Houston Dealership Service

I'm all ears as well.
The last time I was happy with a Ford dealership service repair Ironically was Tommy Vaughn.

But that was 2004, and the old wizard that fixed the truck was a diesel expert and he looked like he was old enough to retire back then.

Note Tommy Vaughn diagnosed it wrong on the first attempt. (Brand new F350 with the new (then) 6.0)
When I returned a little disappointed, another older man in sales told me WHO to ask for when I drove over to the diesel shop. He got me around the service writer too.

I think those days are gone.

So why does the independent feel you need a motor?

Well, he does some work for a dealer, knows the 3.5L ecoboost and its problems well. He’s an inside the engine specialist, been around for years. He’s assuming the phaser came apart from the cam and jacked things up pretty good based on my (non-mechanical) description. He says “been there, done that”. I’m skeptical but he comes recommended by Joe (Stella Link, Joe’s Auto Repair) who I’ve trusted for years with minor repairs and maintenance. Joe doesn’t do these tear apart the engine repairs.
It is a big diagnosis and I am worried about taking it to another independent who doesn’t do this often.

I think he's suggesting that the phaser came apart and allowed interference to take place in the combustion chamber?
I have no doubt that if a cam got too far out of "phase" it would be possible for interference to happen.
I'd want to at least pull the valve cover and get a look. And if it doesn't look like a disaster there, then scope it? Or get a compression check?

What year model is your truck?

2018, with 99K miles.

Well that's not what I was expecting.
I guess we're getting into the time period where more Gen2's are reaching the 100,000 mile milestone.

I sure hope this kind of thing is an anomaly rather than frequent.

You mentioned "don't ignore the knocking"
Did you mean actual engine knock?
Or did you mean phaser noise?

HTXguy said:

If you have experience with Houston Ford dealership service, do you have a recommendation?
There are 4 within a reasonable distance. I have used Tommie Vaughn and I’d like to try someone new, one of there guys talked me out of pressing an issue under warranty and now I am sour about that and need some major work done on my phaser/cam. Don’t ignore that knocking BTW…
A private garage that does this type of inside the engine work thinks I may need a new engine.
I want to see what a dealership says but would like to deal with a reasonable service dept. thoughts?

Click to expand...

Very few 'private garages' know much about theae engines.

HTXguy said:

Well, he does some work for a dealer, knows the 3.5L ecoboost and its problems well. He’s an inside the engine specialist, been around for years. He’s assuming the phaser came apart from the cam and jacked things up pretty good based on my (non-mechanical) description. He says “been there, done that”. I’m skeptical but he comes recommended by Joe (Stella Link, Joe’s Auto Repair) who I’ve trusted for years with minor repairs and maintenance. Joe doesn’t do these tear apart the engine repairs.
It is a big diagnosis and I am worried about taking it to another independent who doesn’t do this often.

Click to expand...

Warranty work ?

Arkansas Eco said:

Very few 'private garages' know much about theae engines.

Click to expand...

Or Dealers for that matter.

Which just doesn't make sense!
It's anything but a niche motor.

Literally one of the most mass produced engines of the last decade.
For whatever reason, it's a lousy candidate for a rebuild, as a result. It's even a scary motor to let a mechanic work on.

snakebitten said:

Well that's not what I was expecting.
I guess we're getting into the time period where more Gen2's are reaching the 100,000 mile milestone.

I sure hope this kind of thing is an anomaly rather than frequent.

You mentioned "don't ignore the knocking"
Did you mean actual engine knock?
Or did you mean phaser noise?

Click to expand...

I believe it was phaser rattle based on my comparing to others who have posted videos of their 3.5’s making similar rattle.