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My 2020 ST started knocking 2 days ago on morning cold start.

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30
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17
Location
Charlotte
Vehicle
2024 Explorer ST
#21
Jeeze, i mean "locked up" is so non specific. As long as they can't find a reason to deny your warranty you should be fine. I'd still want to specifically know what specifically happened.
 

hbalek

Active Member
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#22
Well service department say, motor will need replacement, that it justed locked up. My extended warranty is reviewing it today. Quote so far is 10k for motor
How many miles do you have on your 2020 ST?
 

OP
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MD
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2020 Ford Explorer ST
Thread Starter #23
72,000
 

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24
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7
Location
California
Vehicle
2025 Ford Explorer ST
#24
They want to put you in a new one because they will get money from you. If you make them just replace the motor they have to do it under the recall and will get nothing and you will get another warranty on it as well which could cost them even more money down the road if the warranty needs to be used. Just something to think about.
 

OP
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MD
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2020 Ford Explorer ST
Thread Starter #25
Well warranty engine replacement was approved this week, now the wait for installation. Hopefully this year
 

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Location
MD
Vehicle
2020 Ford Explorer ST
Thread Starter #27
Still no other details on specifically what happened?
The service team just started yesterday and said Turbo are bad too, but still didn't say how it died. I think it was the Ford blend oil and my driving style. Will be going back to doing my own oil changes with AMSOIL like I've with my 3 other Fords for years. Never an oil related issue.
 

Messages
59
Reactions
30
Points
17
Location
Charlotte
Vehicle
2024 Explorer ST
#28
The service team just started yesterday and said Turbo are bad too, but still didn't say how it died. I think it was the Ford blend oil and my driving style. Will be going back to doing my own oil changes with AMSOIL like I've with my 3 other Fords for years. Never an oil related issue.
Just wow, with the not crazy intervals using the Ford recommended oil thats pretty nuts if the oil broke down to a point where it destroyed the engine. Would love to see an oil analysis done to see if the oil really failed, or there was some other oil system related issue like the pump breaking. Another potential is if you were running a bit on the low range of normal and driving hard , seems these engines are known for oil pressure problems due to the shitty shallow plastic pan with little in the way of baffles.

This is reinforcing my decision to pre-purchase the fenfab upgraded oil pan and keep paying for premium Amsoil or other top rated full synth.
 

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60
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Points
7
Location
California
Vehicle
2025 Ford Explorer ST
#29
I'm curious what kind of driving style do you have?
 

OP
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Messages
39
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16
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Location
MD
Vehicle
2020 Ford Explorer ST
Thread Starter #30
Just wow, with the not crazy intervals using the Ford recommended oil thats pretty nuts if the oil broke down to a point where it destroyed the engine. Would love to see an oil analysis done to see if the oil really failed, or there was some other oil system related issue like the pump breaking. Another potential is if you were running a bit on the low range of normal and driving hard , seems these engines are known for oil pressure problems due to the shitty shallow plastic pan with little in the way of baffles.

This is reinforcing my decision to pre-purchase the fenfab upgraded oil pan and keep paying for premium Amsoil or other top rated full synth.
Im just thinking the Ecoboost should use the best oil you can afford. My other Ford 95 Aerostar 331000 miles, 2006 V8 Explorer 190000 miles 88 V8 Thunderbird 72000. The trans in Aerostar, the other 2 dui drivers totaled. All had tunes from the da i owned.
 

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39
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Location
MD
Vehicle
2020 Ford Explorer ST
Thread Starter #31
I'm curious what kind of driving style do you have?
I might launch more then i should, but did the same in my tune 2006 V8 Explorer for 11 years.
 

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2020 Ford Explorer ST
Thread Starter #32
My son has a built BMW 335i for me to gauge my progress with tunes, but was only stage 1 shelf tune.
 

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60
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Location
California
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2025 Ford Explorer ST
#33
I might launch more then i should, but did the same in my tune 2006 V8 Explorer for 11 years.
Ahh good to know. I'm going to be babying mine for at least a few years. I need it to last as long as possible. (however I'm sure there will be a few days here and there where my foot slips :sneaky:)
 

Messages
59
Reactions
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Points
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Location
Charlotte
Vehicle
2024 Explorer ST
#34
I might launch more then i should, but did the same in my tune 2006 V8 Explorer for 11 years.
Yea reading over in the oil pressure / pan upgrade thread and testing that ZFG is doing, it is obvious that there's oiling problems with the 3L ecoboost under hard launches with severe drops in pressure, especially if the oil gets below even a half qt overfill level.

We're throwing an additional 50-100HP + with a few bolt ons and a tune on a "performance" motor that Ford decided to cut corners on that makes it barley OK for its stock power rating starting with the lifeblood systems of the car skimping with plastic undersized oil and transmission pans.They sacrificed capacity, baffles, and cooling benefits of properly sized metal versions of these things, a real shame.

If hard launches are dropping oil pressure due to oil pickup tube starvation and foaming by sucking air, no matter how good of oil you use, it won't help the eventuality of "oil related issues" as the cycle repeats itself.
 

Messages
59
Reactions
30
Points
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Location
Charlotte
Vehicle
2024 Explorer ST
#35
Ahh good to know. I'm going to be babying mine for at least a few years. I need it to last as long as possible. (however I'm sure there will be a few days here and there where my foot slips :sneaky:)
If you aren't modding and hard launches, you should be pretty ok to drive it "spirited" , i mean that is one of the reasons you paid extra for an ST right? Just keep a half quart overfill on the oil for extra insurance.
 



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