Hi guys,

I currently have a 2003 1.8 ghia petrol, but sadly the engine has gone u/s on me. (rings have gone), so am replacing the engine as I am lucky enough to have a source that can supply and fit a complete replacement for only £250.00 with a 6 month guarantee!

My question is this, I have the choice of either an engine from the same year of car, with higher miles on it that the dead one, or an engine from a 2006 car with under 50 thousand on it.

Can the newer engine be fitted straight into my 2003 car without buggering about with the electronics etc?

Also, will it fit the older gearbox, or would I need the gearbox as well

Thanks

Pete.

A 2006 Focus is a Focus MK2. The 1.8 from a Focus MK2 does not fit in a focus MK1 without major modifications.

The 1.8 Petrol engine from the Focus MK2 is completely different from the 1.8 Petrol engine from the focus mk1. The focus mk1 has the old Ford Zetec-E engine while the MK2 has the newer 1.8 Duratec HE engine which is partly based on the Mazda L-series engine.

Ok, thanks, I thought would be major differences, so it's the other engine going in.

Many thanks for the advice.

Regards

Pete

Supply and fit an engine for £250? I would just about fit one for that.

LOl Stefan, most of the places I tried wanted around the 1600 mark to supply and fit....I had not even considered using the place I am getting the engine from, it's my local breakers yard....been using them over ten years and didn't know they fitted engines.....great thing here is I got to see the donor car running and driving..... it was involved in a side on impact which bent the door pillar and wrote the car off. Mileage is higher than ours, but donor car has service history to 2013, no knocks or rattles, sounded good.

Till the Focus is done, we are using my saab95 as our daily driver/run around.....not so cheap to run, but better comfort lol.

What are they doing with the clutch and timing belt if there is no history documenting a change?

What are they doing with the clutch and timing belt if there is no history documenting a change?

That's a very good point. Changing the timing belt with the engine out will be much easier/cheaper than when installed. Clutch kit for a 1.8 mk1 Focus is around £50 so that's got to be worth thinking about.

Hey Steff, great question.....As it happens, I had already bought a timing belt kit for the previous engine, as, despite the car having a full service history, the belt had a few nicks and I decided to err on the side of caution....the clutch on the original car was replaced less than three thousand miles ago, so it is simply being swapped over to the new engine.....I'm also having the cooling system serviced and flushed, changing the brake fluid and getting the oil changed with a flush thrown in for good measure......

Am I spending too much on a £600 car? Financially, yes, BUT, the Mrs loves her little Focus, and if she is happy, then my life is a damn sight easier.....madness in my method lol....err, sorry, that's meant to be the other way round....(Dyslexic lap top lol).

Anyway, along with all that, the new coil pack, leads and plugs are coming out of the original engine and going onto to the new one.

If I have left out anything important, then please let me know ok guys.

Thanks

If I have left out anything important, then please let me know ok guys.

Thanks

I assume the clutch slave cylinder is good? Might be worth checking the condition of your driveshaft gaiters while they are out.

Higher mileage on the same type of engine? There's no way to know the state of the piston rings and/or oil consumption of the "new" engine.

What do you mean by "rings have gone" in you own engine? Was it eating oil? Was it loosing compression? Could also be valve seats.

Why not just get a good mechanic and change the piston rings and/or valve seats on your own engine?