Engine life limit?

[CGkraut]

Recently had to bring my 2015 ecodiesel to the dealership for a fuel issue where the engine would die with at least a 1/4 tank of fuel still in it. While on the phone with the service manager, the technician came in and said that these engines have about a 200k mile life limit. Has anyone else been told this? I currently have appx 208k miles and have only had engine issues associated with recalls.

 

[kurek]

Never heard of that.

Engines don't really have limited lifetimes anyway... you replace the wear parts as they wear, keep the lubricant and coolant clean and fresh, ensure the fuel/air controls are feeding the right mix into them and the engine itself should never die.

I don't know the ecodiesel engine in particular but I know there's nothing unique about it.

 

[indept]

Typical limit is 1 day after manufacturers warranties expire.

 

[JerryETX]

Understand your post but I wouldn't give that another minutes concern. Unfortunately there's a lot of techs that don't have a clue sometimes. If you're confident in the truck and have done maintenance accordingly keep rolling.

I sure wouldn't think about buying another vehicle right now with interest rates on the rise soon vehicle values could (and many think will) plummet this summer.

 

[csuder99]

From an engineering perspective the engines are designed to meet a lifetime target. E.g. Cummins states 350k miles between overhauls for the inline 6 engines used in the Ram trucks. I wouldn't be surprised if that number is 200k for the smaller Ecodiesel.

 

[HEMIMANN]

From an engineering perspective the engines are designed to meet a lifetime target. E.g. Cummins states 350k miles between overhauls for the inline 6 engines used in the Ram trucks. I wouldn't be surprised if that number is 200k for the smaller Ecodiesel.

Absolutely correct. All engines have a design life, which changes depending on application. Continuous duty diesels were generally 80,000 hours with two overhauls, for instance. But their full load allowance was much less than for a higher duty cycle application.

No OEM will reveal this to the customer base - at all. But they are real, and componentry are designed within six sigma failure criteria to meet that life. I was there - we did the design work. Load path components fail by fatigue, if all maintenance is done. Which it often times isn't, then you get early failures.

 

[crash68]

there's a couple EcoDiesel engines that have made the 400K mile mark, I guess those engines didn't get the 200K memo.
Seems like been hearing about quite a few EcoDs hitting the 200K mile mark lately.

 

[kurek]

All engines have a design life, which changes depending on application.

I get that there's a design lifetime and if the average unit goes to the junkyard after that lifetime with 99 flawless parts and 1 worn part you overengineered and potentially overspent on those 99 parts.

But I also think most of the critical components of an engine just don't really die outside of neglect and abuse. Any Mitsubishi 6G7x or SBF for example is a million mile engine under stock/non-race/abuse conditions if you service the timing apparatus, water pump/coolant, valve guide seals and lubricant on a sufficiently rigorous schedule. The block, heads and rotating assembly just don't wear outside of neglect and if there's some stress limit for any of the parts regardless of maintenance that stress limit has got to be somewhere in the stratosphere because maintained units don't die in the real world. I think most of them wind up in the wrecking yard as a result of abuse, collision, neglect, or because the rest of the car fell apart and nobody figured $1500 timing belt service is necessary on a car that wouldn't fetch 750 on craigslist.

 

[HEMIMANN]

I think what we're saying is that in light duty use like passenger automotive it is likely engine blocks and heads will never see their fatigue life.

 

[Burla]

I'd worry about fixing what is broke then worry about what anyone "says". Did they fix it? There are all types of mileage, hard miles and soft commuter miles, I'd wager much more of a factor then some random statement with no details.

 

[Daw14]

most Dealers are not honest,they want your money and nothing else.

 

[boblonben]

most Dealers are not honest,they want your money and nothing else.

Not true but there are some!

 

[Richard Kim]

Just thought I share my friend's experience on his 2007 Tundra 5.7 (3UR-FE). He is one of the most meticulous person I know when it comes to auto maintenance (he is an engineer by education). He bought the truck new and religiously changed the oil every 5K (Mobil 1 with a quality filter). The engine lasted 300K before the head gasket gave way. Guestimating a root cause analysis, he suspects that the gasket around the plugs hardened and leaked oil into the combustion chamber causing misfires (some plugs were wet when he pulled it). The misfires in turn messed up the head gasket. The bottom line is that if you can squeeze 300K out of a gasser, you are doing pretty damn good. I know there are stories of 1 million mile cars / trucks out there but I believe those are the exception and not the rule. The million mile Tundra (4.7 V8) spent most of it's life on the highway vs. city driving (owner was a hotshot driver). Just thought I would share.

 

[62Blazer]

Back to the OP, the statement from the mechanic about the 200k life most likely did not come from any official document but rather just their personal experience. In regards to design life....yes, you can say that engines have an expected number of miles before being worn out but only under the exact same operating conditions (i.e. specific test cycle on a dyno). The issue is the 100k miles on one truck is completely different to 100k miles on a different truck. Take somebody who puts almost all of their miles driving empty with the cruise control on going 65 mph down the freeway versus somebody pulling a 20k pound contruction trailer very day through the mountains with stopping and starting. At my last job the maintenance crew had pickups that were completely ragged out after 20,000 miles......granted it took years to reach that mileage because at most they would drive 2-3 miles at the time. Basically they would cold start the truck, drive maybe 3 miles all stop and start, turn the truck off, then repeat the cold start and driving.

 

[Dusty]

When it comes to automobiles, proper care can usually beat the odds.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33 gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build date: 03 June 2018. Now at: 064560 miles.