2.7L blown engine failure list . . 68 so far [Updated: December 13, 2022]

[faziorf]

Matt, any luck w engine ser# ?
- ? on the mileage you said < 5000 ?
- ? do you have a better # ?
- this is the highest mileage failure we've seen - hope to get a good #




Scott, any luck w engine ser# ?
- ? on the mileage, do you have a better # ? you said ~ 4000 ?



Confidential Report - line# 29 in OP
- we have another new report - confidential source
- engine build-date 21133 (May 13)
- this new data-point extends B6g build-date tracking range on the low end
- this confidential report has been 100% confirmed independently, we have the VIN and the engine ser#

Are we co-mingling different types of failures in this thread? It seems like coolant issues might be completely separate than a valve manufacturing issue or whatever the problem is? Or don't we care anymore and just want to capture anything that caused a 2.7 to grenade?

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[Boxer4]

Another sad blown 2.7L engine story here. I’ve been following this forum regularly since delivery and had anticipated but hoped against this moment.

I took delivery of my Bronco Outer Banks in mid-November at Bartow Ford in Lakeland, Florida, and had driven less than 5000 miles in it total when it all of a sudden died and left me stranded on the side of the interstate 3 hours from home at 3 AM this past Saturday night.

I had cruise control set to 80 when I smelled a sudden burning smell, saw white smoke billowing out of my tailpipe, and my check engine light began flashing. I watched in horror as the speed dropped from 80 to 79 to 78 to 77 and so forth, and my efforts to press the gas pedal changed nothing as I rolled to the side of the interstate.

An hour later I had it towed to Rountree Moore Ford in Lake City, Florida where I left it, waited at a Waffle House, and 4 hours later I was able to get picked up and driven the 3 hour ride back home. Monday morning when the dealer opened they were able to take a look and the dealer confirmed that the engine is dead due to an issue with coolant.

I reached out to the dealer as well as Ford customer support on the phone, and I was lucky enough to get put in a rental on Monday. The unfortunate situation I’m in is that I had to drive three hours north to Lake City where my car died and was towed to a dealer there to pick up my rental car.

I’m obviously frustrated overall by the fact that I was stranded on the side of the road with a new vehicle that I waited so long for, and now I have to wait much longer to get repaired.

I’ll update as the engine is ordered and replaced!

If you have Ford PremiumCare extended warranty, you may be able to recover some of the cost.

" 2. EMERGENCY TRAVEL EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT - If Your Vehicle is disabled 100 or more miles from Your residence (according to Ford Roadside records) as a result of a collision or a mechanical Failure covered by this Agreement or the New Vehicle Limited Warranty, We will reimburse You up to $1000 for the actual Emergency Travel Expenses You incur within the first 5 days following the disablement. "

" 3. DESTINATION ASSISTANCE - If the Vehicle is disabled because of a collision or Failure covered by this Agreement or a New Vehicle Limited Warranty and You require transportation to Your destination, We will reimburse Your transportation costs up to $75. "

"You may be eligible for reimbursement of receipted expenses for a rental car or for alternate public transportation (including but not limited to Uber, Lyft, or other modes of public transportation). " ( Up to $35 a day )

 

[Bmadda]

Are we co-mingling different types of failures in this thread? It seems like coolant issues might be completely separate than a valve manufacturing issue or whatever the problem is? Or don't we care anymore and just want to capture anything that caused a 2.7 to grenade?

I believe @Lucchese is following up w/each owner. We only get whatever info the service dept gives the owner...but they usually are pretty clear cut about it. A lot of these failures punch through water jackets, that's the big white cloud and smell. If it's never happened to you, it's quite a spectacle!

 

[mpeugeot]

I poured over these last night. Only interesting one was a software update for a lean condition. But engines have failed in Broncos built after the date listed. Could still be a problem though.

Strange, I remember someone suggesting that a possible lean condition might be a culprit in failures... I am glad that was never an issue.

 

[JPye]

Here is what appears to be a Ford dealership technician showing a blown 2.7. This was posted in June so most likely it is out of an F-150 since the block is already rusted.

Again, most likely NOT A BRONCO, but it does give an example of what a 2.7 looks like after an explosive event.

A lot more damage in these videos than what I would expect from on failed valve. I can’t imagine what would cause the damage seen here. If this was a run away diesel motor, maybe, but I think a gasoline engine would have seized immediately. Certainly not what I’d expect on 2.7 Ecoboost hooked up to an automatic transmission.

 

[faziorf]

TSB'S FOR YOUR INTEREST
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/tsb_recall/tsbs/ford/bronco/2021


@Moderator: NOT SURE IF OK TO POST A LINK TO ANOTHER FORUM ????


IF NOT I would ask that folks just search "2021 Bronco TSB's"

The NHTSA site was not working for Broncos for a long while - its seems they are back up for listing all the recalls, complaints and mfr comms like TSBs and others

2021 2DR: https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2021/FORD/BRONCO/2%2520DR/4WD#manufacturerCommunications

2021 4DR: https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2021/FORD/BRONCO/4%2520DR/4WD#manufacturerCommunications

 

[Lucchese]

Are we co-mingling different types of failures in this thread? It seems like coolant issues might be completely separate than a valve manufacturing issue or whatever the problem is? Or don't we care anymore and just want to capture anything that caused a 2.7 to grenade?

- only full engine replacements stay on the list
- a few cases from this week still waiting Service Dept diagnosis, but all are described as full engine replacement so far
- when the engine grenades, the coolant spills
- determining root causes after the fact - valves, springs, lifters, timing chain, et cetera, can be very difficult w blown engine - @Bmadda can talk more intelligently about this
- root causes are still a question - far as we know the failures have not been confirmed as bad valves - only hearsay & rumors
- we have no reason to exclude any of the engine replacements
- again, others here can speak much better to these questions - @Bmadda , @flip , @ffdemoss , @Snydermann , and many others

EDIT:
"is very difficult" --> "can be very difficult" . . .

 

[JollyFolly]

How's this?

If you are getting these made, I’ll take one! Let me know how to get my hands on one.

 

[Snydermann]

- when the engine grenades, the coolant spills
- determining root causes after the fact - valves, springs, lifters, timing chain, et cetera, is very difficult w blown engine -

A broken valve will generally not cause coolant loss, unless the loose valve head pierces the water jacket in the cylinder head. If the valve head broke the piston you'd possibly get some oil smoke.

Usually, the root cause of engine failure is obvious once carefully examined.

Flat-rate mechanics usually aren't paid to find the specific cause of the engine failure, just determine that it needs replacing.

 

[ffdemoss]

A broken valve will generally not cause coolant loss, unless the loose valve head pierces the water jacket in the cylinder head. If the valve head broke the piston you'd possibly get some oil smoke.

Usually, the root cause of engine failure is obvious once carefully examined.

Flat-rate mechanics usually aren't paid to find the specific cause of the engine failure, just determine that it needs replacing.

I'm assuming these white smoke and Coolant loss events are secondary to the initial failure. Valve drops, chaos erupts and a hole is punched in a cylinder wall or water jacket. I've personally seen engines with a hole in the block still run...very loudly. And it appears some people's engines still run, though poorly, after failure.

 

[ryridesmotox]

Are we co-mingling different types of failures in this thread? It seems like coolant issues might be completely separate than a valve manufacturing issue or whatever the problem is? Or don't we care anymore and just want to capture anything that caused a 2.7 to grenade?

The problem may have the same root cause as well, or as others have said, it could be secondary to the valve failure.

Either way, the only people with the answers can't or won't talk about it.

 

[Juiced21]

Here is what appears to be a Ford dealership technician showing a blown 2.7. This was posted in June so most likely it is out of an F-150 since the block is already rusted.

Again, most likely NOT A BRONCO, but it does give an example of what a 2.7 looks like after an explosive event.

Holy shit...Blown to smithereens, as my grandma would say. Thanks for the share!

 

[Lucchese]

in OP - added anonymous reporting option

Confidential Reports - to report a blown engine, anonymously
- send private message to 'Lucchese'
- use B6g Conversation -->> envelope button [] upper right toolbar
- send engine ser# - (see label photos in OP)
- or send last-8 digits of VIN
- include fail-date, & mileage
B6g will post only the 5-digit engine build-date, the fail-date, & mileage


- they don't have to be members in B6g
- we ask engine ser# (& hopefully mileage) then add to data set
- goal to increase # of data-points in B6g table & graphs

engine ser# , or last-8 VIN - either one guarantees no duplicates

 

[DrBriGuy]

The problem may have the same root cause as well, or as others have said, it could be secondary to the valve failure.

Either way, the only people with the answers can't or won't talk about it.

Correct. And either they start talking soon or some independent work needs to be done. I hang out all day with people that do failure analyses, FMECAs, root cause, etc. The mechanical and materials science part doesn’t sound like it will be too difficult. It’s being able to do it without costing an owner the price of an engine and all the repairs and potential long term warranty. Again I may be giving too much credit, but I bet some of these failures have been seen in a controlled lab setting (engine testing) , which actually may have been alluded to by the technician at the Lima plant - see link in first post by OP. My former colleague running a failure analysis company now gave me a bit of a playbook if we want to start our own work. I’m still hoping this is made right as none of us probably need or want to manage a project of that scale.

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