Engine shot - Coolant intrusion - 74k miles on my Ford Ranger 2.3L I4 xlt

[woodworker]

I've been considering lowering the engine temp by installing a 170F-180F thermostat for a while now, enough so that purchased a high quality one.... I've always worried about these newer engines running hotter with aluminum engines and high compression / intake air charges (turbos).

I'm still noodling it all out...

So sorry to hear of your troubles.

Would this cause it to throw any codes?

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[awd.nv]

Yeah I think Levittown Ford has 2.3L long blocks listed for under $6k? What a bummer man, an engine replacement is cheaper than a new truck though, hopefully Ford can help otherwise, find a good shop and it will cost a lot less.

Mountune used to have custom 2.3L listed but think those were over $10k.

I did have mine replaced under warranty at 50k for a rod knock. Bad bearing on #4 rod.

 

[woodworker]

I guess I should not post these pictures of my Ranger going seriously off road cause it will void my warranty.

Y

 

[TJC]

Would this cause it to throw any codes?

I do not believe it will throw a code. I have read of others that have done this in the 2.3ecoboost havig issues.

Ford’s OBD system documentation shows that to begin closed-loop fuel control, the engine coolant temp (ECT) must exceed a threshold around ~80 °F (27 °C) in the model used for closed-loop monitoring, and remain above that level for a short time (e.g., ~3 seconds) before the PCM enters closed loop.

In practice on many engines, once the engine warms up above that threshold and the oxygen sensors are warmed sufficiently to produce valid signals, the PCM will switch to closed loop and start using O₂ sensor feedback to control fuel trim.​

​

Common mechanic guidance suggests the effective switch typically happens when actual coolant temperatures are roughly in the ~160–180 °F (71–82 °C) range or slightly higher on later engines, matching what many tuners and techs observe as the point where the ECU starts using closed-loop control.

A 170F thermstat will begin to open at 170F, and be fully open at ~190F, mostly open at 180F-185F.
​

Lower combustion & charge temps
Cooler coolant = Engine and cylinder head are cooler = Less stress

The only downside that I see is Oil may run cooler, but that may be a plus as well. Upsides are less possible knock. It will also lower transmission fluid temps (if you also bypass the coolant thernostat in the transmission fluid heat exchanger)

• Can reduce knock tendency, especially:
  • High boost
  • Hot climates
  • Repeated pulls or track use
• Helps the ECU hold more stable ignition timing under load
  • Ford EcoBoost ECUs pull timing as ECT rises
  • Keeping ECT lower can:
    • Reduce spark retard (Less knock sensitivity)
    • Reduce enrichment events under high ECT
    • More predictable thermal behavior

 

[Dr. Zaius]

I guess I should not post these pictures of my Ranger going seriously off road cause it will void my warranty.

Y

Wait, you bought a Ranger with the tow package and actually *gasp* towed?

What were you thinking man!?!?

Scrub these incriminating photos ASAP!

 

[Racket]

I don't get the scary fourteen grand engine replacement quote except to shock/scare you into making hasty decisions.

If I had no warranty and no urgency I'd get a solid replacement through whomever but have some fun upgrading some power parts.

And the transmission of course.

 

[Grumpaw]

I guess I should not post these pictures of my Ranger going seriously off road cause it will void my warranty.

OMG.....Off Road AND Towing.....instant voiding of warranty !!!!!

 

[woodworker]

I do not believe it will throw a code. I have read of others that have done this in the 2.3ecoboost havig issues.

Ford’s OBD system documentation shows that to begin closed-loop fuel control, the engine coolant temp (ECT) must exceed a threshold around ~80 °F (27 °C) in the model used for closed-loop monitoring, and remain above that level for a short time (e.g., ~3 seconds) before the PCM enters closed loop.​

​

In practice on many engines, once the engine warms up above that threshold and the oxygen sensors are warmed sufficiently to produce valid signals, the PCM will switch to closed loop and start using O₂ sensor feedback to control fuel trim.​

​

Common mechanic guidance suggests the effective switch typically happens when actual coolant temperatures are roughly in the ~160–180 °F (71–82 °C) range or slightly higher on later engines, matching what many tuners and techs observe as the point where the ECU starts using closed-loop control.​

​

A 170F thermstat will begin to open at 170F, and be fully open at ~190F, mostly open at 180F-185F.​

​

Lower combustion & charge temps
Cooler coolant = Engine and cylinder head are cooler = Less stress

The only downside that I see is Oil may run cooler, but that may be a plus as well. Upsides are less possible knock. It will also lower transmission fluid temps (if you also bypass the coolant thernostat in the transmission fluid heat exchanger)

• Can reduce knock tendency, especially:
  • High boost
  • Hot climates
  • Repeated pulls or track use
• Helps the ECU hold more stable ignition timingunder load
  • Ford EcoBoost ECUs pull timing as ECT rises
  • Keeping ECT lower can:
    • Reduce spark retard (Less knock sensitivity)
    • Reduce enrichment events under high ECT
    • More predictable thermal behavior

Very good research.

 

[Jason B]

Question, why a whole engine replacement?
Is it a blown head gasket, cracked head, cracked block?
Are they just throwing numbers at you?
If it's not under OEM warranty or ESP, take it to a real mechanic that will do a real investigation into the cause. Not some code reader that takes the easy way out and just throw parts at it.

 

[silversurfer]

Question, why a whole engine replacement?
Is it a blown head gasket, cracked head, cracked block?
Are they just throwing numbers at you?
If it's not under OEM warranty or ESP, take it to a real mechanic that will do a real investigation into the cause. Not some code reader that takes the easy way out and just throw parts at it.

Update: I talked to Ford corporate customer service and they were more helpful than the dealer service woman. They are working with the dealer to have them do a tear down and diagnose further than just reading codes. They said that I might possibly qualify for some help in getting warranty pricing instead of normal customer pricing on a fix. Crossing my fingers because this is a really financially unfortunate time for me personally to have to replace this engine or take a huge loss and buy a new vehicle

 

[silversurfer]

Something I didn't mention previously regarding the diagnosed coolant intrusion issue... the moment this happened was the first I've ever seen an alarm mentioning coolant ever. When I pulled over to get towed I checked the coolant reservoir levels and they were normal right in between the lines... I haven't refilled coolant anytime recently so I don't know how much could've intruded... I also wasn't super focused on that coolant alarm as about a dozen other seemingly all unrelated alarms were going off. Stuff like terrain system fault, hill start assist, pre-collision assist, etc etc before it settled on the generic "see manual" alarm. I was surprised to hear that the issue was coolant intrusion considering that coolant levels were normal.

 

[dano42]

Sadly, I had a motor blow up on a BMW X5 that we bought brand new at 55,000 miles. They wanted $36,000 for it to be replaced, but they paid for the majority of it. That was BMW though. We had all the maintenance records, and I think they paid about 90%. The dealer paid a little bit and I ended up having to pay a couple thousand, but ultimately it was their fault because they screwed up on an oil change; of course they didn’t want to admit it. I didn’t trust the car anymore after that - the same guys that didn’t follow a TSB to begin with installed the new motor so I sold it.

 

[k1w1t1m]

It seems like the dealership mechanics need to actually open the hood and take a look see rather than just finding the first excuse right off the top of their heads.
It almost seems like a good reason to take it to a different dealership but that would involve more costs.

 

[specialKody]

Marketing: look at all the fun and adventurous things you can do with a Ranger.

Warranty: You actually bought a Ranger and did those things?! Claim denied

 

[Grandaccess]

Thanks, I am planning to call Ford corporate sometime today.

The Ford dealer service lady told me that they "saw signs of off roading"... that there was "bits of mud underneath the vehicle" and that this or having non-stock tires was the likely cause for my engine failure... seriously WTF??

I don't even take this thing off road very much and the stuff I do is mostly mellow fire roads... She kept re-iterating this off-roading point and that I should not mention that the truck had "been off road" when I call corporate...

then they shouldn't market it as a truck or put 4x4 in from the factory if they dont want to take it off road?
F*** Them....
I would say it sat in the driveway for 50k miles and all that dirt blew up from being close to the curb

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