Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting CALLING OUT ALL OIL STARVATION VICTIMS

No, Ford is not covering it. This is why I need to prove my point to them. It is easy to just let it go if it is still under warranty but I am 8 months or 5k miles over my warranty. I was never offered an extended and didn't bother to look into one until it was past due. Might be an excuse for a 3L but still need a good mechanic since Terry is 2500 miles away unfortunately. Although for what ford is charging me I could probably fly Terry out, house and feed him while he installs the engine and then fly him home.

Ford is not covering it! How far are you from the SHO-Shop (its somewhere in Ca)? They can install a new 3L short block with your 2.5 heads for aroud $3500 IIRC. Terry can ship the 3L longblock to them as well. Check out these options before giving 6K to Ford. Good luck.

Coors,

You need to go back to your dealer and explain to him that this type of failure is not something that just happens OVERNIGHT. Being only 5000 miles out of warranty, is not a good enough reason to deny your claim.
STRONGLY SUGGEST that he contact his FORD Field Service Manager and ask if FORD would approve of the engine being rebuilt, for customer satisfaction reasons.

Do what I do. Say to your Service Manger, "Excuse me, but if you CAN'T Approve the rebuild of my defective engine, lets ask someone at FORD, who has the authority to APPROVE IT, and it won't cost YOU or YOUR DEALERSHIP a cent to try."

Make sure that you know when this FIELD SERVICE MANAGER will be at the dealership. YOU NEED TO BE THERE TO TALK TO HIM.

His decision will determine if FORD will or won't pay, and his decision has no affect on your dealer's status with FORD.

DON'T GIVE IN TO THESE BA$TARD$.


Pete...

Coors,check PM's,2.5 repair $1000 labor + parts.Long block 3.0 @ $2000 etc etc check mail!

Thanks for all the advice guys. The next step is going home and coming up with maintenance records to show them. I'm not sure how accurate some will be since I did some of the oil changes and I don't think I saved my receipt to pepboys for the parts.

Terry: All pending on how the dealership responds, you could very well be getting a call from me to work something out with the 2.5 or 3.0L

Thanks again gents!

Coors, sorry to hear about this. I'm just wondering, did they say anything about your KKM, resonator, dynomax, etc? They didn't try and pull any of that BS did they?

Thanks.
No they didn't say anything about that stuff. As well they shouldn't.

That's good. If anything the KKM and dynomax help prolong the life of the car. Doesn't have to work so hard to inhale and exhale.
Good luck.

My 2.5L bit it after a sharp right hairpin. Oil was 5W30, at the low end before add. Rev's were about 5500 being held through the turn. Low pressure light came on and the revs droped. After that noticed a 'ticking' from the engine, when the engine was turning 2800+ RPM with little load. Changed the oil the next day. Then the day after that, the ticking got louder, then it was knocking, and then the power droped and I started heading for the sholder.
The engine was at 148,000miles- regular oil/filter every 3000-3500 miles. only other failure was the POS waterpump at 115k, impeller cracked in two, right down the center.
I loved my contour but after I bought it in 96 for $23k - optioned out SE - and now I can find them in the paper for $7000, its going to cost me almost as much as the car is worth to fix it. Local shop wanted $6500 to put in new long block,so I got a 60k mile 2.5l from a local yard for $1300, then they wanted $3500 to do the swap for me ?!#* - So now I am putting in the engine, and as soon as I get the engine in- I am seriously looking at getting out of the contour club!

Nothing personal, it's a Ford Thing!

sorry to hear about your Tour. By the way you were telling the story it sounded action for action the way it went down with my car. I'm really having a hard time believing that the sweeping right hand corner is just a coincidence. Good luck with your car.