Looking into a '98 SVT Contour, what should I look out for?

[BlueStripe]

Found a '98 SVT Contour for a reasonable price, are there any gremlins or recalls/tsb's I should know about? Give me the whole rundown, please

 

[Ryan]

The basics apply.
For a 98, has the WP been replaced? The tranny been replaced (specifically syncros)..those are probably the biggest things.


CSVT Buying

 

[BlueStripe]

Originally posted by RTStabler51
The basics apply.
For a 98, has the WP been replaced? The tranny been replaced (specifically syncros)..those are probably the biggest things.


CSVT Buying

WP? Water Pump?

 

[Ryan]

Yup Yup, the 98's had plastic impeller which go around 60k....later years had a revised plastic impeller that last longer. WP change is no big deal though, about an hour tops

 

[BlueStripe]

Originally posted by RTStabler51
Yup Yup, the 98's had plastic impeller which go around 60k....later years had a revised plastic impeller that last longer. WP change is no big deal though, about an hour tops

No problem there, really Are the pumps from later years easier to come by?

BTW, how is ol' Waldorf? I used to spend a lot of time down there :-D

 

[Jason43]

You'd be better off tracking down a metal impeller pump as opposed to the 99+ plastic pump.

 

[BlueStripe]

Originally posted by Jason43
You'd be better off tracking down a metal impeller pump as opposed to the 99+ plastic pump.

Ok, I'll ask you the same thing I just asked him, how hard are they to find? Your choice of words ('tracking down') isn't too encouraging.

 

[Ryan]

just got to your local napa and get a wp

 

[BlueStripe]

Originally posted by RTStabler51
just got to your local napa and get a wp

Sexcellent :-D

 

[The BigSHO]

Make sure you open the box and check. NAPA tried to give me a plastic one last month. The metal and plastic are the same part number...

 

[Ryan]

did not know that, thanks for the heads up!

 

[The BigSHO]

Yeah... I can believe anyone, including Ford, still makes the POS plastic impellar ones...

 

[DemonSVT]

Originally posted by The BigSHO
Yeah... I can believe anyone, including Ford, still makes the POS plastic impellar ones...

Metal is heavier and thus more of a parasitic drag on the valvetrain.

Drag on the valvetrain is a significant power leech!!!

So much so I've toyed with the idea of making a bolt on electric motor to drive the stock pump. (track use of course)


Either way I'm staying with the revised plastic impellar.

My 2.5L one had ~40k on it and looked just fine (no hairline cracks) That saw a lot of time with the redline at 8100rpm as well.

My 3L one now has 10k on it (4k previous and 6k since I got it) so it should be good for a few more years...

 

[The BigSHO]

Average CSVT owners with mere mortal CSVTs will be better off with metal...