What's the lifespan of a cologne 2.9 V6?

[Chris71]

Hi,

Quick question - how many miles does a well looked after 2.9 Cologne engine (XR4 etc) go on for? Are there any points where internals start to need replacment (worn camshafts, rebores etc.)?

Chris.

[Chris71]

Sounds about right...

I've since spoken to a colleague who worked on them and apparently they did very well in the durability tests. A close variant is still used for trucks in the states (which tells you something about the longevity) and there's a 4litre V6, which is basically an overbored version in the base spec Mustang apparently.

Think I've answered my own question - in a lighter car with regular oil changes it should be good for quite high mileages.

[Chris71]

FHCNICK said:

I take it you're looking at a TVR S? I also run a wedge with the MFI 2.8 & although the car is 27 yearrs old the engine has only done 96k but is still going strong and has cost literally nothing over normal maintenance costs.

Hi Nick. I am indeed.

For some reason they do seem to go through engines a little quicker than other applications, but in theory it sounds like they're good for 150,000+ miles.

Certainly in the case of the S it sounds like the chassis is likely to need major attention first and I guess an entire new recon-engine on exchange is cheaper than a body-off job on S-Series outriggers!

[Chris71]

It may have been a lack lustre 2.8 or a particularly good 2.9 or a combination of the two. May also be an element of 'placebo effect', but it felt quicker to me.

A lot of S-Series TVRs do seem to have uprated radiators or new waterpumps, nobody has mentioned an overheating issue, but it is sort of implied they might not cool quite as well as the Ford application.