So I'm at the shop picking up my car after a thermostat/water pump job, he said glad you have a 4.2 because a customer came in with a 5.0 with a knock. The warranty people said pull the pan and determine the problem before given the go ahead to fix. Couldn't get the pan off with engine in car so they pulled it. He said they still couldn't get the pan off. Some thing to do with high pressure pumps mounted on motor, so they shipped motor back to factory. Here's hoping you 5.0 owners don't have any bottom end issues.

 

You asked for opinions, so why not. I have no problem with mine, why would I worry about some shop in Louisiana and a rare issue with one engine? I get it, you hear things hear on the board, warnings from 4.2 owners about the 5.0 and it builds a bit of trepidation. We don't even know the details on the other guys issue (car age, miles, how he maintained it, etc.).

ALL cars have outlying vehicles that have exceptionally tough repair situations. I would like to see the data if there is any car model that has not had a lemon, or a repair that required something way above and beyond what owner think should be normal.

Lastly, shops and their opinion, I get it that they are the front line of knowledge about cars and issues. However, I take it with a grain of salt, I have had one dealer/shop tell me a car is the greatest and another tell me the same version is the worst.

 

Yup, agree. Problems that are less than common are going to be a given for any machine. These engines are pretty much bullet proof compared with those of the past. Without detail of what the issue may have been and knowing the shop tech's level of experience to troubleshoot there is nothing of use in the story.

A "knock" can come from various components such as rod caps/loose bolts, etc. Although, I thought the 5.0 has cracked rod caps so that as a source would be highly unlikely but possible.

Still this seems more an anecdotal story rather than evidence of a systemic problem with the 5.0 engine variant. If it were otherwise, a recall campaign would have been in the works long ago and the forum would be peppered with stories (both here and Ford forum sites).

 

No machine is above problems, but the "new" 5.0 engine was introduced in 2009 and has been used in quite a few applications since and is only now coming to end-of-life - not because it is a bad design, but because it is too big and thirsty to be attractive in today's more economy-conscious times.

There has been plenty of time to work out if it is a problematic design and it appears not to be. Just as one swallow does not make a summer, one bad experience cannot be viewed as the rule. Do the 4.2 V8s never have problems?

 

I have this engine in two of my cars, the XKR and a Range Rover.

Both vehicles have done 85-90K miles, both engines still perfect.

When I read the OP, I started to consider the knock could possibly just be the S/C... but surely a garage could be trusted to know that and not just jump to the conclusion that it's the engine itself that's lunched, couldn't they!

The only time I've seen a thread about this engine going bad was an XFR when the garage would appear to have forgotten to re-fill with oil when handing the car back. The engine didn't last long after that! Other than that all I've seen is S/C knocks and water pumps.

 

I've got 63,000 miles on my 5.0 S/C. I've not yet (yet) experiences the dreaded water pump problem, the cross-over pipe under the supercharger, the tensioner problem, nor any of the other grumbles, rattles, moans or clunky-clanks. I'm pretty hard on the throttle quite often too, a fairly "abrupt" driver I guess you could say.
I HAVE done all the maintenance items properly and on time, other than waiting on my already-ordered tranny pan, sleeve and fluid which arrives this week sometime.
No problems at all.
Anywhere; except with the consumable stuff. Tires (ugh) TPMS and that stinkin' glove box damper (an eight-minute fix).

 

Wow your mechanic couldn't get the oil pan off an engine???

Could that be realistic?

 

Agreed, if it was stuck because of pressure drill a hole in the pan.