Anyone know how to bleed the air from a 96 Contour? It has a 2.0 4cyl. Just picked this thing up. Guy said it over heats. I was told the guy changed the thermostat, then had problems. I dumped in about 3 quarts anitfreeze, but it just seems to be sitting in the resevoir. Ran engine for a little while, but no heat from the heater and does not seem to be circulating. I did pull the thermstat out to see that it works and was installed properly and reinstalled it. When I took it out, no coolant came out the top hose or thermo hole. I'm sure the block is low on coolant. Does not seem like much went into the engine.


Aything else that I might want to know about 1996 2.0 Contours also appreciated. How are they for head gaskets? Common blow out or not so likely.

do you know the last time a coolant flush was performed?

I've only heard of 2 zetec contours with blown headgaskets.

About all I know aout this car is what was posted. I don't know when or if it was ever flushed. The whole circulation thing does seem sluggish. Later last night, it finally started heating in the car. It only blew hot air if I reved it up a bit. At idle, the heater outlet air cooled conciderably. The temp gauge stayed down around the N and O area. Aout20 minnutes later, I took for a drive and it was getting near the red mark in a half a mile and the heater quit blowning hot air again. Just as if it completely quit circulating.

im guessing you have an automatic too. The zetec atx's tend to run pretty hot since the atx cooler blocks alot of air flow going to the radiator.

the bleeder screw is on the passenger side of the radiator. when drainging be carefull to not break it. its like a rubber plastic.

if you dont leak coolent then you could have an internal leak or it could be pluged up inside the block or hose. I'm in the proses of changing coolent to day.

hope that helps