America has produced some genuinely great engines over the last century. However, when you think of American engines, the great thundering V-8s of the muscle car era probably come to mind immediately. While producing large amounts of torque and horsepower, these engines were not known for long-term durability. However, that does not mean that America cannot and has not produced some great engines capable of impressive longevity. Here is a list of some of the best American engines known for their ability to soak up the miles and keep running.

The Chrysler Slant Six

Produced for 41 years, this hearty six-cylinder from Mopar saw action under the hoods of various cars and trucks from 1959 until the dawn of the new millennium in 2000. When an engine is this long-lived, you know it is partly because it works so well. For an engine of 1950s design and architecture, the slant six is about as "bombproof" as you can ask for. Ranging in displacements from 170 to 225 cubic inches, the compact "leaning tower of power" became the entry-level power plant for all Mopar cars and trucks. Known to survive for hundreds of thousands of miles with care, the slant six was compact, fuel-efficient, and cost-effective.

The Chevrolet Gen III/IV Small Block

No one can argue that the Gen III/IV Chevrolet small blocks are durable. A quick search for used Chevy and GMC trucks will pull up examples with nearly 300,000 miles with no engine rebuilds. Benefiting from modern design and metallurgy, this pushrod V8 was a worthy heir to the small block Chevy name when it debuted in 1997. Not only will these engines survive a long time in stock form, but they can also take tremendous amounts of boost from aftermarket turbos and superchargers without scattering parts into lunar orbit. A quick search on YouTube for dyno runs with turbos will impress any naysayer who believes these powerplants aren't tough as nails. It is easy to see how these became the corporate V-8 platform for General Motors for their trucks and performance-oriented cars.

The Ford 300/4.9L

Out of all the inline six-cylinder engines on this list, the Ford 300 is probably the most overbuilt and robust. In production from 1965 to 1996, the 300 proved itself as the basic powerplant for Ford F series trucks, E series vans, and the later third and fourth generation Broncos. These engines are notorious for being nigh indestructible short of purposely trying to kill them with lack of lubrication or coolant. While most other pushrod engines use a timing chain to operate the valvetrain, the Ford 300 uses timing gears. While timing chains may wear, stretch, and occasionally break; a timing gear maintains its precision much longer and has a significantly lower risk of total failure. The downside is that timing gears do generate more engine noise, but you rarely hear a blue oval enthusiast complain about this with the Ford 300.

The AMC/Jeep 4.0L

When Chrysler purchased the faltering American Motors Corporation in 1987, it obtained one of the best modern inline-six engines ever devised. Descended from earlier iterations of the AMC inline six family, the 4.0 was modernized for the 1980s with electronic fuel injection. Producing between 177 and 190 horsepower with a very flat torque curve, the 4.0L is known for exceeding 300,000 miles without a major rebuild. Chrysler continuously refined the motor to make it smoother and more potent in its 19-year production run from 1987 to 2006. During this time, the engine was the "go-to" powerplant for the Jeep line of vehicles. The excellent durability and torque curve made it perfect for off-road capable vehicles. The only black spot on its reputation comes from poor cylinder head castings made from 2000-2001 that resulted in cracking and coolant contamination of the oil, causing a potential for engine failure if not corrected quickly.

The Buick 3800

With a lineage going back to the original Buick Fireball V-6 of the early 1960s, the 3.8L 3800 was a modernized version for the 1980s and beyond. The combination of iron engine blocks, iron heads, and a relaxed state of tune made them fuel efficient and tough as nails. Available in three "series", the three generations of the 3800 are known for their refusal to die. Series 1 and 3 engines are the most reliable, while the series 2 engines possessed some issue with intake gaskets and coolant bypass elbows that could cause engine failure if not corrected. However, if these issues are corrected, all the 3800 family of engines can live extraordinarily long lives. Popular in GM full-size cars starting in the late 1980s, these engines powered full-sized Buicks, Pontiacs, Oldsmobiles, and some Chevrolets until 2008.

The Ford 4.6L 2V Modular V8

When the Ford modular series of engines started phasing out the venerable 5.0 Windsor V8 in the early 1990s, many Ford enthusiasts saw it as a downgrade. However, while not the powerhouse many had hoped for with its overhead cam actuated valvetrain, the modular V8 proved incredibly durable and reliable in its two-valve form. Debuting in the 1991 Lincoln Town Car and slowly finding its way into most Ford V-8 models, the 2V 4.6 V-8 proved to be an excellent engine for the consumer, if not the hotrodder. These engines can live well past 300,000 miles and earned a reputation for longevity as the engine powering the Panther body Crown Victorias used by many law enforcement agencies and taxi companies. Ford introduced a performance-improved version from 2000 to 2001 that slightly increased power and fixed a lingering issue with the polymer composite intake manifold prone to cracking and leaking coolant. Produced until 2014, the 4.6 2V engines were incredibly durable and provided Ford customers with excellent service.

The Iron Duke / Tech IV 2.5L

Developed by the Pontiac Motor Division in the late 1970s as an economy engine to combat high oil prices, the 2.5 "Iron Duke" was built to last. Much like the Ford 300 inline six, this inline four-cylinder uses extra durable timing gears to allow precise valve timing over the engine's life. Utilizing an iron block and iron cylinder head, the Iron Duke proved to be much more durable and reliable than the previous Vega inline-four engine and quickly started finding its way into various makes across GM's many brands. Updated in the early 1980s as the "Tech IV," it gained electronic throttle body injection and became the standard powerplant for Pontiac's ambitious mid-engine sports car, the Fiero, starting in 1984. It also powered what many consider the worst performing Camaro ever made. In 1982, Chevrolet decided to offer the new third-generation Camaro with the Iron Duke engine producing 90 horsepower. However, what the engine lacked in performance, it made up for in sheer roughness and a refusal to die. Grumman selected it as the United States Postal Service Long Life Vehicle engine in 1987. Many of these vehicles saw 30-plus years of daily service with a 2.5L Tech IV under the hood.

The Chrysler 318/Magnum 5.2L V-8

The Chrysler LA series of engines is dominated by the 340 cubic inch variation. Known as the "Giant Killer," the 340 was an engine that punched well above its displacement in the muscle car era. However, its smaller brother, the 318, was designed as an under-stressed and smooth-running economy V8 alternative to the Slant Six line of engines. Being in a mild state of tune and with an excellent bore-to-stroke ratio, the 318 became something of a marathon runner amongst the world of small blocks. Produced from 1968 to 2002, the engine received an update to roller camshafts, freer flowing cylinder heads, and fuel injection in 1992 when it was renamed the Magnum 5.2. The 318/5.2 Magnum engine powered various Chrysler trucks and passenger cars, as well as various Jeep models following the acquisition of AMC by Chrysler in 1987. The 318 has been undergoing a renaissance recently amongst the racing community due to the availability of stroker kits; it can be converted into a stout performing 390 cubic inch engine with relative ease.

The Ford Lima 2.3L

Also known to many as "the Pinto engine," the Lima 2.3L is the most significant variant of the engine that debuted with the Ford Pinto. Initially a European-made engine, it was eventually updated and made in the Lima, Ohio, engine assembly plant. A well-designed engine, the 2.3L features an overhead cam driven by a timing belt. The timing belt offers reduced engine noise and does not "stretch" and wear like a timing chain. It does, however, require more frequent replacement. In their naturally aspirated forms, these engines proved to be rather robust and long-lived, albeit heavy engines. With the addition of forced induction via turbocharging, the 2.3L Lima powered some of the most iconic Fords of the 1980s in the Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe and the Foxbody Mustang SVO. Superseded by the Duratec line of engines at the turn of the millennium, the Lima 2.3L saw nearly 30 years of continuous service under the engine bays of multiple Ford cars and trucks.

Chevrolet Small Block Gen I/II

Chevrolet's venerable small block narrowly beat out the Ford Windsor small block for a spot on this list. Both are equally durable engines, but Chevrolet made the first and second-generation small blocks slightly longer than Ford manufactured the Windsor. Produced from 1954 until 2003, the original small block Chevrolet lived a long life because it was such a good engine. Despite some years of subpar quality in the late 1970s and early 1980s due to a lack of quality camshafts, the small block Chevrolet proved to be both a capable performance engine and one that will refuse to die when cared for and in a more relaxed state of tune. The later Gen II small blocks, debuting in the late 1980s, featured improved cooling, better fuel injection, upgraded ignition, and roller camshafts in some applications. This all allowed for increased power and longevity. While a 1950s-era design, the small block Chevrolet proved more than capable of besting many of its contemporaries and surviving for nearly 50 years in constant production.

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