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New owner -- anyone want to play 20 questions??

L

Liquid_force

CEG'er
Joined
Oct 12, 2007
Messages
148
Location
Lawrence, KS
Well, after my '88 Turbo Coupe finally let out the blue ghost at 283K+ (and coming out of a turn at 80 in 3rd -- OOOPS!) it was time for a 4 door, especially now that the wife's expecting.

I happened onto a '00 Contour SE, Auto, Zetec with 102.5K. Price was right - so...it's mine. Good interior condition, fair exterior - seems like the previous owner wasn't exactly gentle -- plenty of dings, scuffs, and scratches, but from 50' it looks great.

Initially when I drove it there was a noticable "groan" when you stepped on it, didn't sound right to me, but my mechanic didn't think much of it so it didn't stop my purchase. I soon realized that a nut was missing from the pass. side motor mount, and a bolt had backed completely out of the front motor mount. I fixed both those and the groan is gone. Bonus.

I also have a noticable vibration in the steering wheel at about 70+. New tires should be on this week - I hope that solves the problem.

Front brakes -- I have some pulsing, I'm assuming front rotors are warped. Rockauto has a Raybestos rotor for $17, then jumps to $37, and motorcraft for $56. How much is there to gain by spending more than $17 each?

My SE doesn't have fog lights. I'd like to add some. Is the factory foglight switch next to the rear defog switch? I would like to retain a stock interior if possible. Anyone know where I can find a factory fog light switch?

Does anyone know why platinum plugs are required? They're required on my wife's montero also, but that's only because changing plugs and wires on that engine is a 4 hr job, so long life is well worth the expensive plugs.

I've read that motorcraft and autolite are the best plugs for these engines...what about wires?

Was a folding rear seat an option? Has anyone done that swap? Cost/diffiulty?

That should do it for now. Thanks for any help!
 
You may be able to get away with just cutting your rotors which should be around $5 per rotor if they are still thick enough, otherwise, I'd go with the cheapest rotors. The factory fog light switch is to the left of the steering wheel, it is the same switch that turns on the headlights(headlights turned on by turning switch to the right, for fog lights, you pull it out). Most people recommend autolites for plugs and wires, which is what I recently installed, and I have no complaints. I'm not sure why platinum plugs are required, but the overal, cost should not be that much more. Folding rear seats was an option, and I know there are a few people who've done it. I think think it's relatively simple, and the older contour's had them. I haven't really looked into it but someone else will probably reply with a helpful answer, but try using the function, and if you can't find anything in these forums, search the old forums, and make sure to change the search date to from beginning otherwise your search won't turn back any results.
 
As posted above, rotors are rotors and cheap is probably the best way to go for you since I doubt with an ATX Zetec you'll do much high performance braking. The button next to the defogger one is for traction control which was decontented well before 2000, and again as posted above is worked by pulling the headlight switch out, so you'll probably need a new headlight switch with the foglight function in it. For the folding rear seats there was a recent post under Interior in the asthetics forum on the install, and I will look it up for you. Good luck and I think you'll enjoy your new 'Tour and the best part of owning one is these boards, so welcome!

EDIT: Here it is http://www.contour.org/ceg-vb/showthread.php?t=19535 that should give you the info you're looking for, any other info and you can search.
 
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Welcome to CEG! 88 Turbo Coupes were cool: I seem to recall many owners put 5.0 V8s in those, and hopping up the 2.3 is possible if built up right. I found cheaper rotors rust worse. Bendix pads work well on the front, on my family's other Mystique. My Mystique's brakes shudder too, because car sat around, and I may be replacing my rotors. Maybe if you are lucky, it will wear in. Platinum plugs are best for wear. I am unsure if you need double plats, which are used on the Duratecs that spark twice per cycle, but the ignition system is the same less 2 cylinders;)
 
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DanMyers said:
As posted above, rotors are rotors and cheap is probably the best way to go for you since I doubt with an ATX Zetec you'll do much high performance braking.
Click to expand...
On the other hand, with no usable engine braking, the rotors might get used up faster than you'd think they would.
Karl
 
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