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Need advise on a 1998 Contour SVT

K

KKSPORT

New CEG'er
Joined
Apr 25, 2005
Messages
5
Location
Pennsylvania
Regretfully, I sold my 1995 Contour SE for a 1999 Mercedes C280 about a year ago. I liked the Mercedes, but it wasn't as fun to drive as the Contour.
I then sold the Mercedes and bought an old "beater" until something comes along and catches my attention. I really miss the Contour (2.5L V6 / 5 speed).

I located a 1998 Contour SVT with 120,000 miles for $800. Of course, there are issues. The owner said it won't turn over. I know, it sound fishy, but he said that he didn't want to spend the money to find out what was wrong with it because he has two other cars. He only stated in his ad that it wasn't seized.

I got to thinking about this as a small project car. A local pick & pull has deals every other month on engines for $65.00. They won't have an SVt engine, but there are always 2.5 L's in the yard.

My first thoughts are to check if the engine can turn over and second if the cams are turning.

I know the SVT engines have know lower end problems, but maybe I can get lucky and the problem can be electrical.

Anyone ever run across this problem other than having a 5" hole in the block?
 
I talked to him too and he's dropped his price considerably. I told him I thought the motor was toast and he didn't have a response to that other than he doesn't know what's wrong. It seems like its the classical oiling bearing failure.

For that, I'd pick it up. Find a low mileage Taurus motor and slap it in.
 
If your just looking to get it back on the road go ahead and buy a standared 2.5L and do the "svt lite" upgrade(svt uim.lim,tb,cable and bracket. or if the heads and cams are good,swap those too.
 
95pgt-t said:
If your just looking to get it back on the road go ahead and buy a standared 2.5L and do the "svt lite" upgrade(svt uim.lim,tb,cable and bracket. or if the heads and cams are good,swap those too.
Click to expand...

still cheaper to do a 3.0L if the engine is toast.
 
I just purchased the car and got the title from the guy tonight. Yes the engine is seized. I went to look at the car last night and the guy goes "hmmm, where's the key?" We shine a flashlight inside and the key is in the ignition, battery dead, doors locked, and the guy has no other keys and only the remote. He claimed that the tow truck driver did it. The rest of the car looked really good so I hoped for an electrical problem but also suspected that to be too good to be true.

I went back tonight and was able to break into the car and get to the key, with the owner's permission of course. Found that the starter went clunk and thats it. I then went to look at the crank pulley and it had marks on the bolt like someone tried to turn it recently. I then tried to turn it both ways and was not able to budge it. (I only had a short 3/8 ratchet though) I then said something to the seller and he said that someone looked at it and was able to get it to turn a bit in the one direction. He then said that it's probably just a rod bearing or something, like it's no big deal to fix. I was prepared for the bad news and don't care that much that it needs an engine. The thing that really pushed my buttons is that the guy advertised the car as being "checked by a mechanic and the engine is NOT seized.....". Then the first thing out of his mouth, when questioned, was that he went into a Staples to buy something and it wouldn't start after he came back out. He claimed he didn't want to pay someone a couple hundred bucks to diagnose the problem. Yeah right, more like the car was knocking like a sob until it ground to a hault in front of the Staples.

Once I get the car home, I'm gonna pull the pan off and take a look inside and see whats going on. I'm sure it a worst case and needs an engine. I am still not sure if I want to try and keep it original or go for a 3L swap.

I used to have a 98 4cyl SE A/T and actually loved the car, except that it was slow and the trans started to act up. When the GF needed a new beater car, I went looking around and found a 95 SE V6 M/T. The car is in one piece but the engine harness looks original and is starting to break up. The cooling fan was hotwired by a previous owner and something is killing the battery in like 2 days. Even so, the GF likes the car a lot and says she understands why I liked my old one so much. The original plan was to fix the SE up but then I found the SVT. She went with to check the car out and fell in love with it. The plan is now to fix up the SE enough to use as a daily driver while we fix the SVT, then the SE will go back up for sale.

I will update with more info when I find out.
 
I had a feeling that he wasn't being totally honest in his ad.

Harry's U-Pull-It in Pennsburg has numerous 2.5L Contours in the yard. You can always wait until they have engine specials for $65.
 
I saw that too... I was tempted. But I really don't need a second one right now...

If it was me, i'd pull the accessory belt off and try to turn it. I've seen a few Contours that have sat and the alternator seized up causing the car to try to turn over then stop.

That's where i'd start. Then you can at least isolate the issue. If it still doesn't turn over with a good battery and all contacts checked. I'd pull the motor...

It is likely that these guys are right. That motor was run with a spun bearing and that bearing finally gave up.
 
autoxerwgn congrats on the purchase and welcome to the forum. If you need any help working on it feel free to PM me. I live right up past the Ridge and Henry split and I work in Plymouth Meeting.
 
elraido said:
still cheaper to do a 3.0L if the engine is toast.
Click to expand...

Incorrect ;) If he's getting a regular 2.5 for that cheap it's easier and cheaper than a 3.0 swap. And he already would have the intake manifolds/cams from the SVT engine that he could put in like pgt-t is saying to get it close to an SVT engine.
 
as long as you are pulling the engine you might as well put a 3L in.
 
oh yea, the guy i bought my car from pitched me the same thing (the car just stopped one day, i dunno what happened)
 
If your going to swap motor's there is no reason to put a 2.5 in there.

3L ford taurus motor must be as plentiful in the yard your talking about.
​
 
but you cant just SWAP a 3L in,there's other things that go along w/it. not mention running one w/out a torsen/quaife would be doing the job halfassed. not everyone is looking to drop 2k +/- to get the car on the road...and thats assuming you do some of the work yourself
 
95pgt-t said:
but you cant just SWAP a 3L in,there's other things that go along w/it. not mention running one w/out a torsen/quaife would be doing the job halfassed. not everyone is looking to drop 2k +/- to get the car on the road...and thats assuming you do some of the work yourself
Click to expand...

dissagree on the ATB diff, some just don't have the money to upgrade everything or don't feel that they need it as many go 3L because they are cheaper to get then a 2.5L engine :shocked: if you can feather the clutch you shouldn't have a problem with a stock diff on a 3L, you just can't beat on it.

but over all it is a good idea, just not for everyone.
 
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