ECOBOOM!

[Slow89]

Motor is built on Cleveland. March 24th 2015

Are you positive? Because I'm not saying your wrong but your build date and vehicle aren't matching up. A March 2015 motor build date would be a 2016 car not 2015. I could be wrong but I'm like 95% sure something isn't matching up here.

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[DarkestHour]

Do you guys remember when I said Cobb OTS Stage 3's where the most common on the Focus ST "blown engine" list in the TST optimization thread? User has a Stage 3 OTS tune from Cobb unless the signature is not accurate.

Their stage 3's seem to really push the limit on the the Focus ST's and there's a laundry list of blown Stage 3's. Now I'm not suggesting everything Cobb makes is junk or going to blow your engine.

However there is clearly an issue and what ever it is they are doing in their Stage 3 tunes is high risk and it's not panning out for a lot of people with the Focus ST's. I would not trust it with that kind of a record.

Most of them (Cobb Stage 3 Focus ST's) failed from cracked piston heads. That's a sure sign of knock not being controlled properly. It may be a combination of things like regulating a higher boost and running a very aggressive knock strategy. When knock occurs it's exceeding the capabilities of the hyperutectic pistons (forged pistons would be more knock tolerant at higher than factory boost levels). All engines have some knock tolerance built into them, but when we start increasing power, we may exceed the tolerance capabilities, especially if it's not managed properly.

This is the first blown 2.3L with a Cobb Stage 3 I've personally seen. But given their track record with the Focus guys I would advise people to stick with vendors who are more specialized in domestic architectures such as Adam, LMS, Lund etc...or at the very least follow ALL of the hardware modifications to mitigate risk of knock.

IC, 160F thermostat, upgraded radiator, low NOAC oil, 1 or 2 step colder plugs, run 91 octane tune but use 93 octane. The way this engine failed is itendicle to what is described by Focus ST guy's, car was running fine until a few minor issues, did some WOT or hard driving, car seemed ok, then during light load (2k to 4k rpm) during more normal driving engine just stopped working (some users had bad shutter, rough idle just prior to etc).

Once the car was diagnosed by the dealer the biggest majority of them have cracked pistons or failed rings / lands both of which typically occur from uncontrolled knock.

Some failures (mostly on stock cars) were attributed to a stuck or poorly flowing injector. But most of the modified cars that was not the believed cause.

I disagree. The Focus ST Stage 3 is a very safe calibration. These engines blow from people driving them wrong or the very rare actual mechanical failure.

 

[jrock]

Mountune has some cam options?
http://www.mountuneusa.com/ford-mustang-power-performance-parts-s/1839.htm

 

[Maggneto]

Wow that is pretty crazy this is the first Cleveland failure. Well I guess it isn't at all as bad as it seemed ....it's a camshaft bolt that is broken...it's the bolt that goes directly into the camshaft through the timing chain . just the driver side is broken. So I'm gonna get the new ford performance aftermarket ones and then just get a new bolt for it as well. I wanted aftermarket lifters and stuff too but there is no lot.

So broken camshaft bolt is the victim. Crazy process

A broken camshaft bolt sounds like a defect to me. Ford should be paying for the repair under warranty. I am no mechanical engineer but I don't see any connection between a tune and broken camshaft bolt.

I would open a case with Ford and raise hell. Make sure you document the entire process with pics so you have evidence of the failure.

 

[2015 Silver GT]

A broken camshaft bolt sounds like a defect to me. Ford should be paying for the repair under warranty. I am no mechanical engineer but I don't see any connection between a tune and broken camshaft bolt.

There's no way Ford should be on the hook for the repairs since the car was heavily modified.

 

[hmdballa219]

Ya I ordered them. Ford wanted 86 for 1 stock cam. For 217 I got both FP ones . since the 1 has to be removed anyways there's no point keeping them stock so it's worth it to me. And my mechanic is brining a camera to go down inside to make sure nothing internal is messed up. I usually do all my own work but this is out of my league lol.

Ya the next mod is Adam tuned so that works well

 

[hmdballa219]

There's no way Ford should be on the hook for the repairs since the car was heavily modified.

Ya that's exactly why. I know they didn't even look inside . I bet they popped the hood, seen the mods and said nope blown engine. Still shitty tho

 

[2015 Silver GT]

Ya that's exactly why. I know they didn't even look inside . I bet they popped the hood, seen the mods and said nope blown engine. Still shitty tho

Yes it is shitty but everyone needs to know once modded the chances of you being screwed over are pretty good. Right or wrong.

 

[Maggneto]

Ya that's exactly why. I know they didn't even look inside . I bet they popped the hood, seen the mods and said nope blown engine. Still shitty tho

I repeat, a broken camshaft bolt sounds like a defect and has nothing to do with a tune or other modifications as long as those modifications were outside of the camshaft itself. If you didn't previously remove the camshaft, mess with it, or replace it they legally can't deny warranty claims if the broken part was not a result of modifications.

Open a case with Ford and let them explain to you how a broken camshaft bolt was a result of a tune or other modifications. It's your money brother and opening a case costs nothing.

 

[Maggneto]

There's no way Ford should be on the hook for the repairs since the car was heavily modified.

This statement is nonsense. Ford, or any other manufacturer for that matter, should take the time to properly diagnose the problem and come to the conclusion that problem was a direct result of the modifications before denying the claim. To say that all failures are a result of modifications without knowing the facts is kind of dumb.

 

[Witj85]

Are you positive? Because I'm not saying your wrong but your build date and vehicle aren't matching up. A March 2015 motor build date would be a 2016 car not 2015. I could be wrong but I'm like 95% sure something isn't matching up here.

I have a July 2015 build and my car is a 2015

 

[hmdballa219]

This statement is nonsense. Ford, or any other manufacturer for that matter, should take the time to properly diagnose the problem and come to the conclusion that problem was a direct result of the modifications before denying the claim. To say that all failures are a result of modifications without knowing the facts is kind of dumb.

Exactly my point. I think that's a defect from Ford. So I'm gonna complain today and make a claim. Worth a try.

 

[2015 Silver GT]

This statement is nonsense. Ford, or any other manufacturer for that matter, should take the time to properly diagnose the problem and come to the conclusion that problem was a direct result of the modifications before denying the claim. To say that all failures are a result of modifications without knowing the facts is kind of dumb.

Why should Ford spend their time and money to investigate a car that has been modified outside of the perimeters they built? How do we know the tune didn't cause the extra stress on the camshaft bolt?

 

[Maggneto]

Why should Ford spend their time and money to investigate a car that has been modified outside of the perimeters they built? How do we know the tune didn't cause the extra stress on the camshaft bolt?

We are talking about a busted camshaft bolt which I find hard to believe can be linked to any modification that didn't manipulate the camshaft.

Until someone properly diagnoses the problem and makes a logical connection between the modification and the broken part the manufacturer is required by law to fix under warranty.

The problem in this case is that Ford opened the hood and said your not covered without diagnosing the problem. There was no effort to diagnose the engine failure and therefore a connection between the modification and broken part was never established to begin with.

 

[5.0yote]

Why should Ford spend their time and money to investigate a car that has been modified outside of the perimeters they built? How do we know the tune didn't cause the extra stress on the camshaft bolt?

Because there is a federal law against them doing that.

"Further, under the act, aftermarket equipment that improves performance does not automatically void a vehicle manufacturer’s original warranty, unless the warranty clearly states the addition of aftermarket equipment automatically voids your vehicle’s warranty, or if it can be proven that the aftermarket device is the direct cause of the failure."

Also they cannot require you to use genuine ford branded parts in case say you replace your clutch or drive shaft and you replace it with an aftermarket unit, they cannot void your warranty based on tie-in parts.

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