skid123 wrote:
just thought i'd give an update. Head was damaged along with one of the pistons. Needs a new engine.
  No, it just needs a new head, and a new piston.  If that's all that's wrong, then it is well possible to repair it for much less than the cost of another engine.  A professional mechanic might be reluctant to do so, because it can be very tricky offering any kind of warranty on such a repair; but if you are mechanically-inclined, then it's not all that difficult as a do-it-yourself job.

{I do hate spam, but that isn't really part of my email address.  Remove the string ?HatesSpam? from the email address ?BobHatesSpam@blaylock.to? to email me.  No advertisements.  Spammers will be dealt with very harshly!}
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Moonlight Blue 1996 Mercury Mystique GS , Zetec engine, ATX.  No mods. (Well, OK, one mod.  Before I got rid of my previous car, a 1994 Tempo, I swapped radios.  I liked the Tempo's radio better.  That counts as a mod, doesn't it?  I also kept one of my Tempo's wheels to use as a spare.  I hate those stupid ?compact? spares that come with modern cars.  Does this count as a mod?  If so, I guess I have two mods.  Replaced burned/melted blower switch and connector on 19 February 2002 with a 1P3T toggle switch from Marvac and a Molex connector from Rat Shack; I guess this now makes three mods.)