• Welcome to the Contour Enthusiasts Group, the best resource for the Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique.

    You can register to join the community.

New To Group, New to Contours, and have 2 questions

96_ContourGuy

CEG'er
Joined
Jul 8, 2007
Messages
31
Hi, I just picked up a '96 Contour, with the Ztec. Now I have to say, I am a die hard Chevy guy, but this car is best compact car I've ever driven! I'm impressed with it's handling and ride, and it's a lot roomier than what I thought. It's in like-new condition with 130,004 miles on it. Picked it up for a grand. No knocks, no ticks, no rattles, no nothing. Heck, even the gas door works! Funnier yet, the paper labels are STILL on the fuel lines underneath the car!

Now my question is, it's running on the hot side. Temp gauge is running right aound the "AL" in the Normal range. I read a post where it was suggested that the thermostat and sensor be replaced, but, there was no followup as to whether or not the problem was corrected. There's no codes/lights, etc. So am I correct to assume that this is the fix for this issue?

Second, the timing belt looks a bit ratty. Mitchell on Demand advises 2.6 hours on the belt. Looks pretty straight forward. Does anyone have any insight on this job? It can't be worse than a Dodge 3 liter. While I'm in there, is there anything else (besides water pump) that should be changed?

Thanks, and I appreciate any advice.

Rick
 
as for the timing belt. i would read up and do it your self, you can get the manual on cd from todras. you could save alot of money that way. plus, you can get your hands almost anywhere around the engine, it might take you like 3 hours to do it your self, but how much money would you save?
 
Now my question is, it's running on the hot side. Temp gauge is running right aound the "AL" in the Normal range. I read a post where it was suggested that the thermostat and sensor be replaced, but, there was no followup as to whether or not the problem was corrected. There's no codes/lights, etc. So am I correct to assume that this is the fix for this issue?

that can be an uncalibrated needle in the temperature gauge, run some diagnostics on the car see what the temperature actually is... mine stays on A-L, honestly annoys me to hell, I never get around to fixing that...

my 2 cents.

Welcome to CEG! :)
 
Thanks for the responses - I'll check the coolant temp. I think something's amiss, I'm smelling coolant as well. Anybody have this issue before?

I see they've done an excellent job at hiding the heater hoses! As far as the timing belt goes, it doesn't look too bad. $20 bucks for the cam tool and I'll be good to go.

Thanks
 
uh hoh....head gasket gone?

doubtful, assuming he's smelling it inside the car, most likely leaking heater core. if you retain coolant though, and the temp still stays high, it is most likely your thermostat, which is a fairly easy and rather cheap fix. i would definitely recommend getting a 170 degree thermostat, i can't stand those stock 200 degree ones.

[edit] if you are smelling it under the hood, though (typically a very fresh smelling steam), get yourself a compression tester (you probably already have one), and run that check. mine's a 97 with slightly fewer miles and i'm at about 160psi (give or take 3) on all 4 cylinders. yours should be a similar compression and all within 15 psi.
 
I see they've done an excellent job at hiding the heater hoses!

Haha I just had mine replaced! I know your pain! Are you leaking any coolant at all?? I know I could smell it a bit when it was spewing (literally) from the heater hose. It leaked EVERYWHERE. All over the subframe and running down along the tranny and the exhaust. It was a mess...maybe that's why you're smelling it :shrug:. Just my $.02!

Oh, and welcome to CEG. I'm really glad you enjoy your car :cool:. I love mine to death and I refuse to sell it. I'm going to drive it until it dies. And even then, you can always replace things. Maybe I'll own my car through a few lives :p
 
Thanks for the replys!

I will change that thermostat this weekend. I have no coolant leaks (that I can see) but I do smell it outside the car. It's not overly obnoxious, like when a car overheats, but it's there. It's also intermittent (the absolute worst kind of problem), so it appears that I'll be starting from ground zero.

I do note that when cruising anywhere between 55 and 90mph, the temp gauge is pretty much in the center. This is why I'm also pretty much leaning towards the thermostat/sensor thing.

I'll also run a compression check on the motor, seeing is how they were nice enough to put the sparkplugs on top the engine.


Thanks again!
Rick
 
Thanks for the replys!

I will change that thermostat this weekend. I have no coolant leaks (that I can see) but I do smell it outside the car. It's not overly obnoxious, like when a car overheats, but it's there. It's also intermittent (the absolute worst kind of problem), so it appears that I'll be starting from ground zero.

I do note that when cruising anywhere between 55 and 90mph, the temp gauge is pretty much in the center. This is why I'm also pretty much leaning towards the thermostat/sensor thing.

I'll also run a compression check on the motor, seeing is how they were nice enough to put the sparkplugs on top the engine.


Thanks again!
Rick
yeah, compression tests are very easy on this car (take that duratecs!), but when you say intermittent, do you mean about as often as the thermostat opens, or just a couple times a day or less?
 
I do note that when cruising anywhere between 55 and 90mph, the temp gauge is pretty much in the center. This is why I'm also pretty much leaning towards the thermostat/sensor thing.

I wouldn't worry too much about the temp gauge. The gauge is over sensitive and likes to wander back and forth between the AL and middle of the dial. I'd only really start to worry about it when it goes into the red.
 
I wouldn't worry too much about the temp gauge. The gauge is over sensitive and likes to wander back and forth between the AL and middle of the dial. I'd only really start to worry about it when it goes into the red.

I concur. Many guys on here claim there is a problem if the car is running up towards the A-L range. My car will approach that temperature in the summer time while driving in sub-40mph zones. If I'm cruising anywhere faster than that my temperature gauge will be RIGHT in the center. Keep a very very close eye on the coolant level, though, if you really can smell it like you say you do. Check for any coolant leaks especially after you've gone for a long drive that got the car running really hot.
 
Change the thermostat, just because it costs $7 and takes 10 minutes to do. Then, use a thermometer to measure your ACTUAL operating temp at the upper rad hose. Post that. My guess is, its running just fine, and your gauge is off. These cars do that.

Oh and I would stick with a 180 or 190 degree thermostat. If you have a cooling problem, a lower temp thermostat isn't going to fix it. All a 170 degree one does is make your car take longer to warm up (Meaning more wear and tear and poor fuel economy).
 
mcgarvey said:
Oh and I would stick with a 180 or 190 degree thermostat. If you have a cooling problem, a lower temp thermostat isn't going to fix it. All a 170 degree one does is make your car take longer to warm up (Meaning more wear and tear and poor fuel economy).


hell the only reason i have a 180* thermostat in my zetec is cause its turboed.
 
I'll change the thermostat this weekend, and run a compression check. I had the car out last nite, and absolutely thrashed the living daylights out of it. The gauge would not go above the A.

As far as the coolant smell being intermittant - when I shut the car off and get out, sometimes I can smell coolant, sometimes I don't. More times I don't, than do. This also happens with my truck, but since the guage on the Contour runs on the high side, it piqued my concern.

Cant to anything till the weekend, so I'll post back. I'll do a powerflush on the cooling system as well. They built the car around the heater hoses, didn't they.... lol

Thanks again
Rick
 
Cant to anything till the weekend, so I'll post back. I'll do a powerflush on the cooling system as well. They built the car around the heater hoses, didn't they.... lol

Haha, they sure did :cool: . Like I said, I had to have mine replaced. When my mechanic disconnected the air filter assembly from the TB, he took a look down behind the engine where the hoses are. He looked at all the coolant, looked at me, and said, "Ian, now how the hell am I going to get that freaking thing out of there??!!" I merely said, "Well you're the expert with all the tools and the 35 yrs of experience!" Haha! And not to mention it took three days to get the freaking hose from dealer. I guess it consists of multiple parts, and he wanted just the flexible part (rubber of some sory, maybe?), which was cracked, but it didn't seem possible. It was an adventure and a half!
 
sounds like it, how much did you pay for all your hoses? im cheap and need to do it sometime and im not about to give them my arm to replace them.
 
sounds like it, how much did you pay for all your hoses? im cheap and need to do it sometime and im not about to give them my arm to replace them.

It'll cost you an arm if you get the hose through the dealer :blackeye: . I had no other means of getting one, and I wanna say it cost around $100 for the hose. And as I said it's made up of like multiple parts. It's rather ridiculous if you ask me :nonono:
 
All a 170 degree one does is make your car take longer to warm up (Meaning more wear and tear and poor fuel economy).

it shouldn't make a big difference for warmup (didn't for me, anyway). 170 degrees is easily operating temperature, and the thermostat won't open for the first time until that temp is reached. what a 170 degree thermo does for me is keeps my engine cooler, keeping the air denser and giving me an extra pony or two.
 
actually the normal operating temp for an engine is near 200 degrees. when its below that the rings wear the cylinder walls faster than when its at operating temp. by putting in the 170 thermostat it takes longer for the engine to reach operating temp which means more wear (and longer before you get heat out of the vents in the winter). the engine WILL reach its normal operating temp no matter what thermostat you have in it.


stick with a 190 or unless your running boost (which i think im the only boosted zetec at the moment) and then you can go with a 180. if your worried about where the needle sits on the gauge replace the sending unit with a brand new part (not a junk yard one). if it still reads high then you can try a different gauge from a junkyard car (good excuse to add a tach if you dont have one)
 
Back
Top