Well, as many of you know, I'm on my second motor due to the infamous piston slap. I put the second motor in about 3800 miles ago. It didn't slap, but it did smoke on cold starts. I learned to live with it for the time being. Then the Monday before the WFC, I heard the slap and it has done it ever since. I wasn't thrilled, but it wasn't hurting performance any, so I decided to do the THIRD motor closer to the winter as long as this one held up. Last weekend I was at my local track testing some new stuff that should get the truck solidly into the 12s, and the fate of my motor took a turn for the worse. First pass, 13.38, but I had lots of spin, so I dismissed it. Next pass, 13.50, then 13.55, then 13.70, then 13.77. I was like "what the heck?!". After the last run, the truck was missing bad. I had the A/F meter on the whole time, and it wasn't going lean. Fuel pressure was good too. Had no tools there, so limped the truck home. Pulled the plugs and number 5 was half gone. Didn't look lean though, was dark brown, just looked like it had had enough. I figured it must have had a crack in the ceramic, and as I made more passes, the crack got bigger and bled off spark. Put new plugs in and no better, still missed BAD. Unplug the coil while it's running and no change. Swapped the coil with another, and still # 5 was dead. At this point I'm hoping I just kicked a follower out. Pulled both valve covers, all followers in place, no broken springs. Damn.. Compression test on number 5, a Geo-like 10 psi. I guess I'll be putting motor number 3 in sooner than I wanted to. Needless to say, I won't have the 99 at Cecil this weekend, I'll have the 95 instead.

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SAL - TEAM PSP
Best ET 13.09 Best MPH 104.58mph Best 60ft 1.87
Power Surge Performance 99 Lightning Chip and Filter Kit, full Bassani Exhaust, M/T ET Streets PowerSurgePerf@aol.com

 

Hey Sal,

I know you are a ford tech, and a LightningTuner, do you get these new engines on warranty without any problems?