Old 2.5L; Better to Upgrade to 3.0L?

[BrApple]

Pretty much.... You're saying I should keep the 2.5 and turbo it..? I do like low-end torque and snappy, powerful response moreso than high-end power. I'm not going to be doing over 60-70mph (highest speed limits in Hawaii) anyway. What would be the best strategy to do this? A turbo or a 3L?

Note: I have an XCal2, so I can get a tune for whatever mods I get...

no, I am not saying turbo the 2.5L. I'm trying to understand what you want out of your car. sounds like you want something new with alot more power. it almost sounds like you want the dyno graph saying the car makes big power.

just not sure. You can dd a turbo 3L, but I wouldn't imho. there is a 50/50 split on that one. and your not going to stick to 60-70 if you turbo either ....

 

[striker2]

If you want usable power in a DD Contour then a 3L is what you want. If you want the power of a turbo V6 as a usable DD then you need a different platform.

 

[BAD SVT]

^^^What they said. Seems to me what u're looking for is a DD with good power & reliability. 3L is the way to go. Unfortunately to get there, u're gonna need some know-how. Since u dont have basic car skills, i wouldnt suggest u start by switching engines. But if u've got cash to spend, then get a block from 3lduratec, and have a shop install ur svt bits on it. Voila! U're done. If not, then u should figure out a way to get ur car to great running shape. We'll be able to help u with that.

 

[Savior]

Awesome, the last few posts pretty much cleared up my dilemna; I do want a daily driver with reliability and more low-end power; a turbo would probably not be practical for me at this point, and I'd rarely get to see its power in low-speed, stop-and-go environments due to boost-lag, right? If I get a new DD one day and keep the SVT as a weekend project car, I'll look more into a turbo kit. Thanks for all the answers!

 

[mrspindlelegs]

Another reason you should not put a turbo on your 1998 SVT is the 1998 - 99 CSVTs have a weak piston design that is prone to failure when turbocharged. The connecting rods are also too tired in your motor (increased chance of spun bearing syndrome).

One thing nobody has said to you is this:

You have stated that you basically know very little at all about auto mechanics. Jumping in the water and trying to do something like an engine swap leads to a high risk of catastrophic failure; you better start hanging out locally with people who have a lot more experience than you on auto repair and performance builds. They may not be very familiar with the exact layout of the Ford Contour but they will have practical experience that you can learn from. They will also have tools you can borrow. If you don't have any tools already or anybody to borrow them from, the cost of doing an engine swap can easily blow-up your wallet. You can definitely get a lot of help here on CEG but there are things that sometimes require a second set of eyes and hands onsite to solve problems quickly and properly.