The daily driver Marauder needs a rebuilt engine thread

daddyusmaximus

daddyusmaximus

New member
My '03 is a daily driver. She served well for 164K miles. She drives rain, snow, sun... She sits in a gravel driveway in a small rural farming community.

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Then one day, she had enough... The timing chain jumped, and I bent some valves on one head. Time for a new engine, or a rebuild. I was looking for engines, but couldn't find any with few enough miles on them that would make it worth the hassle and expense. I decided to go for a fresh rebuild.

As you can see, a daily driver that goes on country (gravel) roads gets dirty.

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Perspective here.. when I say small town, I mean like 1300 people. Local high school graduating class has around 50 to 60 kids depending on the year. The mechanic shop is a rented quonset hut behind a church where electricity is by generator...

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Prices are all over the board, but I found a company in Michigan, just 3 hrs away (Accurate Engines) that was less expensive than most, so I gave them a call. They didn't have a core to match the Marauder. However. I could send in my own engine, and they'd do it, and I'd stay numbers matching... Further, If I was to show up when they opened in the morning, I could take it with me that evening when they closed...

Well, this seemed like it was too good to be true, but I decided to go for it. I loaded up the engine in my Quartermaster's truck (I'm the VFW Commander) and headed to Michigan.

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Didn't get very far before my crap magnetism kicked in...

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Remember this part about me being a crap magnet. you'll see it later.

Of course the spare tire hoist was rusted and it took FOREVER to get the spare tire down. So long, I had just about fell out in the heat, and ended up calling a tow truck. The tow driver wrestled with it, for quite some time, but managed to get it down. At that point, I just let him change it too.

See, crap magnet...
 
It was too good to be true... They got shipped the wrong pistons. (Crap magnet) I would NOT be going home with my engine that night. However, they said they'd ship it to me at no cost since it was their mistake. We shall see...

It took a week and a half to get the pistons from California, then the production manager went on about how he wanted to switch the timing chain and components out for Cloyes, but they finally shipped it out.
 
Here's where it gets good... While I was waiting for the engine. The mechanic's shop gets hit by thieves. He loses a bunch of tools, his gas bottles to his welder (but not the welder itself) and his generator.

Me... I lose my stereo. Of course they tear the crap out of the dash to get it out...

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They tried to get the sub and amp, by prying it out, but couldn't. They bent a couple bolts, got pissed, and locked the keys in the trunk.

Small town remember...
not a formal shop remember...
mechanic not insured...

Crap magnets have a $500 deductible.
 
I was so happy... until we got the plastic wrap off. Two bent bolts on the timing cover, and one broken valve cover. AAAnnndd it's Friday night, and I have a fish fry to run up at the VFW.

Did I mention I was a crap magnet?


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Pretty sure you're not supposed to see daylight through there...

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Boy, it sure looked pretty sitting on the pallet...

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Didn't look like anything was damaged inside.

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So, now the fish fry is over, and I'm looking for Valve covers, and whatever those studs are called on the timing cover. Damn, I was hoping to have the car back by Monday, even without lights and music.

By the way, small town people are generally nice to deal with. (meth head thieves excluded)

Mechanic felt bad my car was damaged while in his care. Since I have to put it on my insurance, and take the hit for a $500 deductible... no charge for the removal and replacement.
 
I have a Dashboard with wiring harness from a 2003 Mercury marauder still in the car it's not broken busted..
I cut the wiring harnesses to remove the doors

I do not have the cluster, dash bezel or dot matrix trim

Lmk if I can help out

Sad to hear your car got messed up like that that really sucks

Or are you going to glue the dash back together and splice the wiring ends?
 
Can anyone tell from this photo what the part is called I need to look for in the dash to fix this broken piece?

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Just ordered new valve covers, and the dash trim vent bezel.

Also ordered a a drivers side mirror. They pushed it all the way forward either walking between it and the wall, or just out of meanness, and broke it. The car had been moved off to the side while we were waiting for the engine to come in. Got a rip in my seat too... *******s.
 
daddyusmaximus said:
Can anyone tell from this photo what the part is called I need to look for in the dash to fix this broken piece?

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Click to expand...

That is just the docking piece where the oem radio slides into... right?

If you have a aftermarket radio, you wont even need it there. But loctite 2 part will make it like new again.
 
Sending good thoughts and car luck your way!

If I had any of these parts laying around, they'd be on the way to you.

Glad to see/hear you are still on the positive side!

Chin up my brother, chin up!
 
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