Well it has been about a month after my Ranger has been repaired. To bring everyone up to speed. I had the oil filter gasket spring a leak on me at 2 degrees fahrenheit. All the oil was lost and well, you can guess the results with only 10 seconds of running like this. Couldn't get it shut off fast enough.
I had, available to me, full use of a technical schools shop, as I am a student there. Labor was free.
Upon tearing the engine down I had found that the number 1 cylinders' rod bearing had spun scoring the crankshaft .010 of an inch. For some reason, the main bearings and journals weren't hurt in any way. Must be that the mains get oil first then the rods.
For machining. I had to have the rod journals cut .020 undersize. The kicker here is that NOT ONE bearing supplier has main bearings available for the 2.3 Liter Duratec engine. Something about they are on national back order. Also the rod, for that cylinder, had to be replaced. It was beyond repair.
Another shock was Ford doesn't service the lower end of this engine. It is what you'd call a "world" engine and is more or less a throw away engine. They require you, in their shops, to buy a short block as the only alternative for repair.
I had started a thread about special tools needed for this engine. I made both of them. The cam holding tool was made out of some 1/4 inch flat stock. The crankshaft timing peg (ESST no. 303-507) is 2-1/8 inches or 54 mm long. I made that as well by finding a blot that fit the threads in the engine block and welding stock to it. I ground it to the proper length saving lots of money in the process.
Reassembly went by uneventful. I replaced the clutch assembly, also, while I had it apart. I figured that the way my luck had ran, that was a wise thing to do.

 

Welcome to FTE xlsportrider,

All input is valued here & yours is no exception.

Other than my observation, after reading your post, that you are also a smart, do-it-yourselfer like me & I have no more to offer but what I have read.

Just thought you should know.

 

Why thank you for that positive comment. I found this forum while doing some reaserch on the engine for the "special" tools needed. This is great site and the wealth of knowledge can be overwhelming. This incident happened on the way to work at 5 am. I just didn't catch the idiot light in time. Thankfully the engine wasn't a total loss. I work then go to tech school for diesel technology at night. The loss I suffered wasn't really needed. I was forced to drive, of all things my works Blazer for the duration of repairs. Thankfully they let me! That 8 to10 MPG for the month su.. well let's just say wasn't pleasent.

Fomoko1 I can't say enough about this mod. They have welcomed me and answered a few questions I had. To you, Fomoko1, I send out a sincere thanks.

I can't stop laughing at all the funny smiles

 

Hi again xlsportrider,

I believe in fate & also doing for yourself and in us both I believe these facts do exhist.
And as for the FTE'rs...extraodinary!
And I hope you get your baby up & running again real soon!
Enjoy!

 

Crazypaw,
My Baby is up and running now for a month. I have since then put over 1000 miles on it. I will be changing the oil in the next week or so, as time permits. I know this is a really short change interval but it is like rebreaking in the engine to me. Now if I can only get my fingers to hit the darn keys my mind wants them to!

 

What kind of filter(brand) was it that was leaking?????????? jd

 

Jimdandy,
It was Fram. I normally install only Motorcraft. For some reason I grabbed the Fram one the last time into the 'Zone.

 

Did you document the failure to Fram and ask them to make good on the defective filter? shady

 

Unfortunately I threw out the filter in cleaning up after repairs were completed. The kind gentlemen at my local 'zone (place of purchase) just more or less gave a What you want me to do about it shrug. I don't shop there anymore.

 

Ah Fram, a testament to the attage "you get what you pay for", sorry it happened, but a great topic none the less. Welcome to FTE, there are some great and helpful folks around here, and it sounds like you'll be one of them! Glad to have you on board.

 

I'm really suprised it spun a rod bearing that quick. Was it under a lot of load when it spun? Also, did you price out a new short block?

 

xlt4me,

It was just pulling out of the local convienence store lot. It was like first gear time when I did a guage/light check. Saw the light flicker on and pulled over like twenty feet up the road. Most of that was rolling tike. I hit the key to off and coasted to the stop. Damage was already done.

Anyway, thanks for the welcome. I believe that if you can help out someone ,why not. I may have a solution to your problem as well as you may for a problem I might have. Make sence?

Will Gurtner

 

As for spinning the rod bearing that fast, The flow path for this engine has the oil pump up front directing oil flow to the rear of the egine first to the rear main that fees the no.4 rod ,ETC. The last to get any oil is the no.1 rod.

Will Gurtner

 

New "reman" short block, from FORD, is $1500+/- and $500 core charge for an engine that they do not service the bearing area on.

What irratates this situation is the main bearing are not available according to several engine remanufacturers that were contacted during this adventure. Guess they are hoarding them all for themselves.