Well without a manual I will not be able to find sqwat on this for sure. From all the aftermarket sources that I know of, I cannot find anything that tells me for sure that certain hard parts from inside the CD4E found in the Escape are different then a pre2000. I did find that there are 3 or 4 different dive chains available and other parts, just no reference as to what their differences/vehcile applications are.
I did find proof that the maker of the CD4E, a Dutch company that I do not remember the name of right now, did "beef up" the CD4E for the Escape application, but I cannot find anything that states what was done to "beef" it up!! The only thing even close to this that I could find was that the Mazda application (Tribute) of the CD4E has more aggresive shift points in it's computer control where as the Ford stays with the softer shifts.
I am not giving up on this! I am replacing my CD4E in about a month and if I could find proof and hard facts that the Post 2001 CD4E is "beefier" then the pre2001's, I would get one!
I am just gona have to get a manual.