What happened to my motor?

[Brent372]

OK.
I now know that I spun a rod bearing, but don't know why.
I know the 2 major causes of this are lack of oil and over-revving.
My oil level is still fine. I have hit the rev limiter several times over the past year that owned the car.
What I don't understand is that my car is almost 100% stock, aside from a KKM intake.
They are so many people out there that have done so much to their cars that allow them to hit higher RPMs than what the factory rev limiter setting would allow.

While the motor is being replaced with a rebuilt under warranty, I am very afraid to do anything that would enhance performance....

Are my fears justified, or do you think there was something wrong with my old motor for a long time eventually led to this failure.

Any input is appreciated.

 

[Reebs]

I have seen very very low mileage, completely stock 2.5's that have spun bearings. The previous owner may have taken alot of sweeping right hand turns with the oil at the low level, etc... which may lead to a premature failure. You have nothing to worry about with "modding" your 2.5 because any normal mods short of forced induction or a 3L won't really give you any serious gains anyways. Cat backs, y pipes, etc.. are for sound and a little more pep, thats about all. If you plan on going FI, then I would upgrade to the clevite tri metal bearings. Heck, you should talk to your mechanic and have him throw those in the new motor while it is out anyways. They are good for assurance purposes, especially for 100 bucks or so. Don't get me wrong though, the stock bearings aren't half bad in my own opinion. It is all about how they were treated in their lifetime. But to answer your question, you don't have anything to worry about with modding your car.

Good luck and glad to hear that your SVT gets a fresh start covered under warrenty!

 

[ZeroHour]

It could have been something simple as a the grade of metal in the bearing was sub-par or just at the passable minimum as per Ford specs. Maybe the monkey that put the motor together originally missed putting some prelube on the bearing so the first startup scarred it for life and lead to premature failure. Tons of possibilities. If it wasn't your own driving, its hard to tell. On the bright side if your motor is still under warranty then you'll have a freshly rebuilt SVT motor! While they are there you might as well have some other upgrades done! (clutch, flywheel, pulleys, headers, etc) Would be alot easier to do while the motor is out!

 

[JesusFreak]

It could have been something simple as a the grade of metal in the bearing was sub-par or just at the passable minimum as per Ford specs. Maybe the monkey that put the motor together originally missed putting some prelube on the bearing so the first startup scarred it for life and lead to premature failure. Tons of possibilities. If it wasn't your own driving, its hard to tell. On the bright side if your motor is still under warranty then you'll have a freshly rebuilt SVT motor! While they are there you might as well have some other upgrades done! (clutch, flywheel, pulleys, headers, etc) Would be alot easier to do while the motor is out!

unfortunately, everything has to stay stock until the warranty is up, or its void!

 

[ZeroHour]

darn!

Was worth a shot.

 

[Ray]

You can still install tri metal bearings, IF you can find a ford part number for some... good luck, any more, though.

 

[AliasJerk]

also, keep in mind the reason why the duratec spins rod bearings is because when the oil level is full, its technically "not full" it was determined on the 2.5L the oil drainback to the oil pan isnt extremely... "good" so at redline there was at times as little as half a quart of oil down there, no oil on the rodbearings = extreme amouts of wear.

Which is why everybody says "put an extra quart of oil in there"

 

[Brent372]

I always put in 6 qts at oil changes (every 5K with Mobil 1) and added 1 qt about 1/2 between oil changes

 

[fred22]

I have seen very very low mileage, completely stock 2.5's that have spun bearings. The previous owner may have taken alot of sweeping right hand turns with the oil at the low level, etc... which may lead to a premature failure. You have nothing to worry about with "modding" your 2.5 because any normal mods short of forced induction or a 3L won't really give you any serious gains anyways. Cat backs, y pipes, etc.. are for sound and a little more pep, thats about all. If you plan on going FI, then I would upgrade to the clevite tri metal bearings. Heck, you should talk to your mechanic and have him throw those in the new motor while it is out anyways. They are good for assurance purposes, especially for 100 bucks or so. Don't get me wrong though, the stock bearings aren't half bad in my own opinion. It is all about how they were treated in their lifetime. But to answer your question, you don't have anything to worry about with modding your car.

Good luck and glad to hear that your SVT gets a fresh start covered under warrenty!

hi buddy where would u find these clevite tri metal bearings, a link would help, it suxs as ive just brought some ford bearings and con rod bolts from fords in the us and havin them delivered to england, i wanna change them just for good practice as ive just installed diamond racing pistons to my car to lower the compression because im gonna go FI in the near future, so u say that the ford ones are pretty good, will they be up to the job for the FI or would i be better gettin the clevite bearings

any info appreciated thanks

 

[TourDeForce]

Brent, chalk this one up to previous owner & don't worry about future mods. Be certain the engine gets replaced with a proper SVT powerplant because dropping a standard Duratec for an SE is real tempting for the shop owners. Some won't even know there's a difference.

 

[Rara]

unfortunately, everything has to stay stock until the warranty is up, or its void!

Legally, this is completely untrue. See the Magnussen Moss warranty act info over at www.sema.org

Practically, it is sort of true. It generally ends up being the owner having to prove the modifications were not the cause of the failure, rather than the other way around as the law intends.

 

[fornetti14]

also, keep in mind the reason why the duratec spins rod bearings is because when the oil level is full, its technically "not full" it was determined on the 2.5L the oil drainback to the oil pan isnt extremely... "good" so at redline there was at times as little as half a quart of oil down there, no oil on the rodbearings = extreme amouts of wear.

Which is why everybody says "put an extra quart of oil in there"

I've heard this but have never overfilled my 2.5L. My old LS had 200,000 miles on it and was run hard at Gingerman track days. Never had a problem.

I'd say there may have been an extended train interval on your motor at some point in it's life that stressed the bearing.

Did the oil light come on? Who said it had a spun rod bearing?

 

[JesusFreak]

Legally, this is completely untrue. See the Magnussen Moss warranty act info over at www.sema.org

Practically, it is sort of true. It generally ends up being the owner having to prove the modifications were not the cause of the failure, rather than the other way around as the law intends.

however, since this isnt a "warranty", but an "insurance against mechanical failure policy", there may be something in there that if the car is modified in any way, the policy can be voided.

 

[AliasJerk]

I've heard this but have never overfilled my 2.5L. My old LS had 200,000 miles on it and was run hard at Gingerman track days. Never had a problem.

I'd say there may have been an extended train interval on your motor at some point in it's life that stressed the bearing.

Did the oil light come on? Who said it had a spun rod bearing?

But also that comes with good regular maitence. We all know that most newer engines, based on Aluminum blocks, generally use oil from brand new. My old corolla would use a quart between changes, and ive noticed the same kind of oil useage with every duratec owner ive met.

I think what it is, people dont regularly check their oil, and once it gets say... half a quart low, then there is hardly any oil in the oil pan at high revs, I think 5.5 quarts is "enough" oil. But given the fact that the duratec tends to use oil, the extra quart is good to have for safety sake.

 

[Reebs]

Which is why everybody says "put an extra quart of oil in there"

I also put 6.5 quarts of oil in my SVT, but then again I do have an extra oil feed and drain line to fill.


And to whoever asked, I have no clue where to get clevite tri metal bearings over in the UK, but I got mine from my local NAPA Auto Parts.

 

[fred22]

I also put 6.5 quarts of oil in my SVT, but then again I do have an extra oil feed and drain line to fill.


And to whoever asked, I have no clue where to get clevite tri metal bearings over in the UK, but I got mine from my local NAPA Auto Parts.

hi buddy, i was the one who asked, so if i go to the napa website, then they should sell these clevite tri metal bearings? Are they an uprated bearing to the regular ford ones? Im sure he will send to the uk if i pay the postage, or if he doesnt do that i can get my parents to buy or pick up the bearings from the store in texas and they can deliver them to me, ive already ordered the ford ones but wanted to know are these better than the ford ones? I do plan on either havin a SC or a TC on my car, and ive got the whole engine apart, any info appreciated thanks

 

[fordsvt98]

If you put too much oil in your engine...where does the extra oil go?

 

[Reebs]

hi buddy, i was the one who asked, so if i go to the napa website, then they should sell these clevite tri metal bearings? Are they an uprated bearing to the regular ford ones? Im sure he will send to the uk if i pay the postage, or if he doesnt do that i can get my parents to buy or pick up the bearings from the store in texas and they can deliver them to me, ive already ordered the ford ones but wanted to know are these better than the ford ones? I do plan on either havin a SC or a TC on my car, and ive got the whole engine apart, any info appreciated thanks

Yes they are better than the stock ones. I have them in my turbocharged 3L. PM me if you have any questions about them so that we don't jack brents thread.