3 Common Problems with Ford’s 6.2L Boss Engine

Ford’s reputation as an engine manufacturer was enhanced by successes such as the 427 cubic inch V8 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 5.0-liter Coyote V8, one of the best 8-cylinder engines ever made. Not every Ford engine has been an unqualified success, though. The first Mustang came standard with a wimpy inline-six powerplant, and the second generation arrived in 1974 just as the oil crisis and new emissions regulations were driving American buyers away from larger engines. Automakers have since developed ways to make larger engines more efficient, and Ford planned to use the 6.2-liter Boss V8 in the Mustang when it was still called the “Hurricane.”

The engine inherited some elements from its modular predecessors, and Ford used it primarily in the Raptor and Super Duty trucks in 2010. During its decade or so of production, the 6.2-liter Boss V8 developed a reputation among owners for problems with spark plugs, valve springs, oil springs, and oil contortions. The first two problems can lead to rough operation (especially at idle) and cause major problems, but Ford’s Boss V8 is still regarded as a reliable engine with a long service life.

Read more: Every Ford EcoBoost engine ranked from worst to best

The Boss 6.2 used 16 sometimes problematic spark plugs

Gasoline engines typically use one spark plug per cylinder, but some larger ones, such as the Boss V8, are designed with two to maximize power and fuel efficiency. These benefits are only available to owners who regularly change their plugs, but the extra plugs and coil packs required make the job twice as expensive and time-consuming as other V8s. Dual plugs mean double the potential failure points, and plugs on the engine side and firewall side are especially difficult to replace. In a thread on F150forum.com, a user named Auguster noted the need to remove the front wheels and fender liners to access the lower plugs and estimated that “the average shade tree would take 3 to 4 hours for the mechanic.”

If all goes according to plan; Some owners report their plugs breaking or threads seizing in the cylinder heads when removing them. This can turn an otherwise routine job into a major overhaul that involves removing the head and additional work to clean the porcelain bits out of the cylinder.

Broken valve springs are common on 6.2-liter Boss V8s

The 6.2-liter Ford Boss V8 produces in the neighborhood of 400 horsepower, which puts a lot of stress on the internal components. Many owners report that their valve springs don’t work and break, causing the engines to run rough. They are easy to replace and if broken may only make your engine run a little strangely, but if the valve stem falls into the cylinder, it can wreak havoc on the piston and cylinder walls. There are several threads on the Ford Truck Enthusiast forum page regarding broken valve springs on Boss engines, although many owners dismiss it as an easily fixable problem with no lasting consequences for them.

Ron94150 commented in one thread, “Even though valve springs and clogs are the most common problems on the 6.2 cats, … it’s still not real common. Usually the valve key sticks to the piston or does some damage. I wouldn’t.” [too] Worried about it.” River Wild agreed, writing, “I don’t worry about it. Mine is fine and I’ve tightened it up a lot in the last 2000 miles since I fixed it. I lost a spring at over 11K. I think I’m good for the truck life now.”

The Boss 6.2-liter V8 is prone to various oil leaks

Another common subject of Ford 6.2-liter Boss V8 owner complaints is internal and external oil leaks that lead to excessive oil consumption and possible emissions test failures. The fact is that many owners report this issue is partly due to engine durability. All engines will develop leaks over time as seals dry out and metal components heat up, and the typical long operating life of this engine means it is more likely to reach an age where oil leaks out of the rear main seal or valve cover or the piston rings retreat.

An owner discovered that the internal oil leak was from a leak in his passenger side valve cover, and Ford acknowledged the problem in October 2015 in Technical Service Bulletin 15-0161. The advisory noted that “some 2015-2016 F-Super Duty 250/350 E 2L engines built between 3/1/2014 and 9/8/2015 may exhibit excessive oil consumption due to an internally leaking baffle on the right side valve cover” and recommended its replacement. Some owners report problems with the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valves that help burn excess oil, and mentions of rear main seal leaks are common on Ford truck forums. Rear main seal leaks can be difficult to distinguish from oil pan gasket or top leaks in the engine, as well as labor-intensive to repair.

Our method

To identify the most common problems with the Ford 6.2-liter Boss V8, we first scoured our own archives for previous reporting on the engine. After supplementing with a few articles from trusted sources, we scoured forum sites for owner testimonials that supported our initial findings. Although these three issues are common to many owners, we also found plenty of testimonials from owners who put 200,000 miles or more on their trucks without any significant problems.

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Read the original article on SlashGear.