Car died this morning...

[Catman]

...I'm so depressed right now.

Everything was fine with it last night and on my way to work also halfway through my commute this morning. Then all of a sudden coming to a stop it started hiccuping and stalled out. WTH so I tried to start it. She turned over and shut off after a second or two and she was making an awful sound. The CEL is on and there was a grinding or rattle towards the back of the motor. So I had her towed to the dealer and waiting to hear a diagnosis. I checked the oil level (I check it all the time anyway since I spun a rod bearing before) looked fine, no leaks under the car and it wasn't smoking at all.

This is the second time something has happened to the car...previously in '09 I spun a rod bearing had the motor rebuilt and added cams, LTs and a tuned.

Any idea of what it could be this time?

I'm so upset because my wife and I just built a new house last September, I beat cancer this year and now just had a baby boy this past July. So needless to say I don't really have the funds for any major repair.

[mach1z]

good luck man! Hang in there

[03Mach1BoyAdam]

Hopefully you figure this issue out and can get it back on the road with minimal damage to your pockets. Good luck!

[Chad464v]

be sure to let us know what it ends up being cuz im curious... i had an issue with a rattle near the back of the engine before but it was the pressure plate that had become loose, nothing that would make it stall or prevent from running so let us know. maybe it jumped timing due to loss of hydraulic pressure in the chain tensioner??

[Catman]

I will.

I'm still in shock.

Just waiting to hear from the dealer (it was the closest to where I broke down) on a diagnosis. But I'm most likely going to arrange to have it towed to the shop where I had the work done but it's an hour away.

[03_Blue_Mach1]

Originally Posted by mach1z

good luck man! Hang in there

Ditto...

[311-420]

Things happen.

That being said, it sounds like you've got alot of positive things going on in your life, even without the Mach 1. Keep your head up man! You may not have the funds today, but someday you will. Maybe sooner than expected.

[DSG2003Mach1]

hope its nothing too bad!

[ShkeRttlNroll]

Sounds like you've been through alot, this is just one more speed bump for you to conquer! Hope it turns out to be an easy fix.

[Catman]

Thanks guys, I'm trying to stay positive about the whole thing. We're fortunate to have 2 other cars so I'm not completely screwed here. Mustang was just a sunny day car for me.

I'm going to arrange to have it towed to the shop that originally did the work within the next week or so. I will know more then.

On a side note, my friend who has worked at the dealer for years said a bunch of the mechanics were asking him about the car when they saw it sitting there and wanted to buy it which makes me think twice about selling it. I mean it is pretty clean and only has 45k on it...we def do have a special car.

[311-420]

Originally Posted by Catman

Thanks guys, I'm trying to stay positive about the whole thing. We're fortunate to have 2 other cars so I'm not completely screwed here. Mustang was just a sunny day car for me.

I'm going to arrange to have it towed to the shop that originally did the work within the next week or so. I will know more then.

On a side note, my friend who has worked at the dealer for years said a bunch of the mechanics were asking him about the car when they saw it sitting there and wanted to buy it which makes me think twice about selling it. I mean it is pretty clean and only has 45k on it...we def do have a special car.

Not taking anything away from the shop who originally worked on the car, but from my experiences, don't take it back. I made that mistake in my late teens. They will never own up to their mistakes or "cut you a deal" this time around even when two brand new engines have rod knock on first start up with the builder there timing it and firing it for the first time.

Look elsewhere, man.

[newedge32v]

It's the OW mach1 curse! Majority of OW mach1's are a PITA like mine and a few others I know that own one. Good luck let us know what happen.

[Catman]

Originally Posted by newedge32v

It's the OW mach1 curse! Majority of OW mach1's are a PITA like mine and a few others I know that own one. Good luck let us know what happen.

Must be.

I'm going back and forth on it...might just say f it and cut my loses at this point. I can try to sell it to one of the mechanics who were checking it out at the dealer. I think they mentioned something like 6-7K.

[newedge32v]

Originally Posted by Catman

Must be.

I'm going back and forth on it...might just say f it and cut my loses at this point. I can try to sell it to one of the mechanics who were checking it out at the dealer. I think they mentioned something like 6-7K.

you're crazy if you get rid of it for that cheap.. at least fix the problem first if it's not major and sell it for more. You don't think its the alternator? I use to work at a alternator/starter shop and majority of our orders were Mustang GT and Cobra alternators LOL they are notorious for leaving you stranded on the side of the road.

[Catman]

Originally Posted by newedge32v

you're crazy if you get rid of it for that cheap.. at least fix the problem first if it's not major and sell it for more. You don't think its the alternator? I use to work at a alternator/starter shop and majority of our orders were Mustang GT and Cobra alternators LOL they are notorious for leaving you stranded on the side of the road.

What are the symptoms of a bad alternator? Just stalling? It starts up then stalls after a second or 2. To my untrained ear, there is a horrible sound coming from the motor like in the rear or just under the passenger head. It didn't sound like rod knock, it was more of a scrapping sound. That's why I think it's worse. I'd like to fix the car if I could but I just don't have the funds right now.

I thought 6 or 7K wasn't bad because KBB is between 12 and 13K less the price of a new motor puts it at around 6K.

[newedge32v]

Originally Posted by Catman

What are the symptoms of a bad alternator? Just stalling? It starts up then stalls after a second or 2. To my untrained ear, there is a horrible sound coming from the motor like in the rear or just under the passenger head. It didn't sound like rod knock, it was more of a scrapping sound. That's why I think it's worse. I'd like to fix the car if I could but I just don't have the funds right now.

I thought 6 or 7K wasn't bad because KBB is between 12 and 13K less the price of a new motor puts it at around 6K.

Pretty much the car dies on you while you're driving and the battery light comes on. I hope it's nothing internal. The mechanics haven't finished inspecting it yet?

[Catman]

Originally Posted by newedge32v

Pretty much the car dies on you while you're driving and the battery light comes on. I hope it's nothing internal. The mechanics haven't finished inspecting it yet?

Well it's at the dealer and now they wanted to start nickle and diming me to take the oil pan off, remove the passenger side valve cover and such so it seems more serious than an alternator or a coil pack/spark plug. I said no thank you and was going to take it to the performance shop that originally did the work.

[newedge32v]

Originally Posted by Catman

Well it's at the dealer and now they wanted to start nickle and diming me to take the oil pan off, remove the passenger side valve cover and such so I said no thank you and was going to take it to the performance shop that originally did the work.

Good idea. Sure as hell a rebuilt engine shouldn't be running like that. Have the shop do a compression/leak down test.. I'm sure they know what to do. But sh!t I'm starting to get sad putting myself in your position.

[Catman]

Originally Posted by newedge32v

Good idea. Sure as hell a rebuilt engine shouldn't be running like that. Have the shop do a compression/leak down test.. I'm sure they know what to do. But sh!t I'm starting to get sad putting myself in your position.

Well it's life so don't get sad.

After a real shitty day I still got to go home and play with my 6 week old.

I just can't believe I might be without a Mustang for the first time in 10 years...I wanted to keep the miles low and eventually give it to my son.

If it gets to the shop and the motor is cooked, the way I see it, I have two choices. Cut my loses and sell it for what I can get or bring it back to my house and let it sit so I can build up some funds and have it be a project in the future.

[03_Blue_Mach1]

Originally Posted by Catman

Well it's life so don't get sad.

After a real shitty day I still got to go home and play with my 6 week old.

I just can't believe I might be without a Mustang for the first time in 10 years...I wanted to keep the miles low and eventually give it to my son.

If it gets to the shop and the motor is cooked, the way I see it, I have two choices. Cut my loses and sell it for what I can get or bring it back to my house and let it sit so I can build up some funds and have it be a project in the future.

Hopefully it's paid off, and if so, just keep it if you have the room to store it. ArmorAll it, and put a good cover on. You never know, you might get a good deal on another engine in the near future, or maybe it will sit there for 20 years and become a Barn Find for my grandson to buy for cheap, fix up, and make a killing on...

[Catman]

Originally Posted by 03_Blue_Mach1

Hopefully it's paid off

Oh yea, I bought her new in '03 so she's been paid off since '08 IIRC.

[2k4mach]

honestly if money is tight and its a motor id just sell the jalopy and move on.

[newedge32v]

1 of 814 built in 03... keep her!

[mad_max_86]

was it sad seeing her on the tow truck? I still remember seeing my beauty on a tow truck.....stupid reason but had to be done......very sad sight. Keep your head up and know that there will always be other mustangs. If I had to get rid of my mach for some reason yeah it would be sad but you move on. Keep stanging along and youll find another love. Now that the mushy side is out....whew.....I hope that it truly is something small cause you want to loose your mach on your terms, not the motors terms...good luck man

[Catman]

My car is being towed to the shop tomorrow that did the original rebuild work on the motor, I'm hoping for the best but expecting the worst in terms of what they'll say and I'm not holding my breath about them willing to work with me.

Just grasping here but I've read that the Lincoln Aviator motor is basically the same as our Mach motors. I've seen a few decent ones on Car-part from anywhere between $1600 and $2200 depending on mileage. If worse comes to worse is this a viable option? Is it as "simple" as swapping the motor and using the intake from the Mach, or are there other parts I would need?