Advice on saving my Cougar

M

mm1000

Forum user
Feb 1, 2011
11
0
Alton
I have a Green Cougar 2.5 V6 with an LPG conversion. Unbelievably a head gasket has gone, something I though as rare on the Duratec engines. It has been a great car and I have done a fair bit to it - ST 220 wheels, Cougar 2 interior, new brake discs and pads all round etc.

However this could be the end of the car unless anyone can help. Repairing the head gasket is not cost effective particularly as the engine has done 133k miles. Obviously a new engine is the way to go but I can't find anyone to fit it for less than £1k here in Hampshire. The last thing I want to do is scrap a Cougar so would be grateful for suggestions! The only one i have had so far is to buy the Honda Civic coupe I am using as temporary transport!!
 
Si (Scunnycougar) has a 56k engine for sale, I can't imagine he's asking a king's ransom for it - must be worth a PM. For fitting, get the engine and your car to the Bolton Mafia a.k.a B&M Autos in Bolton. Nick, the proprietor, knows Cougars inside out and back to front and will fit swap your engine no problem. From memory, I think his rate for this service is somewhere around the £400 mark. Call him on 01204 497326 to discuss.

As an aside, your car sounds pretty decent, have you got any pics? ST220 wheels is a pretty rare conversion because of the 5 stud hubs needed, in fact I've only ever heard of one other person doing it.
 
I will accept £100 for the engine Rich mentions. It's located in Derrythorpe - DN17.

It would need collecting, although at 50p per mile (one way) delivery could be arranged.
 
Relliott6879 said:
If it were strapped down to a pallet, I imagine a courier could collect it from you and take it straight to Mafia HQ?
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Having just looked it up on Google Maps, the distance from Derrythorpe to Bolton is about 90 miles, meaning Si's rate would be £45ish - I think you'd struggle to do better with a courier.
 
Thank you for the quick responses! Unfortunately I live in Hampshire so getting my car to Bolton would be a problem alas. However a 56k engine for £100 has to be the starting point of the road to recovery for my Cougar!

What is the best guide for removing an engine - a Mondeo Haynes manual?

I must correct myself however re my car - the wheels are from an ST200 not ST220 - similar but not quite as cool!
 
Is the car completely undriveable? I used to travel from Hampshire to Lancashire on a very regular basis when I lived in Waterlooville (I actually bought my Cougar in Four Marks, just round the corner from you!) and it's not that bad of a journey. From Alton, you'd be going A272, A34, M40, M42, M6. Failing this, I'm sure the car could be towed or put on the back of a flatbed - I've no idea of the cost of this but I'd wager that the engine (and delivery of to Bolton), fitting and transport for your car would still come in under the £1k you were quoted for the swap labour alone.

Haynes manual - yes, a Mk2 Mondeo manual will tell you a lot of what you need to know (there is no Cougar manual).

ST200s are nice wheels. I have a set on our Fiesta, bought from a member on here who ran them on a Cougar.
 
mm1000 said:
What is the best guide for removing an engine - a Mondeo Haynes manual?
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Haynes isn't the worst resource you could use, but I've noticed that there's a few things in their removal procedure that're either unnecessary of downright ham-fisted.

The best guide for removing (and replacing) the Duratec is quite simply someone who has done one or two before.

Are yourself handy with the spanners? If so, maybe consider subscribing (for the goodwill) and then asking for an MFSM? We've got a few people down your way, and plenty of us are happy to travel. You will need; bacon, beer, enough floorspace for a few sweaty-arsed guys to sleep on, and a large quantity of air freshener.
 
I am very grateful for all of the offers of help and advice. Although I have floorspace, bacon and beer I don't have a garage / drive space to do the transplant myself.

Bearing in mind the head gasket went is there anything you would replace whilst the engine is out - radiator maybe?
 
Clutch, alternator, water pump (for one with a metal impellor). Perfect opportunity to fit stainless steel tubular headers too, and also to have your rocker covers powder coated, if you so desire. Whilst all of these things can just about be done with the engine in situ, they're nearly all absolute bottom-holes of jobs that become very simple with the engine out.
 
mm1000 said:
I am very grateful for all of the offers of help and advice. Although I have floorspace, bacon and beer I don't have a garage / drive space to do the transplant myself.

Bearing in mind the head gasket went is there anything you would replace whilst the engine is out - radiator maybe?
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You fail to mention why the head gasket blew in the first place, do you know? I have blown several engines but never had the gasket fail, I would suggest finding what caused it as your first port of call. if you are going to do an engine swap I would suggest cleaning and or renewing the main parts that are a pig to do with the engine in the car i.e Alternator, starter auxiliary belt and pulley, water pump and belt (as Rich sais get the metal impellar version) Your going to be sticking a new clutch in anyway and a secondary slave cylinder, couple of hundred quid will get you a lightened flywheel (which I personally recommend) and as Rich also sais its the perfect time to fit stainless aftermarket headers (y)
 
That's a good point but I don't know why the head gasket blew in the first place and there were no signs. Although I have serviced it myself since I have owned I have no history for the car for the first 115,000 miles. It has always had a very slight misfire on LPG which then got a lot worse suddenly before seemingly rectifying itself just before the gasket went. The LPG conversion obviously causes it to run hotter.

There are many possible factors but my thinking is that by replacing so much of it I need not worry too much other than taking care of the new engine. I'll replace the thermostat as well as the water pump etc to make sure the cooling system is A1.

The garage it got recovered too currently has a Mondeo 2.5 V6 in which the head gasket has just gone as well.
 
It was quite common on the Mk2 Mongy V6 but not on the Cougar for some reason. Perhaps the Mongy lumps were EU made and different head gaskets or something?


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Just out of curiosity. Did you have the upper cylinder lubrication kit fitted as part of the LPG installation ?. I used to own a 3.0 v6 x-type that ran on LPG. Evidently it was essential to have these on the Ford derived V6 engines.
 
I've had an LPG 2.5 cougar die on me before. Replaced the engine at Bolton, then that one went a couple years later aswell (fully lubricated system) Rather than get another engine, this time I got a 58k cougar for £500. For the price of engine & fitting it might be cheaper that way...but you'll have to pay for the LPG to be refitted.
If you had a misfire I would recommend a smoke test to check for air leak.


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I ran stripes for over 40k with no flashlube and no probs cos i set it up slightly rich, therefore less temp, LPG kits only run hot if they're set up wrong or theres an air leak, these engines are getting old, so its not just mileage thats taking its toll on them, corrosion is making more of an appearance than it used to, and i'm guessing this is the case with HG issues.
If you go for a donkey swap, either get guaranteed mileage (see it running in the donor car) or a known source, but 500 sheets to change a donkey is good going tbh, i would offer time as the others have but i'm very limited on spare time at the mo, but i used to volunteer transport for fuel and food, but like i say,hopefully things will change later this year, good luck with however which way you go ;-)
 
To update, my old engine is out and new one about to go in. Unfortunately I have broken one of the gear linkages between the cable and the gearbox. It only seems to be possible to buy cables - new or used - not the linkages by themselves. Are they the same on a V6 as a 2.0? If not does anyone know where i might be able to get just the connector?!
 
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