Ford has used many engines in its vehicles throughout the years. Unfortunately, some engines are not as reliable and durable as other choices – case in point, the Ford V10. The Ford V10, also known as the Ford Modular engine, is Ford’s overhead camshaft V8 and V10 small-engine family. Regarding prices, the average Ford V10 engine replacement cost will range between $3,000 and $4,000.
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Ford V10 Engine
A V8 engine is a type of mechanism that contains eight-piston cylinders, while a V10 engine is a ten piston-cylinder engine, with the cylinders arranged in a
V-formation around the same crankshaft.
Within this engine family, the new “modular approach” involved engines that used faster changeovers when alternating between engine platforms in the Ford V10 family. This quick-changing allowed engine plants and the production centers to enjoy shorter production periods, leading to increased productivity and profit.
The different engine types in the Ford Modular engine family includes the V8 engines, with varying cc outputs and liters, and the Ford V10 – a 6,802 cc, 6.8-liter, 415 cubic inch mechanism used in different vehicles. Even with use in different Ford cars, the expensive Ford V10 engine replacement cost has deterred some car buyers from purchasing one Ford vehicle.
This kind of engine represents a huge change in the way Ford produced engines and did business. Although cars on the market typically used V6 or V8 engines, a V10 revolutionized truck performance on the road. When looking at the Ford V10 engine, you can think of this mechanism as a 4.0-liter V6 engine with four extra cylinders for added power.
Spark Plug Concerns
Despite being new in production and construction, many faults caused unreliability in this engine type. One of the main faults of the early V10 engine is the possibility of hte spark plugs blowing out of the cylinder head. Since Ford used a cast iron engine block, the centrally-located spark plugs could waste ignition and lead to overheating.
The aluminum cylinder heads on the two-cylinder engines have an unfortunate flaw in the spark plug threads. The cylinder head is made of soft aluminum – this means that the material does not have much strength in the first place. When you add that to the spark plugs’ location, the plugs have no chance of withstanding the high temperatures.
Now that we know one of the main reasons your Ford V10 replacement cost may be higher, you also need to know the most common vehicles with engine issues due to being fitted with the Ford V10 engine.
Ford V10 Specs – Ford V10 Engine Replacement Cost
The 6.8-liter V10 engine is a different type of the Modular family used in specifically large trucks produced by Ford. The bore and stroke of the Ford V10 is approximately 3.5 inches x 4.16 inches, which is almost identical to the stat and numbers produced by the 5.4-liter V8 engine in the same family.
Both the 2-valve and 3-valve options produced by Ford have been utilized in many cars, with either option using a balance shaft to minimize vibrations. Although this Ford V10 engine has been used in many models, potential car buyers need to consider the high Ford V10 engine replacement cost.
Ford E250-E450
One car that uses the Ford V10 engine is the Ford E250-E450 produced between 1997 and 2004, with the Ford E-series still in production today. This car is a full-size van produced by Ford as a replacement for the Ford F-series panel vans. In the 1997 model year, the E-series underwent numerous changes in terms of the engine lineup, leading to a higher Ford V10 engine replacement cost.
The 7.3 diesel engine remained, but a 4.2-lit4r V6 engine replaced the inline-6 engine option, and the notorious 6.98-liter Ford V10 engine replaced the 7.5-liter V8. Unfortunately, the model years between 1997 and 2004 had a higher Ford V10 engine replacement cost than the previous models.
The worst model years of the Ford E350 focused on the 2001 and 2006 years, with 2001 focusing on spark plug concerns and engine durability issues. Owners of the Ford E-350 started the engine block cracked, the pistons warped, and the car stalled while driving, all of which can cause an extremely high Ford V10 engine replacement cost – sometimes at even $10,000 in the 2006 Ford E-350.
Ford F250-F550
The F250-F550 was part of the Ford Super Duty vehicles, a series of trucks manufactured from the 1999 model year until the present. The first generation of the Ford Super Duty was also known as the Ford F-250 or the Ford-F550, with the latter introducing the chassis cab truck platform. The V8 and Ford V10 engine introduce a fail-safe cooling system to prevent the engine from overheating and protect the mechanism against cooling loss. If the engine should overheat, the engine would only function using half of its cylinders, preventing an internal fire.
Even with this safety mechanism, the overall Ford V10 engine replacement cost in the 1999-2004 years dissuaded some potential car owners from buying the Ford F-250 or Ford F-550 truck. The worst model years of the Ford F-250 are the 2011 and 2003 model years, with 2011 having the highest number of concerns.
The engine issues in the 2011 Ford F-250 focused on the engine throwing a rod, the engine failing, the car running roughly, and the water pump running out. Fixing premature engine failure typically requires owners to replace the entire engine, which can drastically increase the Ford V10 engine replacement cost.
Ford Excursion – Ford V10 Engine Replacement Cost
The worst model years of the Ford Excursion in terms of Ford V10 engine replacement cost included the 2000-2005 years, with this type of vehicle only produced for six years between 2000-2006 due to the numerous problems.
Owners of the Ford excursion noted the most-reported problem of the spark plugs failing in the 2000 model year, while 2004 is often considered the least-reliable. One of the main concerns is the engine oil leaking, costing owners nearly $1,300 to fix at around 35,000 miles.
Other owner concerns regarding the Ford V10 engine replacement cost and reliability issues deal with the truck not starting. The spark plugs malfunctioned, the cylinder head breaking, the coolant leaking, and the car running rough and unexpectedly stalling in the 2004 Ford Excursion.
Ford Super Duty
The 3-valve Ford V10 engine was used in the 2005-2010 Ford Super Duty, producing an engine output of 362 horsepower and 457 pounds per foot of torque. Despite these impressive performance numbers, the Ford Super Duty had an expensive Ford V10 engine replacement cost that deterred owners from purchasing this vehicle.
Symptoms of a Damaged Engine – Ford V10 Engine Replacement Cost
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Burning Smell
One tiny crack or hole in the valve cover gasket leads to a lot of oil spilling through the cracks and falling onto other parts of the engine, causing a burning smell and engine damage. Oil spilled onto the exhaust pipes, or cylinder head causes the oil to burn excessively and damage the other components of the engine, increasing the Ford V10 engine replacement cost.
If you have oil seepage, this is the main cause of the burning smell. If the joint between the valve cover and cylinder head develops a crack, the oil will become visible on the wall of the valve cover or the cylinder heads. The oil will hold dirt, causing the valve cover gasket to become dirty and increase the Ford V10 engine replacement cost.
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Low Engine Oil
If you have less oil available to burn, this will cause more friction inside of the engine with the moving components. Oil won’t be there to lubricate the mechanical process, causing excessive heat buildup. If there is too much heat generated within your engine without enough oil, it will cause the engine to overheat.
This process of engine overheating could damage the engine parts to the point where you would need a full replacement, increasing the Ford V10 engine replacement cost.
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Check Engine Light on Dashboard
If you have a low amount of oil within your engine, then another problem is a dashboard warning light might come on – the Check Engine warning light. Be sure that when this light comes on, you figure out the direct cause of the morning since it can come on for many reasons that can lead to a high ford v10 engine replacement cost.
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Dirty Valve Cover
When you decide it is finally time to give your car an oil change, make sure you take note of the valve cover condition and see if it is dirty or clean. Make sure you change your oil according to the type of oil you use, the driving conditions, and the car you have. Do not wait any longer than 7,500 miles before changing your oil and inspecting the valve cover gasket condition.
If you notice that your valve cover is dirty, then oil is leaking out of the valve cover gasket. If you do not feel comfortable replacing this part yourself or you want a second opinion, go to a professional mechanic shop and have the service person do the oil change and the gasket replacement for you.
Even though this will increase the Ford V10 engine replacement cost, having professionals take care of the fix can ensure a long vehicle life.
The Bottom Line
Paying between $3,000 and $4,000 for the Ford V10 engine replacement may not be worth it in some cases. When analyzing how much you might spend on a repair or replacement, you need to take into account the prices of different Ford models like the Super Duty and the Excursion.