First it was the front end noise from the A-arm bolt sliding. Dealer disclaimed any knowledge, so I tried the star washer fix at my expense. Didn't work, have a set of Herb's spacers to go on at next alignment, paid for by yours truly. Then it was the intercooler. Leaked for eight months until I added a can of GB. Still waiting on the permanent fix from Ford. Next it was the tranny that went south, due to the cheesy oem clutch packs. Had it rebuilt with quality racing parts like Ford should have done in the first place, $1800, my expense, ouch. Then, the other day my gear head friend hears the dreaded tapping sound on start-up, unmistakable sign of the dreaded piston slap. I go into deep denial, impugning his hearing, his friendship and his sanity. But yesterday and more pronouncedly today I start noticing the fluttering sound that Factory_Tech describes. I had a mechanic friend of mine (different guy) listen to it, and he said without his stethascope he couldn't pinpoint it, but it sounded like valve train to him. I mentioned piston slap, and he agreed that that was a possibility, too. In any event he told me to get the truck in to the dealer asap, before the motor blows up altogether. This I will do tomorrow morning, but at this point I am questioning my own sanity for buying this sorry-*** pos Ford in the first place.

Oh, and I totally forgot to mention the infamous cracked fog lamps, also replaced at yours truly's expense.

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I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy.

'84 Alan Record Carbonio, Aerospoke wheels, Campy brakes.

'00 SVT Lightning, silver, built 2/9/00, #133 of 4966, G-tech Pro, JBA headers, 4.10 gears, Swanson chip, Pro-M, NGK plugs, Roadmaster suspension kit, TransGo shift kit, cam bolts, Jackson washers, Wet Okoles, Kenyon transmission
13.39 @ 102.5

2001 Kevlacat 2400, twin 115 Evinrude FICHT, Raytheon VHF, radar, autopilot and GPS chartplotter/fishfinder.



gmvye@pacbell.net

[This message has been edited by alphadoggy (edited 06-28-2001).]

 

man, I agree with you totally. I hope the dealer fixes everything for you, and if he gives you any chit, get a lawyer if you have to. A friend if mine had one of those 454SS chevy trucks and that thing was a piece of crap from the first day. Chevrolet refused to acknowledge the problem(Transmission). After about a year of fighting he got a lawyer and sued the pants off of Chevy for the purchase price of the truck and suffering and out of work time. He now has a '94 L and it has 140000 miles on it and he has a '01 L. He hasn't had any problems and neither have I with mine. 7500 miles and going good. Make sure you stay on there *** about it.

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14.026@97.12--Bone Stock
2000 Black Lightning
01' tail lights
Borla cat-back system
Lebra Tonneau
JDM 90mm MAF
JDM Oil Breather
JDM Flip Chip

kylerobeson@hotmail.com

my web site

 

George,

Don't get too worked up yet...it may not be the "slap." If it's tapping like you said, it could be the valvetrain - no big deal. If it sounds like a hammer in the lower block, then join my club, but I hope not.

I've got that crazy flutter Factory_Tech mentions too. I REALLY noticed it in 2nd (locked in 2nd) at 3,200 rpms (about 50 mph) with a slight push of the pedal. The engine was warmed up too. It sounded like a jackhammer, even with the windows down and all the wind noise coming in. I guess 1 cylinder is about to take a crap at 13k. But hey, I'm on my original I/C!!!

[This message has been edited by gforce (edited 06-27-2001).]

 

Well, I'm no L owner, but have had my fair share of Fords Shi*** workmanship on the last 2 trucks.
As long as they keep that Arab/Aussie (Jac the Knife) in power, it's going to be a long long time, before Ford gets back up to par.
Good for the stock holders.well maybe??
But hell on us customers.
Dogcam

 

Maybe so, Cap, but some vehicles seem to have more problems than others. I had fewer, and less serious problems in 8 years on my $12k Civic than I have in one year on this Ford. On a $32K vehicle you would think that Ford would try to correct the known issues instead of shining us on. How long have they known about the leaky intercoolers and front end clunk? And apparently the fogs in the '01s are even more prone to cracking than the older ones, but just try to get them fixed under warrantee. The only other vehicle I had this many problems with was a Ford, too, a Mustang. I may be in the market for a new tow vehicle sooner than I anticipated, and I doubt that it will be another Ford.

 

me too I am looking at Mercedes AMG C32....

http://www.mercedes-benz.com/amg/e/cars/serie_c32.htm

this is a bad ****..

[This message has been edited by MadMaxSC (edited 06-28-2001).]

 

Alphadoggy,

Why dont you just buy a new motor?You do have a chip and all.Kinda hard to blame Ford when you have it modded to the hills right?Not to give you a hard time but it wasnt that long ago when you jumped on us with transmission/motor problems telling us that if we modded it,It would not be fords fault and is our own.Well the shoe is on the other foot now and now YOU know how it feels.I hope you get the message

Now on a lighter note,I know how you feel,I have had every problem with my 2000 that anybody complains about.
1.clunk
2.piston slap
3.transmission
4.intercooler
5.fog lights.
Im sorry that you are getting these problems too.WE ALL KNOW that a chip doesnt cause piston slap and Ford knows it too although this is their excuse.The fact is ther is NO MISTAKING that we are just a few owners compared to the 16000 out there and WE are ALL having the SAME problems over and over and its nobodys fault but FORDS.

On even a lighter note,I have to say even with the problems,I could not give up having a Lightning period.If I get rid of mine,I will own a 2001 the next day hopefully with most not all of the bugs worked out.Although the problems $uck,Their is NO other vehicle in the world that does so much for $32k.Plus the collectability is gonna be something in 10-20 years.

 

guys get rid of the older ones and get an 01. its great in every way

 

that's why i sold the lightning..picked up a '01 volvo s60 t5, and said goodbye to the clunks, leaking intercoolers, tranny, leaking windows, and whatever else can possibly fall apart on the truck..i don't miss the truck at all..the volvo is awesome

 

All cars have their problems, it's just whose you want to deal with and what car places the biggest smile on your face. This truck for me.

Personally for 34k I think Ford should have done some other things, like no arm clunking, something better then that stereo (at least 6cd indash instead of the stupid cassete deck), I would have like to seen the the truck come with the Roush suspension kit. I'm sorry, 1" lower then regular f150's and set of better shocks doesn't count as 'performance suspension package'. Theres other stuff but who cares, we a supercharger.

But overall I love this truck.

 

Let me get this straight. You're saying that if I had not chipped my truck my intercooler wouldn't leak, my fog lamps wouldn't crack, and I wouldn't have the front end clunk? Jeez, if I had only known. Probably wouldn't have to worry about door cracks, either, huh?

 

AAHHHHHMMMMMMmmmmm......aaaahhhhhhmmmmm.....

I see the blurry image of a new vehicle in Alpha's near-future. The frustration factor is overpowering the fun factor. Happens to many....

aaahhhhmmmmmmm.....aaaaahhhhhmmmmmm.....

I too paid for what should have been warranty stuff. Just did it a different way. Took it up the ?oop-shoot in the form of a trade in from the '00 to the '01. Don't regret it either!!

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2001 Red Lightning Delivered 3-15-2001, 2" Aim Lowering Shackles, Hitch Removed, Group Purchase Floor Mats, Modified Light Switch for Fogs, JDM Filter Kit, Single-Bladed T/B, Keyless Entry, Magnaflow 14568, (BABolt) Polished Stainless Exhaust Tips, Lo Tek Pillar Pod, 22% Tint, Chrome '00 Rims, Bed Rug, M Pulse Lo-Pro Tonneau, Other Goodies. Best Time: 13.41 @ 104.37 mph

2000 Red Lightning - #835 of 4966 Sold 3-8-2001

2001 Yukon Denali White, All Stock

My Zing.com Album Click Here

 

I the two vehicles I the most problems with in my lifetime so far were a Toyota Corolla and a Dodge(Mitsubishi) Colt. The most reliable was my '82 Dodge Custom Ram 150.

My bolt has a few problems, but they FAR outway the attention it gets and the feelings I get driving it.

Daniel

 

I know what you mean, and IMO for 32K I would have expected more in this truck. But like I said it's all a matter of who's problems you want to deal with.

Daniel said it best:
And that is exactly it. Right now I would love to have a Honda S2000 or the new Subura WRX, great performance and much better gas mileage, better handling on the roads. But I will not get as much attention in either of those as I would in the L. These trucks look great, mean and meaty, and can back it up. So far I don't have many problems, and if I do, I'll decide then what I want to do. The two I'm concerned about is the piston slap and transmission, but I don't plan on doing heavy modding so I'm not to worried about the tranny.