Originally posted by Sixpipes:
warmonger
The email you previously sent regarding the dealer's scenario was spot on. Having said that, I will be towing the Contour from Bankston to John Eagle within the week. Long story, but the service manager at Bankston indicated that even if the motor in the Contour was good when it arrived at Bankston and his mechanics re-installed the timing gear incorrectly and damaged the motor, Bankston could not be held responsible because the 2.5L/3.0L is a hybrid motor. He also stated that if he had known about it, he would have never authorized his shop to help me out. He also, if you can believe this one, indicated that I had broken the law by switching to a larger (non stock) motor thereby altering the emmisions on the vehicle. I must say, he offered this last tidbit after I explained my intentions in no uncertain terms so he may have been under a little duress. :-)
Anyhow, the guys at Eagle will be more than happy to pull the front cover off the motor to check the timing and of course share what they find. If Bankston did miss the timing by a link on the back timing chain, as I suspect, I will pursue the issue in court to recoup the money I will have to pay Bankston to release the car. If not, back to the drawing board. I will be happy to share the results when they are available.
For the record, the 3.0L head gaskets were used. 
Hummmmmm, service manager not knowing what's going on in his own shop? Sounds like easy prey for recouping funds to me. Motor swaps are not illegal as long as the emissions from both engines are similar in operation and are left in operating condition. The car must also pass the more demanding of the two vehicles emissions testing the last I read... get a lawyer... get the TSB on the timing chains printed out... get copies of your bills from both shops when completed... That little video would help too as would some video of the properly running (hopefully) car after the next shop takes a stab at it. If they still try to blame it on a "stock vs. hybrid motor, use us good running 3 liters as a reference of people that know what they're doing and know that had they read the Ford TSB's on your Contour that they would be in this mess.
Willing to testify...
