Engine Belts And Pulleys problems of the 2002 Ford Focus

The contact owns a 2002 Ford Focus. While attempting to accelerate from a complete stop, the vehicle suddenly lost all power without warning. The vehicle was taken to a private mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle with a failed timing belt. The contact was awaiting repairs. The dealer advised the contact to notify the manufacturer of the failure. The manufacturer was contacted but offered no assistance since there were no recalls for the vehicle. The current and failure mileages were 110,000.

1. Two days before the engine died I noticed it was having problems starting first thing in the morning, like a sputtering. Then it would go away and the car would drive fine. The car had a transmission fluid leak and so I continued to make sure it was at the right levels. 2. The day when the engine died it had been running normally. I had stopped at the store. When I got back in my car and turned it on the engine made a popping noise and then the engine "turned over" and started making a thwaping noise, like cardboard in contact with a fan blade. After towing it to a mechanic (it wouldn't start, it kept making thud-ish thwaping noises), who had worked for Ford previously, he said that the 4th piston had broke and was grinding on the side of the engine block (he had taken a look at the timing belt - ok- and was testing the gears that the timing belt attached to. 3 turned with the right torque but the final one at the bottom of the engine block didn't turn unless torque greater than what was normally needed was applied. When it turned there was a thwap sound inside the engine). What made me wonder is he said that this always happened with this model on the single overhead cam engines at around 90 to 120 thousand miles. He said that he repaired numerous similar incidents with this type of engine, even guaranteeing that opening up the engine would show that the 4th piston (farthest on the right facing the front) broke. I hate to think what would have happened if I had gotten on the freeway and the piston had broke. 3. The cost to replace with a new oem engine was more than the value of the car if I were to personally sell it (based on kelly blue book) and so was the cost for a used engine ($1200 was the lowest, compared to the duel overhead cam engines for the Focus which I found used for $500. Seems the demand for that style engine is high). I have not repaired it. I am considering selling it to a scrap yard.

Focus 2002 started to run rough around 40,000 miles. Had a major tune up 2 x's in 6 months. Changed all the plugs, wires, oil & fluids, still handled rough like it needed to be timed. Focus's have no timing belt. I took it in & was told the plug wire ran over the block was the causing the rough idl, due to the cable melting on the block. I replaced the cable & again the idle was still rough, but now started to surge & miss also. Driving @ various speeds, conditions & roads & still it would surge & miss fire & then drive on. Took it in & told with no light showing & unless it could repeat the surge/miss nothing it could be done. Less than a month later the batter died on a trip out of town. Checked the battery & full of corriosion. Bought a new battery & checked the electrical system told nothing wrong again. After a year of surging/missing (at least 1 a week) the car died again & we thought it was the battery. The battery tested & was told it is the alterator, bought a new one. We then did an oil change. We took it in & ask them agian about the surging & miss & asked if it could be checked when they did the oil. Was advised that it could be the fuel injectors but with out the check engine or oil light on that there was no way to know for sure. Two days later was driving on the freeway & all the lights on the dash light up, felt like there was no power when the gas pedal was pressed, at that point exited the freeway, almost got to the exit & the whole car stalled out, walk home about 4-5 miles. Back over to jumped it, it started up with a new clackety clack in the motor, did not drive at all, I towed it back to the mechanics who did the oil & tested it. I was told on Friday 5/27 that they think it might be a vualve or a engine tap. Please help.