[trooper Tdiesel]

Originally Posted by Allch Chcar

Precisely,my guess is hers is the SOHC due to better MPG and especially since it's a LX. I looked at first gen Foci and found that out pretty quickly how the sedan usually ends up with a blown engine. The Zetec is pretty reliable and the Duratec is even better(timing chain etc). But there is no shame in owning a Zetec.

its a given that the base LX 2000-2003 is a SPI engine.
i fixed one focus that was a SE with the SPI and the valve seat failure, but they're re not very commonen in the SE.
ive seen one wagen model with a SPI

find one thats not blown yet put a new after market head on it and it will last...finding a short block after its gone thats a bugger to do on a budget...
as when they go, scaring or cracking a piston liner from a con rod coming loose from a piston is rather common.


ive got a LX 4 door with the SPI, tall geared manual and the only model to get 14" rims, orignal road rating was 36 mpg
engine heat is a 2 fold friend/enemy. to little heat and it loses mpg, to much heat and thats the most common reason for the valve seat failure.

the ford contour or one of its clone's uses the same odd 4x108mm lug pattern and is the only source of used 14" alloy rims ive found so far. im still on the hunt for those...