This engine is made with a Ford Duratec Block. It does not have a timing belt, it has a timing chain.

The duratec block extends to other designs and the Atkinson cycle feature is implemented by the intake valve lobe design and timing setup. Aside from that this engine block is just like any other duratec block, head, and engine.

In fact you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference between the FEH 2.3 L engine and the non-hybrid 2.3 L engine unless you could see the transaxle arrangement.

So if this is an oil filter issue, it will have happened on other non-hybrid 2.3 L engines. If its a timing chain issue it will have happened on other 2.3 L engines, not just the Hybrid version.

I doubt that the specific weight of oil (eg 5w-30) has anything to do with the failure so long as it was a reputable oil brand.

The cartridge for the OEM oil filter unit does not have the rubber back flow preventer feature that disintegrates. That doesn't mean that something in the filter didn't fail and clog a passage.

In the end someone has to take this engine apart and autopsy it so that we can speak knowledgeably. Until that happens Ford holds all the cards.

I agree that an engine failing at 65k is extraordinary. Whatever you say to Ford should begin and end with how extraordinary it is that their 2.3L Duratec engine could have failed at so low a mileage!

 

Owners manual for my '07 states: "Engine oil need only meet the requirements of Ford Specification WSS-M2C930-A and the API Certification mark."

That Ford spec calls for 5W-20, but I seriously doubt that 5W-30 oil could cause the engine failure you experienced. My one experience with a quickie oil change place and my FEH was that they failed to sufficiently torque the oil filter housing and it loosened and dumped a quart of oil on the garage floor, several thousand miles after the change. That might have resulted in a catastrophic engine failure had it happened at speed. Turns out they didn't have the torque spec or the tools for the job.

If I was in your situation I would have that engine torn down by a good independent shop and find out exactly what went wrong. First part of that tear down would be draining and measuring how much oil is in the crankcase.

 

For what it's worth, the Ford WSS-M2C930-A spec means that Jiffy Lube should have been using Pennzoil Platinum 5W-20. If they used the wrong weight of oil, that's strike one. If they used the wrong grade of oil (non-synth), that's strike two. Shux, I don't have a strike three.

 

That's right, proving you used American Petroleum Institute, API "SM" should put to rest any arguments over the quality of the oil. (see attached) The weight of the oil is not a "meeting the specs" issue.

 

Synthetic oil isn't required. The owners manual also says

"Use of synthetic or synthetic blend motor oil is not mandatory."

 

Okay, let's start with this quote again: "Engine oil need only meet the requirements of Ford Specification WSS-M2C930-A and the API Certification mark." I read this as being inclusive of both the API SM spec, and the Ford spec, not one or the other.

While use of a synthetic is not mandatory, meeting the spec is. In this case, if Jiffy Lube was using Pennzoil products, only the Pennzoil Platinum (synth) is listed as meeting Ford spec WSS-M2C930-A.

 

This discussion about the oil spec is akin to a discussion of “how many angels can dance on the head of a pin.”

It wasn’t the issue from the beginning and it distracts from the real answer. If the oil was put in by Jiffy Lube, you can bet their corporate lawyers have an appropriate defense to any attempt to assert that their oil was inadequate.

Hopefully this engine will get autopsied and then we can participate in some thoughtful and accurate discussion.

 

+1

 

Good luck, but unless you have deep pockets and are just so determined, there's no point in paying someone to tear down and diagnose the engine. Even then, you may not know why. Let's say it spun a couple of rod bearings. OK, so now you know specifically which part failed, but you still won't know why. You *might* find a smoking gun, but I doubt it. Ford has no legal liability here. They have very little PR liability either unless you can show that there have been several if not many failures due to the same thing. I know it'll **** you off to no end, but I don't see how it's worth it to pursue this to the very end.

 

Just my $.02, 65K is very young for a castarophic failure, obviosly it's not the engine, at least on a large scale, as there are how many out there, and how many well past 100k, including the taxi fleets.
Maybe, possibly, on a chance, jiffy Lube could be at fault, wrong oil (5w20 vs 5w30, really that's gonna seize up an engine?) but maybe wrong filter, maybe filter worked loose and drined on the highway. I'd hope for a warning before sudden failure tho.
I on a fence, on owners side the ICE is a Hybrid only componet as they don't use the same engine on any other vehicles, but as we also learned so is the battery AC actuator, not in any other type of vehicle, but not covered by the hybrid warenty.
As an owner I know I'm at fault, I should check oil level frequently, currently I might do it every 6 mos, or before a long trip, bad I know.

I'd hope for more than just a it's busted you need a new one from a dealer, esp on an entire engine! I mean maybe ok if they say that heater blend doors is stuck, we'll replace the entire "box" a $100 box vs a $25 door pls 3x the labor. But an engine can be rebuilt, or at least they used to.

I'd think for $6500 you could find an entire salvaged escape somewhere (rear end damage maybe) and swap the engine out, and sell off other parts and pay lots less.

I know on a vacation it's more of 'get it done' attitude then lets take a look at it.

But how many users on this board alone are over 65k?

Good Luck, hopefully someone can say what failed exactly. Until then it's all speculation