Another SAD Day

agro1 · #1 (**permalink**) 12-12-2002, 08:00 AM

It seems I am (and have been for a couple hundred miles) getting some vibration coming from somewhere under the shifter and back. I gave the car to the guys at House of Cobras and it looks as though my rear end is getting ready to let go. They said that when they pulled the dif plug the fluid was grey with metal in it...Looks like it is chewing something up in there...Plus it's slipping...

I have notified my SPF Dealer and am waiting to hear back on the warranty claim.

Have any of you guys ever heard of this happening with SPF's ?? Mine has approx. 2000 miles now and I am just amazed that this could be happening to a car with so few miles...Hopefully Superformance will honor their warranty.

Clois Harlan · #2 (**permalink**) 12-12-2002, 08:25 AM

I have met several of the guys with SPF and I don't think you will have any problems These guys run a first class operation and sell one of the best products out there. It is rare and unfortunate you are having problems. I bet they take very good care of your car.

Clois Harlan

Back in Black · #3 (**permalink**) 12-12-2002, 08:59 AM

Hopefully it's just the differential and at worst, you can source a nice low mileage one and just have it swapped...but hopefully your warranty will cover it this time.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DV, here's a 8.8 rear differential that's a breakin....so it DOES happen, this is why I and others recommend the Ford 9 inch diff...it can be had in IRS config now, ( http://www.cwiinc.com/ ) since you are designing from the ground up, it seems to make sense to moi...in the vacuum of knowledge I live in concerning the parameters of your DV cars...

jrussell · #4 (**permalink**) 12-12-2002, 11:10 AM

Wow,
This is something I have never heard of before! The cars are delivered with a 12/12 warranty to the origional buyer direct from Superformance. I currently am at almost 11,000 miles on my car (#586) with hours of race track and 1/4 mile track time. I do know that Hal Copple uses his SPF as a daily driver and is currently hovering somewhere around the 50,000 mike mark. He has many hours of hard race track time on his car,and somewhere around 70 passes on the track, with no rear end problems that I am aware of.
Hopefully your car is an abberation and it will be taken care of. Which dealer did you take delivery from? My car came from Doug Reed, and I know Dennis Olthoff well, but I do know the dealership network is very strong. I don't think you should have a problem.
Good luck!
John Russell
#596

agro1 · #5 (**permalink**) 12-12-2002, 11:13 AM

Which is my concern John - thanks for the post...I had 1800 miles when I started to notice the vibration and it's been on the track ONCE. Go figure...Hillbank sold me the car and they should be getting back to me re: warranty.

I'll keep you guys posted as to what transpires.

jrussell · #6 (**permalink**) 12-12-2002, 03:49 PM

This sounds good to me, as I have also heard lots of good things about them ! Superformance does stand behind their product, so just be thankful this is what you own!
Things should go well for you.
Hey, Merry Christmas!
John Russell
#586

Excaliber · #7 (**permalink**) 12-12-2002, 04:07 PM

Stuff happens, you got a "bad" one, it could happen to anybody, anytime with anything. It's when it happens TO much and warranty issues become a nightmare. THATS when your in real trouble. Wishing you the best!

Ernie

Bill Wells · #8 (**permalink**) 12-12-2002, 05:26 PM

i have an early spf (#156, in 1996) and there are over 50 spf's in detroit area and I haven't heard of this problem before with either the spf's from here or the many i hear about and run into elsewhere ...good luck. bill

agro1 · #9 (**permalink**) 12-12-2002, 05:41 PM

Well if by chance there was just ONE made that had a defective dif, I'd be the one to get it with my luck...

Bill Wells · #10 (**permalink**) 12-12-2002, 05:45 PM

in following your previous posts on other 'gone wrong' topics , you inded have not had a run of good luck . quite the opposite. hopefully this is the last one for ya, with happy trouble free motoring from here on out. hang in there. b

agro1 · #11 (**permalink**) 12-12-2002, 05:54 PM

Always...Thanks for the support Bill - Happy Holidays...

Hal Copple · #12 (**permalink**) 12-12-2002, 06:11 PM

When i first sucked out the trans lube on my SPF's 8.8 diff, to replace it with fresh lube, which you have to do by loosening the rear diff cover, not an quick task, as there is no drain plug on these, only a filler plug, it came out gray and thick. So i think the stock fill is some sort of gray oil. I did it warm with my Mityvac. Later, when the Olthoff's did some drag race mod to my rear diff mounting brackets, and had my diff out, Dennis drilled a hole in the cover, and welded in a nice AN 4 drain plug, so now i can just let it run out, easy as pie. I am pretty religious about changing my drivetrain fluids on a timely basis, especially with all the track work my car is subjected to.

I have gone to Redline for my diff, on the third fill i think. But when i most recently drained it hot, i carefully inspected my fluid for wear particles. It had only a tiny bit of sliver metal, about a match head's worth. Plus, even with my forth set of rear tires on the car, as of this afternoon, my diff locking action is perfect. I can lay down two even strips of rubber, my rear tires wear evenly side to side, so my clutch disc's must still be hanging in there. No fish-tailing, etc.

So i think the 8.8 is a fine diff, and if yours has gone belly up, it happens. Please let us know how soon you are back on the road.

I drove up to visit with the Olthoff's this afternoon, a chilly but sunny 155 mile trip. They put on my forth rear set of GT II's, and wished me well. Always nice to see the shiny new cars being made road-worthy. I like to brag and show off my latest tweak and modification, now a lighted Accusump switch, so i can see at a glance if it is on or off. I am making arrangements to have a full width race roll bar put in, as i am too tall with my cone-head in a Simpson helmet for amateur track running at some of the courses i want to try out. The new full bar is about three inches taller, and is quad braced.

Mostly i am putting this in for my son's safety for when he hammers it. The trick is to squirell away enough money without the Wife finding my "secret envelope!"

Great Asp · #13 (**permalink**) 12-13-2002, 04:39 PM

Car 940? when did you buy it from the dealer?

Great Asp

jeff_taylor · #14 (**permalink**) 12-16-2002, 06:25 AM

Here's another failure mode on 8.8 inch differentials:

http://www.4x4wire.com/jeep/tech/axle/ford8_8/

I know this is an apple and orange comparison of vehicles, but these guys are taking a 8.8 and applying quite a bit of torque to it, much like what is happening in a cobra. Something worth watching out for.

Great Asp · #15 (**permalink**) 12-16-2002, 02:28 PM

The Ford 8.8 shown on the website is the straight axle, where the unit supplied from SPF is a Ford Racing unit, 8.8 full independent suspension.

My experience with this rear end has been good. Lots of SPF owners running more horsepower than mine, and the only issue I have seen, or in this case "heard", is the noise the rear makes on "some" cars. No real idea why, but on some cars in can make noise (a clinking noise between acceleration, and deceleration). My old car 992 was quiet, 1380 makes the noise.

But I am not aware of these having mech problems overall.

Eric

agro1 · #16 (**permalink**) 01-13-2003, 05:20 PM

I would just like to thank the folks at Superformance for standing behind their warranty and replacing my rear end as well as Hillbank for taking such good care of me, they are a class act.

I had been busy with the holidays and just last week got around to picking up my car from House of Cobras, who btw, did a perfect job on the R&R. Anyway, she seems to be pulling harder than ever now, time for some track action this weekend at Willow - just thought I give you guys an update.