SLOBullitt
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 5, 2018
- Threads
- 9
- Messages
- 48
- Reaction score
- 16
- Location
- Paso Robles, CA
- Vehicle(s)
- 2019 Bullitt
- Thread starter
- #1
Haven’t posted in a while- but here’s my 10k check-in.
Maintenance: Changed tranny fluid out after a few thousand mile break-in –BG Syncro Shift. Seems to still shift ok, the usual mt-82 snicks when cold, but so far so good. Changed the engine oil for the 3rd time. Checked the oil filter- nothing. 2nd change had nothing too. First oil change had a little casting flash. Everything seems ok – not too much ticking -I use ceratec though. Took off the drivers side catch can for good- never had oil. Passenger side catch can 1/3 full at last oil change at 5k interval. No oil used except during the 0-5k break-in time period. I use a 5-30 synthetic.
*Check your air intake grill connector to the cold air box. Will have to take off the front cover to see though. When I tried to connect the air box back up I saw that the connection tube from the cold air box - that is supposed to seal from the box to the grill - was pushed in. Whoever installed the box on mine from the factory didn’t pull the rubber lip all the way around the plenum and there was no way it was sealed. Maybe 75%. Wouldn’t have ever noticed unless I had had the box out or looked under the front cover. Tip: curl the top of the rubber seal back about one fold and then when you’re putting the box into place make sure you wiggle the bottom on first (use some dish soap) and then just curl the top lip back into place. A heat gun to soften the rubber connector for a few minutes was worth the time.
Upgrades: Put FP magnaride springs/bmr irs lockout kit and bmr 4 post front brace when I first got the car. Did a HPDE course at Button Willow with some buddies – the car seemed to be pretty smooth in the curves but when pushed it would wallow a little. Those long straights were fun though. The steering always felt “heavy” to me in sport or track mode. Recently I got around to putting on the GT350 front sway and bushings and steeda adjust endlinks and vertical links I had sitting around. I had bought the gt350 front/rear bars w/bushings when I was waiting for my car to be made – over 2 years ago when you could get them for @ $150 + shipping. Guys, like others have mentioned – once you’ve lowered your ride those PP1 sway bar/sticky bushing combo are gonna feel different. Anyway, the front bar came out easy (driver side, behind the rotor, wheel cranked all the way to the right). Easier than I thought it would be actually. Going back in was pretty easy too. Start with the bar almost parallel to the car (say 20 deg from fender ) then feed it in as you angle it into place. About half way in I fed it the rest of the way from the engine bay. Used 4 plastic HF car ramps to load up the suspension to adjust the endlink lengths. Didn’t put the gt350 rear bar in and left the pp1 rear bar in. Put the steeda poly vertical links in. Rt side almost fell out when loosened and fell back in. I got too happy. The driver’s side I had to jack up the control arm (Up & down)and use a mallet. Maybe 30 minutes of frustration. Getting the arm at the sweet spot height seems to be the ticket.
Initially, I wasn’t sure I liked the steering feel and was kicking myself for not just getting a beefier bar as the steering just felt too light. I think I was so used to the heavy pp1 “on-center” feel that the car felt slower to turn in with the gt350 bar. The 2nd and 3rd rides I began to appreciate the lighter, maybe tighter, steering feeling. It was a good upgrade and feels like comfort steering mode, but with track mode crispness. Much less bouncy too as I think the sway bar bushings were loading up the springs. Anyway, a minor upgrade but seemed to pair well with the magnaride, and FP springs. Didn’t notice too much with the vert links which was just what I wanted and expected. No knocks or clunks. Rigid, but with just enough flex to feel stock. I think the rear end maybe feels a smidge tighter on pulls and hard braking. Those RLCA bearings will have to go next, but I’m really dreading that project!
Warranty work: this car gets babied for the most part, but every once in a while…. Was pulling on an on ramp and thought I’d finally try a 6k ish 1-2 no lift shift. Rolled into it, floored it, shifted 1-2, then heard a metallic thunk, thunk, thunk sound under the tranny and then the shifter and then whole engine started to vibrate. uh-oh! Took it home- idled ok – not the engine, looked under the car – didn’t see anything. Drove it again, shifted good, engine sounded good, but still vibrated badly past 45 mph so i thought it might be the drive line. Looked under it more carefully. Yep, 3 drive shaft bolts had sheared off. The ford tech told me rare occurrence, but it does happen. Covered under warranty- no problem. Other than that the car has been fun. No issues, no problems, no noises. It even updated sync by itself via Wi-Fi. I came out one day after not driving it for a few weeks and got a “what the heck” moment. For some reason I can’t search my thumb drive while driving anymore. Have to be at a complete stop to access those files. Cd and radio allow full function though. Anyone else have this issue???
Maintenance: Changed tranny fluid out after a few thousand mile break-in –BG Syncro Shift. Seems to still shift ok, the usual mt-82 snicks when cold, but so far so good. Changed the engine oil for the 3rd time. Checked the oil filter- nothing. 2nd change had nothing too. First oil change had a little casting flash. Everything seems ok – not too much ticking -I use ceratec though. Took off the drivers side catch can for good- never had oil. Passenger side catch can 1/3 full at last oil change at 5k interval. No oil used except during the 0-5k break-in time period. I use a 5-30 synthetic.
*Check your air intake grill connector to the cold air box. Will have to take off the front cover to see though. When I tried to connect the air box back up I saw that the connection tube from the cold air box - that is supposed to seal from the box to the grill - was pushed in. Whoever installed the box on mine from the factory didn’t pull the rubber lip all the way around the plenum and there was no way it was sealed. Maybe 75%. Wouldn’t have ever noticed unless I had had the box out or looked under the front cover. Tip: curl the top of the rubber seal back about one fold and then when you’re putting the box into place make sure you wiggle the bottom on first (use some dish soap) and then just curl the top lip back into place. A heat gun to soften the rubber connector for a few minutes was worth the time.
Upgrades: Put FP magnaride springs/bmr irs lockout kit and bmr 4 post front brace when I first got the car. Did a HPDE course at Button Willow with some buddies – the car seemed to be pretty smooth in the curves but when pushed it would wallow a little. Those long straights were fun though. The steering always felt “heavy” to me in sport or track mode. Recently I got around to putting on the GT350 front sway and bushings and steeda adjust endlinks and vertical links I had sitting around. I had bought the gt350 front/rear bars w/bushings when I was waiting for my car to be made – over 2 years ago when you could get them for @ $150 + shipping. Guys, like others have mentioned – once you’ve lowered your ride those PP1 sway bar/sticky bushing combo are gonna feel different. Anyway, the front bar came out easy (driver side, behind the rotor, wheel cranked all the way to the right). Easier than I thought it would be actually. Going back in was pretty easy too. Start with the bar almost parallel to the car (say 20 deg from fender ) then feed it in as you angle it into place. About half way in I fed it the rest of the way from the engine bay. Used 4 plastic HF car ramps to load up the suspension to adjust the endlink lengths. Didn’t put the gt350 rear bar in and left the pp1 rear bar in. Put the steeda poly vertical links in. Rt side almost fell out when loosened and fell back in. I got too happy. The driver’s side I had to jack up the control arm (Up & down)and use a mallet. Maybe 30 minutes of frustration. Getting the arm at the sweet spot height seems to be the ticket.
Initially, I wasn’t sure I liked the steering feel and was kicking myself for not just getting a beefier bar as the steering just felt too light. I think I was so used to the heavy pp1 “on-center” feel that the car felt slower to turn in with the gt350 bar. The 2nd and 3rd rides I began to appreciate the lighter, maybe tighter, steering feeling. It was a good upgrade and feels like comfort steering mode, but with track mode crispness. Much less bouncy too as I think the sway bar bushings were loading up the springs. Anyway, a minor upgrade but seemed to pair well with the magnaride, and FP springs. Didn’t notice too much with the vert links which was just what I wanted and expected. No knocks or clunks. Rigid, but with just enough flex to feel stock. I think the rear end maybe feels a smidge tighter on pulls and hard braking. Those RLCA bearings will have to go next, but I’m really dreading that project!
Warranty work: this car gets babied for the most part, but every once in a while…. Was pulling on an on ramp and thought I’d finally try a 6k ish 1-2 no lift shift. Rolled into it, floored it, shifted 1-2, then heard a metallic thunk, thunk, thunk sound under the tranny and then the shifter and then whole engine started to vibrate. uh-oh! Took it home- idled ok – not the engine, looked under the car – didn’t see anything. Drove it again, shifted good, engine sounded good, but still vibrated badly past 45 mph so i thought it might be the drive line. Looked under it more carefully. Yep, 3 drive shaft bolts had sheared off. The ford tech told me rare occurrence, but it does happen. Covered under warranty- no problem. Other than that the car has been fun. No issues, no problems, no noises. It even updated sync by itself via Wi-Fi. I came out one day after not driving it for a few weeks and got a “what the heck” moment. For some reason I can’t search my thumb drive while driving anymore. Have to be at a complete stop to access those files. Cd and radio allow full function though. Anyone else have this issue???
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