Picked up the 3.0 this weekend

Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives

My engine started knocking a month or so ago. This last weekend I made a trip down to Portland and grabbed a 2003 3.0L. I also just got off the phone with Bill ordering the gaskets and oil pan.

Stupid oil return problem

My engine was still running sweet.

Bad, and good, news! Too bad about the 2.5, but good that you picked up a 3.0!

What kind of oil were you using in the 2.5?

Good luck on the install. Gimme a holler if you need some help.

Regards,
David

I was using Mobil 1 Extended Life Synthetic. I think what I had in it was 15 - 30, that is what my wife picked up.

The problem was that I went a couple months without checking it, and my car burns a little oil.

DDV if you would like to help some (or anybody else) let me know and I will send you updates.
Paul

Originally posted by Bugzuki:
DDV if you would like to help some (or anybody else) let me know and I will send you updates.
Paul

Im up for helping out/learning about the 3L swap. So let me know when you start.
-tropictour

Will Do.

Hi all!

Ok...so I'm pretty sure my 2.5 is broke, again, (GDammit) replaced it once at 50,000. (check out my thread in the troubleshooting section)

Anyway, my question/s is/are:
1. Cost of a 3.0L and how/where do I get one?
2. Does the 3.0 have oil starvation/pickup issues?
3. Has anyone put a competely different engine/tranny is our car? (Like not a Ford, but a 6)

I live in B'ham btw and am trying to get my baby up and running again. I would be glad to deal with any aftermarket stereo issues/questions. (I open my car/boat stereo business in Nov)

Originally posted by rainshdw:
Hi all!

Ok...so I'm pretty sure my 2.5 is broke, again, (GDammit) replaced it once at 50,000. (check out my thread in the troubleshooting section)

Anyway, my question/s is/are:
1. Cost of a 3.0L and how/where do I get one?
2. Does the 3.0 have oil starvation/pickup issues?
3. Has anyone put a competely different engine/tranny is our car? (Like not a Ford, but a 6)

I live in B'ham btw and am trying to get my baby up and running again. I would be glad to deal with any aftermarket stereo issues/questions. (I open my car/boat stereo business in Nov)

1. Usually you can get it done for less than $5k. And check car-part.com and it will show you a wreckingyard in or around your area that has one. Look for a 2003+ Escape, Taurus, Sable etc.
2. No
3. Not that I know of. Best thing is to just pull your MTX-75 and ship it to Terry Haines. He knows how to make them last.
-tropictour

Originally posted by rainshdw:
1. Cost of a 3.0L and how/where do I get one?
2. Does the 3.0 have oil starvation/pickup issues?
3. Has anyone put a competely different engine/tranny is our car? (Like not a Ford, but a 6)

(I open my car/boat stereo business in Nov)

I got my engine from Foster Auto Parts in Portland. It has 3000 miles on it. It cost 700 dollars. With a little more miles you can usually get them for 500 or so. They would have charged me 600 but I did not have a core exchange. Since you are in B'ham, I would try Gundies. They are usually on the high side, but they have better quality cars then most of the other places around. I would have called them next if Foster had not had the one I got.

The problem with the 2.5l engine oil is the oil return passages in the heads. This happend when they changed the head around from the 3.0. The 3.0 does not have this oil return/starvation problem due to the larger returns. I could be wrong on this but that is what I have gathered from reading the posts, and trying to piece it together.

I have not heard of anybody putting anything else in. What would you want to use? Maybe a Grand Prix Supercharged engine.

What kind of Car/Boat/sterio business are you starting?

Mid to High End...I tired of hearing all this "car stereo is in a decline" crap. It's not. The corp I work for currently made $$$$$$$$ last year, and that's in my store alone. No one carries anything good/decent/badass anymore. No one cares about doing quality installs that look and sound awesome. (yes there 1 shop I can think of, but not anywhere close to me) But what I most tired of are all the car stereo places around here that treat thier customers like crap, or like they are dumb.

Plus....trying to see the future, the boat audio business is going to become HUGE shortly, imo.

Christian

So not to get too far off topic, but what brands do you plan to carry?
-tropictour

well...I don't think that it matters about being off-topic due to the fact that this is such a small part of the BB...however (mod, sorry...I can re-post if you like)

LOTS!! Where do I begin: (I am still working on our product line, looking to be mostly mid to high end though)

Eclipse, Alpine, Pioneer Premier, Clarion, Nakamichi, Xtant, Zapco, Butler (tube amps), Boston, Focal, JL, Diamond, Dynaudio, Bell, Escort, Stinger, IXOS, MB Quart, Alumapro, Delphi, Garmin, Magellan...to name a few. Once I get my product line finalized, I'll glad to share.

We pretty much want to carry as much as we can, most manufactures that find out we are doing Marine audio get VERY excited, they want to deal directly with us. However, If I have customers that would like to see us carry a product I currently do not, I will.

It's all about making a great experience with them. It seems like every time I go into a place I get treated like an idiot or "just another customer" when I walk inot a place...that really pisses me off. We will NEVER make someone feel like that. We want to make it a fun/learning enviroment, a place where people can come to hang out. Like on the weekends, at night, the summer, whatever...it's gonna be cool!

rainshdw