Limp Mode, Fuel Leak, Burning Smell, & Neutral Tow

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BMW2FORD

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Wow, amazing if there is no other damage and that it didn't lock up or fuel wash the cylinder wall and damage the engine. When you posted this, I thought it was an external leak but to send that much fuel through the exhaust that it leaked out the muffler is a lot. I agree with Fastcar, at least an oil change is needed besides the injector. Buy some lotto tickets if all it needs is an injector and oil change!!! Can you post back the part number they replace? I'm curios if this was a direct or port injector (these engines have 2x per cylinder and are very different than each other).
 
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mhExped

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How many miles on it? Has the fuel filter been changed prior to this?
Just under 24k miles. Off the top of my head I can't recall if the fuel filter has been changed. Why do you ask?

Thank you for all the suggestions. I'm making a list of talking points for further conversations with the dealer.
 

Fastcar

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Just under 24k miles. Off the top of my head I can't recall if the fuel filter has been changed. Why do you ask?

Thank you for all the suggestions. I'm making a list of talking points for further conversations with the dealer.
Just thinking about possible causes of the failure. Stay on the dealer as to the fuel dilution of the oil. You were pushing a lot to have it out the muffler. Ask the dealer to put in writing that no internal damage or premature wear occurred due to faulty injector.
I just reread your initial post. You said that after a couple of hours it did start. The plugs may have been fouled with fuel that dissipated over time. You may have more that one injector messing up.
 
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mhExped

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You said that after a couple of hours it did start.
More clarity on that...

- My wife said she only tried starting it 1x.
- I arrived on scene within about 30-40 min's. I smelled faint fuel odor (and slight burning/melting smell) at that time when standing near back of car.
- Tow truck arrived about 1 hour after that.
- Tow driver tried starting car 2-3 times.
- Next 1-2 hours were spent trying to figure out how to get the car into neutral without engine running (manual, dealer, and corporate Ford were all equally unhelpful). Ultimately, we wasted a bunch of time here believing the "brake-shift interlock" could help, but it turns out that's only helpful if the car is running.
- Tow driver then has me try to start the car about 3-4 times more while he has a battery jump connected.
- Immediately after that, I pressed and held the "brake-shift interlock" while trying to start and the car started (albeit with the strangest startup sequence I've heard from the car and with the "drive mode unavailable" message appearing on-dash).
- After that, I shifted into neutral and the tow driver pulled the car onto the bed.
- When he was about to drive away is when we noticed the leaking fuel.

So, really, the car sat for quite awhile without any start attempts, then had a series of start attempts real close together, before ultimately holding in the "brake-shift interlock" button resulted in a successful start.

I don't think it's by design that the "brake-shift interlock" aided the car in getting started, but I can't help but wonder if it was more than coincidence? Maybe holding that button in messed with the computer in a way that it was willing to start?

EDIT: So, when it finally started, it would have been the most flooded with fuel it had been.
 

Fastcar

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More clarity on that...

- My wife said she only tried starting it 1x.
- I arrived on scene within about 30-40 min's. I smelled faint fuel odor (and slight burning/melting smell) at that time when standing near back of car.
- Tow truck arrived about 1 hour after that.
- Tow driver tried starting car 2-3 times.
- Next 1-2 hours were spent trying to figure out how to get the car into neutral without engine running (manual, dealer, and corporate Ford were all equally unhelpful). Ultimately, we wasted a bunch of time here believing the "brake-shift interlock" could help, but it turns out that's only helpful if the car is running.
- Tow driver then has me try to start the car about 3-4 times more while he has a battery jump connected.
- Immediately after that, I pressed and held the "brake-shift interlock" while trying to start and the car started (albeit with the strangest startup sequence I've heard from the car and with the "drive mode unavailable" message appearing on-dash).
- After that, I shifted into neutral and the tow driver pulled the car onto the bed.
- When he was about to drive away is when we noticed the leaking fuel.

So, really, the car sat for quite awhile without any start attempts, then had a series of start attempts real close together, before ultimately holding in the "brake-shift interlock" button resulted in a successful start.

I don't think it's by design that the "brake-shift interlock" aided the car in getting started, but I can't help but wonder if it was more than coincidence? Maybe holding that button in messed with the computer in a way that it was willing to start?

EDIT: So, when it finally started, it would have been the most flooded with fuel it had been.
I'm not up on all the function of the brake interlock other that you can't start it unless the brake is depressed. With all these attempts to start was the engine turning over and not starting or was sputtering and not running or doing nothing at all, no noise? Did you at any time get sorta of a half a revolution and it stopped?
Sorry, don't mean to interrogate you just trying to ascertain whether the engine locked and then fired after the fuel drained down.
 
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mhExped

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...was the engine turning over and not starting or was sputtering and not running or doing nothing at all, no noise?
I would describe it as "crank no-start" as shown in this video at around 2:40: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjK31lqJWkA

The amount of time spent cranking on each failed start attempt was consistent. Something like 5-10 seconds (I didn't pay close attention, but could tell it was some default timeout programmed in).
 

Fastcar

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I would describe it as "crank no-start" as shown in this video at around 2:40: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjK31lqJWkA

The amount of time spent cranking on each failed start attempt was consistent. Something like 5-10 seconds (I didn't pay close attention, but could tell it was some default timeout programmed in).
Okay. As you are cranking that engine over you are dumping fuel into the cylinders. That fuel will work around the rings and end up in the oil as it is not being fired. I'd ask the dealer to check the plugs as they are probably fouled, so you'll at least get new plugs under warranty if they gas soaked or fouled.
 

Zig10

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I wouldn't sweat any potential internal damage based on some fuel in the oil. There are HO outboard motors that "make oil" with ring blowby that gain 1/2 quart over a season and don't see any issues. I'm not saying it's good practice, but you obviously didn't drive it very far (if at all) with that bad injector hung open and the car in limp mode. Once they get it all put back together change the oil and you should be in good shape.

Look at it this way - you're way better off to have an injector stick open than to have one clog and run lean on a forced induction motor. Had that happen on a previous supercharged vehicle and had a nice detonation event that cracked the #4 piston.

Hopefully they get you fixed up and back on the road in short order.
 

FlyBry

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Interesting. Rockauto shows the fuel filter for the 2018 & 19, but no listing for the 20 or 21.
 
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