Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting 96 contour possible blown motor

1996 contour
2.5 V6 Duratech
130K Mi
New Trans last year

Car was being driven on highway and A/C stopped working, Daughter continued driving, didn't check temp. 15 min later started to smell funny, still didn't check temp. 5 min later looks in rearview sees white smoke, engine stalls, pulls to side of road. Calls for help.

When I arrive try to crank engine and fuel squirts from fuel rail crossover hose. I repair hose but still will not start. I have her crank while I check for spark and I hear gurgling from coolant bottle as she cranks. I open bottle cover with hand and feel pressure as she cranks.

1) I am assuming engine is toast and needs to be replaced but will consider any alternatives (head gasket?)

2) Is it worth trying to fix in car or should I just put in junkyard motor?

3) How hard in engine swap, last time I did a swap was 30 yrs ago on a 55 Chev.

I read the posts about Waterpump but don't think it's a possibility.

Help.....

well you already have a new trans, so dont junk the car...

My waterpump had failed, but the engine still ran fine! Is the oil contaminated? The oil in my car smelled a bit burnt but not the smell of antifreeze. The coolant boiled out some. I think your waterpump did fail, but you should be able to run the engine for short periods. You could do a compression test. (I think cars should have temperature alarms!)

When my girlfriend's Caprice over-heated, it took out the lower intake gasket. It is very easy for a gasket to fail with the intense heat, especially from a bad water pump. I do not think that the motor is blown, but check the oil and see what it looks like. Is it milky?

Water pump went out, and car started to overheat.
AC shut off because of hot engine.
Heads warped and/or head gasket blew because of overheated engine.
Warped head and/or head gasket is letting combustion pressure bubble through the coolant tank.

Hope I'm wrong, but that's sure what it sounds like. A compression test would be a good way to check. Does the engine seem to crank very easily? This too would be a check for no compression.

There is still a need for idiot lights in modern automobiles!

My ex-wife ruined my Mazda 626 in a similar fashion. She was on a turnpike, running 75+ mph. She started smelling something, but she kept on driving. She noticed the car seemed to be losing power, so what does she do? She gives it more gas. Finally it is losing so much power that she can't maintain her speed, so what does she do? She continues to drive on the shoulder of the road. Finally, the engine dies. She calls me. Her comment "Well, the warning light never came on". It didn't matter that the car did not have temperature warning lights. It had gauges, that I'm certain were pegged into the red.

That little ordeal cost me a lot of money. You guessed it....warped heads, no combustion.

Notice I said she is now my ex-.

Oil is not contaminated but is burnt. The plastic oil fill cap is melted inside . What I can see of the cam through the oil fill looks dry with no oil coating.

Sounds like time for a new motor, I found one with 51K mi for $700. Other than changing the plugs, wires and waterpump any other recommendations on work to do before I install it? Do I have to buy a hoist or can I put the car on stands and drop the engine using a floor jack?

Haynes manual says I have to open the A/C system and recharge afterwards, can this be avoided by removing the compressor before I drop the engine? Is it worth the hassle to do this or just bite the bullet and go for the A/C service after the repair?

How hard of a job is this?

Check your compression first. That's what I would do. You might have found a good deal on the engine however. The CEGers with 3.0 liter swaps could help with remove/replace? I haven't done that (yet). I believe the a/c could be detached from the engine and left in the car.

Many people here have removed the engine both ways (Out the Top and Out the bottom). I have pulled the engine in my 98 twice, both out the top, once to change the clutch and just recently to have the spark plug threads repaired. I would, with out a doubt, get the Ford Service Manual CD. You can search for it in the fourms and in the classifieds on the main page. It will tell you every step to remove the engine out the top. From step one: disconnect the Neg. battery cable, all the way to step XX: lift out the engine. A Haynes manual will tell you as well, but a combnation of both is the best way to go.

You do not have to break the AC lines to pull the engine. The compressor will unbolt from the block.

I have no where near the knowledge that most people on this site have but I will be happy to share what I know.