Dr. Fred, Coy Miller or screw it and get a Ford Reman'd

Hello,

I am going to be buying (pretty much all) aftermarket performance engine, suspension and other products to overhaul my 1994 SC in the spring.

The sixth engine Ford put in this car is ticking and clattering due to damage from plugged car that killed the previous 5 engines, then exploded on this engine, was replaced and now I am left with the damage that it inflicted while it was on the engine. \

Anyway, aside from bitching at Woodfield Ford, I am left with the need to replace this engine or rebuild it sooner or later.

Dr. Fred has to be the SC-genius and that kind of expertise make me feel more secure in the rebuild he offers, plus the pricetag is great. The downside is the lack of dyno test or any testing prior to getting it back here and installing it. That makes me nervous. Not saying that the man would screw something up, but who is to say that the engine wouldnt blow a rod when it got here right out of the crate or something. Then I am stuck trying to convince Fred that it did it on it's own and I didnt kill it. A no-warranty and no-testing situation makes me nervous.

Coy Miller has been building these engines for eons, he dyno tests them and will even babysit the car and install it and test it there, but the downside is the almighty pricetag.

Third choice is to go with a reman'd engine from Ford with a warranty, pop on all the bolt ons and have a 2 yr/ 24,000 mile warranty. (Of course bolt ons would be removed for warranty service he he he)

Should I just bite the bullet and get a CMRE Stage II?

Thanks!

Just because it comes from the Ford sales counter, it doesnt mean anything.

If you could get a non rem. engine, that would be another story

There is no such thing as a guarentee in life. Hell I know of more than one CM motor that didn't last for beans. I also don't know of anyone actually scattering a stock SC motor due to too much HP. Every one I can think of had detonation, oil contamination or straight out abuse/neglect.

I'd say your chances of getting a good motor are as good at your local shop as anywhere else. Sure CM and Fred both do great motors, but if you think that either one is gonna be a guarentee, you're just plain wrong.

Personally if I were in the market for a drop in motor, I'd call Fred. JMO.

I'm trying to understand exactly what is causing you to go through engines dude. I think that there is something wrong with your car, or tranny.
I had an issue with my transmission lines collapsing and starving the transmission. That caused me to not only go through four tranny's, but it also caused me to spin bearings in at least three engines. I finally got a transmission cooling-kit and i have never had another issue. (knock on wood)
I hope I understand what you are trying to say, but I would definately NOT place an expensive new engine in the car until I figured out the problem. I learned the hard-way.

I did actually find out what it was...

The reason for all the engine failures reared its head on this engine. The catalytic exploded on the passenger side, blew the seam on the cat and sheared the nuts off the bolts on the manifold flange.

Every engine strarted ticking on the passenger side, then eventually failed.

When the cat exploded, it all came together and after looking at the symptoms on all the repair sheets and all my complaints and comparing them to what I have been told are catalytic converter restriction symptoms, it was apparent that Ford never diagnosed the right problem and went through 30,000 in engines.

Anyway, now the damage has not progressed, but the damage is done. The car actually runs fast, but it ticks like mad and clatters like it has 140,000 miles on it...Not even....My original engine in my 93 at 120,000+ miles was quiet as can be...

Bastards

I know what you mean man!

Those bastards get you everytime, and they NEVER want to take the blame for anything!
dirtybirdie