How many People with the SPI had a Valve Seat Failure?

[TeamZetec]

Originally Posted by mikebontoft

why would any cylinder be different? same head material, same seat material....

Yeah, thats what I was thinking. So weird that its usually always either #2 or #4 that drops.

[a_2000_se]

^^^^

There's a theory floating around that the dropped valve seat didn't start showing up til EGR was equipped. And EGR reintroduces exhausts gases at the #4 intake runner. Higher intake temps on #4.

Wives tale..... Idk.

[TeamZetec]

Originally Posted by a_2000_se

^^^^

There's a theory floating around that the dropped valve seat didn't start showing up til EGR was equipped. And EGR reintroduces exhausts gases at the #4 intake runner. Higher intake temps on #4.

Wives tale..... Idk.

Thats interesting. Ford should have never ran the CVH any later than the mid 90s, it should have been replaced by the Zetec.

Great thread - just to confirm - The dropped valve seat only happens on the 2.0 SPI right? I've got a SPI and ZTS (DOHC) - thinking I should sell the SPI before I experience the joy that other's have with a dropped valve? I don't have the cash to rebuild it or drop in a Zetec... Might be best to sell it? What do you all think? I've got just over 123k on it...

[TeamZetec]

Originally Posted by JDsFocus

Great thread - just to confirm - The dropped valve seat only happens on the 2.0 SPI right? I've got a SPI and ZTS (DOHC) - thinking I should sell the SPI before I experience the joy that other's have with a dropped valve? I don't have the cash to rebuild it or drop in a Zetec... Might be best to sell it? What do you all think? I've got just over 123k on it...

Rid yourself of the pain in the ass (aka SPI) before it drops a valve seat. Your ZTS will never die cuz it has a Zetec (they are what I'd like to call bullet-proof)

123k? My best guess is that its getting ready to drop a valve seat. From personal experience, these motors seem to drop seats in the 110k-130k miles range. I'm shocked mine made it to 154k before dropping. You don't see many SPI's last to the mileage mine has on it.

[fordcrazi]

I'm in the middle of saving an focus that dropped valve seat in #4 cylinder at highway speeds that put hole in side of motor with 104k.. came with another bottom end just got to rebuild her..

[misfire]

my 2003 lx dropped one last may at around 100,000 miles

[chesterAK]

mines at 192.xxx give or take its an 03 and i live in alaska so it never gets hot

[turntablez]

Originally Posted by chesterAK

mines at 192.xxx give or take its an 03 and i live in alaska so it never gets hot

So are you saying yours has not dropped yet? Or it has and never gets hot because you live in Alaska?

[karskrazy]

Mine dropped a seat at 102K and turns out after tearing it down this was the SECOND time it happened as the #1 rod had been replaced already and the bottom of the head was beat to hell in all four cylinders so apparently the valve seat worked its way thru them all !! I reallydo think it was the number 4 cylinder that dropped the seat this time though as it had little compression like the #1 cylinder too. I also found parts of a piston skirt in the oil pan when it was removed !! Luckily it didn't sling a rod thru the block !

We only had this car for 3 weeks before this happend after getting it used in May of 11. Just stopped to get gas and got in and started it back up and all hell broke loose. Now after about $2000.00 ++ later I have a new engine just about completely installed that I have not even cranked yet, as I am just finishing the install as we speak. Good thing it now has a 5yr. /100k warranty on this motor !! I sure don't ever want to do this again !! I'll have to drive it that long to get my money out of this POS SPI !! I never dreamed Ford could have ever built such a pos engine and not ever fixed the head problems with it or done a recall on them !! So much for good ole American cars !! Next time I will buy an import like Nissan,Toyota, or whatever !!