Truck Rejected The Engine Transplant - (Gillette, WY)

So, we got up this morning and drove to Fremont Ford in Sheridan, WY to pick up our truck.  We arrived around 10:30 and saw it sitting in the parking lot all cleaned up and ready to go.

We went inside and talked to the service manager.  He said they test drove it about 60 miles yesterday and did a cold start on it this morning.  All the computer results looked good.

He handed me an envelope with our 2-year unlimited mileage warranty.  I looked through it - no warranty.  He found it attached to the other paperwork on the engine replacement.  Glad I looked in the envelope.  :)

We paid our enormous bill and left.  The truck started right up and sounded good.  On the interstate, it seemed like things were fine.  I usually don't drive with the cruise control on, but I set it to test it out.  We were running at a comfortable 2500 RPMs and a little under 70 mph.

Nearing a construction zone, I took it off cruise control.  Then I noticed a little orange light in the shape of a wrench on the instrument panel.  I've never had a warning light on my dashboard before, so I noticed it immediately.

There happened to be a rest area and I radioed Linda that I was getting off I-90 to check it out.  The engined still sounded fine and I didn't notice any change in performance.

We parked at the rest area and I pulled out the owners manual.  Here was what I saw.

 

 Yeah, that can't be good.  The engine has defaulted to "limp-home" operation.  What the heck does that mean?

I went to the Driver Controls chapter. 

Okay, so that was no help either.  I got out my phone to call Fremont Ford, but we didn't have cell service.

I thought that maybe this was just a computer glitch or an electronic glitch.  So, we got back on the interstate and kept moving toward Gillette, although more slowly.  The "wrench" light went off when I turned off the engine at the rest area, and it stayed off for several miles.

But about 20 miles outside of Gillette, the light came back on.  I left the service manager at Fremont a message, and we went directly to Thunder Basin Ford in Gillette.  I refused to turn the engine off until they looked at the warning light.

They did a diagnosis and a few minutes later came in and told us our oil cooler had blown, that there must have been a clog when the engine was shipped.  Okay, at that point, I was just redneck mad and the pacing began.  

Thunder Basin said all their service techs were out for training this week and it would be Monday before they could fix it.

Thunder Basin talked with Fremont and Fremont called me.  They were sending a tow truck to have it returned to Sheridan.  They are going to work on it all day tomorrow.  Yeah, there is no cost to us other than our time, and the fact we just spent thousands of dollars on a defective engine or at least a defective engine part.

I've been a nice guy so far, but I'm losing my patience.  We'll see where this goes.  Right now I'm thinking something a bit stronger than "Sheesh".  :)

---

 

 

Comments

[Nancy and Bill]

Man, you guys have sure had a tough time with the truck. But I can't help but remember that it is the truck that is broke and both of you are OK!!! Just glad the problems have never caused you to have an accident!!! Hope things get fixed properly and quickly!!!

[G]

Howard, just curious, since you have a brand new engine, is there a 'break-in' period before you can go a certain speed or tow a certain weight?
Thanks, G

[Howard]

G,
I asked several times whether there was a "break-in" period and was told "no". However, the owners manual on the new truck said to drive 500 miles before towing. I'm not sure if we will drive 500 miles, but we're intending to drive a few hundred miles before towing.

[David Mason]

I was told that the "limp-home" mode means that the engine computer absolutely limits your forward moving speed to about 20 to 30 mph for a comparatively short distance and then it limits you to a 5 to 10 mph forward moving speed after that. The idea of it is that the engine computer senses that there is some type of problem in the engine it (the computer)makes you go slower to limit the potential damage to the engine. The further idea is that the slow speed allows you to get to the next interestate exit and to a local road before you are forced down to the idling speed of 5 to 10 mph. It's all to keep the problem from destroying the engine. It happened to me, on an interstate, in my F250 diesel about five years ago. That's how I learned about it. It was a cloged fule filter. The Ford dealer told me that "all modern diesels of all sizes have that in their onboard computer so that you don't destroy an expensive engine.

David Mason

[Karen Phillips]

Oh boy, I don't blame you for getting your "redneck" up...I call it getting my "New Yorker" up! Waiting for a good report :-).

[Cindy T]

Oh No!! What a lousy turn of events! Fingers crossed that the repair is quick & done right!

[David Gedalia]

If they did not replace or flush out the oil cooler to start with, that is a major(!) mistake. When an engine goes out, there is the potential of metal debris in the oil and the entire oil system must be flushed. Some places will not even clean it; just replace the cooler with a new one. If contaminated oil circulated thought the new engine, that sure can't be good. I hope it all it all works out though.

[George Stoltz]

What a lousy situation Ford Motor Company has put you in. Geez. A rebuilt engine from Ford ought to be flawless. I am glad you are a lawyer as it gives you somewhat of an advantage when in these situations. I hope for a positive outcome, but you and I know that for the next few weeks or months you are gonna hold your breath every time you drive the truck.

[Gary]

Hope for the best, expect the worst and adapt to whatever comes.

These things happen and should be expected when changing engines. I would suspect the oil cooler is the original and who knows what made it 'blow'. I would have had them describe "blown", you didn't lose any oil did you?

Anyway, finding the gremlins now is much better than doing so up in yon Tetons while towing the house...

BTW, just how big was the bill for this new engine?

[Linda in NE]

"Right now I'm thinking something a bit stronger than "Sheesh". :) " I can imagine!! Maybe Ford should come up with some anti-rejection drugs for their pickups when they need new engines. Or just better quality engines. A local guy made it about 400 miles with his new Ford truck before the engine blew and left him sitting on the side of the road. Talk about pissed!!! Hope things start going better for you.

[Sherry]

Wow!, Howard & Linda, you are sure being tested. It's so difficult when you're both so detail oriented and DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME people (well, except for a few reported incidences - but on the job yor give more than expected. You're right to be angry and frustrated now. Just got my 98,000 mile car out of the shop for the 5th time for same service, first all struts were bad which caused cupping on my 1 year old tires were ruined. New mfg struts were ordered and installed. Strut mounts "we're checked" & they looked fine. Picked up car, loud clunking noises, took it back, replaced tie rod, pick up car and still loud clunking noises, took it back and mechanic "couldn't hear clunking". (Of course all these repairs took longer than promised.) Took it back and owner was there and other customers and I was loud and said enough, this has been in 4 times and it's worse than when I brought it in. I want it fixed right& NOW or I want a complete refund (several thousand by this )point and I want YOU to cal
Me and keep me updated. Said the checked everything including taking off strut mounts again & they were fine. Same thing again. By the next time I went in they all knew me and I was louder but still polite. Finally took off strut mounts and voila, they couldn't out them back together "they broke!"
They fixed it all at their expense but I heard some chunks today.....
Go ahead and yell and get a little demanding, you're due and it makes you feel better.! :-) Good advice above about what should have been done.

[Mike and Terri]

For some reason, one that you may possibly never know, you are supposed to be in Gillette right now. I'm sure that Fremont Ford will get it right for you. It really sucks that they didn't discover this issue before turning the truck back over to you. At least you weren't pulling the fifth wheel at the time and/or were stranded along the highway. It WILL get better.

[Wayne]

Oh man, I feel your pain. What a shame to 'start off' spending that much $ and have something like that happen. Taints your feelings abut what will probably be a 'no big deal' issue that they should have caught before you got it back.

Wayne

[Wayne Morgan]

Howard, Buddy I feel your pain. we had a 1996 with less than 50,000 mile on it when found a small barly visible pin hole in the block behind the oil filter. The Ford garage said they had to change out the engine. Three weeks and three engines later I went to see what the problem was with the third engine. Service manager said it smoked real bad and they would have to chage it out again. I ask had color of smoke, he said black. I told him the injector needed to be tested. The next day he called and said my truck was ready. The had to change three injectors in my re-manufactured engine. We had put 150,000 miles on that engine when we sold it 7 years later.

Wayne

[Renee Galligher]

I'm with you! No one can blame you for being close to blowing your cool. Hopefully this will all work out for you.

[Joe Segler]

I'm with you, I would be getting a little perturbed by now.
At least you have that good Mexican restaurant close by, but I'll be it is getting old by now.

[bee]

Repairs
Businesses are so compartmentalized responsibility gets passed on.
You have done all the right things.
Wishing you patience and persistence.
Bee