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O/T - '02 Taurus

F

Fordfarmer

Well-known Member
Wife's/family car... I drive it on family trips and most Sunday mornings, otherwise, I'm in my F350 or Mustang. She calls part way home after school today, car is dead. Pulled it home. Oil light came on in first mile from school, made it about 3 more miles. Oil level and color is good, (1000 miles since last change) so I'm thinking probably a failed oil pump. I've never been into one of these 3.0L 24 valve engines. Is that common? Twisted off drive shaft like some older engines would do?
Too old/too many miles to rebuild the engine, but we weren't planning on replacing it for a year or two...it's not really in the budget right now. Buy a salvage yard motor to drop in? Replace the pump before dropping it in?
 
Have you started it and listened to it run? If the oil pump is gone, it could have done serious damage to bearings. And if she drove it three miles after the light came on and it died, that is likely what happened. Tear into it if you wish, but if it is seized or makes strange noises, might as well start checking the salvage yards. JMHO.
 
had a heck of time finding an engine for my 99 Taurus. if she drove it much its done they are zero tolerance motor I believe. good luck hope it all works out
 
Salvage yard engine would be my choice. Never had much success with rebuilt engines.

Not sure whats available in your area as far as salvage yards, but might look around ebay, they seem to have better prices than my local yards.
 
Yes, it's seized. Won't turn over. Was mostly wondering if failed oil pumps are at all common - if I should plan on putting a new pump in a replacement engine.
 
The relief valve may have been the culprit. It happened to one of my co-workers on his Ford. We put a gauge on it still no pressure and the lifters became noisy. He took the day off and pulled the pump. Called me at work to pick up a new pump. I went over to help him install the new pump. His was caused by sludge. It was the 352cid engine. He had the shop manual that helped a lot. Hal
 
This isn't my engine of choice on a Taurus
because the 24V when it runs it runs good
but it isn't the most pleasant to work on.
Oil pump is all in the frt cover, but if
all the bearings are starved & not knowing
the miles on car, I think it's time to look
for another engine.... I believe the crank
shaft drives the pump on this engine, pump
isn't a shaft drive.

But on the other hand, nothing anymore is the
most pleasant to work on...
 
Not at all sure on those Ford's but the Buicks of that year had intake problems and would fill the cylinders with antifreeze and hydro lock them.
I'd make sure you pull the spark plugs and check for such a condition before giving up on it.
May not of been an oil light could of been a check engine light ?
 
(quoted from post at 15:54:19 01/23/14) Yes, it's seized. Won't turn over. Was mostly wondering if failed oil pumps are at all common - if I should plan on putting a new pump in a replacement engine.
Click to expand...

NO, oil pump failure is uncommon on in any engine unless it was induced (poor maintenance)... If I did get a used engine I would make sure it was clean drop the pan for a look and also the valve covers...

Engines are a dime a dozen because the transmissions are know to go out early are any collision damage will total those cars..

I found several from know good local salvage yards to deal with here from 5/800 $ 50 to 100K on the clock... I only deal with folks that are good to there word anybody can make a claim but few will back it up once they have your money..
http://www.car-part.com/

You may also find a runner on cracklist... I just brought the parts to fix my car for $100 on cracklist (hit a deer),,, drove the car to his house and swapped the big parts thru the rest in the trunk and drove home... Why I did this is my car gets 30MPG my pick'em up 11MPG.... I made the run on 2 gal were my pick'em up would use 6... Making a engine swap NO but sheet metal yes...

I did learn sum'n,, I normal sell a complete car for parts,,, this guy had 25 are so he parts out in his back yard on cracklist... He tells me he keeps'em for a year are 2 then scraps them to LKQ and comes out very well....

Its hard to buy a engine/trans in the blind unless I know them well and trust their honesty... If I brought one from a individual I would want to see and hear it run...
 
if I should plan on putting a new pump in a replacement engine.

Good question. Might talk that over with the seller. If you do, what will that do for the warranty, if any? If it craters, they will use that as an excuse, that you did something wrong.

I think I'd shoot for as low mileage as possible and not go into it any more than necessary. I'd lean more toward replacing the rear main seal, timing belt, water pump, etc., things that are easy while it's out.
 
Before you tear into the Taurus, check what the value of the car will be after you fix it and what you can get for it now. A twelve year old car with high mileage may not be worth much even after it's fixed, and something else on it may also be ready to break down too. If you put any value on your labor, it's easy to spend more than you gain. Other good running cars are available.

Reading between the lines a little... If money is that tight, why couldn't your wife use the Mustang as the family/commuter car? If it's too small consider trading the Mustang for what your family needs.
 
My wife drove her 93 Sable until we could see
the road through the holes in the floor. Engine,
3 liter V-6, still ran perfect.Salvage yard gave us $150 for it.
 
It's rare that there are major issues with the 3.0 Duratech engine. They run great until they are worn out - usually in the 200,000+ range. But when they are done they are done - extremely expensive to repair/rebuild.

As mentioned below you might find one in a car parked because of the transmission going out (have you been keeping yours serviced?). The AX4N is a pretty good transmission (what is put in all 24 valve cars) but it needs regular service - going 100K or more between fluid changes really shortens their life.
 
If this is the correct engine it might provide useful info when at the junk yard.

http://www.underhoodservice.com/www/article/article.aspx?contentid=60893
 
I figured it would be too expensive to rebuild, even if I did the work. 123,000 on this one, +/-. Thought it should have gone a lot farther. Bought it at just under 70,000 in '06, was originally titled to Ford.
 
I know it won't be worth much after it's fixed. As it sits, probably a couple hundred. But it does have an almost new set of tires, new battery, and new struts at all four corners in the last year.
Plan was to pay down debt and set some money aside each month, (wife just went back to teaching this fall, after being home with the kids for 8 years) so in about 2 years, we'd have a nice down payment on a 2-3 year old car.
Wife has the truck today - I dont' trust her on our icy road with the Mustang, and she doesn't like to drive it. Trading the Mustang might be the most practical thing to do, but we're not going to. It's the one new car I've bought (before I met her!), has been paid for since '03, and has under 50,000 on it. We could pay cash for some of cars listed on CL, but they aren't what she wants... wrong color, too many miles, etc. - she'd rather put money towards a much newer car. For the time being, we can all fit in the truck, and I think we'll probably fix the Taurus, if I can find a replacement engine.
 
These cars are no longer the throwaways that many used to consider them. When they quit build the fleet cars in 06-07, there was a huge hole in the market and their value has held very well. If it were me, I would look for an engine. This is given a couple of things:

1. You have the skills
2. Warm place to do it.
3. No rust issues with the body

If you have rust, or have to pay someone to do it, it probably doesn't make sense.

My 05 Duratech, has 140K on it, and I have maintained it, but it is getting some rust above the rear wheel wells. It will be a sad day when it goes.
 

like Tom said the Cam synchronizer is an issue in these cars. Mine sounded like a belt chirping at idle. Google "cam synchronizer" on that engine. Bill
 
(quoted from post at 16:20:44 01/23/14) These cars are no longer the throwaways that many used to consider them. When they quit build the fleet cars in 06-07, there was a huge hole in the market and their value has held very well. If it were me, I would look for an engine. This is given a couple of things:

1. You have the skills
2. Warm place to do it.
3. No rust issues with the body

If you have rust, or have to pay someone to do it, it probably doesn't make sense.
Click to expand...
X2
 
My son has 05 Taurus that his wife commutes in and it has 265k with no eng or tranny problems. I can't believe it went this long because they are not big on maintenance. She was driving home from work one day and said the car was running rough. I asked them when they changed the plugs and they said they're the originals and that was at 174k!
 
Ability? Yes. Warm place to work? No...inside, but
no insulation or heat. And this is northern WI -
roads are salted, so there is a bit of rust starting
in the rear wheel wells.
 
Local boneyard (the one I'd trust - didn't call the other one) has two available - $500, or $800 for one with lower mileage. Flat rate book shows 17 hours to pull old one and drop 'new' one in... figure in fluids, gaskets, etc., and it's going to be about $2k total. We'll see what my wife thinks about that tonight.
 

Does the motor have a timing belt or chain?
If a belt it have broken and the oil pump may be driven by the timing belt via the camshaft.
 
I think you are pretty high on parts. Done yourself, I bet you are a lot closer to 1K total with the engine than 2K. If the car is only worth a few hundred as it sits... $2500 doesn't buy any sort of halfway decent car.

17 hours seems high too. Drop the K-frame and it is all there in front of you.

I can see 2K or a little better if you have an independent shop do the swap.
 
The oil pump on a Duratec 3.0 is on the crankshaft behind the timing chain. Don't try to replace it. Just get the used engine if you want to keep the car.
 
To cover all the unknows I would add $1000 to the estimate,,, I would rather you came with to much money than not enuff...

A 02 and I have the engine out its getting all new OEM hoses and they are expensive price them... Aftermarket hoses are junk... Belts,tune up parts, water pump, thermostat, fluids filters, engine mounts, radiator, tax shop supply's add up quick... If its not worth making dependable to protect your investment junk it....

I am gonna predict you will need to tote a little more than 3K to get it out of hock...
 
Good point. Especially since SWMBO says she wants the lower
mile, higher priced engine.
Her parents are bringing one of their vehicles for her to use
untilthe Taurus is fixed. My parents made the same offer, but
she really doesn't like manual transmissions.
 
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