Serious issue with my new baby...help???
 

Ok, I recently bought a 2004 S281 Supercharged, it is absolutely gorgeous and only had 8500 miles on the odometer when I drove it home. However, when I had it up on the lift at my mechanic I noticed that there was oil all over the passenger side of the rear axle. Upon further inspection, it appears as though the exhaust tubing has been rubbing the axle to the point where it has actually worn a groove in it! Not to the point that it is all the way through the axle, but it can't be too far from that as it stands (the groove has probably shaved a good 1/8 to 1/4" into the axle). I took it into the local Ford (Saleen authorized) dealer, but their Saleen guy wasn't there and the douchebag that handled my vehicle simply cleaned off the oil and said it was just overfilled and it shouldn't be an issue anymore. I asked him about the axle and he said "you have to contact Saleen about that" and basically dodged my question acting as if it wasn't their problem. Mind you, I bought the vehicle at another dealership out of state, but at the same time, this car is still under factory warranty until July.

I called Saleen in Irvine on my way home, and spoke with someone there who acted as though I were making this up, he clearly didn't believe me and condescendinglyreferred me back to the dealer ("you need to take it to a Saleen authorized dealer..." to which I replied, "that's EXACTLY who I did take it to, and they sent me back to you!"). I guess I need to waste another $20 in gas to take it back there, have them document the issue, take pictures, and send them to Saleen.

Quite frankly, the only way I'm going to be satisfied is if they replace the exhaust tubing with a piece that fits properly, and replace the damaged axle as well. I want to know if any of you have had this problem with any of the '99-04 Saleens with a center-exit exhaust? The Saleen warranty guy said he's NEVER seen this problem, and I find that kinda hard to believe...

RE: Serious issue with my new baby...help???
 

Soooooooo................where was the oil coming from? [sm=dontgetit.gif]

Seems to me, it would be a Saleen issue. Saleen modifies the exhaust to be out the center rear. Saleen may say that it was bent by bottoming out suspension or other driver related damage. You obviously did not damage it, but previous owner may have. You may have trouble getting a warranty repair and have to replace the section of exhaust yourself. As to the wear groove in axle, believe it or not, I probably would not be too concerned (although I have not seen damage, of course) Get a straight edge and bridge the gap and measure accurately and see how deep it is. Chances are that it is not as deep as you think, no offense intended :), as exhaust pipe is much thinner than axle and would wear a hole very quickly.

Jazzer

RE: Serious issue with my new baby...help???
 

The oil is coming from the axle. The service guy at the Ford dealership said it was overfilled and that it was just coming from a "run-off" and that there was one on each side of the axle.

I understand that technically it is a Saleen issue, but a Saleen certified dealer shouldn't be giving the run around like that just because they're too lazy to deal with it and bitter that I didn't pay a $10k "market adjustment" on a car I bought from them. They should have just documented the issue and sent it to Saleen from the get go.

You would think that the exhaust pipe would have been the first part to wear down, but there is absolutely NO sign of damage to the pipe itself! It sounds crazy but as soon as I get it back up on the rack I'll take some pics of my own and post 'em up...

RE: Serious issue with my new baby...help???
 

p.s. LOVE the white, that and blue were my first two choices for a color, but yellow came in a close third and I got too good of a deal with too low mileage to pass up on it.

RE: Serious issue with my new baby...help???
 

Rumor has it, black is pretty nice too ;).....

On a serious note, I'm with my color-challenged friend Jazzer on this one. You my find that something other than the exhaust made the mark in the axle (or that it's a combo. of heat and pressure that caused the problem).

Bottom line is....you need to get under there and see what is causing the clearance problem (e.g. bent hooks, bent exhaust, suspension problem) so you know where to tell your friends at the Ford garage to start. Otherwise, you'll get incompletefixeswith which they have already showed you they can master.

RE: Serious issue with my new baby...help???
 

indeed, the black is pretty tasty as well...although I'm entirely too obsessed with keeping my car clean to deal with a black paint job. It was definitely the exhaust tubing, the way that it is routed there is nothing else that could possibly have rubbed against the axle to cause it. My personal mechanic (not the trained monkeys over at the stealership) looked at it and agrees that it's definitely the exhaust tubing. The oil has started to look a little metallic, and he thinks that's a result of the heat...so I'd tend to agree with you that it's a combination of the heat and the friction. Once you guys see the pics, it'll probably make a little more sense, I know it probably sounds a little strange in text...

RE: Serious issue with my new baby...help???
 

Please post some pics.

I also have the center exhaust...I better go look underneath

RE: Serious issue with my new baby...help???
 

Post up some pics and we should be able to help. As far as the axel, thers a vent fitting on the passanger side of the axel housing, on the top. It acts as a vent for the axle/fluid for when the fluid gets hot. If the axel is overfilled, it will leak out the vent. As far as the exhuast rubbing the axel i dont see how this happned, as the center exhuast comes now where near the axel, but some pics will surely help.

RE: Serious issue with my new baby...help???
 

I'm pretty sure this Axl has center exhaust...
http://www.irocknroll.com/images/Gun...gned_Photo.jpg

Oy! You people and your spelling!

RE: Serious issue with my new baby...help???
 

I sure hope it's not an intake! :eek:

Jaz