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

[JPye]

The problem is, you don't know how they got that extra 15ft/lbs from the engine. If it was nothing more than changing the tune slightly, sure, it has merit. But it wasn't JUST a change in tuning, several physical parts are different from the F-150's. Back when we switched to unleaded, engines changed in a very slight and immeasurable way with hardened valve seats. Without the lead to cushion the valves, they were failing, and hardened valve seats were the thing that resolved the issue. It was a very minor change, and comparing two sets of heads you wouldn't know the difference aside from a part #, but try and run them both on unleaded and you'll get wildly different results. A small change can make a huge difference, and we know there are small changes on the Bronco's engine...is it a metallurgical issue, a design incompatibility, quality control? We don't know. What we do know is that it's not possible to compare our engines to an F-150's engine, regardless of what kind of tuning F-150 owners have.

Let's hope our thoughts about changes in engine design are invalid. Out of spec metallurgy or other QA issue is something that can, and may have been easily fixed. Fingers crossed.

November 15, 2021, MB3E 6007 AA.

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[ffdemoss]

I woke up at 3:00am and had a thought, and excuse me if it has been discussed already. While we've all been patiently waiting for the next engine build date to pop up as "suspect", could we and are we really waiting for a cylinder head build date to pop up? Yes, we can track engine build date. But can we track cylinder head build date? This may be the link...not necessarily when the engine was built but when was the head assembled. I've never been to Lima engine plant, but I've been to others. There, cylinder heads are brought in pre assembled either from an outside vendor or another part of the plant and put on a line to the main engine mfg line. What if that's the case and it's not necessarily the engine build date but the cylinder head that matters and therefore that's why some of us in the death zone survive and some don't. It simply means our heads were built with good valves and others were not.

And now Ford is trying to narrow down which heads are defunct and how big the problem is. Lima admitted there was a valve problem and it's been resolved. But it's possible that problem still is a small window and not all heads got bad valves.

Love to hear others thoughts on this.

 

[JPye]

I like the way you think!

 

[JPye]

I’ve never done google forms before so this may be a bust, but what do we think about collecting data on “failure free miles” so we can help put a scope around the size of this problem or hopefully make us worry a little less.

@Lucchese If we like this we could add it to the original post of this thread?

Survey:

https://forms.gle/PZ5My7qfjVqPTtNc9


Results:

I added mine.

 

[JPye]

I too have no news on when I will get a replacement engine. I have been in touch with a customer service rep and have been told the case was escalated—whatever that means. I’ve asked to speak with her supervisor as I’ve been told that it could be 1 month maybe two before I get an engine shipped. I feel like no one I have talked with really knows what is going on, this includes my dealer.

My dealer is a very small dealer and the service dept does not have loaners. Ford offered to reimburse for up to one week of rental car usage. What a joke. The dealership is so small that they have no place to store my vehicle inside so they towed it to my house so I could be reminded of the heartbreak every time I walk into the garage. To add insult to injury, the battery is now dead, and the Sirius radio trial is expiring. Not that I really care about that, I just want to be able to drive my Bronco again. I’m worried now that since the dealership isn’t going to see it daily it will be out of sight, out of mind.

So I’ve asked the ford customer service rep if the Lima plant is still building engines for the Bronco’s that are being assembled at MAP why are those of us with the failed engines not getting one of these engines pulled from the assembly line? I don’t get it. No response from ford.

Enough of my pity party. Thanks for letting me rant!

What you are experiencing is not at all OK. I hope you start getting some good news. For a Ford Rep to articulate verbally that "it could be 1 month maybe two before I (i.e.,.YOU) get an engine shipped" is way out of line. You may have been told that your case was escalated, but that can not possibly be true. Find the contact details for Jim Farley and call, write and email him constantly! You paid a lot of money for your Bronco, and you deserve to have your problem fixed ASAP! Don't accept bad treatment from Ford Customer Service. Escalate, escalate, escalate. And Seriously, start calling emailing and writing to Jim Farley. I hope your next post is about how Ford has shocked you with their kindness and that they have resolved your problem beyond your expectations.

 

[Carolina Jim]

I woke up at 3:00am and had a thought....Love to hear others thoughts on this.

Maybe try a glass of warm milk before you go to bed

 

[Aviboy97]

Has it been confirmed that the engine failure from the October build date was a dropped valve?

 

[VictoryLights]

No news is good news?

 

[Clearwater native]

And counting

 

[VoltageDrop]

Why would anyone buy one and not drive it? Unlike wine they don't get better with age.

There were over 5,000 Broncos on dirt mountain and some still have not made it to their owners, thus all the low mileage units. Those are all in the date window of concern so we have yet to see the full scope of this issue. Mine is just now hitting 2k miles and I don't drive much so it'll probably be this time next year before I feel like I'm out of the danger zone. Ten days without a failure is great but I find it hard to explain unless Ford pushed an update to the PCM to fix a detonation issue.

 

[aFordOwner]

Op should edit the title to 31 and holding…

 

[Lucchese]

I find it interesting that of all of us that have had new motors installed only one had a second fault and I think I read that even that one was a different issue. My new one was produced first part of Oct. and thus far no issues. Makes you think that those engines were corrected before sending as they were produced outside of the mass time frame of failures. Just a thought I am sure Ford would not want any to start showing up reporting second failures. This might say that from about Sept on they knew how to correct the issue and could have done so on the second installs.

We now have two people on their 3rd engine - where 1st replacement failed
- line #18 and line #14
- however, replacement engine not always newer - in line #12 the replacement is 35-days older than original engine

line 18) - 3rd engine
- much thx again @Beach_Bum for heads-up 3rd engine
- confirmed later by owner @Broncitis
- and all confirmed by Ford

line 14) - 3rd engine
- @yogi_stvl reported 1st replacement failed
- and same report last week
- still need original engine ser#, or last-8 VIN


Bulk of Engine Failures
- in B6g tracking we now have 22 engine build-dates
- 20 of them are in the worrisome '2-month Containment' range - see below - from defective parts ?
- the other 2 may be isolated random failures, as described earlier by @Razorbak86 w the 'Bathtub Curve' post

 

[ffdemoss]

however, replacement engine not always newer - in line #12 the replacement is 35-days older than original

This tells me pre-valve issue being resolved, they threw whatever in it because they didnt know enough. Which goes back to my point earlier...heads with bad valves could have been installed on engines of various build dates over 3-4 months, even if the valve issue was resolved in the summer or fall.

I bet Ford is still trying to figure out just how big the problem is or could be. They know they had a valve problem, they just don't really know where they all are.

 

[geoking]

This tells me pre-valve issue being resolved, they threw whatever in it because they didnt know enough. Which goes back to my point earlier...heads with bad valves could have been installed on engines of various build dates over 3-4 months, even if the valve issue was resolved in the summer or fall.

I bet Ford is still trying to figure out just how big the problem is or could be. They know they had a valve problem, they just don't really know where they all are.

Chris,
I know of 2 forum members with -AB engines on January delivered Broncos.. Here's one engine with a " -AB " suffix that was built on Dec 20th, 2021. To your point above, I believe " WITH NO KNOWN CONFIRMATION OF ANY DETAIL , that the issue has been addressed and that we should be seeing all -AB engines . PURE SPECULATION on my part. No slamming , flaming or shooting of the messenger please. (grin)
Regards,
George

 

[Joez60421]

We now have two people on their 3rd engine - where 1st replacement failed
- line #18 and line #14
- however, replacement engine not always newer - in line #12 the replacement is 35-days older than original engine

line 18) - 3rd engine
- much thx again @Beach_Bum for heads-up 3rd engine
- confirmed later by owner @Broncitis
- and all confirmed by Ford

line 14) - 3rd engine
- @yogi_stvl reported 1st replacement failed
- and same report last week
- still need original engine ser#, or last-8 VIN


Bulk of Engine Failures
- in B6g tracking we now have 22 engine build-dates
- 20 of them are in the worrisome '2-month Containment' range - see below - from defective parts ?
- the other 2 may be isolated random failures, as described earlier by @Razorbak86 w the 'Bathtub Curve' post

If two people on the way to their 3rd, maybe thread title should be updated to include those.

And I know it's tounge in cheek, but the fact that it's being celebrated that it's been 10 days since one blew up is really sad.

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