Replaced Voodoo Engine

[Rhyu]

Some reading and possible insight into the auto industry from a different manufacturer...

E9X M3s had notoriously weak rod bearings, here are some pertinent links on how the BMW community solved it.

Tl;dr Aftermarket companies had to develop a better rod bearing for the S65, lawsuit against BMW, never put out a recall or TSB.

Hopefully Ford doesn't pull a Bavarian on this.

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=892838

https://www.bebearings.com/Overview.html

https://www.carcomplaints.com/news/2015/bmw-m3-engine-failure-s65.shtml

 

[UnhandledException]

People with engine issues, are you actually sending your oil samples to the lab? Guaranteed this can be caught early if everyone did this. Its $28 and gives you some insurance.

 

[MulhollandMonster]

People with engine issues, are you actually sending your oil samples to the lab? Guaranteed this can be caught early if everyone did this. Its $28 and gives you some insurance.

Earlier than 2300 miles? After an oil change at 1000?...lol...I'd logically assume I had a bit more time than that.

 

[UnhandledException]

Earlier than 2300 miles? After an oil change at 1000?...lol...I'd logically assume I had a bit more time than that.

If you did your break in at 500 or 1000 and send the sample, it will show up.

 

[tlisotta]

Anyone installed these? I am going to ask the dealer if they can since a new engine hopefully will be going in. Wondering if it changes the warranty. Will find out.

https://performanceparts.ford.com/part/M-6600-M50A

 

[mikez]

People with engine issues, are you actually sending your oil samples to the lab? Guaranteed this can be caught early if everyone did this. Its $28 and gives you some insurance.

guaranteed? one of the cars at my dealership that went had 400 miles on it.
shouldnt have to send oil samples in just to find out the engine is on its way out.
Say they find some copper in the sample, all it does is indicate a potential future problem correct? Ford probably wouldnt do anything about it until the engine popped anyways

 

[tlisotta]

guaranteed? one of the cars at my dealership that went had 400 miles on it.
shouldnt have to send oil samples in just to find out the engine is on its way out.
Say they find some copper in the sample, all it does is indicate a potential future problem correct? Ford probably wouldnt do anything about it until the engine popped anyways

I would agree. I had an oil change after every 3/4 track days. I am anal about it. We shouldn't have to worry about that and Ford would not do anything anyway. They are keeping this quiet and we will see what they say. My car is at the dealer. My service manager I work with (great guy) said he suspects oil pump issues. He has replaced 2 engines so far. Ford will not do a recall unless this gets so widespread they have to. I think we will see more and more problems. I am going to ask if they can install the Billet Steel OPG that Ford makes for race applications and see if it maintains the warranty.

 

[Tomster]

If you did your break in at 500 or 1000 and send the sample, it will show up.

Nobody know what is causing the failure. All evidence poonts to an OPG coming apart and causing oil starvation. If it is a simple single case of the brittle OPG failing, an oil analysis probably my wouldn't pick it up.

However if a failure somewhere else in the system is causing some kind of debris to come into contact with the OPG, then maybe your argument might have some merit.

However, I believe that because these cars are so new with low miles and very little wear, it probably isn't a compound failure (a failed part taking out the OPG). In this instance, an oil sample would not predict a pending OPG failure.

Everyone's opinion (including mine) means nothing without hard data). Ford isn't cooperation or communicating because they would get thier assess sued and would be looking at a major and costly recall. Somewhere Ford figured out it would be easier and cheaper to replace engines than fix everyone's.

Do we all agree that a powdered metal OPG is cheaper than a billet OPG? Do we also agree that an engineering team who designed the motor wouldn't specify a powdered metal OPG freely? A big thanks to the bean counters for this problem.

I would like to have the ability to put a billet OPG in my car at my own expense and not own the problem. If something ever went wrong you can bet your bottom dollar that it would become your (very expensive) repair.

 

[MulhollandMonster]

The only unique indicator that I captured was adequate temperature, but zero oil pressure, right when I started hearing the clanking...No block penetration or oil loss.

 

[rick81721]

I haven't gone through all the anecdotal failures reported here, but there seems to be 2 commonalities - the engine goes before a lot of mileage, typically 5K or less, and the engine does not have to be pushed hard for it to fail. Based on this, the worst thing you can do is buy one of these, park it in a garage, and barely drive it. I'm curious what the highest mileage was on the failures cited here.

 

[Gstone]

I haven't gone through all the anecdotal failures reported here, but there seems to be 2 commonalities - the engine goes before a lot of mileage, typically 5K or less, and the engine does not have to be pushed hard for it to fail. Based on this, the worst thing you can do is buy one of these, park it in a garage, and barely drive it. I'm curious what the highest mileage was on the failures cited here.

Maybe. Or it could just be that if the engine is going to fail it will fail sooner than later, which makes sense if there is a weak point.

 

[tlisotta]

I am on a very informative FB Page for those that track cars called Track Shelby 350s. https://www.facebook.com/groups/TrackShelbyGT350s/. Looks like some folks have called Ford and even asked the dealer to install the Ford Billet OPG before they put the new engine in and they said no - it will void warranty. Crazy....

 

[jvandy50]

If i ever get enough mileage racked up for my oil changes to not be free, i’ll send a sample off...just couldn’t get that far lol

Update on mine...the dye is poured in and i’m waiting on them to look at it. They are in no hurry and I’m getting close to losing my cool with the service department...as whatever I’m told one day is not what i’m told the next

 

[UnhandledException]

I m sure a car with 400 miles vs 10,000 miles will have very different paths to resolution. A brand new car has a much clean lemon case and an avoid of embarrassment move from ford potentially vs a used/tracked car. So what I was saying probably wouldnt apply to all the cars but the ones with miles.

And to be honest with you if you see this stuff in the oil report and ford doesnt do anything, i understand thats upsetting but at least you ll know about it and you ll also know that its a worn bearing vs OPG.

Furthermore, I sincerely believe a substantial portion of these failures are people whose car require 1 qt per 500-600 miles (whether thats normal is a question itself) and these people simply dont check the oil frequent enough.

 

[jvandy50]

I am on a very informative FB Page for those that track cars called Track Shelby 350s. https://www.facebook.com/groups/TrackShelbyGT350s/. Looks like some folks have called Ford and even asked the dealer to install the Ford Billet OPG before they put the new engine in and they said no - it will void warranty. Crazy....

I’m afraid to let the dealer do that job, I think you’d be better off just having it done/DIY and just not saying anything about it if it happened again.