Thanks. I still haven't decided what to do as I'm just not sure what the difference is between the hybrid & non-hybrid engines. So, I'm still researching the situation.

I really wish I could just find a rebuild kit! What a pita this is turning out to be.

 

Arthur,

There are a few things I would do before deciding on which path to take.

First, go to www.alldatadiy.com and purchase a subscription to the service and technical data for your car. Included in that data will be ALL TSBs for that car from Ford. I would want to know if Ford has pubished a TSB for the main bearings on that engine having an oil-starvation problem. If there is a TSB on your problem, I would contact your Ford dealer to see if Ford offers any "goodwill" coverage for fixing that problem. If they do, it could cut down your cost of repair substantially.

Next, I would ask an independent mechanic if they can remove the oil pan and the damaged bearing. (BTW, did you loose a main bearing or a connecting rod bearing?) Sometimes a spun bearing just grinds off the top layer of whatever alloy they used in that bearing. If that is all that is wrong, I would have them replace all of the bearings they can replace WITHOUT removing the engine. Often, this can be done by removing the main bearing cap or the end of the connecting rod, pushing in a new bearing and then reconnecting the end or cap, torquing it to the right specs.

If you can do this and the engine quiets down and has good oil pressure, you can easily get another 100K miles out of it without a rebuild. I've done this sucessfully on a couple of V-6 engines, but it failed to work on another engine because that particular engine had a bad habit of warping the crankshaft.

If you can replace the mains or the connecting rod bearings, a good shop with a BG oil flush machine can flush the crankcase to remove virtually all of the pieces of metal.

If this works, the engine will function correctly, but keep in mind this IS a gamble. You are risking spending maybe $1,000-1,500 vs. $6,500 in order to keep your old engine going.

Finally, if you can find an independent shop that has the expertise to swap engines on a hybrid vehicle, have them see if they can get a good used engine from a company called LKQ. LKQ stands for "Like Kind and Quality." They are the BEST source of used engines and transmissions in the country, bar none. Many shops will only buy and install used engines from them because they only sell warranted, complete engines. If your shop buys an engine from them, it will be a complete assembly and will arrive at their shop virtually ready to go into your car. And, your shop can offer up to a 2-year warranty because LKQ warrants their engines for up to two years.

If all that fails, when considering whether to replace your engine at the Ford dealer is determined by you and the condition of your car. If the body and interior are mint and everything works perfectly, then you have to ask yourself if you can REPLACE it with a virtually identical vehicle for what the engine repair will cost. If you can pay for the engine, have a mint vehicle, and want to avoid a $350-$500 per month car payment, the replacement engine could be a good way to go.

If you decide to have a Ford dealer replace the engine, I would shop the price around to the dealers in about a 100-150 mile radius. In this slow economy, you could find a Ford dealer willing to shave $500-1,000 off of the repair just to get your business.

Good luck!
Joe

 

You have a vehicle that is worth $7,000 or so at best. It would seem foolish to put $6,500 in a different engine and I question you could really get much below $4,000 even for a rebuild.

You might trade it in and see if they will give you $3,000 allowance on another vehicle or part it out. Anytime a repair exceeds over half of the value of the vehicle, I think it is time to part company.

 

Since the vehicle has so many miles on it I would consider a used engine from a wreched vehicle. I just looked on Ebay and there are many used FEH specific engines at many price points depending on miles, etc. Most junk yards warranty used engines for some period of time.

If you can put a 50k mile FEH engine into your FEH for $1500 plus installation (I would do it myself) that seems like a decent solution.

 

I've used several salvage items on my Suburban (422,000 miles), axle & transfer case, to great savings. They only give a 30 day guarantee on the units. But in the end things worked well.

In the case of an engine consider both an engine & transaxle as a unit. It'll be a bit easier since you'll probably have to remove the engine/transaxle as an assembly and then disassemble the engine from the transaxle anyway.

Once you have these reinstalled run them and do oil samples & analyses to see if anything is going on inside. Consider running the engine for a very short time and changing the oil out, running it for say 100 miles and changing oil then maybe 3-500 miles and changing again to clean out the lubrication system.

 

Thanks for the ideas. I think a used engine may just be the best way for me to go at this point. I'm going to call a few of the shops locally and see what I can work out.

As for getting rid of it, or trading it in, that's not really an option for me at this time.

As for what bearing, well I was assuming a crank bearing, but couldn't say for sure as my wife took it in to Ford. Their mechanic specified a spun bearing. SInce he did drop the oil pan I assumed he was talking about the crank. The motor also runs. Just has a tap and low power. (yes she drove it too and from the dealer ~ about 10 miles away).

 

2005 Ford Escape hybrid, 150,000 interstate miles...My truck is using a quart of oil every 500 miles, so I've decided to replace the engine on April 9th. $5,000.00 for a remanufactured 2.3L Atkinson engine, including parts and labor.

 

See if you can find a NAPA shop in your area. They will use an LKQ engine (please see earlier post) and give a 12 month, 12,000 warranty that is good at any NAPA shop. Good luck!
Joe

 

Did your FEH start burning oil gradually over time, or all at once? Or is there an oil leak somewhere?

Just guessing you were pretty happy with the FEH or you wouldn't be spending the money to replace the engine at seven years old.

Give us some details.

 

Fellow FEH owners,
Yes, I am very happy with my 2005 Ford Escape hybrid (151000 interstate miles)...I am replacing the engine ($5300.00, includes taxes and labor) on April 9th at Ramey Ford in Beckley, WV, though I'm mainly upset that our "young" Escape is using a quart of oil very 400 miles (Traveling between Charleston, SC and Beckley, WV). Oh well, less expensive than trading it for another vehicle that I know nothing about. I bought this truck for my wife on Valentine's day in 2005, and...knock on wood, we only had to replace the tires, one battery (in the engine compartment), and the HCU (Beware...Very expensive!). So based on our experience, we're going to replace the engine in our 2005 FEH, then buy another Ford Escape (Certified Pre-Owned and non-hybrid) from wife in late February 2013.