NHTSA Complaint #10461939 — 2003 FORD F-350 SD

I WAS HAULING A LOADED HORSE TRAILER AND HAD JUST MERGED ONTO THE HIGHWAY. AS I WAS TRYING TO ACCELERATE, THE ENGINE WAS "CATCHING" AND WOULDN'T LET ME ACCELERATE PAST 35 MPH AND WAS REVVING VERY HIGH AND WOULDN'T SHIFT UP INTO THE NEXT GEAR. IT FINALLY STALLED AND COMPLETELY SHUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC AND I HAD TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE WHITE SMOKE STARTED POURING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. MY ENTIRE RIG - TRUCK, TRAILER AND HORSES, HAD TO BE TOWED HOME AND THEN THE TRUCK TOWED TO THE MECHANIC. HE FOUND THE ENGINE RUNNING POORLY, AND FOUND LOW COMPRESSION ON CYLINDERS #3 AND #8. HE FOUND LOW OIL PRESSURE AND WHEN HE REMOVED THE OIL PAN FROM THE CHASSIS, HE FOUND PISTON MATERIAL IN THE OIL PUMP. HE REMOVED THE ENGINE AND FOUND THE PISTONS IN CYLINDER 3 AND 8 MELTED DOWN. HE HAD TO BORE OUT AND HONE ALL THE CYLINDERS, REPLACE ALL 4 VALVES IN CYLINDER #3 HEAD, REPLACE ALL PISTONS, REPLACE THE MAIN BEARING AND ROD BEARING, UPDATE THE OIL COOLER AND REPLACE 8 PISTONS AND 6 HEAD GASKETS. WHEN HE PUT IT ALL BACK TOGETHER AND TEST DROVE IT, HE FOUND AN EXHAUST LEAK FROM THE EBP SENSOR AND TUBE. THOSE HAD TO BE REPLACED. BEFORE ALL THIS HAPPENED, I HAD NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE SEEMED TO BE "SKIPPING" WHEN I WAS HAULING MY HORSE TRAILER. IT ONLY HAPPENED WHEN I WAS OVER 55 MPH AND IT ONLY HAPPENED WHEN I WAS HAULING. I HAD TAKEN THE TRUCK TO THE MECHANIC BEFORE THE BIG BREAKDOWN (DESCRIBED ABOVE) AND HE COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. I THINK THAT IS BECAUSE HE WAS NOT HAULING A TRAILER AND THAT'S THE ONLY TIME THE PROBLEM OCCURRED. THE TOTAL BILL FOR ALL THESE REPAIRS IS $6400.00 AND I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT FORD WILL DO NOTHING TO HELP ME. *JB