Stock Coyote Cracked Crank Snout

[Saabeh]

Hey all, I have a 2018 GT with 39k miles of which I have put on only 9k. Bought the car in January of 2022 and it's a summer only/road trip fun car for me, and also my first mustang.

I installed a magnetic drain plug 5k miles ago. When I was performing the second oil change under my ownership when I discovered a tooth from the crank sprocket on the drain plug. I had no idea anything was wrong. The car ran flawlessly and had no extra noises. I took a chance and brought it to the Ford dealer that I bought it from with hopes that they would help me out in some way.

I figured the crank sprocket fatigued and lost a tooth but the crank is cracked and the dealership wants to install a new engine for $13k+. I am heart broken because I have barely owned the car, Ford corporate wont help me out in any way because it's 3 months out of the powertrain warranty and it's unlikely the dealership with help cover any of it as well. Feels like I was sold a ticking time bomb.

I guess I am looking for any information as to why a stock engine would crack the crank snout, or if I have any recourse at all for the huge expense. All I read about are supercharged or heavily modified cars that experience this. Am I unlucky or do we think the car has some stories... No real evidence of it being super modified or anything.

Thanks!

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[Johnny Rockit]

Not sure what your next step is but that is a life changing nightmare. Best of luck.
Was it a private sale? Curious.

 

[Optimum Performance]

You drove it there and they say you have a cracked crankshaft?
The timing gear can be easily replaced by any competent shop. I would request very good pictures of the damaged crankshaft.

Not saying it isn't possible but without pictures it's sketchy. Did you personally see your engine with all the front of the engine torn apart?

 

[Saabeh]

Not sure what your next step is but that is a life changing nightmare. Best of luck.
Was it a private sale? Curious.

I bought the car from a solid southern NH Ford dealership.

You drove it there and they say you have a cracked crankshaft?
The timing gear can be easily replaced by any competent shop. I would request very good pictures of the damaged crankshaft.

Not saying it isn't possible but without pictures it's sketchy. Did you personally see your engine with all the front of the engine torn apart?

I didn't drive the car to the dealer. I was in the middle of an oil change and found the tooth pictured above. I never drove it after that (flatbed to the dealer). I can't think of anything out of the ordinary apart from a rhythmic belt squeak, which now seems like the harmonic balancer off balance..... It seems like a chicken/egg issue. How does the crank sprocket fail on it's own vs the crank cracking and open up to break the sprocket open at it's weakest point?

But you're right. I am not only going to ask for pics, I am going to force them to give me the old motor. I'll personally replace the crank and timing system. Maybe a supercharged build on the side. Adding a pic I found online that seems to fit.

 

[shogun32]

The car was probably forced induction before being traded in.

Maybe it's the pic but the snout looks deformed like someone tried to put a pulley puller on it.

Have the dealer check the key cycles. And look engine and exhaust over carefully for residue of mods.

 

[Optimum Performance]

The car was probably forced induction before being traded in.

Maybe it's the pic but the snout looks deformed like someone tried to put a pulley puller on it.

Have the dealer check the key cycles. And look engine and exhaust over carefully for residue of mods.

And that picture just shows a cracked timing gear, not a crankshaft failure. Looks like a bunch of antiseaize on the crank snout.

 

[Saabeh]

And that picture just shows a cracked timing gear, not a crankshaft failure. Looks like a bunch of antiseaize on the crank snout.

I should have specified that the pic is from the internet... Either way, there is a clear crack on the crank in that pic right above the keyway. I will chase down the service manager to get me some terrible pics of my engine

 

[Optimum Performance]

I should have specified that the pic is from the internet... Either way, there is a clear crack on the crank in that pic right above the keyway. I will chase down the service manager to get me some terrible pics of my engine

That is not a crack, it's just some goo.

 

[Saabeh]

The picture is messing everything up lol...

The car had a Roush intake and X-pipe/resonator delete when I bought it, but no other evidence of mods. The intake manifold had the right amount of dirt/dust on it etc. I absolutely will chase the dealer down for pictures of the failure.

 

[Timbuck]

The picture is messing everything up lol...

The car had a Roush intake and X-pipe/resonator delete when I bought it, but no other evidence of mods. The intake manifold had the right amount of dirt/dust on it etc. I absolutely will chase the dealer down for pictures of the failure.

100% see it in person and take them your self And also take someone who knows what they are looking at.

Cast crank sprockets sometimes fail and replaced it and also set of new chains and your good to go. This is an easy fix if it’s only the CS

 

[ice445]

Very low chance the crank is cracked. Worst case scenario you'd put a shortblock in it, not an entirely new engine. Dealer is either taking you for a ride, or just wants to do it the lazy/easy way or not at all.

 

[Cory S]

I bet that thing bounced off the rev limiter 49800 times before you bought it. Maybe even had a few mechanical over revs. Manual car I’m guessing?

 

[Saabeh]

100% see it in person and take them your self And also take someone who knows what they are looking at.

Cast crank sprockets sometimes fail and replaced it and also set of new chains and your good to go. This is an easy fix if it’s only the CS

I'll be going to look at it next week, after the holiday. I've built a few engines/transmissions in my life, shouldn't be too hard to spot a cracked crank up close.

Very low chance the crank is cracked. Worst case scenario you'd put a shortblock in it, not an entirely new engine. Dealer is either taking you for a ride, or just wants to do it the lazy/easy way or not at all.

I agree it's a low chance. They would do a long block from Ford, dealer cost is probably ~$5k, they're $7500 on Jegs. The labor to replace just the crank or replacing just the short block likely makes a long block more appealing for a dealership. If I knew it had a cracked crank I would have just pulled the motor myself, or brought it to a local speed shop. My naive brain thought the dealer/ford would make it right.

I bet that thing bounced off the rev limiter 49800 times before you bought it. Maybe even had a few mechanical over revs. Manual car I’m guessing?

Manual car. You're probably right unfortunately. Sucks because it was super clean when I bought it. Seems crazy (to me) to full on abuse a nearly $50k sticker car

 

[shogun32]

Seems crazy (to me) to full on abuse a nearly $50k sticker car

Haven't watched any yt eh? How many vids out there of bouncing off the rev with 2 miles on the odo of a 80k+ car and in the dead of winter, or after a 2 minute idle from cold start?

 

[Saabeh]

Haven't watched any yt eh? How many vids out there of bouncing off the rev with 2 miles on the odo of a 80k+ car and in the dead of winter, or after a 2 minute idle from cold start?

Just being hopeful some dipshit "influencer" type person didn't own it before me

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