Piston slap and damaged rod; engine replaced

Maintenance/Repairs
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21

We’re getting off-subject here. We only really have a few facts.

  1. the engine began dying and the dealer replaced the TB and. plugs and wires
  2. engine developed 'rough idle". Dealer unable to replicate.
  3. the OP took the car to another dealer. engine teardown disclosed internal damage

The only questions at hand are
a) did the first dealer cause and/or misdiagnose the problem and
b) is there an actionable claim.

What we do not know that is relevant is whether the first dealer installed the correct plugs or not.

The dealer may have diagnosed the problem correctly, installed the correct plugs, and the internal damage could simply have been ready to happen. There could be no liability whatsoever.

The dealer could have diagnosed the problem incorrectly but installed the correct plugs, in which case there would be no liability.

The dealer could have diagnosed the problem correctly and installed the wrong plugs leading to the internal damage. In that case there would be liability. Proing it would require comparing the specififcations of the correct plugs with the ones that were installed combined with a detailed report of the teardown with photos of the damage. Photos of the bearings and wristipns to show that theye were okay would help too.

Without that sparkplug information we’re all just guessing. Good guesses, but just guesses. OP, can you get the sparkplug information? The photos of the bearings?

22

Resorting to personal attacks is sure sign that I am up against an otherwise defensless person.

23

Thanks all. It’s interesting to me that there is so much difference in opinion from all of you who know much more than I do. I now have a new engine, a hole in my pocket and still not really certain what happened. By the way, this car has been maintained per the maintenance schedule and only by Ford dealers. All work, including oil/filter changes every 3,000 miles, was performed as indicated by Ford. However, I also traveled 130K miles in 4.5 years so good old wear and tear probably did it in. Otherwise, this car is in great shape in all other respects…I think…so I expect to drive it another few years (but with less annual mileage) and enjoy this new motor.

24

The reason you’re seeing so much difference is because we lack sufficient facts to be able to do more than speculate. So we all speculate. If we’d actually been able to see the parts we’d probably pretty much come to the same conclusions. It’s human nature I suppose.

Enjoy your new engine. Perhaps the old one just grew old.