Ford Contour

Noises are impossible to correctly diagnoise unless you can hear them. I had the very same problem with my 1999 Pontiac Grand Am. I had to replace the signal switch. That's what was causing the clicking in my car. Maybe you might want to get this checked out. Mine was clicking constantly and very annoying. Godd luck!! Rob I had the same problem too on my contour, and not only did I have to replace the switch, the relays need to be changed regularly. there is a short in the system, there was a recall on them when the car was new, but ford won't help you now, you'll just have to keep replacing the relays. Pain in the ***! Paula

Check exhaust system for a leak Well, if it's a 2.0 SOHC engine commonly found in the 2000-2004 LX models, it's probably the EGR inlet tube. It looks like a copper tube running out of the front side of the engine, and hooks up to the exhaust manifold with a rectangular bracket held on by two bolts. The engine moves a bit under torque, and this part doesn't. It eventually develops a leak where the tube meets the bracket. You can probably fix it temporarily using JB Weld but it will eventually break again...

Look to see if the ignition plug to your starter did not come loose or un plugged. Since this is on the same side, possible disconnect of the starter ignition wire became disconnected

if there is no bleedr(looks like a greese insert) in the vicinity of the water pump, u need to get engine to running temp to open thermostat.then carefully remove radiator cap.the carefully squeeze top radiator hose a few times this will sort of push air out.this generally works. now to avoid air getting in system in the future do not add coolant thru radiator cap. add thru the overflow tank

In terms of gasoline the Contour holds 15 gallons per Ford.com

It is right on the shifter if you are looking under the shifter panel on the inside of the car. It is a long black cylinder piece. Look at some pictures of it on ebay.

When i pushed the the brake pedal it kept loudly clicking each time. My radio/clock/interior lighting fuse kept blowing each time every time i put one in. I unplugged the connector going to the shifter and it didnt blow. So i knew the problem was in that wiring. I went to the junkyard and found the soleniod and reaplaced it for about $6. Has been working good since.

it's probably the head gaskets.

Fuses that "keep blowing when replaced" Fuses and Circuit Breakers are safety devices designed and installed in electrical circuits TO PROTECT the conductors [wires] from short circuits and overload conditions which can cause extreme overheating that can result in damage to the insulation and the conductors, and worse, the possibility of a FIRE which could destroy the vehicle. When a fuse, and replacement fuses blow, especially if it happens repeatedly, is an indicator of an UNSAFE CONDITION in that circuit, usually a short. Do not install a larger fuse in a misguided attempt to correct the problem. To install a larger fuse would almost guarantee damage to the wiring and an electrical system fire. The proper "fix" is for a qualified technician, who knows what he/she is doing, to troubleshoot the circuit, find and identify the defect, and make proper repair [s], BEFORE replacing the fuse again [with the properly sized fuse].

As I have stated before on some of these questions-the first thing to do is to get a good repair manual. Replacing the motor mounts does invlove seveal steps that atre well outlined in most of them. There are four mounts on these-one at each end & a front & rear mount. it is much easier to follow the book step by step than it is to follow someone else's instructions. The books also usually include some pictures. Have fun. The Bigtomato.

There is no actual "distributor" in the classical sense. Instead, there is an "ignition control module", an electronic device that is controlled by the ECU, and sends the firing impulses to the coil to fire the appropriate spark plugs at the proper times. (Yes, I know, this is a grossly simplified description, but I really don't want to write a book here!)

To answer this question correctly I would need to know what its doing along with what is wrong with it...........

The window regulators in all years of the Ford Contour are fairly easy to remove as long as the window is not stuck.

I find the steps to remove them are as follows:

1: remove the door panel. This can be somewhat of a mystery as some of the screws are hidden. It will require a small pocket knife or similar object to remove the small button covers that hide the screws. The first screw to remove is the one that holds the small trianglular cover at the front junction of the window frame and the door. The next is the at the lower front of the door panel. The next is hidden behind the door release handle. Now the door pull is in the middle and has a two large Philips screws holding it and the panel on. The cover must be gently pried off with the small knife. Now your are ready to take out the easy screws. There are 4 screws that are around the perimeter of the panel.

Finally, take the small knife and pry loose the panel that holds the electric window and door lock switches. Remove them by disconnecting the wiring plugs.

2: Now that the door panel is off, remove the moisture barrier. Do your best not to damage it. It is going to go back on and it protects the car.

3: You know have access to the door mechanisms. To remove the regulator you must first detach the window from the regulator. It is held on by two bolts and plastic clips. There are two holes in the middle of the door that are where you access these bolts. Move the window up to align with the holes and remove the bolts. Now you will have to reach into the door cavity and squeeze the plastic fingers and try to push the plastic plastic clips back out of th window glass.

4: At the top of the door pull up and the rubber moldings that are on the window glass slot. Lift the window glass out of the door and put aside.

5:Remove the bolts holding the window motor

6: There are 4 bolts holding the window regulator bar or column. Remove those.

7: Disconnect the eletrical plug from the window motor.

8: Slide the window regulator assembly out and down through the access hole in the rear of the door.

IF IT WAS NOT OVERHEATING BEFORE THE HOSE WAS REPLACED -- MORE THAN LIKELY YOU HAVE AIR POCKETS TRAPPED IN YOUR COOLING SYSTEM

on the side.

just pull it out an replace with a new one

A Ford Contour 2.0 has a limited amount of space under the hood. Very first thing I would recommend is a copy of the Haynes Repair Manual. It has both the complete teardown for the head removal, and also a shortcut version that does not involve removing the Intake Or Exhaust manifolds. This will take two people though, or an engine lift to pick up the head once it's been detached. It's a bit heavy. Also, when you take the entire assembly out and put it on the bench, It's SOOO much easier to tear it apart all the way, should the head be damaged or warped. Start by aquiring both a head gasket "Kit" about $180, and a set of head bolts $19, since the bolts are a "One time use item". Your looking at approx. 10-12 hours of work for a first timer. TAKE YOUR TIME. Read the procedures at least twice while looking under the hood with a trouble lite. Get to know what your getting into. So I suggest you do it once, do it right, and you'll appreciate the effort and money saved for a "One time Job". While your at it, get a new water pump, and a new timing belt. Your in there, so replace them. Napa is one of the few parts stores that carries the UPDATED water pump with the METAL impeller versus the OEM plastic one. Get It... As I said, your in there and it's only an additional 20 minutes or so for the water pump replacement. The 2.0 is a dual overhead cam "interferience engine". That means it's valves and pistons will IMPACT each other if they are not in proper timing. Even when turning the engine by hand. So follow the instructions to the letter here. Mark your hoses, and connectors when you pull them off. Then, when you put the head back on, follow the steps to drop the Num 1 and 4 pistons about an inch past TDC (top dead center). This so that when you put the head back on and start to torque it down, you don't bend the valves for Num 1 and 4, or damage the lifters. One other VERY Important point. Get a mechanics square, or straight edge and some feeler guages. The head has a strict limit of tolerance for warping. Usually around 3 thousands of an inch. But don't quote me, check the book. If it's warped, or damaged, get a Remanufactured one, or get it machined and checked. That's pressure checked, and maybe even Magnafluxed for cracks. If you see no warp, or visible cracks, get some green nylon scrub pads and go to work. You'll need to clean and polish all mating surfaces thoroughly. These work well without taking off or creating pits or scratches in the head surface. Finally, you will need to remove at least one of the cam shafts, if not both. You'll get all the seals you'll need in the Kit version. Also, the cams are held in with 8 point bolts. Most all socket sets are 6 point flat surfaces inside. You can get 8 point 8mm, or 8 pt 5/16 sockets at Sears. The second option is a 12 point socket. Instead of 6 flat areas inside, you have 12 small indentations all the way around the inside of the socket. Either way, a 6 point socket will "Round Off" the heads of the cam bolts and ruin them. So DONT use a 6 point socket on these, PLEASE... Best of luck mate. By the way, for a mechanic to do this, with the water pump and belt, plus head check, your looking at a minimum of $1200. Randy....

The Ford Contour/Mercury Mystique is a front-wheel drive, transverse engine car. In other words, the engine is mounted "sideways" in the front of the car, and drives the front, rather than the rear wheels. The transmission (or, more properly, the "transaxle") is bolted to the engine on the left side of the engine compartment. It contains the transmission itself, along with the differential.

The park/neutral position switch has a "Transmission Range" switch built into it. This switch detects the shift lever position when it's in the N or P position and sends a signal to the Transmission Control Module.

If you are getting an OBD II Code P0708, there are a few possibilities. The Park/Neutral switch could be shorted or open, there could be a poor connection somewhere in the circuit (wiring) from the switch, or the switch could simply be misadjusted. I'd check the switch connection first. Use a multimeter to check the switch operation, inspect the wiring harness coming from it, and check to see if it's adjusted properly. The most likely possibility? A bad switch. It's mounted on top of the transmission, and had an electrical connector and a cable connected to it. You can usually get one for $40-$50.

how do you get to the fuel pump on a 97 Contour

romove the back seat

Can you open back seat and look fuel pump then replace fuel pump easy job. Wendell

According to the 1996 Ford Contour Owner Guide :

With engine oil filter change :

The 2.0 L , four cylinder engine takes ( 4.5 US. quarts )

The 2.5 L , V6 engine takes ( 5.5 US. quarts )

* of 5W-30 engine oil

The 2.0L SOHC Engine is a "Non-Interference Engine"

There is a chart located here: http://z.about.com/d/autorepair/1/0/m/3/-/-/timing-belt-chrysler.jpg