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My car stalled tonight just a few blocks from my house. I got it towed back to my place and popped the timing belt cover. BINGO! The belt is in pieces. How difficualt is it to replace this on my own. I consider myself a not to bad mechanic when it comes to my car. Also what is the average price if I have Ford do it. It's a 98 Contour SE 4 cylinder with 135,000 clicks on it. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
1998 Contour 1500,000+ kms
Power Package Everything
Aluminum Alloy Wheels
2.0L Engine
Canadian Eh?!
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Well when replacing the timing belt it is a good idea to change the water pump and pulleys since your in that area anyways. My estimate for me water pump, timing belt, tensioner, new pulleys, new serpentine belt was about $575 I think.
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Doing it on your own (assuming that you've done something similar before) will take you 2-4 hrs.
Read the Haynes manual (very good on this), study & understand each step in advance. Also, there was a detailed post here about it recently.
Check the condition of the tensioner and idler pulleys, usually it's a good idea to replace them as a set. Chances are that your belt snapped because either the tensioner or one of the pulleys failed.
You'll need to fabricate the camshaft holding tool (that flat piece of metal) mentioned in the book to get the engine back to sync.
Doing the water pump will add a good amount of pain and labor to the project, I'd do it only if it's necessary.
The belt costs cca $40 (or $100-120 for a kit with the pulleys), the valve cover gasket is $20, all USD.
Tiv
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I did my timing belt and water pump without removing the valve cover. The haynes manuel mentioned this as well, so why the valve cover. Also the water pump was a PITA and the reason I changed the belt in the first place because I already had it off. This was at 146k miles.
ATX MTX swap, rear drum disc swap, drilled rotors, ported intake, optim throttle body, CAI, 7.5L MAF, adj. fuel regulator, longtube headers, underdrive pulley, no EGR, low inpedence bigger injectors, 2002 Focus Swap
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You remove the valve cover to lock the cams in place at TDC. I reckon you can do it without removing the valve cover but you'd have to be real real careful, and you'd have no way of knowing if your timing was set truly correctly.
98.5 SVT
91 Escort GT (almost sold)
96 ATX Zetec (i brake to watch you swerve)
FS: SVT rear sway bar
WTB: Very cheap beater
CEG Dragon Run - October 13-15
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I was told by a mehanic that the waterpump isn't near the timing belt in our cars thats why he didn't do my timing belt at the time  Aaron
AKA NVS SVT
98.5 Silver/Blue SVT#4553
Yeah it's modded
98 T-Red/Blue SVT Contour Totaled 06/05/06
03 3L,VCN 2000,CAT Cams,MSDS Headers w/Y-Pipe,XCal2 and lots more
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Originally posted by NVS Mystique:
I was told by a mehanic that the waterpump isn't near the timing belt in our cars thats why he didn't do my timing belt at the time
Aaron
I suggest you find a new mechanic.
98.5 SVT
91 Escort GT (almost sold)
96 ATX Zetec (i brake to watch you swerve)
FS: SVT rear sway bar
WTB: Very cheap beater
CEG Dragon Run - October 13-15
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Once again thanks for your input  Aaron
AKA NVS SVT
98.5 Silver/Blue SVT#4553
Yeah it's modded
98 T-Red/Blue SVT Contour Totaled 06/05/06
03 3L,VCN 2000,CAT Cams,MSDS Headers w/Y-Pipe,XCal2 and lots more
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Originally posted by 96mercury:
I did my timing belt and water pump without removing the valve cover. The haynes manuel mentioned this as well, so why the valve cover.
You're right, it's possible, I've done it both ways (1st time with a help of an oldschool mechaninc friend, he didn't bother with the cover).2nd time I did it myself with the camshaft locking tool and since then I prefer it that way.
It just gives you much bigger safety margin against your own clumsiness - I agree with enough experience you might not need it.
Tiv
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I'm assuming since all his valves aren't shot that the zetec is not an interference engine. Or is it? I don't really know though since Im just picking mine up today.
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