54,000 Mile Oil Analysis - Increased Lead

[UnhandledException]

I am not sure why the lead reading increased but I hold you up as a great example of these Gen 1 motors NOT being time bombs !! Thanks for setting an example and showing us how these motors do hold together- seriously!

I love this car. My family and I are attached to it. I can tell you the news of possible selling of the car was met with tears from my daughter and my wife (literally crying non stop). This car has been part of our family. It was with us in happy days and sad days. I always said I would teach my daughter how to drive with it and I would hand her the keys one day when my time is up here:(

I hope this is a case of bad fuel, because one other thing we did was to change where we get our fuel from exxon to some local brand (but very clean place). Always 93 octane but maybe this local place’s 93 octane had some additives in it.

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[honeybadger]

Regarding the backfire, I'd put new spark plugs and change the fuel filter out as precautionary measures.

 

[UnhandledException]

Regarding the backfire, I'd put new spark plugs and change the fuel filter out as precautionary measures.

and coils?

how long do these usually last?

 

[Nfs1000f]

I would never buy anything for my GT350 that is engine related from Amazon. I also have concerns with outside sellers.

 

[SVTinAR]

Just from a quick google search it appears most aftermarket performance bearings are tri-metal that do use lead in the intermediate layer. OEM are typically aluminum shell now. Possibly Ford is sourcing high quality aftermarket performance bearings for the Voodoo - worth asking about if anyone knows a Ford powertrain engineer. To me the bearings would be the most likely source for lead due to wear.

 

[SVTinAR]

Just from a quick google search it appears most aftermarket performance bearings are tri-metal that do use lead in the intermediate layer. OEM are typically aluminum shell now. Possibly Ford is sourcing high quality aftermarket performance bearings for the Voodoo - worth asking about if anyone knows a Ford powertrain engineer. To me the bearings would be the most likely source for lead due to wear.

 

[UnhandledException]

I would never buy anything for my GT350 that is engine related from Amazon. I also have concerns with outside sellers.

the red stuff on the filter threads happened on filters bought from a reputable third party (i wont name them), amazon, and a ford parts store. I dont think it has anything to do with amazon.

the reason I buy from amazon now is well no reason the cost of the filter is identical everywhere.

other more specific parts have always been purchased from ford dealer such as air/cabin/fuel filters.

 

[SVTinAR]

Just from a quick google search it appears most aftermarket performance bearings are tri-metal that do use lead in the intermediate layer. OEM are typically aluminum shell now. Possibly Ford is sourcing high quality aftermarket performance bearings for the Voodoo - worth asking about if anyone knows a Ford powertrain engineer. To me the bearings would be the most likely source for lead due to wear.

 

[SVTinAR]

Duplicate post

 

[Hack]

I'd probably sell it before the warranty was up. But everyone here knows that already since even though I loved my GT350 I sold it last year with 33,000 miles on it. I didn't have any failure indicators, but I didn't want to wait for one to pop up. I'm just that neurotic.

I don't really understand why the bearings in your engine are wearing. You don't take your GT350 to the road course, do you? You change the oil more often than required, etc. Unless the engine was run low on oil, or the oil wasn't changed frequently enough, the oil should really prevent the bearings from wearing. I suppose it's possible that something internal to the engine contaminated the oil and that is what caused some bearing wear. Or somehow debris got into the engine some other way.

What's your oil pressure at idle look like when the engine is hot? That should be an indication of how much wear there is on the bearings. I realize that this time of year your oil doesn't get hot enough, but do you remember from last fall? Any changes in hot idle oil pressure?

My other thought is that with bearing wear, the failure mode is that eventually the engine oil pressure is insufficient to create a proper oil film and then the bearing wear accelerates and then you get failure. It's possible that the engine could run for years with some bearing wear but that the bearing wear would not be enough to cause a low oil pressure condition.

If you were really ambitious you could pull the engine and look at the condition of the bearings. They can be replaced and the crank/rods can be reconditioned if necessary. I probably wouldn't do that when the car is still under warranty, though. You could just continue to monitor it for a while, but if the bearings do fail and the engine shows low oil pressure that could make it more difficult to sell the car.

 

[UnhandledException]

I'd probably sell it before the warranty was up. But everyone here knows that already since even though I loved my GT350 I sold it last year with 33,000 miles on it. I didn't have any failure indicators, but I didn't want to wait for one to pop up. I'm just that neurotic.

I don't really understand why the bearings in your engine are wearing. You don't take your GT350 to the road course, do you? You change the oil more often than required, etc. Unless the engine was run low on oil, or the oil wasn't changed frequently enough, the oil should really prevent the bearings from wearing. I suppose it's possible that something internal to the engine contaminated the oil and that is what caused some bearing wear. Or somehow debris got into the engine some other way.

What's your oil pressure at idle look like when the engine is hot? That should be an indication of how much wear there is on the bearings. I realize that this time of year your oil doesn't get hot enough, but do you remember from last fall? Any changes in hot idle oil pressure?

My other thought is that with bearing wear, the failure mode is that eventually the engine oil pressure is insufficient to create a proper oil film and then the bearing wear accelerates and then you get failure. It's possible that the engine could run for years with some bearing wear but that the bearing wear would not be enough to cause a low oil pressure condition.

If you were really ambitious you could pull the engine and look at the condition of the bearings. They can be replaced and the crank/rods can be reconditioned if necessary. I probably wouldn't do that when the car is still under warranty, though. You could just continue to monitor it for a while, but if the bearings do fail and the engine shows low oil pressure that could make it more difficult to sell the car.

I never took the car to road course. It is a daily driver since 3,000 miles. I check oil level every 500-1,000 miles and have never been in a situation where I had to add more than 1 qt to bring oil level to between two holes.

My oil pressure has been identical since mile 1. While oil is cold a notch over 100, when warm 75 under load and 25 or so idle.

I have been using ford performance blue filters since 5,000 miles and I clean them very carefully every oil change (4000-4500 miles).

Never had any issues with the car. Never changed my routine of how I drive it or maintain it.

i use thick electrical tape to block off oil radiator mesh on front bumper when its 30 degrees or colder which helps keep oil temp in 175F in extreme cold days (without it the temps stay at 152F).

I take extreme care, never go above 3000 rpm until engine temp is 200, etc.

 

[Hack]

As long as your idle oil pressure isn't changing, I wouldn't worry too much about imminent engine failure. You could just drive it as the other members suggested and wait and see what happens.

 

[Strokerswild]

I'd wager that it almost has to be main or rod bearing material, but probably just a trace. There are no cam bearings in the normal sense (i.e. a separate bearing shell) in these engines IIRC, it's just a machined surface that the cams ride on in conjunction with the pressurized oil film.

I've torn down a few engines that had wiped out the outer bearing layers right down to the copper. Usually they'll have a knock once they get to a point, but not always. Sometimes they'll just hatch under load too. I've also cut open oil filters that have what appears to be silver paint in the filter element, which was bearing material; the end was very near in those cases.

I'd watch your oil pressure and hack open a filter....

 

[3star2nr]

I think this means it's time to buy a gt500

 

[3star2nr]

I mean if ur really worried you have a few options.
1. Extend your warranty and send it.
2. Drop the oil pan pull off your rod bearing caps and inspect the bearing. Start with the cylinder closest to the firewall if any is going to fail it's gonna be one of the ones at the back. You don't have to take off all of them just the last 2 on both banks should give you a good feel for whats happening...

3. Listen for rod knock, if the engines clean you're good. Add ceratec for the time being.

4. Plan to pull the motor and rebuild it. Start buying up the components then set a cut off date, then just pull it, sleeve it, rods, headstuds, whipple it then send it.

Bro ive learned over the years if it's something keeping you up at night just handle it.

No point in worrying. Or denying whats happening. The cars giving you a warning that somethings coming make a plan then make an executive decision and fix it preemptively. If it turns out the motor was fine all along now you have a built motor so u can really flog it.

In a fight against a bully its always best to throw the first punch you might win, you might lose but at least you get the ball rolling...

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