Need help diagnosing a problem observed on track.

[honeybadger]

Ackkk. That crap sounds awfully familiar. Exactly the type of stuff I was dealing with - one commonality, sounds like you ride the upper rpms a good bit and bounce off the limiter. I do as well - I wonder if the higher than average rpms are causing issues with those parts?

Either way, so far so good with the lockouts. Reliability is nice - sound is pretty fun too

Hope the dealer gets you figured out

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[Tony_the_Brit]

Do these cars set a code when they reduce power due to trans or diff getting hot?

 

[pilotgore]

Do these cars set a code when they reduce power due to trans or diff getting hot?

According to this, yes: https://ford.oemdtc.com/1637/extend...-p0218-and-p1783-2015-2016-ford-mustang-gt350

 

[pilotgore]

Well, no definitive answers from my boys at Ford, except the two exhaust vct solenoids have broken free from their brackets. I highly doubt the issues lies there, but who knows.

Both intake VCT solenoids were broken free at the end of my previous track weekend. . . I know @jmn444 has experience solenoids breaking free from the brackets. Anyone else? I wonder how common this is amongst cars that see hard track time.

 

[jmn444]

Well, no definitive answers from my boys at Ford, except the two exhaust vct solenoids have broken free from their brackets. I highly doubt the issues lies there, but who knows.

Both intake VCT solenoids we’re broken free at the end of my previous track weekend. . . I know @jmn444 has experience solenoids breaking free from the brackets. Anyone else? I wonder how common this is amongst cars that see hard track time.

now i def am going to order some to have on hand haha... this is nuts you have broken 4 now! I only broke the one....

 

[pilotgore]

Another track weekend, another failure to report. The car started going to a reduced power state (40 sec at a time) during my last session yesterday. I’m curious if it has something to do with the heat. It was 90’ish yesterday, it was my final session of the day, and it happened for the first time after being on track for 15 min.

I guess I’ll see how it does today, but I can’t help but think another vct solenoid is on its way out. I guess I’ll focus on breaking it today so at least it’ll throw a code and I can get it replaced….. again. This now marks the 6’th track day/weekend in a row where I’ve come away with a mechanical issue. Three weeks ago it was an alternator at mid-Ohio that sidelined me during the second session. It’s starting to get old.

 

[Hack]

AFAIK it's not hitting red line that's causing an issue. At the track attack the instructors told us in certain areas to allow the car to ride on the redline rather than shifting to the next higher gear. Since it wasn't my car, I did it. The car never pulled power and I had no mercy - holding the gas pedal to the floor while it was sitting at red line in several spots on the track. The car definitely never pulled power during that time.

And when they get hot you get a dash message. The car shouldn't pull power without displaying something. So IMO this is a problem that the dealer should fix for you.

I assume the power issue is related to the electrical gremlins or worn/defective mechanical components. Did the dealership really just give up without fixing the issue? Dang, that stinks! In my opinion they should be replacing parts until the issue is resolved.

 

[THX 138]

Three weeks ago it was an alternator at mid-Ohio that sidelined me during the second session. It’s starting to get old.

What symptoms were you getting for the alternator issue? I had an issue on track last weekend at Putnam with the “Service Charging System” warning coming on mid-session. I just replaced the battery in March, so I’m guessing the alternator is going out on my car too. It’s currently at the dealer getting diagnosed.

 

[jmn444]

What symptoms were you getting for the alternator issue? I had an issue on track last weekend at Putnam with the “Service Charging System” warning coming on mid-session. I just replaced the battery in March, so I’m guessing the alternator is going out on my car too. It’s currently at the dealer getting diagnosed.

Can't speak for the OP, but my symptoms from 1st alt going bad included what felt like a miss in 4th gear at wot, cruise randomly cancelling itself, car pulling tons of power on the way home from the track, and eventually throwing a wrench light. I think there was a service advance track warning too but can't recall for sure.

The current/2nd time (i'm not certain it's the alt, but pretty sure), I was getting the miss and cruise issues in the month leading up to getting a charging system error on the car. also noticed the car didn't want to crank if I tried to start it too soon after shutting down after a session. after it cooled it would crank fine and didn't respond to a jump box so something must be heat soaking i guess.

car is at the dealer now, so we shall see!

 

[pilotgore]

What symptoms were you getting for the alternator issue? I had an issue on track last weekend at Putnam with the “Service Charging System” warning coming on mid-session. I just replaced the battery in March, so I’m guessing the alternator is going out on my car too. It’s currently at the dealer getting diagnosed.

I got the service charging system annunciation, and as the voltage dropped slowly, electronics started shutting off.

I ended up charging my battery, buying two spare batteries, and drove the 4 hrs home with no alternator (changing batteries along the way.) Stock battery gives you about 1:15 of run time with everything off, and the larger batteries I bought with more amps last 1:30-1:40

FYI, I can tell you definitively that the screens shut off at 9.6 volts, and the car shuts down about 30 seconds after that.

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