Minnesota Focus Owners Club

Got my heads back on Thursday night and I've been wrenching on it off an on since. Big thanks to steve for hooking me up with basically all the parts Oh and by the way I may end up needing a set of exhaust manifold gaskets
I should have it back together and ready for break in within a week or so, be ready Nils

Anywho here's a teaser pic:

It looks.... new.

Very nice. I can't wait to try my new setup against yours

Pappy wrote:It looks.... new.

Very nice. I can't wait to try my new setup against yours

It is new, Theres no reman shortblock for the 24v 3.0.

I like new

Actually those tensioners, chains, and cams are used

Latest update I have it back in the car. Should be done by Wednesday hopefully.

You should of upgraded the cams and gears?
I would have if the motor was already out. Easy to do.

KRYPTO wrote:You should of upgraded the cams and gears?
I would have if the motor was already out. Easy to do.

No need to, those are SVT cams and already a more sporty version of the Duratec cams (puts the peak power close to 7k). And since there are 4 a new set is over $1k for little gains in my opinion.

as I am a noob when it comes to CSVT's and their engines and all that. Whats the difference between what your doing with and whats stock?

- Josh

umdivx wrote:as I am a noob when it comes to CSVT's and their engines and all that. Whats the difference between what your doing with and whats stock?

- Josh

Well the 3L 24v Taurus Bottom end is the exact same physical size as the Contour's 2.5L. All sensors/exhaust/timing components/motor mounts/valve covers/ timing cover/ basically everything bolts up the same even the Heads. Just one tab for needs to be shaved down for the alternator and the pilot bushing needs to be removed if you're using a used block (they're all autos in the Taurus) but my new one didn't even have one

Basically my setup is:
3L New Short block for an 01 Taurus.
3L Heads from an 03 Taurus with a full port and polish and the intake ports were welded and formed to match my SVT intake manifolds (so I get to keep my secondaries and engine looks COMPLETELY stock)
2.5 Timing Components from my original engine.
2.5 SVT Cams from original engine.
3L New Escape Oil pickup and pan (bolts up to the MTX tranny because the taurus pan will not)
A boatload of new gaskets

Then of course all my existing goodies:
MSDS Shorty headers and y pipe Xtreme Ceramic coating
SS Hi flow cat
SS Borla Catback
Torsen ATB exact same one as your focus one
Spec stage 3+ clutch
Findaza Flywheel
Underdrive pulleys
Xcal 2 tuned for 3L

Those are the major performance upgrades. Shooting for 210-220whp NA when finished

whats more reliable the 2.5l or the 3.0? Also would/could you use the 2.5l heads on the 3.0l block? or are the 3.0l heads better?

Also what kind of mpg do you get out of a setup like that?

- Josh

umdivx wrote:whats more reliable the 2.5l or the 3.0? Also would/could you use the 2.5l heads on the 3.0l block? or are the 3.0l heads better?

Also what kind of mpg do you get out of a setup like that?

- Josh

Probably still looking at around 25 mpg out of it. Maybe slightly more if its all highway and at a decent speed. Its premium only anyhow so I usually don't drive this much. Not when the probe gets 32 highway on 87

3.0 is a much more reliable engine from what everyone says. The 2.5 heads had only half as many oil drainbacks so when taking long sweeping corners at high rpms people have actually cooked rod bearings because they ran the pan dry and all the oil was up top. I would say half the 2.5L deaths I've heard of are before 150k miles and have some sort of oil starvation problem bottom end. So in light of that I run 3.0 heads, twice as much oil flowing back to the pan where it's needed most. A lot of people replace their 2.5 rod bearings with Clevite 77s but the potential problem is still there. Not to mention the 3L valves are bigger, more flow. The 2.5 heads put the CR a little over 11:1 where the 3L oval port heads are about 10:1. No significant power differences between the two options, if anything oval ports usually make a little more.

reason I ask all this is that a neighbor has had a silver CSVT sitting in his drive way for over a year now, and found out he blew a rod out the block, similar to what you did. Had it towed and has been sitting in his driveway ever since.

I've offered him $2500 for it as the body is in mint condition, and interior still smells bran new.

How much would you say you've spent getting the 3.0l built up to put back into the car?

- Josh

A lot... but I might have a spare 2.5 Otherwise I'd be interested in his car, I could seriously use a replacement for the probe.

It can be done MUCH cheaper then the way I'm doing it. People who do a nearly straight swap use everything 3L, heads, cams, intakes, everything. Then you only have to modify the throttle body bracket, fuel rail, and EGR. Everything else basically drops in to my knowledge. There is plenty more info on it on the contour forum. Chris with the black cougar (aka blackcoog) does the swaps for a fee. http://www.3lduratec.com/main.html He's probably one of the more experienced ones on the straight swap as he buys blown ones and drops in a bone stock taurus engine and turns around and makes a few thousand dollars on them. I like my swap because you're getting a lot more power then what a stock taurus makes

I would say total in the engine alone I have over 3k invested. BUT that's including a brand new 3L short block and ported and polished heads... The cheap route would be drop in the 3L low mileage used short block with 2.5L heads (after filling the extra drainback holes in the 3L block. That's what they consider a "hybrid" swap. A lot cooler then a straight 3L in my opinion, but thats the one with the extra high compression.

Quick summary:
1. Oval port to split port conversion like mine 3L heads, 3L block- most expensive but most power. Can be done cheaper but people use JBweld to do the ports matching which never appealed much to me... (200-230whp)
2. Hybrid 2.5L Heads, 3L block - least expensive, most bang for your buck. Don't get the extra oil draining though. (190-210 whp)
3. Straight 3L heads, 3L block, 3L everything - Also not very expensive but you basically have a Taurus with a manual when finished. ~175-185whp is common. (stock is 165ish)
4. Split port 3L heads 3L block - Mates up to the SVT intakes no problem but you need to cut one of the SVT intake cams if you wish to use them because those taurus's (up to early 00) water pumps were not cam driven as the CSVTs were. You would need an electric water pump ~$400 not sure on hp on this one, probably close to the hybrid.

Horsepower is an estimate as virtually no swaps are the same and each depends heavily on mileage/condition, supporting mods, tune, etc.

so if the 2.5 drops in the focie( share alot of parts with the cont). ive for a long time rolled the thought of a 3L swap into a focus with the mtx, or possibly the trans from the escape. i know the couger,probe,focus,contour and escape all are very close to one another. but why not the 2.5 block and the 3l heads . what are the differance in dimentions between the two heads externaly( for fitment reasones).but heres another, the wind star and tuarus are the same platform, the windstar trans fits a 3.0 ohv and a 3.8, witch also is the same bolt pattern of the ranger trans, so why not a 4.0 contour or a 3.8 super coupe contour?

focinite wrote:so if the 2.5 drops in the focie( share alot of parts with the cont). ive for a long time rolled the thought of a 3L swap into a focus with the mtx, or possibly the trans from the escape. i know the couger,probe,focus,contour and escape all are very close to one another. but why not the 2.5 block and the 3l heads . what are the differance in dimentions between the two heads externaly( for fitment reasones).but heres another, the wind star and tuarus are the same platform, the windstar trans fits a 3.0 ohv and a 3.8, witch also is the same bolt pattern of the ranger trans, so why not a 4.0 contour or a 3.8 super coupe contour?

Why not the 2.5 block and 3.0 heads? Displacement boy!! It's all about displacement.

Biggers better

FORDSVTPARTS wrote:

focinite wrote:so if the 2.5 drops in the focie( share alot of parts with the cont). ive for a long time rolled the thought of a 3L swap into a focus with the mtx, or possibly the trans from the escape. i know the couger,probe,focus,contour and escape all are very close to one another. but why not the 2.5 block and the 3l heads . what are the differance in dimentions between the two heads externaly( for fitment reasones).but heres another, the wind star and tuarus are the same platform, the windstar trans fits a 3.0 ohv and a 3.8, witch also is the same bolt pattern of the ranger trans, so why not a 4.0 contour or a 3.8 super coupe contour?

Why not the 2.5 block and 3.0 heads? Displacement boy!! It's all about displacement.

Biggers better

low displacement works well for Formula 1