miles on it (maybe 150k or so? IIRC), and the prior owners helped him out with the cost. But, that said, he's clearly enjoyed his Chinook for many years and many, many miles and trips since then. Just to let you know that there are likely better times ahead.

Is yours a V10? (Asking because there is the possibility it would be on a 1996 chassis and thus have a 460 or other previous gen engine. 1997 was Ford's first year for the V10 in the E-Series)
1999 Concourse
dblcola
Posts: 21
Joined: August 24th, 2016, 12:31 pm
Location: 1997 Premier

Re: How many miles do you have on your engine?

Post by dblcola »

When it locked up the intake gasket had broke allowing coolant to leak into the engine cylinders and filled some up so it couldn't rotate. Happened out of the blue.

Yes its the V-10

Not an expert on why but I think by allowing the Chinook to set for so long a lot of the gaskets probably dried out or became stiff.

We had already put on 6 new tires and 3 batteries.

It was using a fair amount of oil so I am probably better off and now we have a warranty.

I am so glad it happened at the house and not on the road.
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Blue~Go
Senior Member
Posts: 3716
Joined: July 31st, 2014, 1:01 am
Location: 1999 Concourse

Re: How many miles do you have on your engine?

Post by Blue~Go »

Okay, I remember you now: You have (had?) the Auto Drains and an awning to install.

On the engine: Well that's a bummer :( And I'm sure not an expense you were super eager to have. On the other hand, you have a nice, shiny, stored-indoors Chinook with new batteries and new tires. And you'll have a new engine wherein you know every mile. I hope you have lots of trip tales (and fun type fixups) in future with your "new" Chinook :)
1999 Concourse
dblcola
Posts: 21
Joined: August 24th, 2016, 12:31 pm
Location: 1997 Premier

Re: How many miles do you have on your engine?

Post by dblcola »

Yes you've got me pegged and we are looking forward to using it a lot in the future. Thanks
dblcola
Posts: 21
Joined: August 24th, 2016, 12:31 pm
Location: 1997 Premier

Re: How many miles do you have on your engine?

Post by dblcola »

Well I'm happy to report we're on the road again with 25 miles on the motor.

I feel like the fellow who jumped off the top of a 10 story building. Every time he passed a floor he said so far so good. ;)
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Blue~Go
Senior Member
Posts: 3716
Joined: July 31st, 2014, 1:01 am
Location: 1999 Concourse

Re: How many miles do you have on your engine?

Post by Blue~Go »

That's a good visual :lol:

I had my transmission beefed up (I think I've told the tale elsewhere here). Basically, I had an issue that could have resulted in a bunch of damage, but I caught it before that happened. BUT, since I was at a fabulous shop, and I have read of many rebuilds, I had them not just fix the problem, but take it apart and strengthen a whole bunch of things. Even though it was then much better than new, you can bet I drove a bit "mentally gingerly" for the first thousand miles or so.

Now the time I was REALLY nervous, was when the rear end went out in a previous vehicle. I got a used one from a junkyard, and then proceeded to (seemingly) remove half of the back of the car :o Not only did I put in a "well I HOPE it's fine" used part, but I replaced a bunch of suspension bushings and other things while I was in there. First time job, no direct experience. I did have a Haines type manual.

Left the friend's shop (where I had a place to work indoors) at dusk and drove four hours home. Whew was I nervous! But when I stopped driving that car -- around two years and 40,000 miles later -- everything was still just peachy. So it can work out :)

Here's to many good miles and trips Chinooking!
1999 Concourse
dsh
Posts: 16
Joined: March 9th, 2016, 9:49 am

Re: How many miles do you have on your engine?

Post by dsh »

We have a 2000 Concourse with V10. We have 86,000 miles and "Seymour" runs like a top.
b6fischer
Posts: 82
Joined: August 4th, 2014, 7:56 am

Re: How many miles do you have on your engine?

Post by b6fischer »

1997 Concourse. V10 catastrophic failure at 143,000. Rocker arm broke, dropped into cylinder, and rod through the block. I had to get off the side of the interstate and was able to start the engine twice and bump the trans to get over a RR Xing and get off side of road.

As long as the spark plugs at torqued to spec, the pre-2003 Chinooks won't have the dreaded spark plug failure. The good news is if it happens you can just unplug the coil and injector to get home. These engine run great on nine cylinders...
1997 Chinook Concourse, over 200,000 Miles
dougm
Senior Member
Posts: 516
Joined: June 7th, 2016, 9:25 pm

Re: How many miles do you have on your engine?

Post by dougm »

The V10's have some issues, one being they have a history of blowing spark plugs out of the cylinder head because of poor manufacturing standards which ford would never admit to. The other issue is sucking oil into the intake manifold via the PCV until the crankcase is virtually void of oil, the pickups had the same issue and ford manufactured a different valve cover with baffling to address the issue but for whatever reason it doesnt appear they ever addressed the issue on the Vans. I have 10 new spark plugs sitting here but im afraid to even change them for fear of them blowing out after i change them. I have also heard of the intake manifold gasket leaking coolant, the only issue i heard about from the coolant leak was the coolant getting down around the sparkplugs and causing the coils to misfire which in turn throws a MIL and code.
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