notsofine89
Registered User
HELP!!!!
I have a 89 SC with less than 100K original. Awhile back it started busting crank bolts.... It took three trips to the the dealer to figure out that they didn't know what the hell was going on. Readers of this forum pointed out the well known problem with the harmonic balancer on this motor. I cut and pasted alot the responses, and emailed them to the service manager (at Serramonte Ford in Colma). I wound up taking BART to Fremont, and buying one of those bomb-proof harmonic aftermarket steel balancers that someone here reccomended (OUCH!! around $400 with tax!). Dropped that off at the ford dealership, and had the car on the road for another grand or so.... But the dealer fixed it under the premise that this was a gamble....there might be someting wrong with the crank or the motor that was causing this. Throwing caution to the wind, I had it done. With 250 miles on the trip odometer, It starts doing the same thing it did when the crank bolt would break, i.e., several miles of violent chugging, after which the engine light would come on and the car would refuse to start.... I popped the hood...felt the recess in the middle of the crank pulley....the crank bolt is still there this time.
I had the thing towed to Big Valley Ford in Stockton, CA. I have to get back to San Francisco soon. Is there anything I should tell this dealer about fixing this car? Does anyone have any idea what unseen pitfall is causing this car to fail again? Any idea where Serramonte Ford might have screwed up? Or is the motor/crank pretty much shot. At Serrmonte, I almost had to give them some help in diagnosing it, and I'm <B>NOT</B> a knowlegeable mechanic....
Question #2: Vehicle in question is a completely stock (except for trick harmonic balancer) 89 SC with about 96K orig, 5 speed, new tires, good body and paint with sevral minor flaws (white) with normal wear and tear, what would be a good starting price for trying to sell this thing as-is if the motor is toast?
I have no resources to deal with a broken car in San Francisco (garage, parking, etc.) And if the engine is toast, I need to sell this thing QUICK to someone who has a garage, and is bit better with a wrench than I am....
Thanks for any advice....I'm headed down to see the service people at Big Valley Ford monday morning.
Mike
a.k.a. notsofine89
I have a 89 SC with less than 100K original. Awhile back it started busting crank bolts.... It took three trips to the the dealer to figure out that they didn't know what the hell was going on. Readers of this forum pointed out the well known problem with the harmonic balancer on this motor. I cut and pasted alot the responses, and emailed them to the service manager (at Serramonte Ford in Colma). I wound up taking BART to Fremont, and buying one of those bomb-proof harmonic aftermarket steel balancers that someone here reccomended (OUCH!! around $400 with tax!). Dropped that off at the ford dealership, and had the car on the road for another grand or so.... But the dealer fixed it under the premise that this was a gamble....there might be someting wrong with the crank or the motor that was causing this. Throwing caution to the wind, I had it done. With 250 miles on the trip odometer, It starts doing the same thing it did when the crank bolt would break, i.e., several miles of violent chugging, after which the engine light would come on and the car would refuse to start.... I popped the hood...felt the recess in the middle of the crank pulley....the crank bolt is still there this time.
I had the thing towed to Big Valley Ford in Stockton, CA. I have to get back to San Francisco soon. Is there anything I should tell this dealer about fixing this car? Does anyone have any idea what unseen pitfall is causing this car to fail again? Any idea where Serramonte Ford might have screwed up? Or is the motor/crank pretty much shot. At Serrmonte, I almost had to give them some help in diagnosing it, and I'm <B>NOT</B> a knowlegeable mechanic....
Question #2: Vehicle in question is a completely stock (except for trick harmonic balancer) 89 SC with about 96K orig, 5 speed, new tires, good body and paint with sevral minor flaws (white) with normal wear and tear, what would be a good starting price for trying to sell this thing as-is if the motor is toast?
I have no resources to deal with a broken car in San Francisco (garage, parking, etc.) And if the engine is toast, I need to sell this thing QUICK to someone who has a garage, and is bit better with a wrench than I am....
Thanks for any advice....I'm headed down to see the service people at Big Valley Ford monday morning.
Mike
a.k.a. notsofine89