GR340 - Down and Out

[rb92gt]

Sorry to say it, but there is no way in hell I would want a GT350 with a motor replaced by a local Ford technician who probably has never seen one in real life before. And I can only imagine the scratches and other damage they could potentially cause. I would try and go higher up with this one, even have the car shipped back to the GT350 assembly plant for replacement if possible, people there are hand building these things and have more experience than your local dealer. This is depressing, sorry dude.

If you decide to let your local Ford dealer touch it, take a million pictures of things first so you have evidence of how it looks now. Every time I brought my older Mustang into a local shop years ago it always came out with some sort of damage, but that was just a simple crappy 1992 Mustang GT in comparison to a 2016 GT350.

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[Voodooo]

Quick update with some questions.

The casing of the block was "wrong" (I won't be able to get any good photos till it is put back on the lift). The connection point for the A/C compressor was cracked and leaking oil and also causing the belt to have friction. The dealership is trying to order a new engine but they said they are having trouble. They keep trying to place the order and the order keeps coming up with just a new block (implying they move everything else over). They don't want to do that (nor would I accept it that option). Any words of advice I could give the dealership so they can get this ball rolling? How long do you think is acceptable for a new engine such as this to be delivered to dealership? My fears is that this is a multi-month process due to the specialty nature of our engine. Speaking of engine change, are engines seralized to the VIN? Is this something they match when they do engine swaps? Should I be concerned about vehicle depreciation with a different engine? Thanks for the help.

The original engine is stamped with the vin number on the left rear corner of the block. Once they replace the engine it'll never be a numbers matching car again. Period.

 

[MCarsFan]

An engine swap is not something you need to worry about as far as techs doing the job. Its a very simple process and its not a big deal. Its plug and play in any car be it an E63 AMG or Panamera Turbo S.

What would be concerning is if they opened up the engine and did a rebuild or change something in valve train or tried to fix timing issues. For those you dont want a tech touching it.

 

[Tank]

Quick update with some questions.

The casing of the block was "wrong" (I won't be able to get any good photos till it is put back on the lift). The connection point for the A/C compressor was cracked and leaking oil and also causing the belt to have friction. The dealership is trying to order a new engine but they said they are having trouble. They keep trying to place the order and the order keeps coming up with just a new block (implying they move everything else over). They don't want to do that (nor would I accept it that option). Any words of advice I could give the dealership so they can get this ball rolling? How long do you think is acceptable for a new engine such as this to be delivered to dealership? My fears is that this is a multi-month process due to the specialty nature of our engine. Speaking of engine change, are engines seralized to the VIN? Is this something they match when they do engine swaps? Should I be concerned about vehicle depreciation with a different engine? Thanks for the help.

Escalate as far up as you can. You gotta get beyond the dealer at this point. Start by PMing the Ford Service Reps here if you have to. I'd ask if the engine you eventually get be stamped w your VIN- never heard this is possible or not but can't hurt to ask..Documation, Documation, Documation..

 

[PP0001]

Quick update with some questions.

The casing of the block was "wrong" (I won't be able to get any good photos till it is put back on the lift). The connection point for the A/C compressor was cracked and leaking oil and also causing the belt to have friction. The dealership is trying to order a new engine but they said they are having trouble. They keep trying to place the order and the order keeps coming up with just a new block (implying they move everything else over). They don't want to do that (nor would I accept it that option). Any words of advice I could give the dealership so they can get this ball rolling? How long do you think is acceptable for a new engine such as this to be delivered to dealership? My fears is that this is a multi-month process due to the specialty nature of our engine. Speaking of engine change, are engines seralized to the VIN? Is this something they match when they do engine swaps? Should I be concerned about vehicle depreciation with a different engine? Thanks for the help.

From my standpoint I would suggest that when it comes to reselling your R model with a replacement engine that you may take a hit on the resale value of your car all depending on who you sell to and how diligent they are during the selling/buying transaction.

If the potential purchaser either pulls an "Oasis Report" on your car or visually looks for a matching VIN on both the engine and transmission he/she will certainly notice the replacement block.

Each GT350/GT350R has a matching numbers VIN stamped onto both the engine block and the transmission casing on the passengers side. I am out of the country right now so can't take a look at my cars in the garage but I also recall an assembly date stamped onto both the engine block and transmission casing.

When I was growing up with the muscle car era back in the 60's and early 70's it was very common for us to blow up a HP engine in one of our cars with the manufacturer providing a long block replacement engine under warranty. These replacement engines did not come with another VIN and I suggest that Ford will not stamp a VIN onto your replacement block.

Many times these replacement blocks back in the 60's were stamped "CE" which depending who you talked to at the time stood for "Crate Engine" or "Counter Exchange".

Each to his own but if there is a way of salvaging your original engine personally that is the way that I would go and if not then you have no choice but to accept a replacement block from Ford.

Good luck!!

 

[96cobra]

I can't imagine the level of frustration you must be going through! I feel your pain.

My wife bought a Nissan many years back, and with 5K miles the factory did a full engine recall on our brand new car. It was frustrating beyond belief. And when we got it back, there was minor vibration from the new engine that wasn't there before, and the dealer just pretended it didn't exist and we were stuck with a brand new car with a brand new engine, a big payment book, and a car that didn't feel like a new car! We ended up trading it in 3 months later and were glad to get out from under it. And of course, we took a loss on it. There was nothing we could do.

I know that some people on here are saying engine swaps are easy, and that may be the case, but you will always know the swap was done and if there is something wrong like there was with my wifes car, they won't own up to it and you're hosed. I'd go for a new car if it was me.. although some may disagree I have experience that leads me that way.

 

[The Chairman]

Seems you have a solution underway for your situation.
As a matter of history, when the 1999 Mustang Cobras first came out, some were throwing belts too. Turns out under rapid acceleration, the tension on the belt from the crank pulls would take the tensioner to its limits and allow enough slack in the belt that it would jump off one of the pulleys. So Ford created a bracket to cover the tensioner after the belt was installed that would limit the motion of the tensioner so there wasn't enough slack to jump a pulley. See pix.
Worked great.

 

[MCarsFan]

OP,

If I were you, I'd calm down and ask for a practical incentive. I would ask them to double the standard powertrain warranty on all mechanical core components that relate to engine.

No one is going to know/care/check whether the engine is swapped or not.

Did you know that almost 65% of 991 GT3s have their engine replaced at least once, some even twice or thrice? Not kidding. And when all said and done in the next couple of years, every GT3 will have at least 1 engine failure due to a design problem. You dont see those guys owning 150-175k Porsches making a fuss about it do you? Don't worry about it, it's all fine.

 

[alevine]

OP,

If I were you, I'd calm down and ask for a practical incentive. I would ask them to double the standard powertrain warranty on all mechanical core components that relate to engine.

No one is going to know/care/check whether the engine is swapped or not.

Did you know that almost 65% of 991 GT3s have their engine replaced at least once, some even twice or thrice? Not kidding. And when all said and done in the next couple of years, every GT3 will have at least 1 engine failure due to a design problem. You dont see those guys owning 150-175k Porsches making a fuss about it do you? Don't worry about it, it's all fine.

Your facts on the 991 GT3 are simply untrue. I don't know where you get your numbers from but I have not heard of issues near the extent you claim. 2014 GT3's had issues but nobody in my local PCA club is aware of any engine issues in the 2015/16's. Heck, my 2016 was at the dealer last week for its first oil change after 1,000 miles and I asked the service advisor about the reported engine issues. He stated that only 2014 were of issue and they have not seen any issues in the 2015 or 2016's. BTW, they are one of the top 5 Porsche dealers in the country and sell a ton of GT3's!

 

[MCarsFan]

Your facts on the 991 GT3 are simply untrue. I don't know where you get your numbers from but I have not heard of issues near the extent you claim. 2014 GT3's had issues but nobody in my local PCA club is aware of any engine issues in the 2015/16's. Heck, my 2016 was at the dealer last week for its first oil change after 1,000 miles and I asked the service advisor about the reported engine issues. He stated that only 2014 were of issue and they have not seen any issues in the 2015 or 2016's. BTW, they are one of the top 5 Porsche dealers in the country and sell a ton of GT3's!

I heard my numbers from an instructor directly connected to PCNA. I cannot share his name publicly, however, I recommend you take a look at the following thread. Take a look at the number of distinct members reporting engine changes, it is in my opinion alarming and astronomical:

http://rennlist.com/forums/991-gt3-...ow-many-15-16-gt3-s-have-engine-replaced.html

If you literally spent 15 minutes reading most of the pages and information on that thread, you'd see that there is a systematic problem with the DFI engine and that it is assumed by all the members that one day they all would have this engine failure. There are several members on that forum who are on their 3rd (THIRD) engine.

The only reason this is not getting massive negative PR is simply because of the way PCNA is treating their customers and people's deep roots with the brand.

 

[Voodooo]

As I said before. The vin number is on the left rear corner of the block. A replacement engine will not be a numbers matching engine anymore.

 

[Voodooo]

Block

 

[MisterGT]

Well, just got off the phone with Ford and they are stating that they do not have any more long block 5.2L engines available. Ford is only going to send over a short block and the local dealership has to move the parts over. Does this sound right? Should I be concerned?

 

[Tank]

Well, just got off the phone with Ford and they are stating that they do not have any more long block 5.2L engines available. Ford is only going to send over a short block and the local dealership has to move the parts over. Does this sound right? Should I be concerned?

Gulp....
It wont preserve your VIN # on the block and it's more complicated...

How much confidence do you have with the service department? Do they have anyone with engine building experience? How long, how has their work turn out. What's Ford willing to give to incentivize you to go this route?

While they're at it, can Ford send the team that assembled your engine?:(

How many times has it been in? I'd be thinking lemon law.

Good luck

 

[FPCV8YO]

Gulp....
On the one hand, it'll preserve your VIN # on the block

With a short block? Doesn't that mean the entire bottom end including the block is replaced and his top end will be transferred over?

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