Questioning Gen 2 voodoo reliability

[Baxter3221]

Just curious, was it a relatively early chassis number 2020?

It's LR239, in service date in August 2020 so I wouldn't call it that early.

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[pilotgore]

It's LR239, in service date in August 2020 so I wouldn't call it that early.

Looks like you’re in the first half of R’s built, so as you said not incredibly early. Just curious since it seems later 2019 and early 2020’s had a higher instance of dropped valves as the failure point.

 

[Shanksfornothin]

It's LR239, in service date in August 2020 so I wouldn't call it that early.

just curious what that repair bill looked like?

 

[pilotgore]

just curious what that repair bill looked like?

I realize you weren’t asking me, but mine was covered under the original warranty and would have cost $26k. They replaced the engine, oil cooler and lines (because they were worried about pieces of valve traveling through the system,) and passenger side catalytic converter which was fouled by coming into contact with unburnt fuel.

Here’s a video of the valve detaching. You can hear the engine crunch it up at :11 sec mark.

 

[Shanksfornothin]

I realize you weren’t asking me, but mine was covered under the original warranty and would have cost $26k. They replaced the engine, oil cooler and lines (because they were worried about pieces of valve traveling through the system,) and passenger side catalytic converter which was fouled by coming into contact with unburnt fuel.

Here’s a video of the valve detaching. You can hear the engine crunch it up at :11 sec mark.

Sheesh that’s terrifying

 

[svttim]

It's LR239, in service date in August 2020 so I wouldn't call it that early.

Chassis number is not always an indicator of production date.

 

[Kachow]

just curious what that repair bill looked like?

My service advisor said all in was 31k. I only paid the $200 ESP deductible. Owning this car without ESP is nuts to me unless you have the $ to rebuild it/put in a different motor/or mod the heck out of it.

I have a video of when the OPG broke at RA, will figure out how to post here.

Anecdotal, but I am not the only 350 to go down on the back straight at Road Atlanta. I have been in/around enough owners of 350s to know these motors go boom frequently. Seems like Gen 2 are improved but who knows. Buy the car, buy esp, send it!

It was funny when it happened on track I thought, damn I didn't think it would ACTUALLY happen to me. Brain works in funny ways.

 

[Baxter3221]

just curious what that repair bill looked like?

Fully covered by warranty, $0 out of pocket.

FWIW, the first dealership I took it to tried get out of working on it, but then I brought it to a larger dealership with Shelby mechanics and they were amazing to deal with. Whole process from diagnostic to new engine took ~10 days. New motor has ~3K miles and 4 HPDE's on it, running like a top.

 

[young at heart]

OP, re-read your post slowly and as objectively as possible. You’ve really answered your own question-it’s right there on the page. If the 30k replacement cost would really “be the death of you” then the 350 is out of your budget range right now. Learn to be happy with the “not special” Mach 1. Which, by the way, is actually pretty special. I’m not sure how “special” is measured but I can tell you as the owner of a couple that if public attention counts for anything I don’t know what kind of car it would take to garner more.

Plus, one more thing you may not have considered. Unless you’re tracking it regularly a lot of the 350’s wonderful potential may go unused. It’s a lot easier to get the most out of a 7500 rpm Mach 1 on the street than an 8250 rpm 350. And there’s a good chance you’d find a Mach more suitable as a daily.

Don‘t take this as me throwing off on the 350; far from it. I may have one some day. But while I would hate a huge engine replacement bill it wouldn’t derail my train. In fact, because of the manual trans I’m thinking I might actually prefer one over a 500, come what may with the engine. But space limitations dictate that I’d have to cash in both my Mach 1s (one manual + one automatic) and I’m not ready to make that jump yet.

Damn. Just Damn. I wish I could take my own advice, but sometimes it’s like whistling past the graveyard. It’s hard getting that Shelby jones off your back.

I sympathize and empathize with the OP. In my case it may be a mental health issue more than the reality of actual rubber on the road, eg, being happy with what I got when it’s already more than I can use. Why else would a guy be looking over the fence at Ginger when you already have Mary Ann in your house?

 

[MAGS1]

It's LR239, in service date in August 2020 so I wouldn't call it that early.

The window sticker will have the actual build date. Like Tim said, chassis number and even in-service date is not necessarily indicative of build date. There’s a date code at the top of the window sticker for the production date.

 

[stanglife]

I have two words for most people in this thread. Honda Accord.

 

[Kachow]

I have two words for most people in this thread. Honda Accord.

I sold the 350 and bought a Civic Type R so I take this personally.

Here is the video for anyone interested of when OPG broke at RA. Watch the oil pressure gauge go to zero. -->


https://youtu.be/KFXLJ18Svk4

 

[passwords]

I have two words for most people in this thread. Honda Accord.

Since we’re giving anecdotes, the engine in my Honda Accord blew up.

I agree with your sentiment, completely. The irony here was just too much to pass up…

 

[Shanksfornothin]

I don’t care who you are you have to admit that irony is hilarious

 

[Tomster]

Thanks Pilotgore,
Good video, but I don't think that will convince @Tomster that there are different generations,,, maybe he will chime in.
I would honestly like to know if there really was a design change with different generations of the VooDoo.


Side Note:
Pilotgore: I am still having Ford change my oil while still under warranty... I had to switch dealers and the new dealer is really excited about using your GT350 3D printed funnel I bought from you... they were excited that this funnel existed and said they may buy one for their own use... I'll keep you posted.
Their first chance at proving themselves worthy is March 7th... I'll let you know.

Once out of warranty, I will happily change my own oil.

It's simple. It's the same engine. It's not like there was a major design change, but instead, a new block was used to share production with the GT500. Other differences were accomplished, but that was mostly to share commonality with the GT350R.

The only thing that I can point at and say there is a real difference was (I believe) the pistons and rings.

The reason I say that it's the same engine, is because Ford doesn't differentiate between engines. They don't call it a gen 1 or a gen 2 engine.

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