Well, folks, its finally happened. My ultra-dependable and problem-free SVT finally came down with a problem, and it doesn't look good. It very suddenly and very noticeably has developed a loud whirring/scraping sound that appears to be emanating from the... you guessed it... transaxle. Yippee! [:(!] I have noticed over the last few months that it has started to make a very slight version of the "marbles in a can" sound, but figured I would put off any visits to the dealer until somebody could prove Ford had actually re-engineered the flywheel. I guess I don't get to wait for that after all.

It's only when the engine is running, it doesn't matter whether you are in gear or not, what speed you're going - any time the engine is running it is making a sound that can best be described as something going around in a circle as it scrapes against something else "woosh-woosh-woosh-woosh" and it's pretty dang loud.

My immediate thought was the transaxle so I stopped driving and called Ford Roadside Assistance. When the tow truck driver came out, he had me start the car and listened to it. After a minute of prodding around and then getting under the driver's side of the engine - he popped his head back up and said "yup, sounds like something scraping around inside the transmission." So once I get an appointment with the dealer I will get it towed there and find out how long I'll be without a Focus... [V]

Hehe I have plenty of experience with clutches in my old car. Two possibilities. One is, if the pressure plate is strong enough and has enough we will say "throw" you took off one side of your clutch and seeing as the rivets holding on your clutch plates are made of medal the sound you are hearing is metal-metal grinding. Because of the even pressure of the pressure plate they all wear evenly! YAY!...or over time you just had a little TOO much of a lead foot and burned the clutch down to the rivets and it just needs to be changed! Hopefully you have warranty to help you out with this. But if you could, get a picture of it when its changed? If Im wrong let me know!

Ohh I also forgot. Sorry to hear it is broken!

*Get Well Soon* Best wishes on a quick recovery
Love, CompOrangeSVT

Yeah, see that's the thing. The car only has 18,000 miles on it, and I do know how to drive a stick (drove two stick cars before this one) so it seems a little premature for the clutch to have gone out. I can't say I drive like an old lady, I do have fun, but honestly 80-90% of my driving is just smooth, easy, around-town driving. The clutch has not shown any signs of being worn out, I have not noticed a change in the working of the clutch mechanism since the day I bought it.

I'm wondering if it is what I've heard some SVT owners said happened to theirs, which is that the bolts holding the flywheel on came loose. I dunno what it is I guess I'll found out; its weird in the sense that it is a CONSTANT, that is, it doesn't change with RPM's. No matter the speed of the engine or the car if its in motion, or the engagement of the clutch, it makes a somewhat slow and constant "woosh-woosh" sound. [scratch]

LOL, thanks for the condolences. [:D] I just hope I get my car back from the dealer in one piece with no new scratches, stains, etc. [rolleyes]

I have noticed over the last few months that it has started to make a very slight version of the "marbles in a can" sound, but figured I would put off any visits to the dealer until somebody could prove Ford had actually re-engineered the flywheel.

wow. if your car is under warranty, and it starts making any type of strange noise, i'd get it to the dealer immediately.

hopefully it's a known issue and they'll have to pick up the tab on anything that needs to be fixed.

Is it under warranty? I'm sorry to hear about that.

Got to still be under warranty, its an 02'.

Oh...the 05's are out already arent they...doh.

It's under warranty until May of 05 or 36,000 miles whichever comes first, and May of next year will come a lot faster than 36,000 miles the way I drive it.

I did not take it to the dealer earlier because I knew exactly what the sound (the rattling/marbles) was and I was hoping the car would make it without something like this happening until Ford released the redesigned flywheel for the SVT. I must say the sound now is a lot worse. [rolleyes]

I forgot the best part! The tow truck driver told me "I tow a lot of Focuses. And F-150's. Focuses and F-150's, lots of em." Nice to know I'm part of a special club. [hihi]

Damn sorry to hear, they better give you a free loaner.

Yeah, sucks, especially when we are so close to getting a new part (maybe?!). People are throwing around June/July as a date for the new part but I can't go without a car just waiting for SVT to release a part.

I also just noticed a very slight crease about 1/4" inward from the edge of the hood where the tow truck driver pushed with his hand to close the hood. Nice, a hood so weak a guy can bend the metal just pushing it shut. [thumbd]

Originally posted by SVT4ME
Nice, a hood so weak a guy can bend the metal just pushing it shut. [thumbd]

yep... the rims/tires are shit as well. Coming off a 3-4" high curb will pop a tire and bend a rim. Experienced that first-hand. Even the techs were pretty amazed cause they saw it happen [thumbd]

LOL, I haven't done that yet. I tend to stay off the curbs. [:p]

I just called the dealer (the only SVT-certified dealer in the area) and the soonest appointment I could get was Thursday, so it looks like I'm going to go for awhile without being able to drive my car, since they will undoubtedly need to hold it over the weekend and that's the only time I get to drive my car.

lol... so does she. But when the detailer decided to park it all jacked up in a ditch and she tries to get outta it...

Yeah, make sure you get your special SVT priviledges and you get your free rental. That will make them work faster seeing as how the rental comes outta their pocket [thumb]

Oh, is that what it was? Okay, she's forgiven. [:D] Where is this dealer anyway? Around here the dealerships all have huge parking lots for that kind of thing, and if that overflows they just park them on the street. No ditches.

I'll def be getting the loaner - this dealership tried to talk me out of it last time I went there, but this time I'm standing my ground and insisting on getting one since I have no idea how long they will end up having my car.

its in South Florida... absolutely the worst Ford dealership you could go to... theres a thread somewhere that I started about "dealership horror stories". You should check out the horror stories from there. They dont even have enough parking spots for the EMPLOYEES let alone any cars getting service work done on them. And, they are BOC and an SVT dealer. She will NEVER take her car there again for work. She's gonna be driving about 30 minutes out of her way to take it to the West Palm SVT dealership.

The clutch and Flywheel for the SVT 6-speed tranny is a very very common problem....SVT is supposed to be releasing a new revised version of the set-up to replace the crappy one that all the svts came with, even the 04's go to FJ and look in their SVT section, there are a shit-ton of topics on it

greeeat... yet another problem my g/f might have with this car. lol hope she doesnt start taking it out on me since Im the one that convinced her to get this over the Civic lol

~04~SVT~ who was that comment directed to? I know the problem, that's why I said I was waiting until the new parts were finally released to take the car to the dealer to have it checked out, because I don't want to get stuck with another parts failure another 18,000 miles down the road when I DON'T have a warranty to cover it. But unfortunately my car decided it didn't want to wait for that.

Well, after waiting an hour and a half for the tow truck to take me to the dealer this morning and at least an hour for the rental car, the Focus is finally in the shop. The tow truck driver tightened the car to the flat bed so tight that the chain bent the black plastic "honeycomb" trim on the back bumper up, hopefully that will straighten back out after it sits for awhile. The service advisor listened to the car and said he had never heard a sound like that before, ever. Wasn't sure if it was the transmission but said it definitely sounded like a moving part (DUH!). While it's there I'm going to try *once again* to see if they'll do the YRF0 update, and have them replace the hatch struts and front tires.

My rental is an Oldsmobile Alero. [rolleyes] It's a coupe, so not quite as rental car-ish as the sedan would be, and it has a V6 so it's kinda fun (I like the low-end torque, I know that much already!).

Also the service writer later claimed he had NOT seen a lot of SVT's coming in with transmission problems, but interestingly when I first told him the symptoms the first thing he said was "mmm.. flywheel separation." I guess we'll see.

Send a pm to Donille,She had some clutch and tranny problems with hers. She could prob. help you out.

I'll be a monkey's uncle. [:I] It's NOT the transmission. Coulda sworn that's what it was!

Just got a call from the service advisor, apparently it is some cable assembly that has something to do with idle speed/quality and it sounded like it was coming from the transmission because it wraps over the top of the tranny?? I was like, uhhhoooookkaaaaaayyy, never heard of that one before; apparently neither had he. It broke off at one end, I guess. He didn't say whether or not they would try the flash, but he said since this broken part affects idle quality that it may improve that condition. Bizarro. Have to wait until sometime next week when the part comes in to find out...

Oh, and this is for CivicHatch+SVT-F: he quoted me $232 a piece for new front tires!! I told him thanks but no thanks, I'll do a little shopping of my own on that one. [rolleyes]

lol... told ya man, they really like to try and stick it to ya when they can. You can find those exact tires online for like $110