Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Help ASAP 1999 Se wreck, found a 98 SVT

I am new here, and did not find anything about what I was looking for, so here goes...
Asside from the obvious differences body wise, am I going to be ok with a 1998 SVT front clip on my 1999 SE V6 contour? My wife had my car and went under a pickup early this week. I looked it over, and as far as I can tell, the fenders and hood are the same asside from the rocker panel skirts which the yard cut in half sectioning the car.
It took out both the rad and condensor, cracked the fan and I think smoked it, bent the rad support bad. I found a svt front clip at a yard in my city for a fair price in the color of my SE. I am going to pick up the entire front clip today after work, and need a answer like yesterday.
I don't think my SE was hurt very bad, but never know until it's torn down.
Any major wiring differences?
Are the coolers larger for the svt, or the same?
Is the condensor the same?
Feel free to email on this, I just want to make sure I am not throwing borrowed money away.
Drew
Eliteman76@Aol.com

Front bumper is a direct swap, as is the radiator (as well as a preferred upgrade, for MUCH more efficient cooling)

everything else you mentioned is an identical part, assuming your car is a V6.


Ray

Welcome.

Great clarification, Jim. Sorry I didn't mention anything about that!


Ray

Thanks for the help. The yard chopped the svt side skirts some time ago, the clip I got is off a 1998 svt with 69k on the odometer. I did not pay attention to that fact about the radiator, as my '99 SE is an automatic; I was looking under the dash, the yard left the pcm under the dash, and I was looking and noticed the car was a stick. I am going to have to go back Monday to swap the cooler for the correct one...It is 2am sunday morning, and I just got the front clip torn off. I think this is payback for droppiing my full coverage on it 2 months ago!I appreciate the help.
Oh, would the svt cluster face swap out for the one in my se? I love the look of the white face guages, but do not want to tamper with the odometer. If nothing else, the extra parts can always be sold to help get money back for the outlay on the front clip.
I got lucky, as it did not damage any lines, but I need to find a 2.5 front plastic engine cover piece, as mine got broke. Didn't see any other major damaged asside from the rad support...not looking forward to welding that in, going to be a long Sunday.
***question about the airbags, BIG worry****
I noticed that my contour was missing the air bag sensors. i was happy at first the bags did not blow, but now I am worried about that...my contour did not have the airbag sensors on the old radiator support...not even their mount brackets...I am sort of upset about this. Question is, should I install the sensors from the svt?
Or, should I go back to my dealer and say something?
I don't like complaining, never sued anyone or any company, but man, something like this seems like a law suit. Maybe I'm just blowing smoke...just worried more than anything else.
Once again, thanks for the help.

It is not a good idea to use the trans cooler that is intended for liquid to liquid heat exchanger as an air to liquid heat exchanger.

Another answer might be to get an oversized liquid to air trans cooler to run up front without using the radiator cooler, but I don't think it is a very good idea.

You might try taking both radiators to a radiator shop to see if they can find an end tank from another radiator that can accomodate a trans cooler to be added to the SVT radiator. I have sometimes had success doing this with other cars.

Another option is to get the correct SE radiator and recover as much as you can by selling the SVT radiator. If a radiator shop cannot help you convert the SVT radiator, buying a new SE radiator and selling the SVT radiator is your best option.

Thanks...I was consulting with a shop, and I had thought about trying to modify the plastic end tank, but I have been told the end tanks are not repairable, only replacable.
Sort of depressing, but I called the salvage yard, and I am getting the correct radiator tomorrow. Not like it's a rush, as I still have to wled the radiator support back to the car.
Drew

Well, I got the car back together, running ok. I was trying to find anything about the following cooling issues, but I can't find the posting I thought I had originally saw on the V6 overheating problems.
After examining things, I have a couple problems.

1-First is the car seems like it is running alot hotter than before. It had run on the lower half of the temp gauge, and now the thing is running half to 3/4 up the temp gauge. I got a used radiator, flushed it, and installed {which was a pain, never have I dealt with a car that the rad had to go in from below. Stupid design}

I am wondering if there possibly is an air bubble in the system, as I was only able to add one gallon of antifreeze.
What is the capacity of tha radiator, and are there any proper procedures for allowing the cooling system to be purged of air? This is the first car I own where the cap is on the recover tank. I refilled the tank, let it warm up, and I kept adding to the max line. I put a 50/50 mix, One gallon total. This morning I saw it was slightly low, but could not add because the car was warmed up {wife started it before asking me, ran for 5 minutes}.
I have not installed the filler panel at the bottom of the front bumper, and I got to thinking, before the accident my SE never had that black plastic filler piece. I got one with the SVT front clip, good or bad if not on?

1.5-I searched the board, and saw postings for the water pump issue, mine is a late 1998 SE, and I was wondering now if I should have inspected the water pump while the car was apart. Too late now, of course! it's all back together.
I swore I thought I heard a sqeaking by the water pump, but I am not sure now it wasn't just the idler puller for the belt. Does anyone have a suggestion for a dealer service book? Unlike my Ford service manual sets for my Torino, the Chilton's book is worthless except for a few select things.

2-I need a wheel alignment, I recentally put a new set of BFG's on my SE, and the inside edge is starting to go bald. The dealer had never said a thing to me in the last year about any bad tire wear. Not happy about that.
I normally do my service work, but as my SE was under warranty I had the dealer perform the service work.
Are the front ends very adjustble on the Contour? My right tie rod seems like it has a very small amount of play compared to the left, it is tight. I am doubtful it's a ball joint issue, the tires still feel tight, no rocking motion top and bottom wise. Just the right tie rod issue.

3-I fixed the a/c and now it's blowing colder than before. Nice surprise. Only issue is I notice while under the car, alot of red dust on the compressor, and lower engine.
At around 89k, would it be time to do the compressor clutch?
not making noise, just trying to be preventative.
Sorry for such a long post, I do appreciate the help.
Andrew