Is the S550 Reliable Enough?

[Coolmanfoo]

A manual should pretty much always be more reliable. Fewer points of failure, if anything.

In theory that makes sense but it does not apply to the s550. The auto trans is solid with few complaints. Meanwhile the mt82 is sort of plagued with issues.

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[cbrookre]

What's happening with waterpumps on GTs?

great question. Mine started as an obvious noise, from the engine which was diagnosed to both pulleys. There was little leakage out of it but nothing that even reached the ground.

 

[My_Coyote]

What's happening with waterpumps on GTs?

2011-2014 GT has water pump issues, no issues with 2015-2017

 

[cbrookre]

2011-2014 GT has water pump issues, no issues with 2015-2017

My car would disagree with that, but that is only a sample size of one...

 

[Emt1581]

It depends. If you go forced induction, you'll pretty much have everything in the driveline under the knife to keep it reliable, as well as a few things in the engine too. If you stick to NA and don't go full bolt ons it can very reliable. Catback, intake and tune won't cause you to start munching stuff and is all you need to be competitive with the anything else NA like the SS.

I would personally also wait till you have a good amount of miles on the engine before doing much. I didn't tune till 44k, which many would consider excessive, but I know that the chances of anything failing between now and 60K is extremely unlikely. Any infantile failures will pop up before 10-15k miles.

I did not realize this.

I was planning on waiting until all warranties are totally expired and then add either SC or TC along with whatever other upgrades are needed to facilitate a reliable and powerful setup.

Over on the FI forum I never got the impression that adding significant power was synonymous with diminished reliability for the Coyote/S550. :shrug:

Seems like adding an intake/throttle body and maybe a different exhaust is all I'll look to do any time soon.

Thanks

-Emt1581

 

[BmacIL]

I did not realize this.

I was planning on waiting until all warranties are totally expired and then add either SC or TC along with whatever other upgrades are needed to facilitate a reliable and powerful setup.

Over on the FI forum I never got the impression that adding significant power was synonymous with diminished reliability for the Coyote/S550. :shrug:

Seems like adding an intake/throttle body and maybe a different exhaust is all I'll look to do any time soon.

Thanks

-Emt1581

If you go FI, you'll want at least the following:

Upgraded OPG
Upgraded Halfshafts
Probably upgraded clutch, though several have run with stock clutch too.

Advisable to do diff bushings & stronger bolts too

The base engine will be ok unless you're going BIG power. My comment was more about the fact that anything downstream of the engine is a risk for durability if you go FI, the three above being the big ones.

 

[Emt1581]

If you go FI, you'll want at least the following:

Upgraded OPG
Upgraded Halfshafts
Probably upgraded clutch, though several have run with stock clutch too.

Advisable to do diff bushings & stronger bolts too

The base engine will be ok unless you're going BIG power. My comment was more about the fact that anything downstream of the engine is a risk for durability if you go FI, the three above being the big ones.

Big power...like a 1200hp Hellion?

Personally, I'm much more concerned with keeping my car covered under warranty than dumping more money into it. So I've got years to consider what/if anything I'll do.

But I just read that, even with the Ford Performance Pack 3 (GT350 manifold, throttle body, air intake and tune) you need to have a dealership install it or it voids the warranty. Seems like that'd be easily a $500-$1000 labor bill on top of the $2k for the kit for 35hp and 5lb/ft torque. Too rich for too little IMHO.

I guess my main curiosity is, when looking at mods under the hood...what IS Ford okay with? Or will pretty much anything void the warranty. More reading to do!

Thanks!

-Emt1581

 

[BmacIL]

Big power...like a 1200hp Hellion?

Personally, I'm much more concerned with keeping my car covered under warranty than dumping more money into it. So I've got years to consider what/if anything I'll do.

But I just read that, even with the Ford Performance Pack 3 (GT350 manifold, throttle body, air intake and tune) you need to have a dealership install it or it voids the warranty. Seems like that'd be easily a $500-$1000 labor bill on top of the $2k for the kit for 35hp and 5lb/ft torque. Too rich for too little IMHO.

I guess my main curiosity is, when looking at mods under the hood...what IS Ford okay with? Or will pretty much anything void the warranty. More reading to do!

Thanks!

-Emt1581

Yeah big power meaning north of ~750 at the crank.

The FP Power Pack still voids your original powertrain warranty, just gives you another 3 yr/36k warranty from the date/mileage of install. Peak numbers also don't really tell the story.

CAI and catback won't void your warranty, and any dealer that hints at that is BSing you. Tune, manifold, etc, yeah, they're not going to cover anything. That doesn't mean there's high risk with those parts...there isn't really if done right. Going FBO can be done safely and reliably.

 

[Emt1581]

Yeah big power meaning north of ~750 at the crank.

The FP Power Pack still voids your original powertrain warranty, just gives you another 3 yr/36k warranty from the date/mileage of install. Peak numbers also don't really tell the story.

CAI and catback won't void your warranty, and any dealer that hints at that is BSing you. Tune, manifold, etc, yeah, they're not going to cover anything. That doesn't mean there's high risk with those parts...there isn't really if done right. Going FBO can be done safely and reliably.

I don't know about that. I see people saying they had the PP2 installed by a dealer as not to void their warranty and that's a kit directly from Ford that a trained monkey could install. Possibly has to do with the tune though which is where it seems like the power increases the most.

Thanks

-Emt1581

 

[BmacIL]

I don't know about that. I see people saying they had the PP2 installed by a dealer as not to void their warranty and that's a kit directly from Ford that a trained monkey could install. Possibly has to do with the tune though which is where it seems like the power increases the most.

Thanks

-Emt1581

Yeah, nowhere does it say it keeps your 5 yr/60k warranty. It just says it warranties the parts and the powertrain for 3 yr/36k when installed by certified dealer/dealer tech.

 

[MyLilPony]

Roush smacks a blower on a stock motor and warranty's it for 3 years...there is no reason to think the car is unreliable under boost. Roush doesn't upgrade anythgin related to axles etc... either.. soooo the only reason not to boost is because you want to keep a warranty...

I have never understood that because the motor will cost the same after warranty as it does with the warranty... You are not going to blow a stock motor up so the warranty is realy useless anyway in covering the motor... So you wait 3 to 5 years, we are all out here enjoying all the fun the mustang can bring then you finally mod your and toss a motor...Still gonna pay the same you would if it was under warranty. Ford isn't going to deny an air conditioning claim just because you have a blower. I have had a few claims and have been boosted for over a year. Never once had in issue as long as it wasn't related to the tranny or motor.

 

[saf1]

Roush smacks a blower on a stock motor and warranty's it for 3 years...there is no reason to think the car is unreliable under boost. Roush doesn't upgrade anythgin related to axles etc... either.. soooo the only reason not to boost is because you want to keep a warranty...

Stage one is conservative with regards to torque and HP. Drivetrain warranty is extra. I don't believe people are saying you can't or don't. What they are saying is that you have to engineer reliability into the car when you start to push the modifications. Heat, being able to stop, getting the power to the ground, etc. Someone has to pay...


Personally speaking if I'm dropping 8 to 10K on modifications I'm darn well going to be sure it is reliable. To include city driving, heat, track (road), long drives, stopping, starting, and be my daily driver.

 

[Elmwood_S550]

I have a FI 2015 GT PP which made 704WHP. As long as you do the correct modifications and the precautionary modifications, Billet Crank Sprocket, Billet Oil Pump Gear, Clutch and Flywheel you really shouldn't have any problems. Honestly you should not fear failure unless your north of 750WHP and driving your car hard every time you get in it.

 

[Omega]

I went back and forth with this too... And read a LOT on this forum. I like to think I learned the lessons of others. That said, I have a phase 2 roush that was put on before I took possession of my brand new 2017 727 Lebanon performance mustang.

The only things I had them do were:
Roush phase 2
Billet OPT/CS/Bolt
Barton Short Throw hybrid shifter and collar
Steeda clutch spring
Corsa Xtreme
9h ceramic pro coating
... And some paint and stripes

From what I have read, the only thing I felt compelled to do, obviously, were the opg etc.

This car is my "daily", I WFH a lot, but I picked up the car in the middle of March and just turned 3500 miles today. I drive, when I have to in downtown Cincinnati and Mason. The is a lot of stop and go traffic and have had no issues.

But it is still new, however I have nothing but confidence that it will give me years and thousands of miles with very little issue... Again, based on what I have learned here.

I read for weeks, sometimes hours a night in threads posted back in 2015. I wanted to make sure I missed nothing, and that was before I even registered and started posting questions and contributing on this amazing site.

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