Horsepower TV and 03-04 Cobra valve problems??

[Miklowcic]

Isnt nice to hear about design flaws in your car on National Television instead of from Ford?

So far so good for me......but does that mean im ok when a potential problem exists, Ford has a TSB on it but has never told me. Instead I hear about it on a National Television Show featuring my car!

I had heard about it from a few people in person and a few on the net, but I never knew that it was a design flaw (Is that right? Thats what HP TV said today). I thought it was just that usual Ford Quality..and you were just unlucky if it happened to you..

So now what?? When my warrenty is up and the engine goes because of a design flaw that they didnt do a recall on....they wont fix it right?

Or if I did bring it in and want the new parts...will they void my warrenty because I race the car and refuse to do the TSB?

Or better yet when I break it racing...it will be all my fault even though the entire country knows Ford fffed up???

Considering the fact that a local dealer tried to blame my cars faulty alignment from the factory on the strut tower bar i had installed...none of the above would surprise me.

I am really pissed that FOrd doesnt tell us, but we have to hear about it on National Television!

DOes anyone know if you arent hearing tapping can you still get the TSB or is it only once you start having a problem????

 

[travis0712]

I don't think this is on all of the cars... If I am thinking correctly... this is refering to the ticking that some, no where near all, cobra's have... anyone else have any light to shed???

 

[BZ's_03_SVT]

I had heard that it was a first run 03 cobra problem as they worked out the bugs. Not sure in the numbers but happened to some of the first ones off the line...1000, 2000, I dont know. Something to do with the machining of the heads (which I can understand, there is a TSB for my F150 heads too.) Also heard it had alot to do with mods being done in the beginning of the new car release they were leaning them out to much and the pistons were slapping top of the heads.

All rumor or crap i have read but talk none the less....

 

[Miklowcic]

yeah

Yeah thats what I was hearing/assuming...but the show said that its a design flaw in the early production cars. Thats different than a problem with some cars. Design flaw means that at any time this could become an issue. If thats correct than Ford should be doing a recall and not be waiting for us to have a problem.

 

[Uncle Meat]

I have a first run '03. My motor has been pulled out of the car TWICE and had the drivers side head removed and replaced based off of the information in the "Tick TSB". I think I'm pretty qualified to answer any questions concerning the "Tick" since I've been dealing with it for almost 2 years now!

There are more than a handful of '04 Cobra owners who have come down with the "Tick" too! The info they broadcasted about the blue paint on the drivers head is bullcrap too! My first replacement head was painted blue and it ticked and had to be replaced a 2nd time.

The whole reason I added the Apten Cooling Mod was because I think it will help combat the tick.

U.M.

 

[5.0's 4 ever]

Since it is a TSB a dealership will not replace it unless the concern is present. It would cost ford quite a bit of money if they did a recall on those cylinder heads. Because not only does the cobra use them but also the marauder, aviator, and mach 1. Those cars are also having the tick problem. Its pretty much luck of the draw, some cars have it some don't. I even run a set of used 03s on my 96 and I don't have the ticking noise.

 

[Miklowcic]

...

Well mine is almost payed off.. So when I blow it up Ill be able to afford to rebuild it the way ford should have built it in the first place.......

Not sure if I should buy the Ford truck i was thinking about....this TSB BS is fffing rediculous

 

[travis0712]

My car is a 2nd run car, either case, I don't have it... but I do have a slight squeek or wistle noise from my clutch

If I just barely push it in... it goes away and stays gone for a few clutch cycles then comes back... I dunno

I don't care though... I love my car and will find a better clutch down the road if I need one.

 

[marcus95]

Wait guys. My 95 S351 makes this horrible grinding whirling sound from the front left side of the motor. Wait! Thats the Vortech spinning. Sorry, had to do it.
Is'nt there always some price to pay to go fast? Everyone with the tick and with not too many mods and a warranty just enjoy and get everything you can done under warranty like Meat before it runs out. I wish I had a warning tick or something like that. My motor just stopped cold. Like a brick wall baby. Bent rod, and on the dyno at that. I was'nt even driving it. If you have no warranty drive it till it really breaks. At least you know exactly what to fix.

 

[Uncle Meat]

My car is a 2nd run car, either case, I don't have it... but I do have a slight squeek or wistle noise from my clutch

If I just barely push it in... it goes away and stays gone for a few clutch cycles then comes back... I dunno

I don't care though... I love my car and will find a better clutch down the road if I need one.

I think that's just an adjustment problem... I recently added a UPR triple-hook quadrant and firewall adjuster to my Cobra. After the install I started playing with the firewall adjuster in an attempt to get the clutch to release closer to the top of the pedal stroke versus right off the floor. I noticed the following right off the bat... tightning the cable too much via the firewall adjuster was causing my throw-out bearing to squeek! With the clutch pedal released and the tranny in nuetral you could here it plain as day. If you lightly rested your foot on the clutch, the squeek would go away! I've got mine adjusted now so there is no squeek at all... too bad you can't do this with the stock adjuster....

U.M.

 

[Miklowcic]

hmmmm

I have noticed a strange whiistling sound from my car...i thought it was since my idler pulley broke and figured I might have damaged something else when the metal flew around the engine bay

...but i have had weird things going on with clutch #2 (which i smoked twice before finally getting line locs so im not complaining about needing another clutch) Im just wondering if the sound i was hearing could just be from the clutch...I never thought to hold the clutch in and listen

Clutch will feel fine and then when its hot...3rd gear and sometimes 1st get harder to shift into fast...

After my last trip to the track on my last two runs I didnt get it into gear and then noticed my clutch pedal suddenly felt hard to press down...never had that happen before.

In the shop now getting another new clutch! My record is one per racing season....

 

[travis0712]

I thought so U.M. Sweet... I hate the plastic adjuster anyhow... I think I will go with steeda though....

 

[travis0712]

In the shop now getting another new clutch! My record is one per racing season....

Well... we all know that taking off on the track can be tough in these cars, but slipping the clutch is the fastest way to wear it out. If your plan is to race down the strip a lot... you might want to think about a performance auto-matic with a good stall setting...

 

[Miklowcic]

....

Yeah i thought about it but cant get myself to do it......not yet anyway...6 speed is too much fun


besides if I didnt smoke the second clutch twice trying to power brake it before I finally got lin locks, it would have lasted probably a couple of seasons....

You should have seen my clutch...there were no grooves in one side of it at all...the other side was spotty, the fly wheel was scorched...im amazed it was shifting ok on the street...

now it grabs so low I almost stall.....its just got to break in and I have to get used to it.

GOOD NEWS was that my car has no tick.....and my mechanic said he thinks I would have it by now if my car had the problem... Especially because of the fact that im at the track every weekend...

 

[az_r2d1]

It is supposed to affect all heads made before november 1 , 2002. The date is on a sticker right below the master cylinder on the head (drivers side)

 

[DaMessenger]

Come on, You honestly have never known this. This is nothing NEW. This has been reality since what ?? 99 I do believe. Bad Valve Seals ie:what's that mean ??? Oh shi----- maybe it really wasn't the LTHeaders after all. Hit 5800 the springs collapse & don't come back now she's blowin smoke non stop not like before when it did it just every now & then and if I I I I'd a only checked my oil a couple times between the 3000 change time my owners manuel told me. YEAH and freakin twice on race days ...........I might still have a bad as s car money in the bank and not been a snivlin blame it on my headers kinda guy. Oh shi--- where did I just go.
YOU have an EXTREMELY NICE CAR ! Take care of it pay attention to what responsible knowledgeable people who KNOW WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT say. Put a MAC STRAIGHT SHOT MASS AIR SYSTEM on it aka: YES a SNAKE can have an AFTERBURNER ! ! ! Give yourself another thrill like the one you got the day the snake was YOURS. Don't lose any sleep this has been going on for years. Heck maybe firestone hurt em more then anybody thought and thats why FORD HAS NOT FIXED THEIR VALVE SEAL PROBLEM which naturally once you become a late model mustang owner it becomes yours as well.. ONLY if you allow it or cause it to have a shall we say flare up. Then you will have allowed fords problem to become yours.