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Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 115
CEG\'er
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CEG\'er
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 115 |
i've been around here since '01 and own a '99.
first off, yes, these engines run rich and that's why the O2 sensors, pre-cats, and main cat go bad prematurely. that said, there are plenty of 2.5 and 3.0 engines around for the taking. they cost about the same, honestly. if you just want the pre-cats, i see people auction them off after buying headers.
i recommend buying MIL eliminators, gutting the pre-cats, giving the intake and fuel delivery a cleaning, and see if things improve. if you want more power or confidence in the car, then upgrade to a 3.0 block.
1999 Cougar V6 MTX
Borla stainless, dual exhuast
ST200 struts, rear strut tower brace
Roush springs, rear sway bar, bodykit
Steeda Tri/X, Powerslot rotors, Falken Ziex 512
Awaiting install: GMK CAI
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 8
Newbie
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OP
Newbie
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 8 |
Well, here's the rest of the story... Had another joint take a look at the engine, so this will be the FOURTH place that has looked at the car, and I'm getting sick of having it towed everywhere, even though towing insurance has held up so far... So, here's what was wrong with this car that THIS guy found out. He at least had me down to the shop after he took out the engine and made me look at all the stuff that needed fixing. 1. Seized alternator - these things are supposed to TURN, right? Fused solid. So, new one of those. That explains the dead batteries. $160 2. The first catalytic converter & exhaust manifold, which as I could see WAS attached directly to the engine, was completely shot. That was the original problem, and it cost $1,200 for parts on this single item from the Ford dealer. No used parts available via local yards/used parts dealers. Apparently this is the first part stripped from used engines. 3. Clutch was worn. Well, I knew about that, but I had no idea HOW worn - down to the bolts, so to speak. So new clutch/plates/bearing. $400 4. Downline on the exhaust, the second catalytic converter was also a solid lump of metal & ceramic. $120. 5. The 2.5 L V6 engine, $2,640.00 Installed. 6. Everything cleaned up nice & purty. I got all of this stuff for "cost", due to my obvious displeasure about the add-ons, needed as they were. All in all, this stuff added up to $3,300. So, did I get "royally boned?"  I'm comparing this to the cost of another vehicle, so I guess I'm ambivalent about the cost that I'm paying. If I'd have seen Keyser's post about 2 weeks ago, I'd have definitely taken him up on the offer. Would the current wiring harness/computer on my '95 have worked with his engine? And, about gutting the pre-cats: let's say I do this in the future, will I still pass emissions tests? I would tend to think not, but you guys may know better. The pre-cat is the cat on the exhaust manifold, near the engine, right? Does that put additional "strain" on the existing cat further down the line? I gotta read more in this forum...
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 8
Newbie
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OP
Newbie
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 8 |
Originally posted by BOFH:
You've got nothing to lose by gutting the cat, changing the oil and just seeing how long the car will run. You can then locate an engine at your leisure.
Who's to say the gloom and doom story about the engine is not to get you to drop a load of money you weren't planning to spend.
Besides, whats the worst case scenario, you blow the engine? You are already planning to replace it. This seems a gamble worth taking on a car with 127K miles. Something else can break tomorrow. Gut the cat and see if it will run.
TB
Engine wouldn't run already. That was the problem. The backpressure from two completely clogged cats and the fact that the alternator was seized basically made the car un-useable. Would not start even with a new battery, you see.
I completely agree with you on all points. However, the engine is already installed and all I have to do is pay for everything that needed replacing.
The cost difference between this "almost-new" engine and just the exhaust manifold/catalytic converter was only $1,000. After checking out the Haynes manual for this car, I can see why it's such a pain in the ass to change the exhaust manifold. Basically everything has to come out in order to change this part. Thank you, Ford engine designers, for making everything as inaccessible as possible. 
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Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 3,037
Hard-core CEG\'er
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Hard-core CEG\'er
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 3,037 |
So you went ahead on the replacement?  Oh well...at least you've got a running car now. I don't think I could dump that much into my '95 now, considering that roughly equivalent complete running cars only go for $1000-$1500 more. But then again, I still really do like my car, so if it came down to it, I'd really be conflicted.
"Think of it, if you like, as a librarian with a G-string under the tweed." Clarkson on the Mondeo.
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 26
New CEG\'er
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New CEG\'er
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 26 |
Originally posted by TourDeForce:
Get your work done elsewhere. Those guys are NOT working very hard for you at all. You are getting royally boned on repairs for a 10 year old car. [/LIST]
Good luck.
These cars don't have the highest resale value, you could buy another contour used for 2600 and keep your current one as a parts car. I don't know a lot about 3L upgrades but I would imagine that since the 3l is used in a few different cars they have to be more common. Unless you are a mechanic yourself, you can never be too sure what to expect with an enging swap. Back in the pre-computerized days, it was much easier to do. Now you can have a lot of problems swapping an engine.
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 26
New CEG\'er
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New CEG\'er
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 26 |
oops, i didn't read the rest of the thread to see that you already had the work done. I wish you luck, hopefully they put a good motor in and you will have fun for a long time!!!
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Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 7,117
Hard-core CEG'er
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Hard-core CEG'er
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 7,117 |
Well, you got your car back at any rate. The Contour is a great driving car - especially for what you pay, but you've got to be aggressive on maintenance for the trannies and perhaps be mindful of a few other things. You'll learn about how to get the most enjoyment from your car when you read more on these boards. CEG is great! The main cat is typically plenty for passing emissions sniffer tests. The precats are designed to give additional scrubbing when the engine is cold. Once the main cat warms up, it can handle emissions fine on its own. Gutted precats will also usually pass a visual inspection if you have one in your state/county - assuming the person who did the gutting does a descent job. Now for the work you had done, I'd say you got a fair price. You know what kind of maintenance & driving you've done in your car, and if you've taken care of the chassis, brakes, & such, you'll be able to enjoy it for a long, long time.  Keysers engine would have pretty much bolted in without a problem, and I'm sure he would have been willing to perform any needed preparations for you for a small fee - if any. Too bad you're so far away in Wisconsin. I think you'd really enjoy your car driving the Dragon with us in October. Do you have any nice/favorite ribbons of roadway to weave around on??
Must be that jumbly-wumbly thing happening again.
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 8
Newbie
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OP
Newbie
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 8 |
Hmm. "Driving the Dragon" seems nice - Although I'd much rather do something like that in my friend's Audi S4. Although the Contour's manual shifting is certainly far more fun than the boring automatic Bonneville SSEi my wife drives. (Sometimes she lets me take it to the store, but not too often. It's fast as hell in straight-line but handles like a boat  ) Perhaps with some wider 17" rims, fatter tires, and some suspension tweaks on the Contour I'll come "Drive the Dragon" sometime . Where IS the Dragon, BTW? Well, I've got the car back and MAN what a difference! I'd been driving my Mother-in-Law's Toyota Paseo, which is a manual, but the throw is so long and the clutch so worn it feels like I'm churning butter in that thing. The new Luk clutch mechanism that they put in the Contour is smoooth, and the Contour's throw is so short it feels like I'm barely moving the shifter at all - nice. I'm used to shifting by feel, usually ignoring the tach, but now I have to look at the tach because I can barely hear the engine before shifting into 1st, it's so quiet. I actually stalled out while pulling away from the garage...  Hopefully this will solve all the problems and this thing will run for another 5 years or so. The only parts on this car that haven't been replaced now are the tranny and the frame/bodypanels/interior. I plan to look into that metal impeller wheel for the water pump, and to check & make sure all the safety recalls have been done on this thing. Thanks for everyone's advice & help - I'm sure to stick around on CEG for a while.
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Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 7,117
Hard-core CEG'er
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Hard-core CEG'er
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 7,117 |
The Dragon is US 129 in NC and TN, right between a couple of National Parks. 318 turns in 11 miles. No crossroads, no rails, no driveways. Just turn after turn. Lotsa fun! Check out the SE forum for the Dragon Run post if you think you may attend in October. For further info on the Dragon itself: www.tailofthedragon.comYour experience with your new engine makes me sad that I have an ATX. Oh well. The girls like it.
Must be that jumbly-wumbly thing happening again.
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