Vulcan to Duratec

Hey all,

My wife drove her 97 Sable wagon with a Vulcan (3.0L, OHV) engine with a bad radiator and it got hot. Radiator has been replaced, but now it idles rough, and service engine soon light is on. When the car idles for a few minutes, the light begins to blink. After you start driving, it becomes a steady on light again.

There is no oil in the radiator, and no water in the oil (that i can see, that is) so it may just be a gasket. But, if engine needs to be replaced a friend of my dad's has a duratec he will give me. Along with anything I need from his car to swap it out.(He owns a junkyard)

Any idea how entailed this is? Any idea what I may need beside engine and computer?

Thanks in advance,
Jim

All I can say is good luck. Unless you have a good OBD II reader, I wouldn't attempt it. There is probably more than one sensor somewhere that the one engine has that the other doesn't. I know some guys that have swapped engines and had to get the entire wiring system, from the headlights, motor, dash back to the taillights for the new motor for the computer to work. Just giving you a heads up on what may happen. I love my duratec motor, 179,000 miles so far and only normal upkeep. Wish I had it also in my Escape. So I hope someone out there can give you the real answer on if it is attemptable or not.

All I can say is good luck. Unless you have a good OBD II reader, I wouldn't attempt it. There is probably more than one sensor somewhere that the one engine has that the other doesn't. I know some guys that have swapped engines and had to get the entire wiring system, from the headlights, motor, dash back to the taillights for the new motor for the computer to work. Just giving you a heads up on what may happen. I love my duratec motor, 179,000 miles so far and only normal upkeep. Wish I had it also in my Escape. So I hope someone out there can give you the real answer on if it is attemptable or not.

I hope that isn't the case, but I am afraid you are right. I have the Duratec in my 98 Sable sedan. You are right, it is a sweet engine. The thought of putting one in her car, especially when it is free is appealing. I have my doubts, tho.

the easiest way to do the swap is to swap in the entire subframe from a duratec car. You'll need the wiring harness and ECU too. The Vulcan gauge cluster should work, but you might want to grab a duratec one to make it look correct.