FYI: KenneBell Supercharger issue...

[Sidragon]

So, heard some odd noise coming from the front of the car....turns out it was the supercharger coolant pump... apparently it was running low on coolant, so topped it off, and powered pump on...at which point it pumped all the coolant into the engine... NOT a happy day. Heck if know what the root cause is at the moment (it happened this afternoon) Anyhow got hold of Saleen Warranty people and off we go to paperwork hell and figuring out who's problem it is (aside from mine being without the car....)

figured I'd share the issue incase anyone else hears an "odd" whine coming from the front of their car after 30-45 mins of running.

[seethrough]

Ouch. Sounds like you sprung a leak in your intercooler. Hopefully you caught it before any internal damage could be done.

[15-0030]

I haven't heard anything with mine. but will check it out this evening.

[IES302]

Have never had an issue with my Kenne Bell. Keep us updated!

[Sidragon]

OK,

So, two weeks of faffing around with Saleen Warranty department and the dealership now has the authorization to tear down the engine and associated areas....this is what they found...a bloody great crack in the supercharger's intercooler billeted part... not good.

What's getting MORE ANNOYING is the lack of movement on Saleen's part...Dealership contacted them Monday telling them what they found, and it's been NOTHING all bloody week, and today (Friday) apparently the warranty department is not in.....freaking annoyed.

So, if anyone's out that way AND has a spare cattle prod please use it to get some freaking reaction, communication and get them to work out what the hell they are going to do.

Please.

Ta

[IES302]

SO the failure is just with the Kenne Bell? Have you tried to contact them? I am sure they would be very interested. They could maybe send a replacement for it as well.

[06SaleenExtreme]

Someone needs to answer why and what caused that crack. It would take a great amount of force to do that. It almost looks like water that froze and expanded in the tank to cause the crack. Saleen and Kenne Bell need to look at this.

[redsaleen417]

Saleen warranty department slow at responding??? Sounds like the Carlos Duran days all over again. ( nothing against Carlos)

[15-0030]

not had any problems with mine.

[JetJockey47]

-----------------------------------------------------
Recently had dealings with Kenne Bell regarding a new tuner. Didn't work properly and had to send it back to them for reprogramming. They deal via email but very responsive. They definitely stand behind their product. Worked through Saleen first. Key point when working with Saleen....PATIENCE !! They stand behind their work.

[Sidragon]

The cars under warranty, so I need to work via Saleen....and that's taking a bloody age....it's summer and I want to use the car before XMas......

[Sidragon]

I have (or rather "had") a 715hp Saleen Mustang...what about that speaks patience.... it's bright orange and (when working) goes like greased hot weasel poo ....there is nothing in there that speaks of patience..... :-)
However council for patience taken on-board.....and summarily ignored.....car broke, it's summer, I want it back, not stuck in nice dealership....... (all said tongue in cheek)..ish

[JetJockey47]

I feel your pain. In fact that is one reason why I chose white label over the Yellow Label. Staying naturally aspirated meant no extra equipment like a supercharger but I can add that later as I see fit. 😀 470 is not 715 but is enough for me right now. Lol

[IES302]

Originally Posted by Sidragon

The cars under warranty, so I need to work via Saleen....and that's taking a bloody age....it's summer and I want to use the car before XMas......

Even at that if we were not talking Saleen and you bought a Kenne Bell it should still have a warranty from them.

[jcar302]

Originally Posted by 06SaleenExtreme

Someone needs to answer why and what caused that crack. It would take a great amount of force to do that. It almost looks like water that froze and expanded in the tank to cause the crack. Saleen and Kenne Bell need to look at this.

As someone that has cracked an intercooler from leaving water in it in the winter, that is exactly what it looks like.

Not sure if this car has seen winter yet or it's history, but I can't see any other way of that crack occurring in that place.
I don't think the intercooler system is under enough pressure and that break looks to be from the inside out right in the middle of a solid piece of aluminum, it's not like a weld failed.

[ubnhad]

For all the hassle. Saleen probably not going to warranty it. Just have it welded. I would fog the cylinder with oil while you are waiting. If not your cylinder walls are going to rust and you may need a new engine.

[Dosocho]

I had issues with the speedometer and a could of other things - Saleen authorized the repair which were completed 2 months ago - i just took the car in for something minor and they said they wouldn't work on the car because they still haven't received payment from Saleen for the repairs that had been done - so everyone with a new Saleen just beware


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[redsaleen417]

One reason my local saleen dealer stopped carrying their cars. To many warranty issues, I'm on the fence about getting a 16 yellow label, this issue makes me lean towards the Shelby.

Good luck getting this fixed before summer is over.

[Dosocho]

It's a great car no doubt - but the frustration of dealing with Saleen is pretty terrible


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[Sidragon]

The car gets driven in the winter....what the hell else do you do with 700+HP aside from drive it on cold days when there's snow on the sides of teh road and clear skies :-)

I have two other cars with Supercharges...NEITHER of them have those types of issues...and yes the car's stored indoors....so that should not be an issue too.....

..I hope!

Famous last words

Originally Posted by jcar302

As someone that has cracked an intercooler from leaving water in it in the winter, that is exactly what it looks like.

Not sure if this car has seen winter yet or it's history, but I can't see any other way of that crack occurring in that place.
I don't think the intercooler system is under enough pressure and that break looks to be from the inside out right in the middle of a solid piece of aluminum, it's not like a weld failed.

[Sidragon]

Dealing with them again today....

Dealership send them the parts EARLY last week, then Saleen sends them to KB for inspection...and now we ALL sit with our thumbs in our asses until the client yells and **** happens.

Warranty to me means: Part breaks.....you send me (Saleen) a NEW part/set of parts so I can ENJOY my car again, WE (Dealership) sends you old parts and THEN you can go work out what/how it broke......simple

However now we're playing the "blame game" and SALEEN's sitting there not chasing etc.

****ed at moment

Originally Posted by Dosocho

It's a great car no doubt - but the frustration of dealing with Saleen is pretty terrible


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[Sidragon]

Thanks, and appreciated.....I've been looking at the Roush stuff.....or simply getting a GT350 and messing with it....

Originally Posted by redsaleen417

One reason my local saleen dealer stopped carrying their cars. To many warranty issues, I'm on the fence about getting a 16 yellow label, this issue makes me lean towards the Shelby.

Good luck getting this fixed before summer is over.

[Sidragon]

The latest:

Good Evening,

Having spent an hour or two in the O’Meara dealership today getting the current status of the 2015 Yellow Label Saleen that is in their possession I have the following observations and background:


March/April/May 2015:
The 2015 Saleen went into both Phil Long Ford and Sill-TerHar motors, both diagnosed the issue as a fan/blower issue, Sill-TerHar replaced parts, pronounced the car “good” and sent me on my way. (Sill-TerHar having stated their Saleen technical individual was/was not certified…never got a straight answer, Phil Long’s service department gave me the run-around)

Mid May:
The issue still persisted, having given up with the lack of support from Sill-TerHar I took the car to the local dealership for a quick check on oils etc, they found the leak and we then proceeded down this current journey:

On May 19th 2016 I contacted Saleen with reference to the initial issue that had been misdiagnosed by YOUR representative/authorized dealership (Sill-Terhar Ford) Email out to you based on the lack of responses YOU gave (or rather did not give) to the dealership. (I had to contact as O’Meara was not getting any response)

May 25th, the back and forth between O’Meara and Saleen continues, tear down for initial diagnosis is still not approved and repair path NOT clear (meanwhile 2015 Saleen is stilling broken and coolant leaking who knows where)

May 31st, Saleen FINALLY provides a tear-down path

June 7th Saleen requests the broken supercharger (Kenne Belle supercharger that had the rather large split in the coolant tank was found to be the initial issue)

June 16th, Saleen finally responds stating that they have now sent the parts to Kenne Belle for inspection (this response after multiple chases/calls/rather abrupt emails)

June 24th, Saleen (Steve Chamberlain) finally response with an apology that the package is finally on the way back to O’Meara with the repaired supercharger

June 30th, Message from O’Meara that they have repaired the vehicle and now need the tuning computer to reprogram the system with the PCM updates supplied by Saleen (Kenne Bell?)

July 7th, O’Meara Ford send me a message stating that the vehicle is finally ready to be picked up, having been fixed and repaired.

NOTE: July 12th O’Meara requests a signed copy of the repair order as Saleen needs it for their records, this was NOT signed until I returned from a trip on Monday July 25th….coincidentally when the 2015 saleen was sent BACK into them for repairs (see below for the next chapter)

BETWEEN July 7th and July 22nd the Saleen was in the garage as the family and I were on a trip to the East Coast….NO miles, no testing etc.

July 23rd, Saleen is finally taken out for a drive…end up driving 40-50 miles, bring the car BACK to the house as it’s running rough and check engine light appeared on during the last part of the drive.

July 24, Email sent to O’Meara Ford stating that the car is not running correctly and that there are a number of codes that the computer is dropping (codes were sent to O’Meara)

July 25th, Go into O’Meara, talk through the issue, it is decided in the interest of safety that the car is towed correctly to their dealership for inspection

July 28th, initial work on diagnosis by O’Meara revealed that spark plugs and other items were swapped out, still the engine has issues.

August 3rd, phone call from O’Meara, vehicle still has issues and we need to have a conversation upon my return from the conference (they were going to test more/check/diags…..I’m sure they can fill in the blanks here)

August 8th, meeting at O’Meara, vehicle issues identified and persistent to the point where it is likely a full tear down OF the engine and diagnosis is required. At this point O’Meara is unwilling to move forward until payment is made on old invoice and Saleen is not responsive to calls from either myself OR the dealership (O’Meara) Had a second colleague with me who fully understands vehicles (both qualified in this arena and also a consultant to my company with regards to engineering and electronics) and the consensus is there is a requirement to have the vehicle examined/checked out, there are additional “noises” from the engine that could be based on damage from the coolant OR something else..however unknown at this point until someone (Saleen/Ford) gives the go-ahead for work.

August 8th, I have left messages and notes with the Saleen front desk and for Danielle in regards to this issue also Phil Long dealership have spoken to “Dereck” at Saleen who promised a call back…so far nothing. (Updated August 9th)


So, at this point (August 8th) the following is true:

1. Vehicle is currently broken, misfires in cylinders, cam codes and other issues that sound as if the engine itself is NOT in a good state (long block replacement was mentioned in discussions today)
2. Vehicle has NOT been torn down, O’Meara does not want to do that unless Saleen authorizes is, TO THIS POINT they have failed to return calls or authorize anything
3. Saleen has NOT paid O’Meara for the initial work done back in June/July 2016
4. It sounds as if there is still a lingering problem with coolant and oil which has resulted in engine issues, NOBODY knows for certain IF that is the issue until it’s torn down
5. Ford won’t pay if it’s coolant, that is Saleen issue
6. Ford WOULD cover warranty if it’s a problem with the engine that is NOT linked to the upgrades (that are ALL warrantied)
7. Car has been OUT OF MY HANDS AND BROKEN for a TOTAL of 49 BUSINESS days to this point (inclusive of the 8th August)
8. Vehicle is still within its first year (purchased September 7th 2015 (Purchased from Phil Long’s dealership in Colorado)

I need a path to resolution on this within the next 36 hours. By the end of business on Wednesday 10th August (EOB being 18:00 Mountain time) I need a path forward where people accept responsibility, timeframes and other requirements. A Simple “We’ll look into it is NOT acceptable” Neither is “more time” This has been an issue for the last several months.

Given all the hassle above I think that timeframe is acceptable. Failure at this point will result in alternative means to resolution involving outside parties.

Delivery AND read receipt is attached to this Email, I look forward to a productive and conclusive response to this.

Regards

Chris

[tbar]

This sucks. Sounds to me like tearing into the engine is the next step. You could have a long wait if they won't do anything till Saleen pays outstanding bill. Hopefully they'll step up.

[jcar302]

Sounds like you need a lawyer and the lemon law.
I think you have been more than patient, I can't imagine spending that much money and being treated this bad.

Is either of the dealers you have had the car to be repaired the original dealer you purchased the car at?

[redsaleen417]

Wow that really sux, hope it all works out. Just another reason I'm going with a Shelby

[Dosocho]

Good luck Chris - really really brutal man - hope it all gets resolved


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[Sidragon]

OK here's the latest...time to put on the boxing gloves I'm thinking:

Scanned engine control system, received DTCs P0011,P0012,P0022,P0172,P0175,P0300, and P06E9. Performed compression test on bank one (cyl #1 – 90 psi, cyl #2 – 160 psi, cyl #3 – 85 psi, cyl #4 – 165). Removed oil filter and cut open for inspection. Found oil filter element collapsed, and had sludge and metal contamination. Removed right side rocker cover to inspect upper valve train. Found slight scoring on cams and bearing caps. Noticed during engine crank mode that bank one intake camshaft not turning in sync with exhaust camshaft (intake camshaft driven by exhaust camshaft by way of secondary timing chain). Timing chain is ok, suspect intake camshaft and/or sprocket damage. Also noticed popping noise when cranking engine over. Observed signs of coolant and sludge in engine, suspecting coolant entered engine crankcase when intercooler was leaking. Recommend engine replacement for proper repair due to the metal, sludge and damage found upon inspection.

[tbar]

So is it now a fight over who going to pay for the replacement?.(Saleen or Kenny Bell)

[redsaleen417]

For that won't you than have to prove was it faulty product or faulty installation ?

I'm seeing a long process with this one. :(

[OneQwkStang]

I'm surprised this thread is still here.

[Dagenham]

WOW! I thought Steve Saleen took his company back because SMS was not taking care of warranty work either. It doesn't sound like anything has changed.

[39Mustang]

This is why I chose not to buy a new Saleen no guarantees about anything.

I do know the Kenne Bell big blowers have had many issues just not with Saleen and is why I didn't buy the Saleen or Super Snake with the Kenne Bell blower

STOP waiting and hire an attorney

[IES302]

I have had my Kenne Bell on my 300 SRT for about 6 years now and have not had an issue.

[eviligloo]

This is just awful. Really sorry to hear about this. Hope it gets resolved quickly one way or the other.

[Sidragon]

I’ll also add the other facts:

1. Since the last time the car ran it’s been 7 weeks (and two days if we’re counting exactly)
2. Since I purchased the car back in September last year it’s been DEAD for a total of 14-15 weeks, in anyone's eyes, legal or otherwise that’s unacceptable.

Regards

Chris

On Sep 8, 2016, at 7:07 PM, Chris Roberts wrote:



Mr. Roberts-

Hello. I wanted to give you a quick update. Your car has been up on the lift and our production crew has been trying to figure out exactly what went wrong on your engine and supercharger. We have not seen a case like yours anytime in recent history so we are trying to dig down and find out what caused this.

We have been a little short on manpower recently and we also have an upcoming car show here at Saleen next weekend so we have not been moving as fast as we would like but please know that our guys are working to figure out what the core issue is such that we can ensure this will not happen again. Once we diagnose what caused the problem we will likely be replacing the entire engine. Again, I will keep you updated as we go.

-Dani

[Sidragon]

AS of today STILL BROKEN, lame *** excuses and not fixed....not great.

[Saleen Forums Admin]

Photos courtesy of MustangWorld.com

[Sidragon]

Got car back,

Check engine light on

WTF

Originally Posted by Saleen Forums Admin

Photos courtesy of MustangWorld.com

[Sidragon]

And still issues, seriously WTF:

Check engine light on.....basically drove it off the trailer (they did)

I got in to move it to the driveway and the check engine light is on

Useless bunch of F***tards.

[JetJockey47]

My 2016 white label recently received an update of the KB tuner which I received from Saleen after my delivery. I initially had trouble downloading the new tune from Kenny Bell and the check engine lite came on. After consulting with KB (I called KB direct and obtained the email address of the KB programer person in charge), I had to send the tuner back to them to be reprogramed. Once I got it back and did the download the check engine lite went out. So try running your tune program again. I'm sure that the yellow tune is obviously different with the KB supercharger. You should have received the KB tuner from Saleen when you took delivery of your car. If not, call them and get one. There is no charge for it.

[JetJockey47]

Rerun your Kenny Bell tune for your car. This is what KB told me to do when I had a check engine lite come on. I received the tuner from Saleen when I purchased my new 2016 white label in April 2016. If you don't have a KB tuner, get one from KB direct. You can contact them via phone or email. Email worked better for me.

[Sidragon]

Saleen towed to Phil Long's in Denver.....

"fixed"

Drove it for 7 miles today away from dealership

Freaking POS blew another set of DTC's

This thing is a bloody nightmare

Oh, and Saleen's washed it's hands of it....arseholes

Done being nice, need a good, sleazy ambulance chasing lemon lawyer.

[Sidragon]

If anyone wants to know the full background, story and ongoing mess with Saleen (and the fact that "Steve" won't even bother responding here is the dropbox link:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1tuxfg00cw...20Log.pdf?dl=0

[jcar302]

Originally Posted by Sidragon

Done being nice, need a good, sleazy ambulance chasing lemon lawyer.

Long over due.

[Sidragon]

After another bout of coughing and spluttering the car's back at the dealership and both they and Saleen have been issued a revocation letter from the lawyer....

Sucks that what promised to be something special ended up as a quagmire of bull****.

I hope that 15-018 finds a decent home AFTER being thoroughly gone through, fixed, sorted and generally brought back to some semblance of order that was expected from the outset.

All for now

Chris

[15-0030]

Sidragon, sorry to hear your still having issues. I remember when I first took delivery of mine and the check engine kept coming on vehicle always ran great. Was a tune issue. I pretty sure all yours need is a tune update simple fix. Mine has been running fine ever since. Hope your all fix and you don't have to worry and now Saleen builds a great product.

[scharfe]

Sidragon,

Sorry to hear about all your issues, did you ever get anywhere with getting lawyers involved and get it fixed?

I have a 2016 saleen yellow label too, its been in for multiple issues also. I've been fighting saleen for about 3 months trying to get them to warranty some of their painted parts they installed. They were missing paint and put on so crooked that they were damaged from hitting other parts of the car.