Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Zetec Performance Swapping in the focus engine

bout time someone steps out of the box and actually does something different instead of complaining how much time and money its going to take. Props to u man.

oooo, with the addition of nitrous that should be nice!

Time yes it takes a little bit more then a standard tour to tour swap, but I couldn't find a tour motor for this price thats why I put the focus one in anyway Out of economics

OK, so its a focus longblock, could you please list all the parts that had to be swapped from the contour engine to the focus(alt, ac, oil sump/pan), and are you also using a focus tranny? A thorough how to or just a step by step would be great.

Ok I have been asked the same questions a few times now so make sure you read through this entire thread first. I used the focus long block meaning the head and block. I used my previously installed focus headers, ported intake and optimised throttle body from my old engine. I used a 77.5 inch belt with my old underdrive pulley. I had to shorten the spider hose where it connects to the engine about an inch because of the different water pump. I used the original engine mounting brackets but simply removed the necessary matrerial so they would fit and redrilled mounting holes so they would line up correctly. I used the old belt tentioner and cut off the idler pulley on the old engine bracket. I removed the focus tensioner. I removed the two focus driver side engine mounting studs so that the belt can run between the alternator and power steering pump. I cut off the two upper timing belt cover mounting screw conections so that the engine to body bracket would fit. I used the focus PCV system since it was a major improvement over the tour setup, but I did have to shorten the PCV hardline about 2 inches so that it would work with the contour intake manifold. I also used the tour oil pan setup and pickup tube but the focus oil pump. The focus oil pan is a two piece aluminum top and stamped steel bottom. The top piece serves as an integrated crank scraper. So I used the tour crank scraper, but that required the bolts with the studs on the bolt head. So I used the bolts from the tour motor as well which required the tour #2 and #4 main caps because the tour ones are taller. The tour oil pickup mounting angle was off by about 5 degrees fortunately its flange is pressed on so I just mounted it temporarily off by 180 degrees and used my hammer to rotate it until the correct offset was acquired then I dismounted it and remounted it in its correct position. The focus pickup tube is plastic and was designed to mount to the focus upper oil pan. I elongated the two transmission mounting holes in the oil pan because the focus block is slightly taller, maybe 1/8". I spliced in the oil pressure switch and knock sensor because they were not swappable and had different plugs. The oil filter just barely clears the back engine mounting bracket. Sleeperz took a video of the car today and should be posting it up later.

wow thats so not a striaght swap.

so hmm, would it be feasible to switch to a focus oil pan to take use of the focus header. As another option to modding the downpipe?


but then what about the flanges?

This is AWESOME!!!!!! More pics pretty please!

Now I really want a MTX Contour.

Can't use the focus oil pan, because I measured and there just isn't room. Just cut and weld long tube focus headers.