Ford 5.0 Coyote Engine Problems – Top 5 Coyote Problems!
September 9, 2023Are you interested in buying a Ford Mustang or an F-150 with the 5.0 Coyote engine and want to learn more about the Ford 5.0 Coyote engine problems? If that’s correct, you are in the right place because, in this article, there will be a lot to cover on this specific engine.
Doing good and thorough research is mandatory when it comes to buying a vehicle, especially a used one. There are hundreds of models and each of these models has some problems, some of them more while some of them less. It is up to you to find the model with the least problems. That’s why we are here to help you out.
What are we going to cover in this article? First, we are going to learn the specs and the applications of the 5.0. Then, we are going to learn the common Ford 5.0 Coyote engine problems and reliability. So, let’s get started.
Ford 5.0 Coyote Engine Specs
The 5.0 Coyote is one legendary engine, a true modern legend that created a real legacy in the past decade since its introduction.
This engine is based on Ford’s Modular family of engines released way back in the 90s. But this engine was the pinnacle of this design. Many thought that Ford would ditch the Modular engines for the modern EcoBoost but they kept making them.
And the 5.0 is the biggest refinement of this design along with the 5.2 Predator which is an evolution of the Coyote that was released in recent times for the GT-500.
There is simply a demand for high-displacement engines in the US market in order for Ford to keep a competitive edge with rivals like Chevy and Dodge.
So, the 5.0 Coyote is doing its job pretty well. In total, there are four generations of this engine, with the latest released recently for the all-new Mustang Dark Horse.
Overall, this engine design is pretty up-to-date. It is a V8 that is rocking two overhead camshafts that are driven by a timing chain. There are modern features like variable valve timing that help this engine produce more power and save fuel, direct and port injection combined, and a lot of other goodies.
Here are some of the most important specs of the 5.0 Coyote engine.
- Configuration: V-engine
- Number Of Cylinders: 8
- Displacement: 5.0L
- Bore: 92.2 – 93 mm
- Stroke: 93 mm
- Block & Head Material: Aluminum
- Head Design: DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder
- Fuel Injection: Port + Direct Injection after 2017, only port injection previously
- Horsepower: 360 – 500 hp
- Torque: 380 – 418 lb-ft
Ford 5.0 Coyote Engine Applications
- 2011 – Present Ford Mustang
- 2011 – Present Ford F-150
- 2014 – 2016 Ford Falcon XR8 & GT-F
- 2020 – TVR Griffith
- 2014 – Present Panoz Esperante
Ford 5.0 Coyote Engine Problems
Now let’s take a look at the applications of the 5.0 Coyote engine.
- Ignition Coil & Spark Plug Failure
- Oil Leaks
- Coolant Leaks
- Electronic Throttle Issues
- Can Throw A Rod
We listed the common problems with the 5.0 Coyote engine and now it is time to further elaborate on these issues in detail.
We feel the need to further explain these issues and elaborate everything thoroughly. This includes how these problems occur, the symptoms they cause, and how serious these issues are. So, let’s dive into the problems and learn more about them!
1. Ignition Coil & Spark Plug Failure
The most common problem with the 5.0 Coyote is related to the spark plugs and ignition coils. In other words, the ignition components are the ones that break most often.
This is the case because these engines produce a lot of power and they can be very demanding on the ignition components compared to engines that produce less power. Also, these are issues that are very common in most of Ford’s engine lineup.
Spark plugs you probably all know what they do, they create a spark and ignite the fuel. While the coil sits on top of the spark plug.
The coil as its name implies is a coil, it is an electrical transformer that transforms the 12-volt supply from the battery into a high current that could crank the engine and produce a strong spark to ignite the fuel.
So, in total on this engine, you have 8 spark plugs and 8 ignition coils. A lot of possibilities for something to go wrong.
Whenever these components fail, they will trigger a check engine light, there will be engine misfires, rough idle, poor performance, and poor fuel economy.
The solution is to replace the spark plugs more often and also replace the affected ignition coils. Or replace all of them if you have the budget to afford them. You can keep the good ones as a reserve if something goes wrong and you will be able to easily swap them out in the future.
2. Oil Leaks
Oil leaks are also common on the 5.0 Coyote engine. Ford engines leak oil pretty often and if you guessed right, the most common place for developing leaks is the oil pan.
The oil pan is a very common place where oil finds its way out of the engine. And the oil pan gasket is one of the most common failure points.
Luckily, these leaks are not serious, but if you lose a ton of oil, you should definitely address the problem and replace the gasket immediately.
You just don’t want to let the engine run dry on oil. This situation will cause very high wear in the engine and this will easily destroy the engine.
3. Coolant Leaks
The Coyote 5.0 also has another problem, and that is coolant leaks. What is good about the 5.0 Coyote is that not all of the engines are affected.
The most affected engines are the ones in the F-150, specifically the years between 2011 and 2023. There is a Y-pipe that fails often and causes coolant leaks.
In order to fix the problem you will have to replace this Y-pipe as well as the upper radiator hose and the O-ring.
The Ford Mustang is not known to leak coolant. This is the case because this application has a different cooling system that is less prone to failure and leaks.
4. Electronic Throttle Issues
Another very common problem on Ford engines is the issue with the throttle body. The early Coyote engines had some problems with these units. So, what is a throttle body?
Well, a throttle body is a component that has a flap that is actuated by the computer. This throttle body is very simple. It has a flap that opens and closes depending on the throttle input.
What can happen is that this throttle can fail and end up stuck, also it can operate poorly. And if this happens to your engine, you will experience some symptoms like surging, lack of engine response, check engine light, etc.
You can try to clean it if it’s dirty or you can just go ahead and replace it completely. It is not expensive after all.
5. Can Throw A Rod
Another downside of this engine is that it is not completely bulletproof. The engine is very strong and can handle a lot of power.
But what many people think is that they will easily get 1,000 hp or something like that, which is not possible. They make crazy upgrades and then the engine throws a rod out of the side of the block.
According to many, the safe numbers are about between 600 and 650 hp when it comes to the Coyote. But if you upgrade the rods, pistons, and cylinder liners you can get even more power and be safe without blowing up the engine.
Ford 5.0 Coyote Engine Reliability
The reliability of the 5.0 Coyote engine is very strong, we can honestly say that the 5.0 is one of the most reliable Ford engines ever produced.
It does its job really well both as a sports car engine and as a truck engine. It has a very high redline of 7,000 rpm which makes it really fun to drive.
This engine is also able to deliver massive amounts of power reliably. That’s why it is one of the first choices of hot rodders nowadays.
That’s why if you want to experience that V8 rumble in a modern package, this engine is the right choice for you.
Conclusion
In this article, we have covered quite a lot when it comes to the Ford 5.0 Coyote engine problems. First, we learned more about the specs and the applications of the 5.0.
In the second part, we learned more about the problems that you are likely to experience with this engine as well as our comment on the reliability of the 5.0 engine. Overall, this is a really good engine that can run forever if you maintain it well.
FAQ
What are the common Coyote 5.0 problems?
Common problems with this engine include issues with the ignition system which are caused by spark plugs and ignition coils, problems with the throttle body, oil leaks, and coolant leaks. Overall, nothing too significant.
Is the 5.0 Coyote reliable?
Yes, this engine is very reliable, it can deliver a lot of power and deliver this power extremely reliably. With this engine, you never have to worry about anything besides maintenance. That’s why we recommend it!
