Getting the most out of my 4 cylinder.

Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives

Hi all. I'm 17 years old and just bought my first car. A 1996 Ford Contour GL. So I was lookin around the net one day trying to find some information on why my car kept overheating and dying. That problem is solved now, but when I was looking, I found this site. I was kind of dissapointed to see that most of the Contours are 6 cylinder and mine was a 4.

So, I am wanting to know what things I can do to get the best PERFORMANCE out of my 4 cylinder. I'm talking about power, speed ect. I've already installed a stereo. Now I want to work on the engine, exhaust, intake and stuff. Again i'm 17 so my budget is EXTREMELY tight, and I really enjoy doing the work myself so if theres things I can do on my own that would be awesome and save me some money. Thanks alot for any suggestions! (great site btw

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Just look up one thread or Just Click . Also welcome to CEG

The two most noticable performance mods that you can do for the Zetec are an Intake (CTA or SleeperZ) and a chip.

With the GL, I'm guessing you have an ATX. Save up for a chip, you won't regret it.

HTH,
BP

welcome, CTA intakes rule!!
mike

Last I heard, they wearnt making the CTA anymore, I could be wrong though.

thats when u gotta learn to improvise...intakes are easy to mod. buy one for a focus.

one of the bomz kits on ebay for the focus should fit straight on, alot of people over on meg have used them. much cheaper than CTA anyway!

Originally posted by 2kool:
I was kind of dissapointed to see that most of the Contours are 6 cylinder and mine was a 4.

I feel your pain.

Originally posted by GLChick'95:

Originally posted by 2kool:
I was kind of dissapointed to see that most of the Contours are 6 cylinder and mine was a 4.

I feel your pain.

Haha, ditto. Don't feel bad just wait til Hector chimes in he has a lot done to his ATX Zetec, he'll have a few ideas here and there, first thing I'm working on mostly is looks then I'll go performance, also if it is the ATX get a Tranny cooler, I'm gonna invest in one sometime, the #1 killer of a ATX is heat so you'll need one of those esp. if you run the car hard like me.
Good luck and welcome to CEG, and hope you stay around a while unlike some others I seen.

Originally posted by mystique97:

Originally posted by GLChick'95:

Originally posted by 2kool:
I was kind of dissapointed to see that most of the Contours are 6 cylinder and mine was a 4.

I feel your pain.

Haha, ditto. Don't feel bad just wait til Hector chimes in he has a lot done to his ATX Zetec, he'll have a few ideas here and there, first thing I'm working on mostly is looks then I'll go performance, also if it is the ATX get a Tranny cooler, I'm gonna invest in one sometime, the #1 killer of a ATX is heat so you'll need one of those esp. if you run the car hard like me.
Good luck and welcome to CEG, and hope you stay around a while unlike some others I seen.

You know me too well.

A few things that should come first.....Trans cooler, and chip. Those will help your trans last longer.

Intake, exhaust, and optimized TB will help your car breathe better. They are also cheaper of the mods.

I am not sad I have a Zetec....look at my sig.

Hector, when are we going to see some 1/4 mile times?

Originally posted by SleeperZ:
Hector, when are we going to see some 1/4 mile times?

Won't be anywhere near your low 14s.....you have nothing to worry about.

Low 15's would be real nice to see!
Better than my low 16's off the juice....all the time power is a good thing.