sirtanon

I haven't had to actually sign in now for.. 3 days? Looks like the issue has been fixed. Nice!

Agreed - 3,000 miles is nothing for pretty much any SN-rated oil, conventional or synthetic, and Mobil1 can easily go 3x that in most cars. Unless you've been really romping on it (which I doubt), then the oil should be just fine. While K&N might be a 'name brand', I have found myself less than impressed with their oil filters. This is not to say they're necessarily 'bad', but I would say that, IMHO, they are not worth their premium price, and may or may not necessarily meet spec. I have always been extremely happy with Motorcraft filters made for the Fusion, and since they are the OEM filter, you can be confident they meet spec. Another option, if you can't get ahold of a Motorcraft (FL500s), would be a Fram Ultra XG10575, which is an excellent filter. One other comment - From what I've read, many motor oils have a tendency to shear down from heat and use. 5W-20 oils start out light, and if your driving habits an climate are putting enough stress on the oil, can thin down further. Upping the weight might help a bit. While our engines are spec'd for 5w-20 oil, I regularly use 5w-30 oil in my Fusion during the summer months. Here in Phoenix, it regularly gets over 115 degrees F in July and August, which I imagine is hotter than what you're getting there, so I feel that upping the oil weight in the summer is good 'insurance'. So far, it has served me well, and my UOA's have always been stellar. Since you have a bigger engine, I suspect it could handle 5w-30 in the heat at least as well, if not better. Just a thought.

How many miles are on the oil so far?

I would go for the best quality, best bonding, most durable body filler you can find within your budget. Ideally, you'll also want something that is reinforced. I do know that Bondo makes a metal-reinforced product.. Also, you'll want to make sure that the wheel surfaces that you'll be putting the filler in are as clean as possible. Any oils, dirt, etc.. left in the 'rash' will interfere with the bond between the filler and the wheel. You might even consider something like JB Weld, as it is meant to be used with metal. This video is pretty helpful:

Hmm.. looks like it wants to start at 2:19.. but no matter, that's still the 'good' sounding engine. It's normal for them to sound like that. Mine sounds the same. If yours sounds (at least more or less) like it does at the 2:19 mark, then you should be fine.

Knock? no.. Rattle? Yes, definitely. The 2.5 engines in the Fusions are pretty noisy. I have heard them likened to an old sewing machine, etc.. It should sound, roughly, like the engine in this video does, at 2:15. (Please note, he's comparing it to another 2.5 engine with a known cylinder 2/3 issue, which you will hear about 10 seconds later where he says "and you can hear it best now... "):

You probably have a little play in the valve components, maybe some valve lash or similar. Just remember that varying heat will cause some components to expand more/less than others. It could simply be that the oil has drained out enough in that 15 minutes that it is not thick enough to prevent a little noise. I doubt it's a real cause for concern if it's not too loud, especially since it goes away shortly after you start it back up.. the oil has flowed to those components and is doing its job, most likely. How loud are we talking here?

P0022 - VCT timing. Yeah this could be a few things. One thing that has been rattling around in my head is poor oil flow to the VCT system (and potentially other systems). I say this because engines that run starved for oil can get quite hot. This can cause oil coking, which can lead to potential clogging of oil galleries. This is just me musing, of course. The bottom line in my mind is "is something causing insufficient flow to the VCT solenoid?" This is one reason I suggested getting an oil analysis done. What does the oil look like on the dipstick? When was the oil filter last changed? Replacing the valve cover gasket would obviously have required removing the valve cover. Did you happen to get a look at what it looked like underneath while it was off?

You should be able to find a Gen 1.5 (2010-2012) fusion with a 2.5 for pretty cheap nowadays. You just can't go wrong with the 2.5 - they're real workhorses. Not super powerful, but in snow you probably don't want heaps of power and torque. In terms of reliability and maintenance, they're excellent. The one caveat I would say is to make sure you do a drain & fill on the trans (6F35) every 30,000 miles. Beyond that, just keep the ground-facing parts (brakes, hubs, suspension, etc..) in good shape, since you'll be dealing with snow and salt.

You mentioned early on that it sounded like the engine was running without oil for a bit.. and then in your last post that you "struggled to keep the engine properly lubricated". Even though it's now no longer leaking oil, I have to wonder if the fact that it potentially ran at least that one time starved for oil, may have resulted in damage that is causing the CEL to come back up. Bearing wear, stuck rings, etc.. could all be contributing to current issues. The other question is what caused the leaking seal and could it have led to other issues? If it were my car, the next thing I would do is take an oil sample and send it to a lab for analysis to see if there are high metals etc.. Blackstone is one good lab for this. Also, you mentioned that the car 'ran better' after the valve cover gasket was replaced. I don't see how replacing a valve cover gasket would in any way impact engine performance, as it does nothing but insure that oil does not leak from the cam area (and other things don't get in). Finally, have you been able to pull the code for the new CEL? This would be another very useful bit of info to point you in the right direction.

tspcobra - Let us know how long those last. I've heard less-than-stellar reports on those plugs, including quenching, fouling etc.. On one forum, I even read about a person who had the electrode break off and fall down in the cylinder. There's no way I would run those plugs in my cars. If they work for you, great.. but if I bought a car with those installed, they would be out within days, and would be replaced by NGK, Bosch, or Motorcraft - Iridium, or at least fine-wire platinum plugs. Sorry - I'm not trying to be a wet blanket, but I personally don't trust those plugs at all.

I was just in at my local Ford dealership talking about this recall, and I brought up that I had been reading about a 2019 date, and I was told that it would not take that long. The woman I spoke with, and who has been my main service contact at this dealership for a couple years now, did some lookups on her system and told me that it would not take that long - that the current communication says Sept-Oct, at least for our region (Southwest/Western USA). I think the biggest hurdle here is that Takata ( or at least the company that owns them ) has effectively gone belly up, and the replacement airbag hardware needs to be sourced from other companies. Considering that the issues is far bigger than Ford, I'm honestly surprised the timeline for these parts is still within 2018 and not much farther out.

I have been to that website multiple times in the past, and have even ordered from them one time. Great site with some seriously useful data.

Yeah.. from the looks of them next to the new ones, I'd definitely say that it was time to swap them out, especially considering the .070 gap.. They might have had life in them, but the new ones will definitely pay for themselves in fuel savings over the next 12 months. Doing the flush was good, but I think I definitely would have gone for at least a 2nd flush.. Really depends on how grungy the water that came out looked, really. How dirty was the flush water? You mention you want to get some TB cleaner.. do you plan to do the MAF as well? If so, might I also suggest a can of CRC MAF cleaner as well?

Man.. that stinks about the Cougar and Mk VIII.. I wanted a Mark VIII for the longest time, primarily after seeing one at a dealership back in.. 95 I think? It was an LSC and they had put on an absolutely perfect ground effects package, so it was pure eye candy. When I sold cars many years ago at a Ford dealership, we got an LSC traded in that was pretty well loaded up. I took that on a few ... personal test drives.. while it was on the lot. So nice.

Looking at it closely, it definitely looks to have been neglected/abused.. and those wheels would definitely have turned me off.. but I guess much of it can be fixed one way or another. It definitely would have made me negotiate the price down substantially. Have you thought about getting a new set of aftermarket wheels to replace those heavily curb-rashed up ones that are on it right now? I bought a new set of wheels for my Fusion to replace the chromies that I've had on it for the past 3 years. I definitely love the look of the new ones. Granted, my chrome wheels were not the least bit scratched, but I was just kind of wanting a new look. I'm anxious to see how the 'clean-up' works out on those worn/chipped spots.

What they sold you is a serious safety risk, and in all honesty, if this car WAS involved in a flood, they have violated disclosure laws, AFAIK. If they don't resolve it under warranty, I would be inclined to contact a lawyer, or at least your state's Attorney General's office. Hopefully, it won't come to that.

I bought the same set, I'm pretty sure, for my 2010.. although I have yet to install it. I keep putting it off for various reasons, including availability of someone to help hold the hood while the bolts are out. I should really get out and do it.

My big concern here is this picture, showing the caliper: Is that a crack I see?? As others have said, get new rotors, new pads, and at least one new caliper, if not both. The rotors and pads can be had for pretty cheap - I just did my rears and my total cost in parts was less than $50, including new rotors and pads. Granted, mine is a 2010, and yours is a 2017, but that shouldn't make that much difference in all honesty. The biggest cost for you will be the calipers. Also, if I was in your shoes, I'd do the work, then send Carvana the bill for the parts, letting them know that they clearly sold you a car with major safety issues and the least they could do was make good on them.

NICE score on the grille/front end! I've been wanting to replace my grille for a while now, but finding one that wasn't involved in a front-end collision, which also wasn't ridiculously expensive has proven to be incredibly difficult. I may just end up going the repaint/plasti-dip route eventually. Those headlights look quite a bit like the ones on my Fusion, just clearer and in better overall condition. I decided to just pull the trigger on an aftermarket set, instead of either paying the high premium on a new OEM set, or waiting for a 1.5 gen to hit my local junkyard that hasn't been in a front-end. I went with a Spec-D set. You've made out very well!

The big problem there is FAT32 is not capable of handling 128GB of space. The limit for FAT32 is 32GB. It may also be that the audio system is simply not capable of addressing a 128GB card.. I know of many systems that are not. It could also be that the microSD card and/or adapter are presenting a challenge to the reader in the head unit.. although this is less likely. What brand are the microSD cards/adapters? If it were me, I'd probably just pick up a good, reliable, non-adapted 32GB SD card like this one.

My initial thought was "CHT sensor TSB?" but then after reading more detail, I don't think that's it either. If it was the sensor itself, then I would expect the overheat warning to be either all the time, or at random times. Based on the description, this actually appears to be a genuine overheat condition under load. My gut says it's one of 3 things: - Water pump issue - Thermostat issue - Radiator issue ... okay maybe 4 things.. - Incompatible coolant technologies were mixed, leading to gunk which is either restricting flow, or reducing heat transfer capability. The first thing I would do in this situation is a deep flush, including either a pre-bottled flush (Prestone, etc..) or weak citric acid, followed by some fresh 50/50 coolant. Let us know what the dealer determines.

The 2.5 is what it is - A very solidly-built, reliable, workhorse engine that will get you where you're going. it's not a 'powerful' engine, but what it gives up in power, it does definitely make up for in longevity.

I get it, and I can appreciate the fact that the work and worry are off your shoulders. It's good when you have a good relationship with your dealer. Unfortunately, not everyone can say the same. At some point in the future, I will probably just leave it all to them, but for now, I enjoy it. It's good therapy at the end of the week, and I get to save money in the process

The way I see it, I can buy a good oil filter for $3-6, 5 quarts of good oil for $15-20, and do the work myself in my driveway, and while I'm under there, get a look at everything myself to see what needs attention. $18 - $26 ($30 including the extra .5 quart of oil, paper towels, and gloves) and I'm good to go. Then, every 10k - 12k miles, I take the car to my local Discount Tire and they do the rotation for free, and check the air pressure, etc.. while it's up. Also, while it's up, they let me walk around and check the brakes and suspension for leaks or damage. Maybe I'm just old fashioned, but I don't see the need to gripe about the dealership overcharging when I can get it all done for much less by taking a portion of it on myself, and become more familiar with my own car in the process..