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My daughter has a 1996 Ford Contour 4 cylinder.Zetec. Three days ago my husband and I drove it about 15 miles to his mother's house. On our way home, the car started making a noise like a belt had broke and was slapping the side of the car under the hood sounded like the passenger side to me. He continued to drive it like this and it started shuddering and dying when we had to stop at a redlight/stopsign etc. It would shudder slightly during driving. We stalled in the road in front of the Police station and couldn't get it started again. Had a tow-truck come and get us and take us home (125.00 dollars!!) Now her Tour is sitting in the driveway. It will turn over and over but will not start. What could be the problem? I thought maybe a fuel pump went out. Any and all help or suggestions welcome. Thanks and Happy New Year to all! 
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Based on your description, I have good news and bad news.
Bad news: Sounds like the timing belt broke. You can verify this by removing the shroud over the cam gears on the passenger side of the engine. If the belt is obviously missing or does not appear to be firmly in place over the cam gears, there's your problem.
The good news: Ford made the Zetec a "non-interferance" engine. That means that if the timing belt should brake, the pistons will typically not impact the valves and severe engine damage is usually avoided.
There are rare instances where the engine is damaged, but this is most typical in very worn engines, or if the car is being driven hard (high RPM) at the time the belt breaks.
Your local shop or dealer should be able to replace the belt & reset the valve timing without much difficulty. I estimate the cost to be under $600.
Must be that jumbly-wumbly thing happening again.
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As TourDeForce stated, and with your descriptions, I would agree.
You stated that you heard a distinct slapping sound, like a belt on the underside of the hood. There is a timing belt underneath the cam cover, and stated, and there is the drive belt (aka serpentine belt) that drives your alternator, and a/c.
Tour, I am not that familiar with the Zetec, but I am assuming that the WP is driven on a pulley by the timing belt. If the belt were to break, as suspected, would there be an overheating condition, or not?
15 miles is more than far enough, (especially with stop/go traffic lights, and signs) to overheat.
Curious now as well.
Ray
'99 CSVT - Silver #222/276
In a constant state of blow-off euphoria.
Originally posted by Kremitthefrog:
I like to wear dresses and use binoculars to watch grandmas across the street.
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Originally posted by Ray:
Tour, I am not that familiar with the Zetec, but I am assuming that the WP is driven on a pulley by the timing belt. If the belt were to break, as suspected, would there be an overheating condition, or not?
There was no mension of a water pump or overheating. I don't know where this came from.
They were suspecting perhaps a fuel pump, but I've never heard of a fuel pump going out in that manner in these cars. They usually slowly die, & you get plenty of warning before they fail completely.
I think the belt began to shred & one of the cams or the crank gear skipped a tooth or two & caused the car to run poorly for a while before the belt failed.
Another possibility that comes to mind as even MORE likely than the belt itself is a tensioner pulley. Those tend to fail in the Zetec engines, so you should make a small investment in a tensioner pulley along with the belt to avoid a future problem.
Must be that jumbly-wumbly thing happening again.
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Originally posted by TourDeForce:
Originally posted by Ray:
Tour, I am not that familiar with the Zetec, but I am assuming that the WP is driven on a pulley by the timing belt. If the belt were to break, as suspected, would there be an overheating condition, or not?
There was no mension of a water pump or overheating. I don't know where this came from.
It came from above. HE was asking you if the tmiing belt was the same as the belt that drives the alternator and the WP. IF it is and it broke then they would also need to worry about having overheated the car. My guess is that if it overheated they would have noticed that and made mention in their post.
Get your daughter AAA 50 bucks for the year and you get 5 miles of free towing. That is at least enough to get it to a garage where you can get it looked at.
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thank you, Capp.. that is exactly what I was wondering... I was merely trying to make sure that the problem was addressed thoroughly, and that maybe an overheating car could have been another condition, had the belt broken.
Tensioner, however, is a much more viable option, now that you mention it, and as prone as they are to wear, and rattle, I wouldn't doubt it, either..
Ray
'99 CSVT - Silver #222/276
In a constant state of blow-off euphoria.
Originally posted by Kremitthefrog:
I like to wear dresses and use binoculars to watch grandmas across the street.
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. it would be imposible for any car that the water pump runs off of the timing belt to over heat after the timing belt brakes. because the engin would sputter and die after a timinmg belt brakage. therefor no heat could be made. if the belt just jumped a notch and was still able to keep going that would mean that the water pump would of kept going too and there would be no prob with overheating. you cant have one keep going and not the other.
RIP Frank Foreman. March 15 2005. died in a tragic car crash at the age of 18.<Drive Safe>
1995 Contour gl Zetec auto.
178000km
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As I have told you before..my car needed a water pump which was tied in to the timing belt..eventually when I was going over 70 MPH on the interstate - my water pump went out which snapped the timing belt. My car DID NOT overheat. It would simply click and not start when I tried to start out. Now I had the waterpump AND timing belt cahnged for 375 bucks. It should be around 400 dollars if it were your timing belt.
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Originally posted by realslimshaver:
. it would be imposible for any car that the water pump runs off of the timing belt to over heat after the timing belt brakes. because the engin would sputter and die after a timinmg belt brakage. therefor no heat could be made. if the belt just jumped a notch and was still able to keep going that would mean that the water pump would of kept going too and there would be no prob with overheating. you cant have one keep going and not the other.
Thanks... I stand informed.. I guess it was just assumed that the car WOULD run with the belt broken, as he described DRIVING HOME like that, and then TourDeForce stated that it would be the belt, most likely.. so I put two and two together, and naturally got four (four would equal engine heat...lol ) Sorry my math isn't up to par... 
Ray
'99 CSVT - Silver #222/276
In a constant state of blow-off euphoria.
Originally posted by Kremitthefrog:
I like to wear dresses and use binoculars to watch grandmas across the street.
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They are out there working on daughters Contour now. I was told that the timing chain is alright, not broken and that the serpentine belt is tight nothing wrong there. They ruled out the fuel pump too saying that it was heard engaging when the key was turned on. All 4 spark plugs were removed and replaced with Platinum plugs and they are putting an oil change on it right now. Any ideas as to why it still won't start? It will turn over and "act" like it is going to kick in but then go back to the basic starter grind trying to turn over. Frustrating, so very frustrating. My daughter starts college Monday so we HAVE no choice but to get it fixed and fixed now. HELP?!?!?! 
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