[focus2000]

so i sold ye ole reliable 1991 Tracer LTS, and bought a 2000 escort zx2 thinking it would be more reliable, i got it at auction it was like 775 bid but after tax and all the bs it was 1200... anyways second and third syncros grind, and the second day i owned it the timing belt went even though it showed a sticker saying it was replaced 87000 car has 122,000. so i ordered a gates timing belt kit and gates water pump, will also do the thermostat.

so do heater cores go out on these very much? iam worried about that as both my old tracer and my 91 mustang have heater cores go out.

 

[pextor]

looks like it was a nice LTS.

as for the timing belt, it probably failed due to one of the idlers being bad. it is recommended to replace them when you do the belt. hopefully they come with the kit you bought.

don't worry about the heater core for a while.

 

[focus2000]

yeah it made a seizing noise before it died then it just cranked over fast. thank god for non interfearance. parts get there Wednesday from rock auto!

 

[pextor]

I think thats my fave color on the LTS. I almost bought one in that color years ago from a local dealership, but couldn't get approved for the loan. loaded, stick, 70k miles.

 

[madmatt2024]

You don't need to replace the water pump on the ZX2 when you do the belt but suit yourself.

I would also change the tranny fluid when you get a chance. Supposedly, GM Synchromesh fluid can cure a grind so I would try that.

ZX2's can be vary reliable. My dad has a 98 and the only major problem it has ever had was the alternator.

 

[mr_mcmunkee]

Mine has been extremely reliable, now has 128,000 miles...but then again, I bought it when it was only 3 years old with 28,000 miles, so it's been maintained by me. I had the alternator go out, replaced a thermostat and just replaced the timing belt and water pump (started to leak) so changed it with the belt.

Other than that...perfect. Runs perfect still.

Getting an auction car is a crapshoot and you'll usually have issues, the cars at auctions are often trade-ins from dealers that they don't want to repair and sell. The larger dealers with their "100 point checks" or whatever they call them...these are often the cars that do not pass the checks.

 

[focus2000]

the idler pully bolt head broke off, never figuered that could happen

 

[silverton]

that's a snazzy photo!

 

[madmatt2024]

I never would have expected that.

 

[silverton]

Better than a broken belt! That should be easy to remedy and get back on the road.

 

[mr_mcmunkee]

That's exactly what happened to mine last month. Changed the belt at 70K-80Kish, but NOT the whole klt, only the belt.

Pulley broke at 128K on a very cold day when accelerating. Belt did not break.

We've both learned the lesson, get the WHOLE KIT when you change the belt.

Now go get a whole kit with new belt.

 

[ZX2Fast]

Yeah, that sticker probably just means they changed the belt and left the old pullies on there. Despite what Ford says, you need to change the transmission fluid. I doubt it has ever been done. At 192,000 miles I've still on the original heater core, alternator, CV axles, and engine. I've also had it boosted for nearly 4 years. I ran it before the track closed for winter and pulled a 13.9 at 103 mph. This is on the factory original engine. I have done nothing to the engine. Just bolted the turbo on and did maintainence like it should be done. I'm sure it'll make it to 200,000 miles before the end of this year.

 

[focus2000]

well actually some idiot helicoiled the head, and my dads friend got a tap stuck in it.... anyways got the tap out and used something called a timesert that i got from my GM dealer, put the pully in and all seems okay but the belt rides about 1/8 of an inch off the cam gears, still its not touching the cover, also the thermostat housing was leaking got one of them, i really miss my BP Tracer, sighs....

 

[ZX2Fast]

The belt rides? Try spacing the idler and tensioner pulley with a flat washer. That usually puts the belt back on center. You'll have to bend the tensioner tab so that it goes into the backplate.

I don't want to alarm you, but the 2000 engines are very bad about crankwalk. A large batch of them got undersized thrust bearings and over time, this allows the crank to walk. You might want to check for this first before you go spacing the pullies.

 

[focus2000]

yeah its a late 2000 made 8/2000 so hopefully it dont have crankwalk, anyways the belts not getting any worse over 1000 miles i think its from the idler having a timesert in the head and not being perfectly alligned so i put the upper cover back and and have called it good.