Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications General Mods 3.0 Exhaust Manifold Swap Info

Well I finally got around to trying to see if the manifolds off a Taurus would fit on our cars this weekend. After getting a set dirt cheap from David Z since he wasn't using them (Thanks Dude!), I attempted a trail fit on the car. My main concern initially was with the front or LH manifold. It sticks out a good bit more than the stock one does. Well the good news is after grinding on the manifold some and moving the radiator forward a little with some spacers--the front one WILL fit!

The bad news though is there is no way in hell that the back one will fit! You could probably actually physically bolt it on, but there is absolutely no way that you could hook the rest of the exhaust up to it. The rear crossmember is in the way, as the 3.0 manifold basically comes straight out with very little angle downwards.

It's a shame though as I believe there is some decent power to be had in these manifolds. Now, I'm not saying anywhere near the level that a set of headers could give you. However, I do believe if we could find a set that would work--they would be way ahead of the headers in terms of dollar per HP.

Actually for a cast piece, the factory 3.0 manifolds don't look too bad. The ports are definitely bigger than the 2.5's, including the collectors. No real surprise there as it is what one would suspect being they came off a larger engine. I was surprised though at how smooth they were on the inside and the straight through design. While holding the manifold up you could look through any of the ports and see out the collector to the otherside. No casting flash anywhere and a realitively smooth surface. It is nice to see how the casting technology has progressed as compared to an old set of 289 manifolds.

I must say that the factory 2.5 set-up SUCKS!! This is from the manifolds on back, as I took my complete exhaust system off just looking at some things. No wonder this is the main restriction on our cars. The front 2.5 manifold is HORRIBLE! The primaries (if you can call them that) remain real close to the head itself and there are rough welds all inside it. After seeing how small the air passages are in the honeycomb of the pre-cats, it is a wonder the engine can even breath at all! I am telling you that the vast majority, if not all, of the headers power increase comes from the elimination of the pre-cats and the larger tube diameter alone. Not to take anything away from these companies actual "designing" abilites, but anyone that has had their manifolds off will know what I am talking about.

Now I'm not giving up yet as there are still some other model years out there to look at. The set that I have are off of a '98 Taurus. I know for a fact that the '00-up front ones are different as I have seen these. I don't know about the back one, but I am hopeful. Also, I know the '96 model year has a different part number though I haven't seen any of these yet either. At the very MINIMUM I am going to gut the pre-cats on my car, albeit with a different set of stock manifolds. Actually, the rear manifold probably wouldn't be too bad with the pre-cat gone. Maybe run the 3.0 on the front and the gutted 2.5 on the back. I'm really not very fond of that idea at all and would just like to find a 3.0 one that will fit.

So there you go--we are half way there. Anyone know what any of the manifolds off these other year cars look like? Anybody know of any other vehicles that the Duratec was installed in besides the 'Tour/Taurus that might have some different manifolds? (No Escapes as this is basically the same thing we have now.) What was the first year that the Duratec came out in the U.S.? How about anybody else that was attempting this swap (Bradness I think was one), anything to share? Maybe all hope is not lost just yet.

For those that are curious, I did this in my basement and Yes it was a B!TCH!!!! But hopefully in the end it will be worth it.

I saw pics on a Ford fanatic website and the Taurus headers looked like they were welded up tubes. I saw a '01 Taurus at the dealers last week and noticed they were cast. What about the EGR connection point on the rear header, was it close to being correct? I too am planning to mod or replace the header precat assembly. Keep posting as I haven't decided how this would best be done either.

The EGR hook-up was actually pretty close to the same location. Would have to get an elbow to make the connection, but no big deal. If only the thing would fit...so close yet no cigar. We need to track down a '00-'01 and see how the rear bank looks. Like I said the front one is different from the '98 that I have, so maybe the back is different also. Lets just hope the situation is better, not worse. The '96 should be different also, so there is another avenue.

So anyone else know of any other vehicle that the Duratec came in? How about the first year it was used here? I don't know if it came in the earlier model Taurus or not. You know the non "Goldfish" version like '92-'95 maybe.

The first year the 2.5 showed up was '95 in the Contour, and the 3.0 showed up in the '96 Taurus. The '92-95 Taurus did not have the Duratec. It had the 3.8.

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'98.5 Mystique GS ATX/re-contented door lights/K&N Filter/Energy Suspension Sway Bar Bushings/Mintex Street Pads/high-beam bulbs in low-beams/Pioneer DEH-P3100 receiver/Pioneer TS-A6855's in all doors/removed ding gaurds

[This message has been edited by 4cylmys (edited April 30, 2001).]

Thanks 4cylmys! That's what I was thinking, but I couldn't remember for sure. I knew it was in the 'Tour when it first came out in '95, but couldn't remember if it was in any other vehicles or not. So '96 was the first year it was in the Taurus, any other vehicles? How about anything from Mazda? Didn't they use the Duratec some also? How about the Probes? I forget what year it was that they quit making them, but didn't some of the last GT's have V6's in them? I don't know if it was a Duratec or not, and if the setup is any different than what we already have.

Anybody??

The Duratec (or an offshoot) is also used in the Lincoln LS and the Jag S type. I checked those 3.0 pics and that front bank header is definitely tubular. Now if I could only find out if it's a prototype or the real thing. The Probe GT from 93-97? used a Mazda 2.5 V6. Same engine in the MX6. Cast headers can be made to flow just as good or better than tubular ones with a little bit of port/polish work. The only problem is the excess weight. What do they look like internally?

I was going to offer up the new Mazda MPV, but it uses the 2.5 Duratec, not the 3.0.



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Andrew Morris
Birmingham, AL

'99 SE Zetec ATX
Pics, mods, etc...
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Here are some pics of the different Duratecs--

http://jwfisher.home.texas.net/section-ford/engines/6m30d/default.htm

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Dan
99SVT - Tropic Green
#554/2760
Stock - except minor intake, exhaust, & motor mount enhancements

Drumnut: That's it, Thanks! I knew there was a Mazda that used the Duratec but couldn't remember what it was. It doesn't matter if it is a 2.5 or 3.0 as long as it has manifolds that might fit and doesn't have the pre-cats made into them. Does anybody know what years we should be looking at?

Bradness: Check out my original post again. The 3.0 manifolds actually look a good bit better than the 2.5s on the inside. Believe it or not they are also LIGHTER than the 2.5s because they don't have the pre-cats made into them. So the Probe GT used a Mazda engine. Man that really screws me up sometimes when a Ford is powered by a Mazda and a Mazda is powered by a Ford. I thought about the LS also, but didn't know if it would be close or not since it is rearwheel drive. Maybe we should ask Chris Hightower if he can take a look for us. Or wait a minute, his is the V8 isn't it?

Dan: Thanks for the pictures! I have studied those things religiously ever since I first saw them on here. The problem we are running into is what Bradness mention above. That is what we see on these show engines and what makes it to production are not necessarily the same things. Case in point is that the '98 manifolds I have are slightly different from the ones shown in the photos for the '98 model year. I don't know if it is the angle at which that picture was taken or what, but on the rear bank the manifold I have doesn't angle down nearly as much. Actually, I believe the one in the photo might actually fit on a 'Tour. They are very subtle differences, but so far enough that it won't work.

hey,
I just recently saw the New Ford Escape, it has a 3.0 Duratec in it aswell.