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Possible R.I.P for #4754... :cry:

SVTRacer

Hard-core CEG'er
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Apr 5, 2007
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DE CSVTs
:cry:

so, a few months ago my engine developed a small tapping noise. almost like metal vs. metal tap. but it only happened on the back right corner of the motor(when sitting in the car). i kept telling dad it was the sart of a rod knock. he then proceeded to take the valve covers off to check things out and didnt see anything,(which i figured would happen). then last night he told me to drive it around the block, and i get about 20 ft. from my mailbox and i get a LOUD CLUNK in the motor/clutch area, i felt it really bad in the clutch so i pressed the clutch and now the tap went into a massive vibration spasm like a knock and its REALLY LOUD. so, i'm thinking it's a rod knock and the motor is SOL. :( now dad's pissed as no tomorrow. What the "bad part" is that the body of the car is in AWESOME shape for it to go to the junkyard. so, i have a few options:

1. The car is trashed and nothing i can do about, maybe part it out.
2. Possibly sell the car for MAYBE 800 bucks on here to a CEG'r and they'll get an AWESOME shell/parts car.
3. Go through LKQ and get a 3L just do a full 3L swap and make a project out if it, which will require LOTS of PMs to all the 3L gurus out there.


so... help me out please? which would you do in my position?.

note: i'm 18 and still in high school and part time job for now. i'll graduate in June 09. i'd love to keep the car and maybe make it a project but i'm not sure what dad wants to do.
 
Go the 3L route. There is a budget 3L thread and plenty of people on here willing to help, not to mention there might be some people in your area as well.
 
If yo do either option 1 or 2 I'll come find you and slap the crap outa you:cool:


if option one or two happens.

come slap the crap out of me, but then you'll need to beat dad down to a pulp because he'll be the one doing the parting out or selling.

i WANT to do a full 3L swap.(just because its simple) but dad doesnt believe me that we can get a GOOD/RELIABLE 3L for a decent price. i know buckshot does 3L, and LKQ does engines with warranties. so yes, i know its out there, but getting dad to go that route is gonna be a challenge.
 
I think you should sell your BAT suspension to me:shrug::laugh:

Seriously I would suggest the 3L route. You'll probably spend $1000-2000 on it depending on if you can do the work yourself. Check out the 3L forums. Lots of info there. You can research and decide if u wanna go through with it. PM DanG he's in Gainesville, VA. He can do 3L swaps in his sleep. Any questions let me know.
 
I would suggest not going full 3L, but instead do a ported 3L using the SVT LIM, UIM etc. It will not only be cheaper, but considerably less headache imo. You won't need a tune, no need to eliminate secondaries, relocate ignition block etc. You could port the heads to accept the SVT parts and build/drop it in w/out a tune and be good to go. A tune is recommended, but you won't need it right away. A 3L with decent mileage could be had for under $500 and the rest just takes a little research and skills. While you're building your motor, send your trans to livinsvt or Aircougar performance to have them install a beefier diff for you and away you go. Research and patience is the key. Ask your dad to at least let you look into it and get a cost estimate put together for him. :shrug:
 
now, all i know about 3L terms are hybird, port-matched and full.

i myself want to do a port-matched 3L, but if i say that to dad, he'll be like "what the _ _ _ _ is that?" and what not. so, i dont know what's gonna happen. All these events happened last night, so dad is still a little upset and what not. once he calms down and decides on what to do, i'll let you all know.
 
now, all i know about 3L terms are hybird, port-matched and full.

i myself want to do a port-matched 3L, but if i say that to dad, he'll be like "what the _ _ _ _ is that?" and what not.

If you know the differences between the 3, then explain them to him. Is it not good to talk to him when he's angry or ?
If I were you and you told him you wanted to do the port-matched swap and he said WTF is that, I would say "Well dad, there are 3 different ways to do a 3L swap..." and continue on from there. If you know the differences and your dad at least knows a little about cars, it should go just fine lol. Good luck and hope your dad calms down!
 
I will probably sit down and talk with him, just not right now. My dad is one of those old car head who can fix just about anything, and this is his first time around a Ford in depth, so its sort of new to him. We both kind of knew it was coming, just not this fast. so he's a little out of his element right now. I will talk to him about 3Ls and show him all the threads and posts about them in the stickies(yes i've searched). But i also have a semi-good source for a SVT 2.5 that i know he'll get on. We dont want to make the car go faster, we just need it back on the road. I'll worry about 3Ls later. but it's all a big mess right now. i think by wednesday or so, he'll be a little bit more calmer and i can talk to him then.
 
Ok, now I understand. Good luck and I hope you don't have to sell her or part her out. That would be such a waste :cry:
 
Try to convince him that the car is a dime a dozen anymore, and if you keep it for a long time, (putting a new engine and junk in it) then it could possibly be a huge collectors item some day :S

Would be a shame to have her parted out
 
dont know why your dad is pissed, it was his fault for not listening to you, sounds like you could have gotten away with just replacing the rod bearings had you taken it all apart before your dad told you to drive it down the block.

I have seen a couple of people selling SVT 2.5L motors, check LKQ or car-part.com for a motor in your area... And easier swap you could do is find a non SVT 2.5L motor and swap out the cams, upper and lower intake manifold, and injectors and you pretty much have an SVT motor right there, minus a couple of horsepower because it wont have the SVT pistons.

3L motors are usually cheaper though, and you will need to source a new clutch, no point in reusing your old clutch, keeping the cost down is very easy if you shop around, and you dont need to do a totally built motor, or a torsen/quaife... I suggest doing SVT cams and upper and lower intake manifolds to make the car easier to put back together, you wont get as much power then using 05 3L cams, and the 05 upper and lower intake manifolds, which is good if you are using a stock diff, however if you have the trans out it probably would be in your interest to have the syncros and shift forks redone in the trans, that way you dont put everything back together and end up having gears grinding a couple of months later.

BTW, I know someone who will buy the whole car if you decide to sell.
 
Check out my 3L thread. http://contour.org/ceg-vb/showthread.php?t=32898

I asked alot of newb questions on there that may help. I completely understand about going the 2.5L route. That's what I did the first time my engine blew just to get it on the road. The second time I went 3L. If all else fails, I saw a SF SVT on sale in Delmar, MD. It may still be there.
 
Alias; i like..well LOVE the idea of doing all the tramission work while its out, but i doubt dad will let me get that deep into it. i'm trying to get him to lean towards a port-matched 3L OR a fairly decent SVT motor.

and i have been all over the 3L section for awhile now and i know what needs to be done/worked or watched while its in. its a matter of finacial situations right now.
 
perfect time to do a 3l your still in school and having a car is most likely not a necessity. i have a bunch of links i saved while trying to plan my 3L swap (which unfortunately i never got around to due to divorce). but i am glad i have them it might save some time.

http://www.contour.org/ubbthreads/s...=740593&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1

http://www.contour.org/ubbthreads/s...1209503&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1

http://www.msdsinc.com/exhaust.html

this last link is from the "other contour site" but it might have some useful pictures in it

http://www.fordcontour.org/30L-Conversion-Our-to-t7.html
 
Alias; i like..well LOVE the idea of doing all the tramission work while its out, but i doubt dad will let me get that deep into it. i'm trying to get him to lean towards a port-matched 3L OR a fairly decent SVT motor.

and i have been all over the 3L section for awhile now and i know what needs to be done/worked or watched while its in. its a matter of finacial situations right now.

you have a 98 with how many miles? if its higher mileage with the original trans, then there is a good chance the syncros are weak. Jeez, dad would be dumb to say "lets change out the motor and assume nothing else is weak in this car and put it back together." For someone like myself I could care less if the syncros start grinding or something, I can just pull it out again and change in another trans. Sounds like you guys have no paitence for changing out the motor and if anything goes wrong, dad wont want to do it all over again. I'm not saying, totally build up a trans, or get a torsen or whatever, but having a trans shop crack open the trans and inspecting the shift forks and syncros can very well be in your favor, they wont charge that much to open it all up and inspect everything, and if they find one or two syncros that are questionable, they can only replace those couple of syncros and shift forks.

Its just depressing to put a lot of time and effort into a car just to have to rip it all apart again and start over, and from the looks of things it sounds like dad doesn't have that kind of patience for 2 projects, let alone 1. But if you cant get him to budge on the trans rebuild or even just an inspection of it, but he will help with a 3L build and install, then go with the ladder and cross your fingers you can drive it till you sell it with no issues, I have seen quite a few high mileage MTX-75s out there that shift very well, as long as you dont slam through the gears and use a good trans fluid you shouldn't run into any issues.


anybody who pays that much for headers for a contour deserves a swift kick in the nuts.

http://www.nautilusperformance.com/catalog/i11.html

bingobango, the y-pipe isnt really necessary.
 
anybody who pays that much for headers for a contour deserves a swift kick in the nuts.

http://www.nautilusperformance.com/catalog/i11.html

bingobango, the y-pipe isnt really necessary.

Did you forget msds offers just the headers for 250.00:shrug:
Its the same price nautilus offers theres....only because its still msds headers they are selling:crazy:.

Either way you can buy them at both stores/companies. :)
 
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