I normally don't post just read, but I've got to put this up. We went on vacation so I decided to let my local ford dealer do the plug change on my 2008 v-10. We came back,and went on Monday and picked my truck up, it started up ok got home and pulled in garage noticed a vibration, so I poped the hood engine was shacking. At this point I got a funny feeling, boy I could kick myself for not doing it myself. Went back to the dealership, they said it could be a cracked plug, about an hour later they called back and said it was a bent valve,the tech dropped a screw and he thought it wasn't in engine. The next day they called and said it had bent 2 valves and cracked the piston. They ordered the parts and would keep me informed on the progress,the service manager clearly stated that it would be no charge for the repairs to me they would cover it.I could choke myself for not doing it myself,but who would guess this would happen,every v-10 I've had I have done it myself. What are you guys thoughts on my next step,I think I know what needs to be done, but lay it on me. I guess **** happens..

 

Not surprising, you think the techs at a dealer would know how to get a rather simple job it done right. Often not the case. I'd likely be demanding a reman long block if it were me. I find it unlikely the screw bent two valves and cracked the piston and did NOT knick the cylinder wall and head or maybe even bent a rod. The OE modular rods are not exactly known to be robust. The dealer is looking to get their screw up out the door as quick and cheaply as possible. Even if they give you some kind of warranty on their work, good luck collecting. They don't care if you have issues with it down the road.

Make sure you get paperwork on everything and keep it in a file.

 

dkf makes some excellent points.

But also keep in mind how they could have lied to you but instead owned up to it.

Most importantly: dkf makes some excellent points

You almost certainly have far more damage than just a couple valves.

 

Keep us in the loop

 

Yeah I guess they could denied the whole thing, but it ran ok when it went in and when I got it home it ran rough. The tech should verified with a scope if anything was in the engine,but I guess that would take extra time that they want to utilize elsewhere. Who knows what will be destroyed when I get it this time.

 

That really sucks. I would definitely ask them to show you the cylinder before you'll accept the repair. A cracked piston can score a piston wall. Maybe not since it wasn't running very long, but the head may definitely need to be replaced.


It's funny sometime we have a "professional" do a "menial" task just for the sake of times savings, then we encounter this.


It's far from the same but my wife had her oil changed at a local shop. Get home and a few days later I notice little oil puddles all over the place... drain plug was finger tight. Really?

 

Hey guys. I haven't been on this site for quite a while since I sold my v10 in 2010. I lurk every so often though. I REALLY miss that truck.

Anyway, this exact thing happened to me but got worse. This was on a 2004 F150 with a 5.4. I bought that truck in 2012 with 172 original miles on it. Yes, really. An 8 year old truck with 172 miles. This was from one of the biggest Ford dealers in this area. They gave me coupons for free oil changes, tire rotations etc. July 2014, I take it in for an oil change and tire rotation. They say they will change the plugs parts and labor for $68, running a special. The truck only had 3100 miles on it at that time, lightly used. I tell them to go ahead, didn't need it but what the heck for that price.

I drop the truck at 10AM, they say it will be done by 5. I go to pick it up at about 445. I pay and the service adviser pages the tech and asks how much longer. I can see the truck and he is just closing the hood. Tech says it's ready, comes to the adviser to get the key, adviser tells me to just walk out the shop door and around to the bay and the tech will back the truck out and I can go. I'm standing there, the tech gets in my truck, turns key...thump, then nothing happens. Tries again, nothing. I'm thinking dead battery or something. Tech gets out of the truck, walks to the advisers desk and they are talking. I see the advisers face change. I'm wondering what the problem is. The adviser gets on a mic, pages a couple people. I walk back in to see what is going on. Everyone is looking really nervous, especially the tech. In walks a suit, another guy I recognize as the GM and another guy.

They all go in an office and close the door. A couple minutes later, they all walk to my truck, open the hood. The tech and one of the guys are bent over looking around, another tech goes over and crawls under the truck. I have no idea what's happening. Finally the adviser comes over and tells me. The tech apparently dropped a 1/4" extension and a 7mm socket down #4 hole. The tech thought it fell back onto the bellhousing then under the truck, wanted to get done and got another setup to finish and would pick it up when my truck was moved. When the motor was cranked, it sat between the head and piston, locking the motor up.

They are open til 7 so their idea was to have the tech fish it out with a magnet, scope the cyl and see if any damage occurred and go from there. I waited. 5 til 7, hear $$^^$$#!!!!!!! from the tech. I think great, cracked piston. Nope, he broke the magnet off inside the cyl trying to to fish the extension out. So..... They have to pull the head and get the stuff out, will do that the next day. Offer me a loaner? Nope. Offer to rent me a car at a reduced rate. I declined, had my wife come pick me up. They said 2-3 days it would be done and would call.

I called 3 days later, still wasn't done. Head had just been pulled that day. I was mad as you know what. I ripped them a new one. I told them not only was it a stupid mistake but didn't even offer me a loaner, a ride home,to call a cab, nothing. I said I'm coming to get my keys, I do not want them to do anything but fix it. Do not want them to even start it, call me and I will come get it. They said that was fine. I went to get the key and was met by the GM who profusely apologized and said he didn't even want me to have to come back, they would have it towed to my house when it was complete.

4 days later, it was done, they called and said the tow will be there at 4PM and at my house by 530. Tow truck shows up, guy drops the truck in my driveway. I get the key, open the hood and see coolant splashed everywhere. I get in and turn the key. clank clank chop chop bang bang. I call the dealer, tell them what happened. They send a tow truck the next day. Call me 9 days later and tell me it needs a new motor. They don't know what happened but the dr side bank has all busted pistons and bent valves. Obviously mistimed when it was reassembled.

Very long story I'm trying to make shorter, they put a new motor in it. I asked them where they got the reman, they said it wasn't a reman. They had a whole new motor built from scratch, block, heads, pistons, crank..everything. That ended up taking 5 weeks. Yes it was done on their dime. Who ever built it did a fine job. It runs better than it did when I got it. Other than the manager apologizing that one time, no one said a word and act like I should be grateful that I got a new motor. By the way,I gave them back their free coupons.

 

I figure what these "techs" are doing is pulling all the COPs and plugs on the entire bank then putting in the new plugs. Doing that just leaves the holes wide open for stuff to drop in them. That is why I always do one hole at a time.

 

I only do one plug at a time in case I'm between plugs and the buzz kicks in good enough I don't feel like working any more.

 

I did a little question and answer today at the dealership, the tech was going down the left bank taking the coils off and then the plugs leaving the open cylinder. That's just asking for trouble in my book. They were not to giving on information at first but when I got to the to the shop manager he started to open up. The head was at the machine shop being rebuilt,the manager didn't say much when I started talking about a long block, but we will see how this progresses.

 

Make sure you don't get greedy, and make sure they are aware that you aren't getting greedy.