Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General General Just blew my motor...for the SECOND TIME

So last year I spun a main and rod bearing on my CSVT...wasn't too upset about it since the car had 92,000 on it and I pretty much drove the crap out of it.

Bought a complete engine assembly from Ford (debated 3.0L, but wanted the warranty...thank god) and spent the last six months installing it and various other parts. All in all, spent about $7500 on new parts. That's more than this freakin car is worth...but pretty much anything that could wear on the car is new or rebuilt.

Anyhow, so I'm finally done putting the car together, fires up first time, runs and idles perfectly. Start driving around to break in the motor. 25 miles into the break in, I start hearing this kinda metallic clicking noise...[censored]. Sounded EXACTLY like it did when I spun a bearing last time. Was on the freeway going 60mph and the thing just dies.

So, long story short, just got a call back from the Ford dealer, motor is shot...siezed up.

Sorry for the long post...I just had to vent. So mad right now.

Hmm sounds like what happened to me. Did a 3L though. Mine lasted 50 miles. I feel for you though. But what the heck did you buy for a $7500 total?!!!!!!!!! I was only out $500 since that's what I paid for the engine. My new one is getting Clevite bearings. So what's going to happen with the car now? Also did you prime the oil pressure before starting it up?

Motor was $4500. Rebuilt transmission, new LSD, all new suspension front and rear, new brakes, new axles, plus a whole bunch of little stuff.

The car is at a dealer doing the warranty claim...

Crap crap crap. I didn't prime the oil pressure before starting it. Okay now I'm worried. Is this what caused the motor to fail? Will Ford be able to find this out and deny my warranty claim?!?

If Ford was the one that did the rebuild, THEY should have primed the oil pressure!!

Mark

His wording makes me think he did it himself. They won't be able to prove that you didn't prime it. You should have pulled the ground on the coil or pulled some plug wires before starting the motor.

Yeah, I did the labor on the install myself. Great, now I feel like a complete ass. Oh well, life's lessons I suppose.

Man now I get to feel guilty for making a false warranty claim...

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!

Hey thanks for the info Stazi...to bad I didn't know this before. I was definitely driving it easy to break it in, and I had dino oil in there...just didn't prime the oil passages.

Oh well, the dealer will be doing the labor this time...I dont have the patience to do it again.

Sorry to hear about it Brad. That must feel like a kick in the nuts.

Yeah all it takes it those first few seconds when you start it - totally dry, to score the bearings. Then it's all downhill from there.

On Todd's new engine we went to town with assembly lubricant on every bearing and journal we saw/touched.