Had a huge scare with my newly acquired JSW

[MikePA]

I was on the highway when there was a very loud thump! and a rattle. It felt like something had hit the car, or something on the engine failed. I'm looking around, confirming that all tires are still good when it happens again even louder! Like someone had just walked up to the car and hit it on the roof with a sledge hammer.

Now I'm getting ready to panic. I just bought this car, what could be going on? As I'm looking for a place to pull over I see a mustang maybe 3/8 of a mile in front of me shoot flames out the exhaust and there's another huge thump! and rattles afterward. I remember him racing by me, and even from that distance you could still hear him reving the engine. I don't know how the exhaust wasn't left lying on the road. LOL

Huge relief to see it wasn't me!

 

[vandermic07]

Must of been an ECOBOOM!!

I lost 2 engines in my 2.3 15 Mustang before i got rid of it.

1st due to oil loss @ 7k miles. It burnt off 3 quarts in 750miles on a road trip. Threw a rod out the side @ 1500 rpms leaving a restaurant. The tech that replaced the motor said that there is a low oil sensor but it is set too low in the pan. So when it goes off the damage is done. I never had a light come on.

2nd @ 18k miles I believe was pre-detonation caused by bad fuel pressure switch (just what I read on ecoboost forums and matched my issues). Let go while passing a car @ 4k rpm. big boom, tons of smoke. Huge hole in the block. oil everywhere.

That car was nothing but problems. It was fun when it was running though.

 

[oilhammer]

The Rangers are blowing up, too. Same basic 2.3L turbo engine, only unlike the Mustang, that is the ONLY engine we can get in the Ranger.