91-95 Ford Escort Sedan

smbutler

Thinking of buying a 95 Escort. Any words of
wisdom?

dhoff

FWIW...

I used to own a 1991 Mercury Tracer (same as the Escort). I just sold it last year (to a relative) with about 158,000 miles on it. It still ran great, got great mileage and burned no oil.

I did almost all the preventative maintenance myself. I changed the oil & filter about every 3,000 miles, coolant and fuel filter at 60,000. Had the timing belt and water pump replaced around 100,000.

It was a surprisingly reliable car. I did have to replace the outer tie rod ends a couple of times, the alternator around 85,000 and the O2 and TP sensors around 90,000. It was a 5 speed with the 1.9 liter engine. It wasn't a powerhouse by any means, but with the stick it was OK. Not what you'd call fun to drive, but cheap, reliable transportation.

Dave

dhoff

Now I'm sure the host will refer you to the Sedans Conference and freeze this topic....

Good luck.

bnormann

The Sedans topic is the best place to get a wide range of opinions on this car. Was 1991 - 1995 a particular generation of Escorts?? A 4 year product cycle seems short for a "World Car".

Bruce. your new host.

tomsr

I'll share this experience not as the owner but
as the father of the owner.In 94 my fresh out of college son wanted a new car so he got a 4dr LX
it first had a bad cv boot and splattered grease
all over.At about 80000 miles the timing belt broke.Besides brake jobs it was okay till 132000
miles and the engine burnt up because of a lack
of coolant.We replaced the engine with one from
a wreck with low miles.It cost us $2000 including
labor.Now the ignition switch died.It cost $230
parts and labor.So looking back I think we should
have got a Honda Civic and maybe it would not had
these problems.

mbibona

I don't think owning a Civic would have brought you better luck, Tomsr. The timing belt needs to be changed at 60,000 miles anyway. If I understand you right the engine burned up due to lack of maintenance ( no coolant ). And you still got 132,000 miles from the car.

dhoff

The owner's manual for the 1.9 engine does not specify that you ever need to change the timing belt (at least my 91 didn't). The good thing is that it is not an interference engine, so if the belt does break, the engine stops but it does no internal damage.

I replaced the timing belt on my 91 at around 100,000 miles, and after inspecting it, it was due for a change. I had the water pump and serpentine belt replaced at the same time.

You are taking a gamble no matter what kind of car you buy! Every manufacturer makes some lemons. But keeping up on maintanence goes a long way toward making a car last.

Dave

mbibona

On my 89 Probe it is recommended to change the belt at 60k so I thought the Escort would be the same. I guess I was wrong.

babysweets

I'm buyin my first car and I'm only 17 I know little to nothing about cars and I heard that Ford escorts are pretty good little cars. I found one for $3,200.00 and I was wondering if I am getting a good deal. Its never been in a wreck. 97,000 miles on it. Kept in wonderful shape. So any info would be very greatful. Thanks.

bnormann

babysweets,

Have you posted this in the sedans conference? There is also a topic in hatchbacks. If you do a "Topic Search" for escort you will find lots of topics.

Good luck,

Your host, Bruce

davidmercer

Tomorrow I will be trading in my 1990 Toyota Tercel for a 1992 Ford Escort LXE. I love the LXE model because it is not a hatchback, but I am wondering if I am doing the right thing. My Tercel has been good to me but is begining to rust and have some mechanical problems. As well, space is limited for extra passengers or cargo. The Escort is in great shape but I am worried because I heard that there are problems with the transmissions in these Escorts and that it is hard to find one and very expensive to replace. Further more, occassionally when the Escort is ideling, it will start to shake then stop and start again. My mechanic told me not to worry about it and the dealer assured me that they would correct this problem, but I still feel a little uncomfortable. This will be my second car and I will be paying it off for a while. I don't want to be stuck with a piece of junk. My parents own a '94 Escort LX wagon and they haven't had any problems with and I love Escorts. If anyone has any advice for me whether to buy or not or any ideas or what they think of their Escort I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you!

shiner1

I have a '93 Escort LX with 70K miles. I've owned the car for 5 years, bought it with 15K on it. It's been a great, reliable car. Within the past few months, however, I've been having a consistent problem. Whenever I'm driving between ~50-70 mph, the car hesitates and shakes if I don't keep constant pressure on the accelerator. So if I'm driving and I let up or push down on the gas *at all*, the car kind of jerks and sputters. this will happen for a few seconds or until I nail the gas pedal to the floor. The check engine light comes on all the time, not just in association with this gas pedal problem. I read through the "check engine light" topic list and it sounds as though this may just be Ford's way of telling me that I should bring my car in for its 60K check-up. But I am concerned about this hesitation in the engine. Someone mentioned that it might be the timing belt, but while Ford recommends changing that at 60K, most people say that you shouldn't have to change it before 100K. I don't want to have to spend all that money to change the timing belt if that's not the problem. Any ideas before I head to a mechanic without any clue about why my car is doing this??

thanks!

tomsr

I helped my college bound son buy a new 94 Escort.
It would have been reliable if he had done maintenance but his idea of maintenance is putting gas in it.He did not have the timing belt replaced on time so it broke.Aside from brakes
and tires it was uneventful till 130K miles when
something caused it to lose coolant and the engine
self destructed.We had a used engine installed
and it is running good again.Original transmission
works okay.The ignition switch burned up last month.The body and interior are holding up and
considering he never cleans it's surprising.

davidmercer

I recently bought a 1992 Ford Escort. When I took it for a test run, every time I would stop after accelerating, the car would die down, then race up, and start to shake. I brought it back to the dealer who said they would replace it. It turned out that the problem had nothing to do with the engine or anything. There were sensors in the computer that were gone. The part to fix it was over $250 Canadian. So if I were you I would have the computer checked. Also, it would be worth the money to bring the car to a garage and have a computerized analysis done. That is how they found the problem with my car. Hope this helped.

newbie4

Hey! I had a 94' Ford Escort LX Sedan with the shaking problems at 75 to 80 mph! (after 80 mph it stopped) As it was so high on the speedometer, most of the time it never affected me, but it was constantly there from the time I bought the car at 19,000 miles! Wow! I just now discovered this might have been a natural Ford trait and not just my car's "distinctive character". And yeah! that check engine light thing - I saw that too! Whoa! (I feel like Kenau Reeves: "I am the Matrix/Escort" -all part of the grand design!)
:-)

tonycheval

Hmm, I've had a problem recently with my light, which started coming on about the time I moved from California to Denver. Apparently something that regulates the fuel mix is malfunctioning, it's running a bit rich, but the car seems to be running OK, still getting good mileage. Also, the coolant gauge is reading higher than it should, looks like another sensor.

newbie4

The check engine light turned out to be more scary than a problem. After three trips to the oil change place, someone finally got turned it off permanently (probably ripped out the fuse wires - HaHa!). BUT - now that you mention it, my car also had a tendancy to run hot starting about 50,000 miles. Two different mechanics gave two opinions: one said to "scrap the rust off the inside of the radiator for $2,000.00" - Yeah, right! (that was sarcasm from me). The other said to replace the temp thermo gauge - and the problem magically disappeared!

Oh well, I guess my secret is out - I'm not the mechanical type, just an average joe driver.

aichezhu

Hi,

I have posted a message in a new topic list before, but that topic mysteriously disappeared yesterday. Anyway, I am looking into one with 55K on it. The brakes squeals when pressed, the seller says the sound will be gone when the new pad wears away. I remember a post some time ago that someone had the similar problem and the sound woulnd't go away. Anyone who had such experience? The fluid of the car's automatic transmission is light brown, that is supposed to be reddish, right?

Besides, are there any other parts which need replacement in the near future with the car at this stage? Any advise and inputs appreciated.

spectre3

did you see my last post in your new category??

its time for a radiator flush and refill and new thermostat.(if the seller has not done it already).
flush the brake system completely with new fluid if the fluid looks dark in the master cylinder reservoir..
check the spark plugs, inspect the spark plug wires.
pick up a haynes manual on this car. it will give you a list of what needs to be done for routine maintenance.

these cars are pretty common and plenty are for sale at least in my area.

i think i would have this car professionally looked at before buying ,if i were you..

brown trans fluid, possible brake problems and a no-start when warm at 55k.. this could wind up costing you quite a bit to take care of....
it doesn't sound as if proper maintenance was done to this auto.

i think i would shop around.

my 95 escort has no none of the problems you mentioned.

if the seller has thrown on a set of cheap pads, odds are the brakes will always squeal.

was he qualified to do the work?? their are shims and clips that must be in place after the pads are changed. the rotors MUST be turned usually...

good luck!!

lee

hugo1966

I have a 1995 Escort LX with 66,000 miles. No problems until my speedometer started wandering above 55 MPH. I have had the speedometer replaced twice with a used part. The problem remains. A bump in the road can set it off or if I hit the dash with my hand it will start or if it has started it will stop it for a short while when I hit the dash. It is worse when it is cool. Never had this problem with the 5 Escorts my family has owned.

spectre3

hello,

this might be a problem with 95's. mine has a mild case of what you describe. 63,000 miles.
i just put up with it... if it gets worse i may replace the speedo with a new one.

i also have had other escorts that didn't have this problem(different years).

i am curious if you are having your ford dealer service the problem???

best wishes,

lee

hugo1966

Thanks for the info. I has the speedo replaced by a mechanic I have used for years. Never had a problem with him. The first replacement was worse then the one he took out. The second is better, but still has problems--must be the model. I hate to think how much a new one would cost, but I may have to do that. Also, I looked at a Focus--I was not impressed. Its geared for teeny boppers. Later

hugo1966

Thanks for the info. I has the speedo replaced by a mechanic I have used for years. Never had a problem with him. The first replacement was worse then the one he took out. The second is better, but still has problems--must be the model. I hate to think how much a new one would cost, but I may have to do that. Also, I looked at a Focus--I was not impressed. Its geared for teeny boppers. Later

dhoff

I had a similar problem with my 91 Tracer (which is the same as the Escort).

I did have the speedo head replaced under warranty when the car was about a year old. After that, in cold weather, it would read WAY high. And it seemed the colder it got, the higher it would read.

I remember one -15F day, driving on my street at
about 25 mph, it read 50 mph.

It did get better as the car warmed up. I never
bothered to do anything about it.

Dave

criecke

Anyone had this condition: Cooling fan never
running even with the temp gauge at the hi end of
the normal range but not in the red?

Fan runs ok when I turn on the A/C.

Any idea at what the temp is when the gauge reads
that high, book says at 220 F the low speed is to
come on and at 230F the hi speed runs.

Any info. about the fan will be of interest to me.

Thanks Charlie criecke@charleston.net

spectre3

is it possible the water temperature gauge is not accurate?

you could measure the actual coolant temp in the radiator(carefully). if it is actually running too warm , then i would check:

1) thermostat
2) fan switch
3) fan motor (you say it is running?)

the reason i include the fan motor even though it runs when the air is on:

my son's 93 mustang lx 4 cylinder also started overheating.
his car ran too warm according to the temp gauge and the fan also ran when he turned the air on.

we changed out the obvious things , thermostat, then fan temp switch.

it still ran too warm....

it was the fan motor after all.
is there two circuits to the motor? i wonder. this was diagnosed and replaced at the ford garage, and replacing the motor solved his problem.

are you losing coolant somewhere and can't figure out where its going? that could be bad news.

does the gauge drop to the normal range when the car is in motion?? my gauge reads about 1/2" to 3/4 " from the cold side, when at operating temperature at all times.. i expect this to be close to normal.
i am not an ase certified mechanic or anything, but i wouldn't wait too long to have it checked. a real overheat could wind up costing you plenty..

good luck,

lee

criecke

Bingo., further test showed the gauge reads high.

Measured the temp of the coolant at the thermo
housing and not hot enough to turn on fan.

Blocked rad. and let it get up and fan came on.

Charlie

km1996

I drive a '93 Ford Escort LX hatchback with 94K miles on it. For the first 5 years/75K miles, the car's performance was nearly trouble-free. I have conscientiously maintained it with every factory- recommended maintenance procedure with the sole exception of having the timing belt changed, which I plan to do very soon. Here's my problem: about 2 years ago the Check Engine light started to come on & stay on. I was worried so I took it to a mechanic my insurance agent recommended. They ran 2 engine diagnostic tests and said there was nothing wrong with the engine. They said the Check Engine sensor may have been damaged and did recommend an complete engine tuneup, which I immediately scheduled & paid for. IMMEDIATELY after taking getting my car back, it started violently jumping and hesitating when I drove over 55 mph (I coped by simultaneously putting my foot on the clutch & letting off the gas pedal). I immediately returned to the mechanic to describe what had happened. The mechanic told me it was probably condensation in the gasoline and that it would go away when I filled up my gas tank (since this happened on a hot summer day, I figured it was a plausible explanation). The mechanic also told me to stop using 87 octane gasoline and start using 89 or 93 octane from then on (which I've done). For the next 2 months, the car jumped & hesitated at high speeds even with multiple tank changes of 93 octane gasoline. When cooler weather came, the problem ended as abruptly as it began. The next 2 summers the problem reappeared. Also, I've recently had the very worrisome experience of having the car totally die when I stop at a stop light or slow down on an exit ramp (this seems to happen only when the weather is very hot). This has happened about 4 times in the past month, but each time the car re-started immediately. Has anyone had this/these problems and had them resolved satisfactorily? It sounds from other posts that it might be a sensor/computer problem, but I'm wondering if the timing belt could also be a factor. Advice is greatly appreciated! (PS, the Check Engine light STILL flicks on every time I drive!)

criecke

I hope you told the ins. agent to stop sending
people to that tech. Charlie

spectre3

i agree whole heartedly with criecke...
i wouldn't send someone i didn't like to that garage!!

i have a 95 escort lx and replaced the timing belt & waterpump at roughly 62,000 miles.

odds are its not the timing belt causing your problem.

if your owners manual doesn't say it(the timing belt) needs replaced at the 60,000 mile interval, then you might have the newer styled round tooth timing belt which seems to last longer than the old style flat toothed design.

i had an 86 escort with the old style belt and it broke at almost exactly 60,000 miles.
dummy me, i didn't replace the water pump at the same time, and it(the pump) seized up at 65k and took out my new timing belt. so i had to pay for it all over again!!(i learned a good lesson).

the gates (timing belt mfg) website recommends replacement at 60,000 miles for both of our vehicles. it should be of some comfort to you to know that these years of the 1.9 L engine are not the "interference" type. so, if you decide to drive the car until the belt breaks the engine should not suffer any internal damage, but you might have a long walk in the rain sometime.

granted, the gates company is in the business of mfg belts and hoses, but i followed their advice.

i believe(imho), its always a good idea to replace the water pump at the same time, because if the pump fails later you also will be replacing the timing belt again most likely.

i am very picky about maint, so i also flushed the radiator and replaced the thermostat when replacing the belt/waterpump.

do you have a friend that has a ford code scanner? it is easily snapped into the diagnostic port and should tell you if there is a sensor problem or sometimes if the computer itself is faulty. if you are not mechanicly inclined, find a good mechanic and let him run the diagnostic check for you. there are so many things it could be. the code scan should narrow it down or help identify the problem.

just my two cents....

good luck,

lee

km1996

Thanks for the advice! I am NOT mechanically competent, unfortunately, and am a woman so I harbor intense suspicions of all mechanics as I've had & heard of horror stories of being ripped off by unscrupulous mechanics. It's my own fault -- I should take a couple of comm. college courses on learning ones way around an engine. I did trust my insurance agent (Geico) to give me a reputable place for work to be done, but obviously the mechanic who did the work jerked me around. I will try to find a good mechanic to run another diagnostic test.

dhoff

Ask all of your friends, relatives, and co-workers. You will then find out who to avoid, and hopefully someone good to go to. That's how I've been able to find a couple of outstanding, honest, and reasonably priced mechanics. Yes, they do exist!

Regarding you problem, it doesn't sound like the timing belt to me. It really sounds like a sensor or computer problem. I have to echo Lee's comments, find a mechanic with a code scanner (or take it to a Ford dealer) and they should be able to find your problem.

Good luck.

Dave

pat455

Hello km1996,

You've gotten some very good advice here, but I was wondering if you've had a chance to check out the Our Turn conference which is dedicated to women's automotive issues.

We are fortunate in that we've recently had an automotive technician join us as a co-host for that conference. Her name is Kristina and she uses the ID of md_tech.

Just thought I'd pass this on in case you want to check it out in addition to hanging around here.

Pat
Community Leader/Maintenance & Repair Conference

spectre3

if its not against the rules, being a male, maybe ii will tune in and learn a few things??

see ya,

lee

km1996

Well, here is an update on my '93 Ford Escort that's having trouble (hopping at high speeds; occasional stalling at stop lights; and a recurring check engine light). I found a repair shop that was highly recommended to me. On Wed. evening I took my car into the shop & explained the problems. The shop's front office was immaculate and the people were very nice (even tho I was an hour late past closing, they were still there & very helpful). I talked to the mechanic this morning (Friday) and he said that he had taken the car out for a nice long ride & got the speeds up well over 55 and there was no jumping/hesitation (not a surprise, as it is a temperamental car and saves its evil side for only me, apparently). Also, he had no stalling/shutoff when he was stopped at lights. The check engine light did repeatedly go on & off while he drove. However, when he did the diagnostics, NOTHING coded. He said he had some guesses about what the problem(s) could be, namely: defective 02 sensor; possible shorting; and defective idle control. However, he advised me to go to a Ford dealer and see if their diagnostics could find the codes; he said that sometimes different computers could pick up different codes and without the codes and experiencing the problems himself I could be wasting my $$$ on a hunch (he got a gold star for that recommendation -- I've never had a mechanic be that honest!) We discussed possible acceptable Ford Service Departments in the Washington DC area (the nearest Ford dealership/service dept. to my home is notoriously bad & I wouldn't go there if my life depended on it) and he gave me a couple of recommendations. So I made an appointment for next week at a recommended Ford dealership that's near my husband's office. While I was making the appointment with the Ford dealer, the customer service rep. said usually a recurring check engine light meant there was an emissions problem. Could that be so? I had to pass an emissions check last September and the car passed w/no problems (this after the check engine light had been flicking on/off for a year). Anyway, the plot thickens .... can't wait to find out what's going on (or, rather, dreading it, as it sounds like multiple problems leading to big repair $$$).

dhoff

Sounds like you've found an honest mechanic! Congratulations.

Back when I had my 91 Tracer (same as an Escort) I had a problem with an intermittent check engine light. It would pretty much go on and off every time I drove it though, and there were no drivability or stalling problems. The gas mileage also got pretty bad and there was some loss of power.

I put up with it for a few weeks and went to the dealer. They hooked it up to their computer (for $85) and told me it was a bad oxygen sensor and throttle position sensor. They wanted about $250 to fix it.

I said no thanks, and went out and bought the parts for about $95 (genuine Ford parts). I installed them myself in about 45 minutes. I wonder how long they figured it would take?

Anyway, that's what fixed my problem. The computer should store trouble codes for a certain number of restarts of the car, so you may want to try to get it into the dealer on a day when it's acting up.

Good luck. Let us know what happens.

Dave

dhoff

I didn't need a special tool to remove the O2 sensor. I think it was either a 22 or 24 mm Craftsman wrench. (That may be a special tool for some people, I guess. I just happened to have one because I used to work with Japanese motorcycles a lot. Lots of unusual-sized metric fasteners on those.)

It looks like it's hard to get to, but it's really not too bad. When you first look at it it looks like you's have to remove the radiator to get at it, but you don't. All I did was disconnect the battery, unplug the wire, and backed it out with the wrench. The new one went right back in.

It took longer to do the TP sensor, but that wasn't bad either. It's held on with two screws. The sensor I took off had no gasket, but the new one came with one. But the hole in the new gasket was too small to fit over the fitting for he sensor, so I "customized" it with an exacto knife so it would fit. Maybe I didn't need it at all, but it worked.

After I had the parts replaced I hooked up the battery, started the car, and let it idle for 5 or 10 minutes to let the computer reprogram itself. After that the check engine light never came on again, and it ran great.

Dave

deepintexas

would like to know of any problems with the 97 escort, looking at buying one as a second car. it's got 50,000 miles on it and they're asking 6,700 for it. please respond before i waste any money, not too happy right know with ford. i' ve got the cursed ford windstar 95, at 145,000 miles.

thanks,
james <</A>><

ljlcj

Also, I have a simular problem, I would like to know of any problems with the used 95 escort, looking at buying one as a second car. it's got 70,000 miles on it and they're asking 4,500
for it. please respond
Thanks a lot.

spectre3

it is difficult to say, because i do not know if its an lx or not and what options are on the car.
but if you use edmunds appraisal feature and list no options but do include 70,000 miles on the auto, i get:

3,025 wholesale(trade in)
4,140 market

4,500 dollars seems a bit high, unless its been meticulously maintained and you must have this particular vehicle. did you use the edmunds appraisal feature to find out what its worth??

i paid 3,300.00 for my 95 lx in march with everything but cruise and its a 5 speed.
purchased on the internet auction(ebay), the owner had numerous pictures on the web and we had many conversations about the car before i actually was confident enough to bid on it...(and it wasn't too far away)...
around 63,000 miles on the clock, from its original owner.

you have for negotiation on price, in my opinion.

criecke

What have you experienced with blown head gaskets.?

Had one in warranty and looks like I have
another at 75,000. Charlie

spectre3

that is what retired my 86 escort....

it would blow antifreeze right out of the overflow bottle when shut off after warmming the car. it seemed to run ok, but i could not keep anti freeze in it. this happened at about 99,000 miles.. i believe the car would probably have gone another 99,000 miles(with a gasket change), but decided a fuel injected escort would be more desirable.

if you ask a specific question, maybe dhoff has more experience in the matter..

regards,

lee

dhoff

I never had any trouble with mine. Had 158,000 miles on when I sold it.

To your knowledge, has your car ever overheated? It's possible you may have a warped head from your car overheating. This can cause the same symptoms as a blown HG, or can actually cause one to blow. If you get the gasket changed again, insist that the shop check the head for flatness and machine it if necessary.

It SHOULD last for much longer then 75,000 miles.

Dave

criecke

Let me tell you the whole story.

Daughter drove car to work,all OK.

After work "check coolant" light was on.She drove
home keeping eye on the temp gauge, never above
normal.

I checked recovery tank and added coolant,light
went off. I searched the eng. bay for signs of
leak but no luck.

I drove it around for about 30 mins. checked tank
and rad. coolant OK

I drove it to shop,15 miles, in the AM. Coolant
on the trans. case etc. Tech and I searched for
leak could not find one. Left it for them to
pressure test when cold. Tested and no leak showed
up. Eng bay washed down and dry, I drove it home.

All OK when I got home,temp gauge normal,tank level normal etc.

Next AM I drove it 10 miles, lifted hood and
coolant dripping off trans. case but quick look
and I didn't see leak. Drove it home,"check
coolant light" NOT on and temp gauge normal.

Coolant on engine by that time had dried so no clue where it came from.

Washed down bay and let it dry. Topped off coolant
and let eng run from cold to above normal.

You guessed it-not a drop of coolant any place to
be found in the eng. bay. Levels in eng. OK

I am going back to the shop on Mon. and I am not
taking the car out until the leak is found and
fixed.

How does that tale of woe grab you. Charlie

criecke

Blown Head Gasket.....

dhoff

That's a bummer. I hope you have better luck with it once it's fixed again.

I still wonder what caused it. If I read your posts correctly, this is the second time it has blown. Two head gaskets in 75,000 miles seems like too much of a coincidence to me.

You might want to ask the tech what could have caused it. If it wasn't overheated, the head could still be warped, or the head bolts weren't torqued correctly, or maybe the thermostat stuck closed.

Good luck.

Dave

criecke

That's correct, first while still in warranty.
Ford dealer made that repair,this time my independent shop is fixing it,have had good
service from these folks for years.

Head is going to machine shop for flatness check
and correction if needed. Getting valve job while they are in there and yes the theromstat will be
replaced. Never had any overheating problems that
I know of however. I got in new.

The tech. doing the job has been "my" tech for
years and the shop owner knows that nobody else
works on my car. He has never let me down and he
and I can talk, I respect him and he respests me.

Maybe it will work out better this time around.I
just bought a new Toyota ,I had two Toyotas and
then gave this Escort Wgn. a chance.

No trouble with either Toyota, both passed to my
daughters. They piled on the miles and traded
them. So I have gone back to them, all info. I
have gathered on the Toys report very good service, time will tell. The first two were made in Japan, but I think the ones made here are just
as good plus the new one has the advantage of all
these years of development.

Daughter #3 got the Escort, she is just out of
College and working so I am funding the repair.
Exterior and Interior are still in great shape
so it will make her a good car after the work.

Charlie Johns Island, SC on the Atlantic ocean

spectre3

i agree with dave 100%, perhaps your mechanic will be more careful, our ford service in marion indiana isn't that great either...

just one more thing that may be a given, but worth mentioning,, did ford ever check the block(deck surface) for straightness also?? if both head and block are out, it may happen again...

i am sorry this experience turned you off on fords.. (i have also read your post on remarq).
i guess i feel about gm the way you now do about ford.. we usually stick to, or go back to what we have had the best luck with...

my wifes 99 grand am has been a real lemon.

i also wish you better luck with the escort in the future,,,

best wishes,

lee huffman

criecke

Thanks for your remarks.

I will post updates on how the car is doing this
time. Charlie

pks1

I own a 94 Tracer Trio . The car is great only 32k on it I dont drive it much (not that fun). My wife has a 98 civic lx i will prabobly buy her a 2001 civic when it comes out. Then I'll get the 98 civic and I will give my son the tracer. The tracer has Alloys , spoiler (trio package) but it has only 88hp on a 1.9L . Will installing a K&N air filter for more hp will it be a small significant difference in power. Also if I give it to him will the engine have a lot of problems later. Should I sell the car and get him a different one After all it only has 32k. Do you know any major problems he should run into while having his car up to 100k. Thanx for and feedback

adebisi1

Hi,
I'm looking for aftermarket headlights for my 98 escort.Preferably I'd like the HID or Superwhites headlights.Are there any websites that can help?

Thanks