Off to a rough start with 2016 GT

[Tucker80]

That's a nice burn, and well-deserved.

Absolutely not intended to be a burn. I would be checking and rechecking everything at this point. I tend to be a trusting individual, but after the fiasco with the dealership I would be incredibly hesitant to involve any other parties that weren't vetted to the max.

I will reiterate the red flag about a mechanic that is making calls for work. Quality shops where I'm at have more business than they can handle and would never being reaching out.

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[Canuckican]

Absolutely not intended to be a burn. I would be checking and rechecking everything at this point. I tend to be a trusting individual, but after the fiasco with the dealership I would be incredibly hesitant to involve any other parties that weren't vetted to the max.

I will reiterate the red flag about a mechanic that is making calls for work. Quality shops where I'm at have more business than they can handle and would never being reaching out.

Sorry, I was trying to make light of my mistakes otherwise I've been beating myself up pretty bad. Learn from it, don't repeat it, and move forward.

And I appreciate you making the good points about trust, vetting and availability. I need to slow down a step. Like that old saying about when you find yourself in a hole, the first thing you should do is stop digging.

 

[Canuckican]

Well, the update ran for 1 hour and 25 minutes, then this. I was only updating SYNC, this car does not have navigation. I created the file via the SYNC page on the Ford owner site. Oh well, I'll retry later. Maybe try CyanLabs this time, although in theory it should be the same file. I'll also get a different thumb drive ready too, just in case.

This car is going to make me work for every millimeter of progress I make towards making it what it already should be.

This morning I tried updating SYNC based on the Cyanlabs updater and it did the update in about 25 minutes. I do need to replace the USB hub in the center console but that can wait until spring. So another small victory was mine!

 

[Canuckican]

In the spirit of throwing caution to the wind and just driving the Mustang and seeing what happens, I've now put about 50 miles on it since I got it running post-Lund tune install! I made it home okay and had no codes. Not even ones from the long tube headers.

I did end up removing the new aftermarket vapor canister purge valve that had started making an ominously loud racket with the stock one since it obviously was not the initial cause of the many problems with the car. The original one is behaving well, although I do have to tape the connector in place because it is missing the tab to lock it down.

I decided to do another compression test after it cooled down to see if it was changing / getting ready to grenade. So, out came all 8 plugs and all 8 cylinders were tested twice. Anyway, I don't know what to make of what I found. Cylinders 1, 4, 5 and 8 are showing about 240-245 PSI and the middle cylinders are a lot lower, especially the one that had the nozzle bouncing around on it for an unknown amount of time. Maybe if I drive it another 50 miles, all 8 cylinders will be normal. Just kidding. I do think I see a little bit of smoke coming out of the tailpipes. Given the H-pipe exhaust I can't be certain, but cylinder 3 would be my guess as to the source.

My nephew is a Ford mechanic and hot-rod guy but lives in Canada. His family is supposed to be visiting us sometime in the new year so I think I will just leave it alone until he can have a look at it. I was concerned about bothering him with it, but like a true car-guy, he is intrigued and says it sounds like a fun project. God bless him!

Me? I'm a software engineer so one of my logging tools is Excel.

 

[slime_bullet]

Have you done a leak down test to get a better idea if it's the bottom or top end? You may just have leaky or sticking valves

 

[Canuckican]

Have you done a leak down test to get a better idea if it's the bottom or top end? You may just have leaky or sticking valves

I have definitely thought about it but to be honest, I am not quite sure exactly how to do it. I think it involves putting the piston at TDC with all valves on that cylinder closed, and using an air compressor (which I do have) to pressurize the cylinder to a specific PSI on one gauge and use the second gauge to measure the leakdown. Then use a ratchet to move the next cylinder to TDC and repeat the pressurization and measurement steps.

I don't know how you know when the piston is at TDC and all the valves are closed. Probably a few thousand YouTube videos on how to do that.

I don't currently have a leakdown tester but I am not against getting one to help me learn how to properly diagnose this type of problem.

I do really love learning so much from the gearheads on here.

I was doing some inspecting tonight to try to find a minor evap leak that is throwing a code when I noticed the serpentine belts look a bit iffy. They also look like a giant PITA to replace. Maybe in the spring.

 

[Canuckican]

While waiting on finishing getting the engine sorted (whatever that entails is TBD), I've been making a list of the things that need tidying up, replacing or upgrading.

The headights look like a really cheap knock-off and stick out like a sore thumb. I checked out the price for replacement OEM headlight assemblies and I about swallowed my tongue. You know, new OEM headlights are now absolutely necessary. Maybe a gently used set will show up somewhere/sometime or I will uncover a decently priced aftermarket set. Don't need anything fancy, just something that looks nice and works well.

I need to get a replacement for one of three vents in the center of the dash since one of them is broken. Probably from a cell phone mount.

And I want to find an OEM 5.0 engine cover and reinstall it on mine. Hides a bit of the sins taking place under it with some funky wiring.

Plus other stuff I did on my first 2016 GT and liked, like replacing the rear diffuser and installing a few Steeda chassis bits that helped tighten things up.

Oh yes, and Steeda jacking rails. Had them on the other 2016 and loved them.

And hood struts, really loved having those in place.

Then there's the precautionary stuff like water pump, thermostat and belts.

And a good pistol holder for the side of the transmission tunnel. The one I have in the truck works great but not sure if it'll fit here.

And final decision on the car's name so we can order the custom plate bracket. The name "Oliver" is starting to break away from Chaos and Crisis II. We have a split electorate in the household. I know it's my car but the rest of the voters are all female so democracy doesn't work quite the same way here. Apparently some votes *(i.e. mine) are less equal than the others. I have to watch my step because we got a male puppy and whack... off with his plums. Then after our last daughter was born, well, it wasn't pretty for me.

 

[SheepDog]

I don't know how you know when the piston is at TDC and all the valves are closed

You can find TDC with a long wood dowel, or other soft material. Simply remove the spark plug and put your "shaft" down in the hole and set it on top of the piston. Turn the motor over slowly by hand and watch the dowel rise. As soon as you see it stop rising and start going back down, you know you were at TDC. You will know as soon as you start pumping air into the cylinder if it is on the compression stroke. If it is on the exhaust stroke, no pressure will build and you will hear it coming out the tailpipe. Here is a simple cheat sheet on what each condition sounds like/means

 

[TrevorGT]

Man, what a mess this has turned out to be for you. Based off of your zip code, I’m pretty sure I don’t live all that far from you. If you need a hand with something or need to look at another mustang for reference or something let me know. Mines a 1 owner garage queen 15 gt.
I also see that you’re looking to quiet yours down a bit. If you want , you can have my factory resonator. It’s just been up it the garage for a few years. Unfortunately, I tossed the factory mufflers and tips over the summer. Trevor

 

[GrabberBargeCaptain]

I wonder if you're better off selling it to carvana and letting it be someone else's problem and recoup whatever $$$ you can get and put it towards a better car

 

[jd_cobra]

Damn.. it kills me to think what you could’ve gotten with all this money you’re spending. If anything, it’s a cautionary tale for others who may encounter this situation to just not touch the car and seek legal counsel.

Best of luck with whatever happens and hopefully you can sue and get some money back.

 

[ice445]

I wonder if you're better off selling it to carvana and letting it be someone else's problem and recoup whatever $$$ you can get and put it towards a better car

As nice of an idea as this is, carvana will just pawn it off on some other sucker. I'd personally feel like a douchebag letting this be someone else's problem. It's like those people that hop up a used car with motor honey or some other very temporary fix to get it down the road far enough to not be their problem anymore

 

[Canuckican]

I had a consultation with a lawyer today about the situation. I did not get and warm and fuzzy answers but I'd rather have that than someone just blowing smoke up my six trying to get a new client. The cost/benefit analysis is definitely not in my favor, leaving me trying to publicly shame them into doing the right thing. How do you shame the shameless?

I'll keep sending the information to the state agencies in Florida and Wisconsin.

 

[SheepDog]

I had a consultation with a lawyer today about the situation. I did not get and warm and fuzzy answers but I'd rather have that than someone just blowing smoke up my six trying to get a new client. The cost/benefit analysis is definitely not in my favor, leaving me trying to publicly shame them into doing the right thing. How do you shame the shameless?

I'll keep sending the information to the state agencies in Florida and Wisconsin.

So this lawyer didn't think you had any ground to stand on, on the basis of them selling you a car that cannot pass emissions? or can they do this since it was sold in Florida where there are no emissions?

 

[Canuckican]

As nice of an idea as this is, carvana will just pawn it off on some other sucker. I'd personally feel like a douchebag letting this be someone else's problem. It's like those people that hop up a used car with motor honey or some other very temporary fix to get it down the road far enough to not be their problem anymore

Nope, no way am I doing unto others as was done unto me with this car. At this point it sounds like this car is here to stay. The only other place it was going was back to "Mint" Auto Sales in Orlando, Florida but I think that ship has sailed, been torpedoed and sank in a hurricane. But I have not totally surrendered yet. I do feel guilty complaining about a car when so much of the world is turning to @#$@#.

I typically have a motorcycle rebuild project every few years and just sold my last one a few months ago. I was not expecting this Mustang to be a project but sometimes we get things we don't expect. The 91 octane tune, 2017 intake manifold, new injectors and plugs have been installed and the missing/hacked parts of the emissions/vacuum system have been handled. At least the car now starts and runs.

I am not going to do anything more to the engine until my nephew has at it. Now him, I trust. We got our first snowfall of the year this morning so the Mustang's driving days are limited now until spring.

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