I almost lost it

[Motorhead350]

Call me young, stupid or impatient, but I've really had it with the problems I have been experiencing lately. Everytime something is fixed something else goes wrong it's like I cannot win here. Everything is backed by a warranty, but I can't simply take it over to the store and get a replacement or my money back. I have to ship it, wait and find out the driver or shop is at fault. Now I really wished I pushed getting Macs car or getting another built one that was for sale with everything done. I now have to spend more money to get it back to where it was a suppose to upgrade. Really I don't think I have to spend much because the parts are so new, but it's just such a hastle. I have to get it tuned again, the gears are shot, something else doesn't function properly... :mad2: I can't imagine how Zack feels or anything else that has more than just a few mods.

Seems like everyone on here gets their mods done with no problems. I guess I must be one of the only to start something on every single thing that has gone wrong and let me tell you this is no picnic. I never thought this before, but I was almost on the urge to just ditch the hobby and buying some other car that'll get me around... but I slept on it and I think I'll be able to get at this again. Nothing a little early Black Flag music cannot fix.

Also just so you know the blower is fine and the whole set up is fine... it's just all the other parts do not last as long or the shops do not know what they are doing.

[FordNut]

Frequently it doesn't go smooth. I know what you're feeling, swapping rear ends, transmissions, engines, etc... Then doing it all over again.

[MACFORD88]

Lets Not Forget It A Ford Product.so Its Going To Take Some Time And Money To Narrow It Down.lol

[hdwrenchtx]

i have been reading your posts for a while, seems you have A LOT more problems than average. bad luck?

[Raudermaster]

A good rodder/wrencher at work always tells me, "There's always a weak link in a vehicle, it's not if it will go, but when it will go." Seems like all your weak links go together at once unfortunately.

[sailsmen]

I have had the following mod related problems;
1) I swapped an early set of UD Pulleyes for a Stedda as a precaution, vendor p/u the cost
2) after being laid up with a dead battery the tune became corrupted, dyno tune and swapped out the tuner for no charge
3) spider gears chipped with 60+K miles
4) remove oem trans cooler and mount aftermarket trans cooler behind grill.

Non mod problems;
1) stereo head replaced
2) HVAC head replaced
3) airbag seat switch
4) belt tensioner arm
5) door lock switch
6) 2 window switch
7) hole in drivers seat
8) rear axles soft
9) volt meter lite
10) pedal adjust
11) a/c compressor clutch.

All of 1-11 except 7 were covered by warranty.

This is w/ 92+K miles and 180+ runs.

The only mod development issue I had was the OEM trans cooler. The tuner got most of it figured out and the rest was some friends who do a lot of trailer towing and another friend who ones a shop and is the number one dirt track driver in LA.

My MM has been very reliable and has never left me stranded.

I suggest you come up with a plan by consulting with others and implement the plan.

[snowbird]

Most mod I did, I had to redo 2-3 times to get them right. Nothing unusual, it's part of the mystique and fun. It is also frustrating and costly but what the heck !

You have to develop a network of friends and professionals to help you out. Each of them might cover a part or system and your job is to keep the whole picture in controls and know where your project will go. Go one step at a time and it should go smoothly.

Just think about it: Say they appoint 500 engeneers that have maybe a couple thousands years of combined experience to redesign a V8. Now you come by (or me or whoever), double the output of that said carefully design piece of 500 moving parts and don't expect to have any rough edge to work on ? I also wish it could be possible but it doesn't work that way. :cool:

[larryo340]

Dom have you ever noticed how:
body shop guys have the nicest paint jobs
plumbers never have leaky pipes
computer guys have computers that always work
landscapers homes have nice curb appeal
and the list goes on and on

Why don't you try to be more hands on with the car, and if other people have to work in it ask questions without being a P.I.T.A. most guys will try to help you learn about the car. Start small and have friends around you that can help out and give you pointers. All who have worked on cars have made mistakes and have had to redo things, it's all part of learning. Plus you will have more pride in knowing YOU did it.
I like to work on my own car, and only ask for help if I can't figure it out. I feel that almost no one will treat it as it was theirs.

Please don't take this as beating you up, just trying to help you become more a car guy instead of just a driver.
Larry

[fastcar]

Sorry about your problems. I've had so many with my other rods, reasonably fortunate with my 'rauder, so far...

I've found that I get what I pay for. I always buy the best part money will buy, and I have the BEST MECHANIC I can find install it. He must be experienced with the thing being done, have a super reputation, and references FOR THE THING I'M DOING. If I get all that, and I hire him, generally, I get a job well done. You might consider this approach. Just because someone says they can do something, doesn't mean than can do it RIGHT. Just my 2 cents.

fastcar:burnout:

[Motorhead350]

Believe me I'm as hands on as I can be at this point. I have taken off my blower and installed it at least three times, maintained the car all it's life and done many other things. The problems I am experiencing now I do not know how to handle... like tuning the car. I lack the skills and the tools. I do not have a dyno in my garage or $20,000 worth of tools either. What I can do I will do and what I cannot I watch or just have someone do it. I do not know how to deal with transmissions and I don't have time for that right now. Rear ends are the same deal and I heard those are just as bad to deal with.

The car and my truck is still in fine shape and yes I do all/most of the work myself. I can usually just log on here for the Marauder or CK5.COM for my truck and do everything myself. Right now this is beyond my skill and no one seems to want to help me along, the most I can do is just take it to someone and usually these things take all day and I have school and my music to deal with which are more important to me anyway. During the summer I could hangout all day long and learn a lot, now I hardly have time to change my oil or do a Proguard upgrade.

[ChiTownMaraud3r]

Sorry to hear this man. But I guess these types of things are somewhat expected when you start with heavier modding. Although I would agree that you seem to have more than your average share of problems with the car's upgrades altogether. Hope you keep at it though, until you can finally say you didnt let it beat you.

I would also give you a helping hand, if I wasn't so deprived of free time also. Just found time to change my oil the other day and have been wanting/needing to do it for a while now.

[KillJoy]

This car has over 100,000 Miles on it.

It has a stock Transmission.

You beat the living hell out of that car every single time you get in it.

Something is GOING to break.

KillJoy

[MarauderMark]

Heh and you've got problems?
Get in the back of the line sonny.
I got you all beat with problem$.im just done with tellin those here about em..

[RF Overlord]

Dom, what's the matter with your car NOW? It seemed to be fine in Seymour, at least on Friday.

BTW, thanks for the ride back from Madison...I always enjoy our musical discussions. :)

[ctrlraven]

A good rodder/wrencher at work always tells me, "There's always a weak link in a vehicle, it's not if it will go, but when it will go." Seems like all your weak links go together at once unfortunately.

Yep a vehicle is only as strong as it's weakest link.

[Motorhead350]

Dom, what's the matter with your car NOW? It seemed to be fine in Seymour, at least on Friday.

BTW, thanks for the ride back from Madison...I always enjoy our musical discussions. :)

My torque converter doesn't wanna work, the gears sound like they weren't installed properly and I think it needs to be dyno tuned again.... there goes another pay check or two. At least The Stray Cats sounded good on the radio! :D

[MarauderMark]

My torque converter doesn't wanna work, the gears sound like they weren't installed properly and I think it needs to be dyno tuned again.... there goes another pay check or two. At least The Stray Cats sounded good on the radio! :D

is it the trans or rear?

[RF Overlord]

the gears sound like they weren't installed properlyI didn't notice any strange sounds from your rear end...I mean from the CAR's rear end... :eek: :lol:

Seriously, FWIW I heard nothing out of the ordinary on the way back from Tugboats, although I obviously don't ride in your car a lot.

[Motorhead350]

is it the trans or rear?

I'm trying to figure this all out. The rear would make a noise when I would turn the car slightly and Zack and KillJoy have a better ear for these things than I do. Sounds worse than I thought, but it drives fine.... for now.

[Zack]

The spider gears sound like they gave up, A LONG TIME AGO.
It clunks when you put it in gear and makes really grotesque noises when you turn into a parking spot.
And no, Its not Friction Modifier related.
You can make the noise/clunk when the car is at rest by rocking it back and forth.

[musclemerc]

I feel your pain. I built a 1990 Mustang that was plauged with problems throughout the build. One day at the performance shop while i was venting the guy @ the counter said" IF IT WERE EASY GIRLS WOULD BE DOING IT" Keep trying and don't give up!

[Motorhead350]

Does anyone know the contact info for P.I.?

[Motorhead350]

Nevermind I found it. I left Jack a message, we'll see what he says.

[BUCKWHEAT]

I took my car to Sutton Ford (Sutton High Performance 708-720-8500) in Matteson, IL & they did a dyno tune that has worked well for two years now.


and I think it needs to be dyno tuned again.... :D

[MMMAN]

Sorry to hear about all the headaches. I'm the one who purchased TMAC'S MM. After talking to everyone and hearing about all the time and money I felt it was a good decision. Even though it broke me at $26k, I'm glad I did.

I hope your luck changes, they really are great cars!

[Ken]

Wasn't it you that did the right wheel only burnout out of the hotel parking lot on Friday Morning?

Ken

[Hack Goby]

Wasn't it you that did the right wheel only burnout out of the hotel parking lot on Friday Morning?

Ken
Yep,I have it on video.

[Motorhead350]

Wasn't it you that did the right wheel only burnout out of the hotel parking lot on Friday Morning?

Ken

That was around a corner. Straight it was fine... you can ask Haggis about that one! :D

[FordNut]

That was around a corner. Straight it was fine... you can ask Haggis about that one! :D

One-wheel-peel will destroy the clutches and spider gears. Ask me how I know.

[Blackened300a]

100,000 miles on a tranny and rear thats hooked up to S/Ced Marauder that belongs to a driver with a heavy foot? Don't need Columbo to figure out why things are going wrong.

http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s248/championbc/columbo.jpg

Sorry to hear about your trouble Dom, Hopefully you'll get the kinks worked out and the car will perform like it should.

[MarauderMark]

Cost me $1,100.00 to have new Eaton gears(do not go stock) installed.and that was after putting in 2 sets of 4:10's..

[FastMerc]

One-wheel-peel will destroy the clutches and spider gears. Ask me how I know. Oh yes I know it well same sounds and scatterd my rear in my 67 Pontiac get it looked at soon or pay more later.When it blew nothing including the housing was left to reuse!

[frdwrnch]

If you wanna play, ya gotta pay. Owning performance vehicle are kinda like eating an elephant. You do it one bite at a time. Address the issues as they manifest themeselves and (hopefully) learn from the experience. Sometimes you learn to build the better mousetrap. The important thing is to enjoy your time behind the wheel. Life is too short to drive ordinary mundane vehicles (Prius, Camry,etc.).

[Aren Jay]

The goodnews is that your car is doing these things. We found the lemon.

The badnews is that you are you.

[ChiTownMaraud3r]

The goodnews is that your car is doing these things. We found the lemon.

The badnews is that you are you.

:lol: HA! The only Marauder lemon..

[SlkMerc]

I drive mine daily. I refuse to beat on it and have only gone WOT 10 times but that's just me. Im not one of those " have to leave the light 1st " guys. Tickets are too expensive and where I live, street racing is just plain insane.

JLT- Stainless exhause - HID's All on the car when it was purchased @ 58k miles.

At 66.5 over a year later....

Lidio Tune
New axles and spiders
Water Pump / Belt
and soon a replacement passenger seat bottom section cover (****in hole!)

The finish is so-so, it gets scratched/bumped somehow weekly (****in ppl!)
I keep her clean, I do lots of maintenance and I love driving the car despite getting HORRIBLE gas mileage ( lucky to get 180 from a tank doing all city driving ) I doubt if it will ever get a blower but hell, who knows.

Sorry to hear of all your troubles Dom.

[merc]

Heh and you've got problems?
Get in the back of the line sonny.
I got you all beat with problem$.im just done with tellin those here about em..

Except for the movie "The Burning of the Red Lotus Temple" which ran 1620 min (27 hr). MarauderMark would have to burn a Quad DVD pack to list all his problems.:lol:

[Motorhead350]

The badnews is that you are you.

That cannot be fixed sorry. :D

[Marauderjack]

That cannot be fixed sorry. :D

Be patient...Grasshopper.....AGE will do the job for you!!!:beer::rolleyes::D