P L E A S E R E A D B E L O W B E F O R E Y O U C O M M E N T ...
IN this video, will show the removal and re-installation, of a 3.5 Eco-boost Platformed Engine from a 2011 Ford F150 FX4.
The failure FACTS: The connecting rods "fractured" and went THROUGH the block (on both sides of this engine). The engine was replaced (in my shop), with a Ford Factory-Remanufactured "long-block" assembley (purchased from my local Ford Dealer). The truck had only 65,000 miles when the failure occurred. The cause was due to a "hydro-lock-failure" (as the rod's were quite bent). B.T.W: NOW there is a T.S.B. (Tech. Service Bulletin) regarding this issue amid a condensation FLAWL inheritant in this 3.5 EcoBoost Platform. Ford's Bulletin addresses (if I'm not mistaken), some sort of a "baffle", or a "catch-can" type of apparatus involving the C.A.C. (charge air cooler) ... SO, 'apparently' (NOW), the "fix" is in on the 2014 and later production" / onward, into the most currant builds. * Too little / TO LATE for US !!
H E R E ' S W H A T H A P P E N E D & O U R S T O R Y:
This was NOT a bearing failure, nor was it an oil related failure, as both the wrist pin and crank bearings for the failed cylinders show these were in good shape (the video will depict & show this).
When the failure occurred & happened: We were just getting underway, and we were doing under 10 MPH on a beautiful summer evening, *(after a 68 degree ambient 'cold start'), anyway: after that start, and while just backing outa the driveway ... we heard a "KA-POW" !!! ... and the motor made a horrible sound and grenaded !. Afterword: we observed a large LAKE of "fluid", rolling out onto / an all-over the road.
"So much liquid that it ran off the side of the road like a small RIVER!".
After getting the truck pushed-back onto our driveway, we soon then learned that what we THOUGHT was OIL (all over the road) was in-fact: WATER !, "A HECK OF ALOT OF WATER" !!.
Learning and then trying to figure out more about our problem, we THEN decided to CHECK our C.A.C. (charge-air-cooler), and in our learning & reading more and more about things after-that (on the WEB), we then decided to "spud" or drill a small 1/32nd "drain-hole" (into that same C.A.C unit), as to allow the Charge Air Cooler to freely condensate / or "drip") ... AGAIN: "we read all about this topic on the web" ... and sure enough, RIGHT AFTER THAT: we pulled that drill-bit out, and about another QUART & HALF of WATER leached out !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. "INCREDIBLE".
End Run: check your C.A.C. people !!! ... Tho I'm told the more-currant platforms are now "fixed", the older ones (like our 2011 build & year) aren't !. A ticking time-bomb ?, "you decide". Later: an impassioned / HAND-WRITTEN Letter was sent to the CEO at Ford ... but that never garnered a thing, amid absolutely zero response, nor ANY help ... so ("about 10 grand later at the time"), we found our resolve amid a new Ford "Long Block" crated motor with ALL the updates including the new LARGER turbo oil feeder lines, a brawnier timing chain and tensioner's, newly designed heat treated steel timing sprockets and more ... (we turned-in the old engine for a 300.00 "core-credit").
UPDATE: (12/27/16) The Truck continues to run PERFECTLY !!!
Update again: (7/31/19) ; and the Truck STILL performs like a Gem !.
Another update: 1/25/2021) the truck continues to run FLAWLESSLY / *as we NOW near 100 K on this engine.
ANOTHER update: (11/1/22) and we now have nearly 140 K and this engine runs FLAWLESSY still.
UPDATE AGAIN: (10/25/2023) at 177 K this Engine still RUNS perfect !
