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1997 contour 2.0L, worth trying to have some fun with?

97_2.0

New CEG'er
Joined
Dec 9, 2006
Messages
8
Just garaged my 96 mustang cobra and my winter car is a grandpa driven 1997 ford contour with 54,600 miles on it!! NO options just power locks, Never tuned up, so I bought a air filter, fuel filter,spark plugs, 8mm wires and its SLOW, is there any little things you have done for a little pep? I dont even know where to start, how big is the MAF I was thinking of getting ABS piping to a cone filter but dont know sizing of anything on the car so any info would be great since I didnt get much from a search on here when I tryed. Also all I have is the three gauge system, fuel, speedo and temp. Now I see some instrument clusters on ebay for 97 contour withs 4 gauges, the three I have and the tach, I WANT THE TACH lol will it just plug in and work? Thanks
 
First off, welcome.

The tach should be plug n' play. I know a few people have already done it and they may chime in. As far as get power, nothing will make the Zetec as fast as your cobra without spending a small fortune on it. To get a few more numbers out of the motor you need to get the basics; exhaust, intake, headers. You also can get a underdrive pully from a focus Zetec for about $80, cheaper if used. And a tuning chip if you want.

They only thing left after that is some serious work. Anything short of a turbo or supercharger still won't get serious numbers. But nitrous might be a suggestion for quick boost of power.

Thats about it, I'm sure I missed something.
 
Hey thanks for the quick reply. Yea I dont think I'm gonna get headers or anything like that lol. I have the long tubes and gears and everything under the sun for the cobra and I'm saving for custom cams to go with my P&P heads so I was looking for stuff on a budget but I'll proberly just go with some home made cold air induction and exhaust, quiet exhaust not gonna rice it out. Still would like 100% clarity on the gauge cluster, I'm going crazy without a tach (Not gonna race the car at all but I hate not having one)
 
if its a gauge cluster for a 4 cylinder then it will be plug and play. if not then it might work but id wouldnt be accurate. if you cant find one on ebay just go to the local junkyard and find a 96-97 mystique 4 cylinder and pull the gauge cluster out of that. they all had tachs i believe.
 
97_2.0,

I agree that it will not be as fast as the Mustang, but shouldn't we all strive for maximum performance anyway.

I have a 95 2.0. I bought it for $150 and dropped about $300 in it so far to pass local inspections. I have to say that it has been a blast to drive. Foot to floor and hugging corners till it is about to break loose. I will never spend enough on it to make it competitive in any competition. However I think I will go to the drags and maybe an SCCA event just to see what it will do and if I can improve it any.

BWT, I read about the Grassroots Magazine $2007 challenge and set a limit of $1995 total for my project. I know it will not be competitive but it will be fun. I will not go to FL but instead compete in local events just to see how I compare.
 
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