First off i gotta say i love the T-birds. I've been having problems with my 94 SC since i got it back in July 2001. When i forst got it, it blew the head gasket and luckily it was warrentied still cause in blowing the head gasket i bent the rod in the engine...totally fucking it up; Hydrolock ring a bell? Anyway, i got a new engine and it ran fine for 13,000 miles then it got a valve tap. The engine was still under warranty do i brought it back to the Ford dealer to get a new one. that was this past January. So that was my 3rd engine. the last twp were crated 3.8L straight from ford supposedly, but now i'm getting a valve tap after only 2500 miles in this 3rd engine. I'm taking it back to the dealer to get it fixed, but what i want to know is whether or not anyone else had these problems. It can't be the way i drive cause i don't beat the shit outa the car...i love it too much. Could it be a problem with the way these mechanics are putting the engine together when they put it in...or does it have to do with the fact that Ford isn't building the 3.8L like they used to. I'm totally baffled with this. any kind of advice is appreciated. On a different note, after this problme started happening i was planning on selling the car, cause i really can't afford to have it in the shop all the time if this is going to be a regular thing. but i decided against it. what i want to do now is throw a 5.0 inside and then slap the supercharger on that. that'll really haul some ass. i know that in doing this i'll need a new computer, transmission, motor mounts, cowl hood and such. But there are things that i don't know if i need or not. If anyone could, let me know where i can find all the stuff that i'll need. i'm also going to need approximations on how much money i'll be expected to dig outa my wallet. I'm thinkin around $5,000. if that estimate is off or someone can help reduce it at all let me know. like i said, any help is great. thanks

My question is: did you buy the car new? If you bought it new and have had 3 engines, you can sue Ford under the lemon law. But the only way you can sue is if you are the original owner and bought it new. I would make Ford buy it back and then find the T-Bird you really want. The 4.6L Birds and Cougars were really nice. I should knew, I just wrapped my 97 30th annivarsary cougar around a set of RR tracks. Ford has a serious problem with the 3.8's and the head gaskets. The 1st time the engine gets real warm the head bolts expand and the gasket blows, and causing the heads to warp. Here in Flordia I have replaced 3 sets of gaskets and heads in 6 months when I was working as a mechanic.(1 mustang, 1 t-bird, and a lincon cont.) Good Luck, Jack

make sure you have the ford mechanics check and make sure they are not putting a naturally aspirated 3.8L long block onto your sc. the supercharger will kill a n/a 3.8L block in a matter of months expecially if you have a 10% undredrive pully to push more boost. The parts counter is probably ordering the wrong long block and this is the problem. where are you located so some of NJTACC's (New Jersey Thunderbird and Cougar Club) members can give you a hand we have several mechanics and two or three ford certified techs but we are locted in New Jersey. I don't know if ford still makes the factory sc long block but if you have gone thru 2 rebuilds for the same reason check that avenue first. give me you vin # and the guys here can probably cross check the block # you need. I have found as many sc owners have that new ford techs no jack squat about the souper coupes and need some lessons a good contact for you to reach is Don Oneill at http://www.sccoa.com under the NEW jesey chapter under the bulletin board system. He is a guru of supercoupes and president of NJTACC. If he doesn't know brian another member will. he can probably give you the correct block ford part # as well please note that Dwayne of NJTACC had refered you.

No i didn't buy it new...from this asshole of a dealer though. who i am sueing for another reason.

let me see if i can answer all of your questions: 1. i don't have an aftermarket pulley...just the stock one that came with the car. 2. i live in NJ, near Ft. Dix. Central/South Jersey. 3. if they're putting the wrong block in, do you think they'd make the same mistake twice? they're rebuilding the engine though either. its a crated engine straight from the factory. i actually had to wait about 3 weeks for the last time they changed it becuase they had to build me one from scratch. 4. my VIN number is - IFALP64RXRH191497. now, if they're not rebuilding the engine, are there 2 different engines for the regular 3.8L thunderbirds and for the SC version? and would it be possible that they're putting the non-SC version engine in and that is the reason for the oh-so-popular valve tap that i keep getting. 5. note: that if there isn't a problem with the block # and it happens to be the coreect block or engine. i want to rule out the fact that it might be the way i drive. the only thing is i don't beat the shit outa the car. i drive it fast, and i do race people everyonce in awhile, but i don't redline the engine or throw it up into 6000. thanks for the help Dwayne...i'll try and get ahold of Don or Brian at SCCoA. Dave

Bruce: Why would you not get a warrenty on the "NEW" engine ? We too were climbing the Coquihalla and the engine packed it in about 26km below the tool boths on the west side. We had it towed in to Cherry Ford in Chilliwack ( spelling? ) One more question are you from Duncan by chance ? Bye for now Chris

The engine in my 2001 Escape XLT kicked the bucket in the middle of Saskatchewan...no steep incline anywhere to be seen. I had 38,000 km on it and it was 3 years and 1 day old. No joke, I was informed my warranty expired the day before when I called roadside assistance. However, in the end Ford covered it all and with my new engine and I was informed I had a 1 year 20,000 km warranty on the new engine. In September I traded that Escape in for a slightly used 2004 Escape Limited...and this time I covered myself well into 2010 as far as warranty is concerned. I'm taking no chances! -jen

My engine is running fine now. They replace a valve and the low idle problem has stopped. After a lot of trying they replaced it under warranty. I have over 120,000 kms on my Escape. The four year extended warranty is now over. I think that I broke about even with my warranty. The big thing about warranties is the peace of mind. I would get it again. I love the trip from Edmonton to Vancouver through Kamloops, Merritt and over the big hill. We sometimes go via the old route as well. Love BC and have made the trip many times to Vancouver and the Island. Love my Escape Gary

Well a 5000 or 3 month warranty wasn't going to do the trick for us and Ford Canada didn't seem to care. The value of the 2002 Escape dropped $6000 in the black book from our date of purchase to three months later when we attempted to sell. Our engine incident happened a month after purchasing it. When I asked Ford about an incentive to trade in, etc since our poor experience with their Ford Escape and the stupid warranty they were giving us....they didn't offer to help. I even said we have owned 4 different Ford vehicles already and are only in our early 30s, and that we have a lot of purchasing years ahead and at the present they are not giving us the confidential or support with their product, that I couldn't see ever purchasing their vehicles again, they responded that this was my progative and they still couldn't help us! I did love Fords and have all my life, but currently don't see myself ever owing one again...we traded in the Escape and are waiting to hear the recall when it happens!!

Hi Gary: Been awhile but still around. Have 126,000 "miles" now. Finally replaced the Michelins at 115,000!! Went with a generic brand that is actually made by Michelin, but about half the price. Working in Pennsylvania right now. Had a heart attach four weeks ago, but doing better. Hope you and Mrs. Gary have a great Christmas and New Year. Dennis

Sorry to hear that you had a heart attack but glad to hear that you are doing better. I know that you were not too fond of LV but you must miss some of the warmth at this time. I still have my cross terrains on but I don't have the mileage that you put on your Michelins. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you Dennis and your wife One problem that I had the first winter was that the seals in the steering column went and I would have a squeaking sound from the steering column when I turned the steering wheel or went over bumps. They replaced the seals under warranty at the time. It's back now, so I will be seeing what the damage will be when I finish my vacation. I actually noticed a slight sound before my extended warranty was over but I did not mention it. The one lesson I have learnt is that before a warranty period ends is to make sure you mention and document every little thing. Things here are going well otherwise. It is definitely winter here now. I still have my cross terrains on instead of my winter tires. If the roads remain snowy and icy I may switch to my winter tires. Gary

Dennis I hope that you are feeling better now, where ever you are living. All is well with me.