So my girlfriends car 95 contour with the 4 banger i donno the mileage is leaking alot of oil she said it was running fine then she started it heard a poping noise and it stoped running then me and my buddy went and looked at it ...it wont even start not jsut turns over and over and over and then when we give it gas it hits like 1 cyl. and dies... any ideas on what this could be my buddy thinks the timing chain and this car has always had a rod knock kind of noise to it all the time....think the rod just finaly droped into the pan or the timing chain came off or what? any ideas or help would be great. it turns over fine and we can see the cam moving around.

 

check the basics, fuel spark and compression.

 

I believe those were the zetecs in those cars. 2.0L DOHC. Sounds almost like a timing belt (not chain). Pop the timing belt cover off and see if the belt is still there. if it is a timing belt I know where to find a a very thorough write up to do it yourself. They are non interference so no worries about bent valves.

 

well dont think we gotta worry about fixing anything.... took a compression tester started passenger side to driver side. 1st one on passenger side 120 psi 2nd 150 psi 3rd 0psi....looked in the hole there was somthing sitting on top of the piston and we moved it with a screw driver it was a chunck of somthing and the spark plug tip had been crushed in and broke some porsalien....the 4th one had 120 psi...but we had already found our prob... so we think the rod shot out the side of the pan somewere *Oil leak* and i got it started and kept it running for a lil bit and it was just super knock and lots of smoke...got it in gear 0 power i held it to the floor and it barley moved....buh bye contour....i told my g/f the day i saw the car and heard it run...its gonna blow up soon and she said it'll be fine....i was right kinda sucks she dont have a car now thoe... Thanks for the responds guys...anyone want a blowed up contour?

 

My wife drives and loves her 99 Contour. The aluminum egines don't take heat well at all. Just dropped in a 2nd engine. I bought this car with 34K in 2000. When the first engine fried back in August last year she didn't want another car, She asked how much for an engine replacement. Did some checking and picked one up and go it in the car for less than a grand, she's now happy and best of all NO car payment. I've heard and read a lot of bad about these little cars, but you'll never get me to complain about the service we have gotten out of this one. It now has 168,000 and still rolling.

 

at my local junkyard its only 150 bucks for any 4 banger in there how hard would it be for me to do it at my house? i know some people with a cherry picker...not that id need it this engine is so tiny i could prob just unbolt it and pick it up. i donno if she wants to replace the motor or get a new car.

 

Go with putting another motor in it even if she wants to get a new car it will bring more money running than not. Then again might be worth keeping as a beater when the roads are bad, icey, snowy, etc. Had an old Pinto along time ago, had a blast playing around in the football stadium parking lot with that thing. Go with the cherry picker you've got a young back now believe me it won't stay young long.

 

Shes gonna give it to charity to get a tax write off on it... junkyards/scrap yards around here take 250-300 bucks for any car...running or not.

 

check the timing belt, ex's used minor oil and then the timing belt failed. she gave a similar crappy description as to what happen on the road.

 

You could always go with the upgrade to the 3.0L swap. I know of a girl here who blew her motor in her SVT contour and swapped it for a 3.0L.