Modern Small Engines & High Mileages ?

[grober]

THE NEW ford Ecoboost 3 cylinder engine has a few of notable features- a timing belt that runs in the engine oil, an exhaust manifold integral with the cylinder head, and an externally balanced crank by use of external balanced flywheel and pulley. Its also a long stroke engine presumably for torque.
Ford currently produces a 1.0-litre turbocharged In-Line three cylinder engine for the EcoBoost family developed at Ford's Dunton Technical Centre in the UK. Production started in April 2012. The 1.0 comes initially in two versions: 74 kW (101 PS; 99 hp) and 88 to 92 kW (120 to 125 PS; 118 to 123 hp). The more powerful version delivers a maximum of 170 N·m (125 lb·ft) from 1,400–4,500 rpm and 200 N·m (148 lb·ft) on overboost, which makes for a broad torque curve when compared to a naturally aspirated gasoline engine . The engine block is cast iron instead of aluminum for up to 50% faster warm-up, at the expense of additional weight. Due to natural vibrations of a 3-cylinder design, the flywheel has been deliberately unbalanced to ensure smooth running, without the use of energy sapping balance shafts. The engine also features an internal timing belt, bathed in the engine oil, for long life and greater efficiency and reduced noise. The exhaust manifold is cast into the cylinder head, reducing warm up times and therefore further aiding efficiency. All this is packaged in an engine block the size of an A4 sheet of paper. With the introduction of face lifted 2013 Ford Fiesta, Ford introduced naturally aspirated version of 1.0 Fox engine. There are two versions producing 65 hp and 80 hp, both engines uses Direct Injection and Ti-VCT like turbocharged versions, start-stop technology is also available.

Ford produces the smallest motor in its history - three cylinder 1.0-Liter EcoBoost

 

[grober]

Some more on the ecoboost 1.0 litre.
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and

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[Dieselman]

I'm not convinced about any real correlation between engine size and longevity, it's more to do with design and manufacturing quality.

My MIL had a RWD Toyota (of course) Corolla 1300cc which She passed round the family until it was sold to one of the Son's girlfriends...with 250,000 miles on the clock.

AFAIK, the engine never had any work other than routine servicing.

 

[Sp!ke]

The Toyota corolla is renound for being bomb proof and are highly sought after all over Africa and no doubt other far flung corners of the world because of their durability.

I don't think you could them as highly strung or highly tuned though.

 

[markjay]

Im not convinced at all about this.

I don't think these smaller turbo charged engines even provide much in the way of economy. They are building smaller engines because the EU demand that they do so, not because it is better for the purchaser in any way.

The extra loads on small lightweight high stressed components will I suspect mean a much earlier demise than that of a lesser tuned lazier and less stressed engine.

Yes, but... we recently sold our 8 years old Renault with.... 14k genuine miles on the clock.

My 8 years old W203 has 46k miles.

The Renault was a 2.0L, the Merc a 1.8L, it really would have mattered very little form the longevity point of view if it has a much smaller stressed engine that would only do 70k before giving up the ghost.

Many cars never go anywhere near terminal mileage, and eventually get crushed when they get older and loose value but with perfectly working low-mileage engines.

 

[grober]

We have all heard of the legendary VW Beetle aircooled flat four 1200cc engine that was good for millions of miles but it developed 34 bhp in a relatively small light body. Compare that to the Ford Ecoboost 1.0 litre turbo developing 125 bhp in a heavier body. Now we all know materials technology has moved forward in that time but has the engineering ethos changed too. Where Mercedes of the 80's were criticised for being "over engineered" you got the impression the best technology currently available at the time went into the vehicles ----resulting in cars of great longevity. Have we now moved to an era where all products are perhaps made with a different ethos--- where greater knowledge is used to make cars "just good enough "with an eye to cost, rather than the " Das Beste Oder Nichts"