I am a former 2000 Mazda MPV owner. It is the Duratec engine. If you look at the plug wires, they are Ford. It even comes with a FL820S oil filter.
Some of the electronics are Mazda, but the block, heads and intake are Ford.
The US built Duratec engines were used because of some exchange rate issues that made this attractive. I suspect there was some excess capacity on the 2.5L engine line as the Contour and Mystique were not the radical sales success' that Ford had hoped for.
Later years, 2001 or 2002, I don't recall right now, they went to the 3L Duratec.
You might try mpvclub.org (or is it mpvclub.com) they have a pretty good owners forum over there.
