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Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!hao!noao!terak!doug
From: doug@terak.UUCP (Doug Pardee)
Newsgroups: net.auto,net.consumers
Subject: Escort/Lynx/EXP/LN7 Owners: Note
Message-ID: <865@terak.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 11-Nov-85 13:15:51 EST
Article-I.D.: terak.865
Posted: Mon Nov 11 13:15:51 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 15-Nov-85 08:20:53 EST
Distribution: na
Organization: Calcomp Display Products Division, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
Lines: 20
Xref: linus net.auto:7708 net.consumers:2908

A few months ago the Ford Motor Company mailed out a bulletin to
known owners of Ford Escorts and EXPs and Mercury Lynx and LN7s
advising that engine damage could result if the timing belt failed.
They not only recommended that the belt be replaced at 60,000 miles, 
but also washed their hands of responsibility for engine damage if
an unchanged belt failed after 60,000 miles.

I bring this up because my wife's LN7 had its timing belt fail at
43,000 miles (don't know yet if the valves got mangled or not).
I certainly would recommend that owners of these cars take FoMoCo's
advice and have the timing belt changed before the 60,000 mile mark.

P.S. anyone have problems with needing the carb rebuilt?  Ours had to
be rebuilt at 39,000 miles -- the gas mileage had already gone to heck,
and the Arizona emission inspection system finally forced us to have
it fixed.  A salesman at the local Ford dealer confided that this was
a common problem, and that if he was King he would have FoMoCo bear the
costs of the repair (actually, at $28 it was surprisingly inexpensive).
-- 
Doug Pardee -- CalComp -- {calcom1,savax,seismo,decvax,ihnp4}!terak!doug