New 2024+ 2.3 motor issues?

[rustedrotors]

Anybody hear anything about the new motors? Ford's been getting a bad rap with their v6 heads lately. Hopefully didn't make it to the 2.3's.

Any other chasis got the new 2.3 in 2024 like rangers or explorers?

Still a little weary about my coolant bottle going a bit low n dirty. Going to remove it, clean it, fill it back up, and pressure test the car. Might remove plugs during it, might not.

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[Neggytive]

Ask any Ford tech what they think about them

I can tell you it is not an engine they are fond of

A friend of ours is a dealer tech, and he told us several years ago that once the EcoBoost's came out of warranty and started showing up at independent shops or used car lots out of warranty we were going to hate them, and he was right.

Yes the carbon issue was somewhat mitigated in 2018, but anything before that was an intake track disaster.

Look at the non mustang 2.3 Eco's where the valves were breaking

AND WORST OF ALL ...

the wet belt system that lets that lets debris into the oiling system

Personally, not a fan

 

[dbroush7]

Ask any Ford tech what they think about them

I can tell you it is not an engine they are fond of

A friend of ours is a dealer tech, and he told us several years ago that once the EcoBoost's came out of warranty and started showing up at independent shops or used car lots out of warranty we were going to hate them, and he was right.

Yes the carbon issue was somewhat mitigated in 2018, but anything before that was an intake track disaster.

Look at the non mustang 2.3 Eco's where the valves were breaking

AND WORST OF ALL ...

the wet belt system that lets that lets debris into the oiling system

Personally, not a fan

The 2024 2.3 is a completely different engine than the ones that any tech can tell you about in previous years. It is very different in many ways. No history to tell of. It seems like it is much more robust and has a lot of features to overcome previous weaknesses. Of course, only time will tell.

 

[Neggytive]

The 2024 2.3 is a completely different engine than the ones that any tech can tell you about in previous years. It is very different in many ways. No history to tell of. It seems like it is much more robust and has a lot of features to overcome previous weaknesses. Of course, only time will tell.

Do you really trust Ford to fix their screw ups by a new design?

Oh the 5.4 2V's spit the spark plugs out? No we won't fix the ones that are defective but we came up with a new design to fix it.... the 5.4 Triton 3 valve.... ahhhh gee the spark plugs break off in the head.

16 TSB's later they were still breaking plugs.

Those of us that worked on them long enough figured out how to do it but it wasn't pretty

Oh and the VCT's on the 5.4 Triton's are horror shows... Ya the bottom end will support 700HP plus, yes it is the same bottom end as they used in the first generation Ford GT's, but between the spark plugs and VCT's they are worse design than the one they were trying to fix.

Ford is constantly running around trying to put out fires rather than design something that is flame resistant.

My "daily drivers" for the last 20 years have been Toyota's, and Toyota ain't perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but outside of normal wear items and scheduled maintenance all 4 of them were/are bullet proof and all except the 2022 Highlander were well over 100K mile cars and never went back to the dealer, never had the engine apart, etc etc etc

Now ask me about my 2005 F150 plow spec truck that ate the transmission at 62K miles, the frame was rotted away to the point I didn't fix the transmission, every 2 years it took thousands of dollars in parts and hours of time on my lift to keep running ( 4WD actuators, fuel pump driver modules, rotted lines, replaced the whole power steering system and had to CUT the old pump off the block, alternator casting corroded and broke, multiple steering shafts, cracked exhaust manifolds, Starter crapped the bed and the hardware was stuck in the block, etc etc etc. That truck was babied, washed after every storm, looked like a million dollars, but was a money pit .

 

[dbroush7]

Valid points, all! I also have two Lexus vehicles that are bulletproof. One is a gx460 and the other one is an RX450h and they have had zero issues for years.

 

[robvas]

Are any of the newer 4 cylinder turbos 'bullet proof'? I know the ones GM uses suck and not a day goes by without hearing an EB nightmare...

 

[DannyJ7]

At 22000 miles my serpentine belt exploded and required replacing the ac compressor etc. they also found a huge leak from the timing cover. Just unreal.

I love my car, just wish it was as reliable as the Honda I had previously.

 

[kinelisch]

I hope the current 2024-2025 5.0s are better than all of the above LOL

 

[dbroush7]

Yes and no. This is Ford we are talking about.

 

[rustedrotors]

What interested me in the mustang was my 2017 ford focus. Hit a deer at 65mph last month at 201k miles. Only 3 issues. Hit a deer around 100k and the radiator had a slight leak. Stalled out on me 2 or 3 times, bought a new EVAP purge valve. Should of got replaced via recall, just didn't want to wait a week of headaches n phone calls for a $35 part. At 165K the dual clutch was slipping a little bit in 5th gear. Put a $600 clutch kit in it. Thinking a clutch lasting 165k is fair. Probably could of babied it till 180k.

Can ran great. But the deer hit hard. Everything up front AC radiator airflow sensor air bag went off. They guessed $7500 to fix.

If they still made the focus would of bought a new oe even before the insurance cut the totaled check.



One fix ford did make is dual injectors. A direct injector like most cars, and a traditional intake manifold injector like most cars since the late 80's. The 2nd injector should prevent the iintake valves from getting gunky. Ford is far from the only brand with those problems. Audis I think have it worse.

 

[rustedrotors]

Saw one good thing last night. External belt driven water pump. 2017 focus se 2 0 had internal. Pretty sure old 2 3 had the same. Pump issues not only easy to fix, but no coolant in oil issues atleast in pump or front timing cover.

2025 explorers have them now. 300hp tune.

 

[Allanrock59]

Well I can't say anything about the new 2.3. I can come back to you when I have at least 100k km on it. But I do have an ecoboost 2.0 turbo on my fusion and it has at this point 369312 km on it and it still run like a charm. No oil burning, compression is still very good, nothing wrong with that motor.

So if the 2.3 is as good as this one then I won't regret my buy

 

[ListedGuru]

Saw one good thing last night. External belt driven water pump. 2017 focus se 2 0 had internal. Pretty sure old 2 3 had the same. Pump issues not only easy to fix, but no coolant in oil issues atleast in pump or front timing cover.

2025 explorers have them now. 300hp tune.

Ford is putting the new version of the 2.3 in the 2025 Bronco's and Rangers as well:

https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/thre...oboost-engine-w-direct-port-injection.111219/

Also do you have any pictures of your coolant tank? I see in an earlier post you thought your coolant looked dirty and was low. Did you remedy that situation?

 

[rustedrotors]

I put my car away in the wnter. It hasn't really been driven much since that post. Just started driving it for the season here in NY.

Seems the pink sludge is not a rare thing at all. Could be casting sand residue, mold release agent for plastics. Seems a little much for o-ring lubricant.

Going to watch it some more. Old oil looked fine, no foam.

If the coolant doesn't sink any more, I will change the coolant Likely drain out the transmission to make sure it's not the transmission cooler.

Might wait a few months before buying a new winter beater. Youngest kid is almost done with college. He has a 2015 ford fusion with the 2.5. Got the middle kids old college car for now.

 

[Will2]

Still a little weary about my coolant bottle going a bit low n dirty.

Interestingly I noticed my coolant reservoir is also below the minimum line and has a couple mild "residue lines". 10K miles. I shoulda paid more attention when it was new so I can compare.

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