Countour zetec. timing belt

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bob urz - 23 May 2008 16:15 GMT

Helping a friend with a 99 contour with a 4 banger zetec. The timing
belt is broke. Do these engines tend to just bend the valves or do
they take the pistons out too? ANy tips or what to look out for?
How many years of heads will swap with this?

bob

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Tim J. - 23 May 2008 17:43 GMT

>Helping a friend with a 99 contour with a 4 banger zetec. The timing
>belt is broke. Do these engines tend to just bend the valves or do
>they take the pistons out too? ANy tips or what to look out for?
>How many years of heads will swap with this?

That should be a non-interference engine, so no bent valves, but
you'll want to replace the belt tensioner while you're in there.

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Tom Adkins - 27 May 2008 15:20 GMT

> >Helping a friend with a 99 contour with a 4 banger zetec. The timing
> >belt is broke. Do these engines tend to just bend the valves or do
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> That should be a non-interference engine, so no bent valves, but
> you'll want to replace the belt tensioner while you're in there.

The Zetec engine is "supposed" to be a non interference engine, but
in the real world they can and often do bend valves when problems with
the belt happen.
Valve damage is most common when the tensioner seizes and the belt
wears away the plastic idler badly retarding the valve timing. Valve
damage from the belt suddenly breaking from age happens in about half
of the cases I've seen. A compression test will tell for sure.

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