[modular01]

I've got a 2001 Ford Mustang GT with 60,000 miles, that I just brought into the dealiership because it started to run rough, and lost power. The car is bone stock with the exception of a K&N air filter. I received a call from the servicing dealership, stating that 2 of the pistons have holes in it, and that they needed a Ford Representative / Tech to come out and look at the vehicle. So 2 days go by, and the dealership calls me again, stating that the Ford Tech came out, looked at the car, and took an oil sample. They are going to let me know if it is covered under warranty based on an oil analysis. Here is my question (and concern). I rarely take the car to full throttle. I don't race it or beat on it. And I use Mobil 1 full synthetic oil. Last time I changed the oil was July of 06. I drove the car until September of 06, then garaged the car for the winter (I have a beater that I drive for winter). Since the oil change, the car has approximately 5,000 miles on the oil in the motor. I normally change it the first week after having it out, but on the way to the hardware store (first day of it being out) it started running real rough. So at this point, I drove the car home, garaged it, and called the Ford dealer. The next time I drove it was on the way to the dealer. My main concern, is that they are going to do the oil analysis, and say that the oil looks bad, and deny my warranty claim. Is 5,000 miles too long between oil changes for synthetic? I've heard that the norm is to change synthetic every 5,000, or sooner if the car is in a lot of stop and go traffic (I live in the country, not much stop and go here).

I also do all of my own oil changes, and really didn't think about keeping receipts for them until my friend mentioned that the dealer might ask for them. Should I be OK with my warranty claim? Does anyone know the procedure that Ford goes through when processing a warranty claim like this? If the warranty work is honored, they are putting a remanufactured motor in the car.

[CSM]

I've got a 2001 Ford Mustang GT with 60,000 miles, that I just brought into the dealiership because it started to run rough, and lost power. The car is bone stock with the exception of a K&N air filter. I received a call from the servicing dealership, stating that 2 of the pistons have holes in it, and that they needed a Ford Representative / Tech to come out and look at the vehicle. So 2 days go by, and the dealership calls me again, stating that the Ford Tech came out, looked at the car, and took an oil sample. They are going to let me know if it is covered under warranty based on an oil analysis. Here is my question (and concern). I rarely take the car to full throttle. I don't race it or beat on it. And I use Mobil 1 full synthetic oil. Last time I changed the oil was July of 06. I drove the car until September of 06, then garaged the car for the winter (I have a beater that I drive for winter). Since the oil change, the car has approximately 5,000 miles on the oil in the motor. I normally change it the first week after having it out, but on the way to the hardware store (first day of it being out) it started running real rough. So at this point, I drove the car home, garaged it, and called the Ford dealer. The next time I drove it was on the way to the dealer. My main concern, is that they are going to do the oil analysis, and say that the oil looks bad, and deny my warranty claim. Is 5,000 miles too long between oil changes for synthetic? I've heard that the norm is to change synthetic every 5,000, or sooner if the car is in alot of stop and go traffic (I live in the country, not much stop and go here).

I also do all of my own oil changes, and really didn't think about keeping receipts for them until my friend mentioned that the dealer might ask for them. Should I be ok with my warranty claim? Does anyone know the procedure that Ford goes through when processing a warranty claim like this? If the warranty work is honored, they are putting a remanufactured motor in the car.

I don't know Ford's process. It is very unlikely that oil caused the burn through, I would suspect the fuel mixture was to lean, causing the piston head to burn through.