Just blew my motor...for the SECOND TIME

On my 2.5L rebuild, used assembly moly lube on all surfaces. Also, primed new pump in a pan of oil before putting on engine. Pulled fuel pump fuse and cranked engine over until oil pressure light went out. Put fuse back in and started right up.

Sorrry to hear your misfortune.......

Bob

Originally posted by beyondloadedSE:

Originally posted by BradJ:
Motor was $4500.

I could buy at least 4 escape 3.0Ls with that money.

Yeah, I realize that it's pretty expensive, but I wanted a warranty. I may have been able to swap three or four motors in for the same money, but I don't have near the time for that. I did alot of research on this board before I purchased the engine assembly from Ford, but I think it was the best decision for me. I've read some real horror stories with those 3L swaps.

I wasn't looking for more power and performance, I wanted reliability and driveability, with no problems. haha look where it got me

What warranty is there? I was the understanding something like that had to installed by a professional shop, for the exact reason why you have apparantly lost your engine. Or is it the 12 months / 12000 miles warranty.

Hmm, unless you've got a very understanding dealership or they can find a part that actually failed in the motor, your warranty is gone. More than likely I wouldn't be expecting a call from ford saying they will warranty the engine if you installed it yourself. The 12month/12K warranty is usually only good on parts installed by them.

I had a car I worked on that had a clutch go bad after installing all new ford parts. It was actually caused by a bad master cylinder, but still couldn't get a warranty on the parts.

Sorry,
Rick

that would suck to pay that much coin and be out the warranty you thought you had!

Yeah RTStabler51, that would suck. I was told by the dealership I purchased the motor from that it came with a warranty...maybe it is a 12/12,000. But I do specifically remember me telling them that I was doing the labor myself, and he said the warranty was still there.

Well I don't really know what to do. I don't want to drop $500+ on labor for this dealer to pull this motor, only to tell me tough luck.

This sucks.

Well I just got some potentially good news from the dealer. As Buckshot said, if they can find a defect with the motor, then the warranty will be honored, INCLUDING labor! Can you believe that? They said this is only the case with engine and transmission assemblies though...

So hopefully they can find a defect...

expecting or hoping ford honors any part of the warranty may be too much to ask for...ford doesnt give a shiz about their customers...

Originally posted by gdub520:
expecting or hoping ford honors any part of the warranty may be too much to ask for...ford doesnt give a shiz about their customers...

I'm not expecting anything. What I am doing is telling you guys exactly what was told to me by the Ford dealer.

Call them if you want. Bowen-Scarrf Ford in Covington, WA 1-866-878-5577

OH, this sounds like a long block from Ford. If so, I would guess that oil pump was already on engine as well as timing chains, etc. Did you notice your oil light when you first started the engine? How long did it take it to go out? Was it an extended period of time? Prebuilt from Ford the engine would have been assembled and lubed.

Sounds like you did get a defective long block.......good ole Ford -Fixem OR Die with em....

Bob

Originally posted by Stazi:
All you do is disconnect the coil lead from the ECU = no spark.

Also it doesn't hurt that you leave out the plugs when you almost ready to start it for the first time and rank it over like that for a few seconds to prime all the oil passages without any compression from having the plugs in there.

Then reinstall the plugs and wires. reconnect the lead to the coil and start her up. Let it idle for the first time until it gets ALL THE WAY TO WARM/NORMAL. This allows a slow break in of any new components, especially the bearings. Then drive EASY for the first 50 miles. Don't lug the engine and don't rev the crap out of it. Keep it below 4000rpm. The after that drive it for the first 500 miles keeping it under 5000rpm. Then at 1000 miles change the oil and filter.

Oh for for the very first time USE REGULAR OIL TO ALLOW FOR BREAK IN!

Or the opposing position

It would have been pre-lubed (ie assembly lube on the bearings an such), but that does not mean you do not have to prime the oil pump on a brand new engine!! It still needs to be done! The lube is just there for the SPLIT second it takes to get the oil through out the engine.

Originally posted by btrautman:
OH, this sounds like a long block from Ford. If so, I would guess that oil pump was already on engine as well as timing chains, etc. Did you notice your oil light when you first started the engine? How long did it take it to go out? Was it an extended period of time? Prebuilt from Ford the engine would have been assembled and lubed.

Sounds like you did get a defective long block.......good ole Ford -Fixem OR Die with em....

Bob

Upon assembly there is a procedure where you prime the pump when it if off the engine. Since this was preasembled this has already been done. When he starts the engine with oil in it, it should prime.....though I would have cranked it over before starting........

An indication of how things went is the oil pressure light. Did it stay on for an extended period of time or did it flash off like it normally does when one starts the engine.....

Bob

Originally posted by btrautman:
Upon assembly there is a procedure where you prime the pump when it if off the engine. Since this was preasembled this has already been done. When he starts the engine with oil in it, it should prime.....though I would have cranked it over before starting........

An indication of how things went is the oil pressure light. Did it stay on for an extended period of time or did it flash off like it normally does when one starts the engine.....

Bob

Hey Bob, I don't recall the oil pressure light on for very long at all. It was maybe on for a few seconds.

If it was on only for a few seconds, then this is normal. Sounds to me that you received a defective engine.... The fact that it started and ran fine and then fizzled after 5 minutes or so would indicate this - especially with a complete long block.....

This kinda reminds me of my atx oil pump that I replaced. When I rebuilt the tranny I bought a NEW atx oil pump instead of rebuilding the old...since they fail. The new oil pump has a whine to it. It has become more quiet over time but there is still that whine. Most noticeable when in gear and stopped. You can hear it from the outside but not from inside the car. I have been told that this has been a common problem with the new specs on these new pumps. Nothing fails but it is a little loud........and I do kinda notice every little thing on the car if you know what I mean.

Bob

Originally posted by Pope:

Originally posted by Stazi:
All you do is disconnect the coil lead from the ECU = no spark.

Also it doesn't hurt that you leave out the plugs when you almost ready to start it for the first time and rank it over like that for a few seconds to prime all the oil passages without any compression from having the plugs in there.

Then reinstall the plugs and wires. reconnect the lead to the coil and start her up. Let it idle for the first time until it gets ALL THE WAY TO WARM/NORMAL. This allows a slow break in of any new components, especially the bearings. Then drive EASY for the first 50 miles. Don't lug the engine and don't rev the crap out of it. Keep it below 4000rpm. The after that drive it for the first 500 miles keeping it under 5000rpm. Then at 1000 miles change the oil and filter.

Oh for for the very first time USE REGULAR OIL TO ALLOW FOR BREAK IN!

Or the opposing position

Even if you believe this BS, you'll see that he agrees to warm the engine up completely. It's not liek as soon as you build the engine you peel out of your driveway and go fishtailing up the street - that's just stupid.

Originally posted by Stazi:

Originally posted by Pope:

Originally posted by Stazi:
All you do is disconnect the coil lead from the ECU = no spark.

Also it doesn't hurt that you leave out the plugs when you almost ready to start it for the first time and rank it over like that for a few seconds to prime all the oil passages without any compression from having the plugs in there.

Then reinstall the plugs and wires. reconnect the lead to the coil and start her up. Let it idle for the first time until it gets ALL THE WAY TO WARM/NORMAL. This allows a slow break in of any new components, especially the bearings. Then drive EASY for the first 50 miles. Don't lug the engine and don't rev the crap out of it. Keep it below 4000rpm. The after that drive it for the first 500 miles keeping it under 5000rpm. Then at 1000 miles change the oil and filter.

Oh for for the very first time USE REGULAR OIL TO ALLOW FOR BREAK IN!

Or the opposing position

Even if you believe this BS, you'll see that he agrees to warm the engine up completely. It's not liek as soon as you build the engine you peel out of your driveway and go fishtailing up the street - that's just stupid.

Thats funny, when I used to work at the Pontiac Dealership... we got out first GTO in. As SOON as it was off the truck, the dealership owner went out to it, got in it, and BEAT THE SH!T out of it up and down the street... all with 12 miles on it.

I feel sorry for the sorry sap that bought that one.

Not to say I wasn't guilty of a few hard accelerations in those cars...but, I was just an underpaid worker..

Hey guys, sorry to bring back an old thread. Just wanted to let you all know that my motor was replaced, under warranty, free of charge. It cost me a total of $63.83 to replace a speed sensor.

Upon disassembly, they found that one of the connecting rod bolts was not torqued to spec and came loose. This caused the connecting rod to come off the crank and fly through the block. There was a hole about the size of a silver dollar on the block!

Anyhow, got the car back and it's running smooth. Still in the break in period (I'm not subscribing to that guys break in theory that was posted earlier...

) but it's running well.

Thanks for all the replies earlier!

HAPPY DAYS!

That was an awful lot of money for a motor, but the warranty was worth it. I wonder if ADC will warranty their 3L installs...

Good to hear Brad. Can't believe they actually diagnosed it.

Originally posted by BradJ:
Hey guys, sorry to bring back an old thread. Just wanted to let you all know that my motor was replaced, under warranty, free of charge. It cost me a total of $63.83 to replace a speed sensor.

Upon disassembly, they found that one of the connecting rod bolts was not torqued to spec and came loose. This caused the connecting rod to come off the crank and fly through the block. There was a hole about the size of a silver dollar on the block!

Anyhow, got the car back and it's running smooth. Still in the break in period (I'm not subscribing to that guys break in theory that was posted earlier... ) but it's running well.

Thanks for all the replies earlier!

Ford, only built on Friday's. Haven't they heard of QC ? Good christ.

Good news on the warranty though.

Originally posted by todras:
Good to hear Brad. Can't believe they actually diasgnosed it.

Originally posted by Stazi:

Originally posted by Pope:

Originally posted by Stazi:
All you do is disconnect the coil lead from the ECU = no spark.

Also it doesn't hurt that you leave out the plugs when you almost ready to start it for the first time and rank it over like that for a few seconds to prime all the oil passages without any compression from having the plugs in there.

Then reinstall the plugs and wires. reconnect the lead to the coil and start her up. Let it idle for the first time until it gets ALL THE WAY TO WARM/NORMAL. This allows a slow break in of any new components, especially the bearings. Then drive EASY for the first 50 miles. Don't lug the engine and don't rev the crap out of it. Keep it below 4000rpm. The after that drive it for the first 500 miles keeping it under 5000rpm. Then at 1000 miles change the oil and filter.

Oh for for the very first time USE REGULAR OIL TO ALLOW FOR BREAK IN!

Or the opposing position

Even if you believe this BS, you'll see that he agrees to warm the engine up completely. It's not liek as soon as you build the engine you peel out of your driveway and go fishtailing up the street - that's just stupid.

Sorry to say Stazi this is how I have ALWAYS broken in engines. I've been assembling car, bike and plane engines since 1980 and haven't had a single failure. All my new bikes have been broken in under this method and I always get high mileage out of them. I broke in my contour (from 19 miles) the same way and it's got 102 thousand now and I rev it to redline every single day. I know it goes against the grain but it works. Once it's warmed up I have at it.

Originally posted by jthursby:
Sorry to say Stazi this is how I have ALWAYS broken in engines. I've been assembling car, bike and plane engines since 1980 and haven't had a single failure. All my new bikes have been broken in under this method and I always get high mileage out of them. I broke in my contour (from 19 miles) the same way and it's got 102 thousand now and I rev it to redline every single day. I know it goes against the grain but it works. Once it's warmed up I have at it.

Yeah, but that doesn't mean that breaking a motor in the 'traditional' way is necessarily wrong either. Many more people have been doing it the 'traditional' way for many more years, with no problems. For me, I like to err on the side of caution. I'll go with what's tried and true over something which 'may' work well for some...

I had considered that hard break-in method when I got my car running again, but also erred on the side of caution. I just couldn't see myself killing it immediately after waiting all that time to get enough motivation to fix it.

Congrats, Brad! Glad the warranty worked out for you.

I have to say though, I went through every reply in this thread that had rebuild tips and am proud to report I seem to have done everything mentioned (especially priming the oil!!).

congrats. at least all it cost you was a few sleepless nights. And you learned a very valuable lesson to boot.

Very glad to hear that they replaced your engine under warranty . I had my fingers crossed for ya . I guess good things do happen once in a while in Ford-land

Thats a big relief!