2013 3.5 motor is junk??

[akirby]

Especially when you consider how many 3.5L engines (and I assume 3.7?) have been sold by Ford over the last decade+.

[Buuls eye]

I think ford fill it only up to the min line in factory. I notice that a few weeks later on my 15 edge after i bought it. I then went to buy a gallon of coolant and added to the max line when cold.(dealer cant look at it till a week later, i dont think i can wait thats why i went ahead and bought one then added my self.). I live in Houston where summer temps can easily hit 100s, having a plastic water pump that constantly has go through many heat cycles really worries me. Ford really shouldnt put it inside the timing chain cover. I dont mind it fail, but to cost over $1000 just to replace it really is disappointing.

Edited March 28, 2017 by Buuls eye

[macbwt]

I think ford fill it only up to the min line in factory. I notice that a few weeks later on my 15 edge after i bought it. I then went to buy a gallon of coolant and added to the max line when cold.(dealer cant look at it till a week later, i dont think i can wait thats why i went ahead and bought one then added my self.). I live in Houston where summer temps can easily hit 100s, having a plastic water pump that constantly has go through many heat cycles really worries me. Ford really shouldnt put it inside the timing chain cover. I dont mind it fail, but to cost over $1000 just to replace it really is disappointing.

Just for clarity the only part on the 3.5 duratec water pump that is plastic is the impeller. The remaining body,shaft,bearings etc. are all aluminum or steel.

[WWWPerfA_ZN0W]

Hey mac, can you get your mfr buddies to analyze the seals, see if they indeed benefit from motorcraft fluid vs aftermarket as is rumored?

[freebird]

 

I saw someone on the Flex forum do the entire job on his own including updating the chain and cam sprockets and all that stuff to the 2011+ design for $800 in parts. So if we're going to say the Honda/Toyota is a $100 job for a DIYer we need to compare apples to apples.

 

But really the point is none of us really know what the failure rate of the Ford 3.5 water pumps really is. Obviously when it does fail it's going to make people so upset that they seek out ways to share their frustration on social media, but that really doesn't paint an accurate picture of the true failure rates.

 

 

You got me - I'll admit the 3.5L water pump replacement is 8x the cost of one in a Toyota.

[TheWizard]

Especially when you consider how many 3.5L engines (and I assume 3.7?) have been sold by Ford over the last decade+.

 

Apparently not the 3.7 - at least not in rear wheel drive configurations. I'm about to replace the water pump on my 3.7 Mustang (TSB about air getting in and damaging the pump due to lack of a check valve in the hose from the degas bottle) and it is a good old fashioned belt driven, bolt on to the front of the engine pump. Remove belt, remove thermostat housing, unbolt pump, replace gaskets and o-rings then bolt on a new one.

 

This is my second water pump. The first was under warranty but apparently before they determined the cause and issued the TSB. This one will be on my dime but at least it won't be terribly expensive. So I guess my vote is for the replace it a couple of times but not expensive rather than the may never need it but costs a fortune if you do. But that comes from many years of older cars where replacing a water pump was expected to be necessary someday.

Edited March 28, 2017 by TheWizard

[akirby]

I'm sure it's limited to FWD versions for packaging reasons. But there have been a fair number of those as well (have one in my MKX).

[Buuls eye]

Just for clarity the only part on the 3.5 duratec water pump that is plastic is the impeller. The remaining body,shaft,bearings etc. are all aluminum or steel.

Yes, mac, only the impeller is plastic which being used to pump coolant.

[jasonn]

Vehicle was maintained by local ford dealer. Coolant was flushed at 60k.

[doji_nj]

Seem a coolant flush at 60k miles is no indicator of when a water pump might fail. I am at 88k miles on an 08 on original coolant, and the water pump could go out tomorrow or at 200K miles, or never like MACT.

 

From a risk reward perspective, a car that can turn to salvage value overnight with an engine replacement is something that folks may not sleep well at night, as more become aware of this issue. Makes the PTU risk appear more negligible.

[enigma-2]

What the dealer told me was, they used a different coolant during the flush, the oem did not provide sufficient protection and Ford had developed a better coolant.

 

In any case, the corrosion inhibitors do wear out and changing the coolant will help to protect the heater core as well.

[fishx65]

Just finished replacing the coolant in my 88,000 mile 2011. Hope it wasn't a mistake going with the Ford Specialty Green coolant which is what my 3.5 calls for. To kinda get back on topic, just had two good friends go through engine replacements on their 90,000 mile vehicles. One was a 2010 5.4 F150 and the other a 2010 Toyota Tundra. Cam Phazer locked up on the Ford and a crank bearing went Bye-Bye in the Yota. I've had really good luck with Fords over the last 38 years but ya never know when she's gonna buck-ya.

[macbwt]

Just finished replacing the coolant in my 88,000 mile 2011. Hope it wasn't a mistake going with the Ford Specialty Green coolant which is what my 3.5 calls for. To kinda get back on topic, just had two good friends go through engine replacements on their 90,000 mile vehicles. One was a 2010 5.4 F150 and the other a 2010 Toyota Tundra. Cam Phazer locked up on the Ford and a crank bearing went Bye-Bye in the Yota. I've had really good luck with Fords over the last 38 years but ya never know when she's gonna buck-ya.

I would say no, but the best thing you did was change it. I change my coolant once a year. Cheap preventive considering the alternative. Especially after cutting the water pumps in half with a water jet and seeing the cause of the damage to the water pump. Coolant is an important VERY important maintenance item.