Escapes and Tribute are basically the same right? Except for some different wiring hook ups.
I have a spun rod bearing on my 2005 2.3l Tribute. Looking for an engine they are pretty pricey. I can get an engine from a 2008 2.3l tribute for about a grand less. Will this engine fit into my tribute okay. I don't mind swapping parts or whatever, I just want the long block to work. Is it just a straight simple swap? Sorry this is about a tribute, but tribute forums suck and I think they are the same anyway.

 

I was wondering the same thing. My 05 just spun a bearing. The 08 motors are alot cheaper. they do have different short block part numbers from ford but they have the same stroke,bore, compression,hp and torque.

 

Seems like there is quite a few spun bearings on these things. Everything I've read says the block and the head are the same. The gasket set even fits both. That's all I care about. I can swap everything else. I am going to look at a 2008 2.3l engine later today and probably buy it. I will let you know later if it looks good.

 

I bought the 2008 2.3l and installed it into my 2005 tribute. It runs great. I have no idea why the mechanic and the dealer say it won't work. Everything is identical except the pulleys are different sizes and the harmonic balance is a bigger. All that meant is that I had to get a belt for a 2008. Runs nice and smooth for about half the cost.

 

yea that's great. I will go pick my 08 engine up this week then. I have gone as far as contacting engine remanufactures and they could not tell me what the difference was but that they would not work. I have claims in at Ford and the only answer so far is that it will not work. They need better tech support.

 

All the dealer knows is that it has a different part number. I have put about 400 miles on the new engine
so far. It runs great. Let me know if u have any issues. You shouldn't. Everything is identical. Just get the 2008 belt. They had 2 at checker one for 20 bucks and one for 50 bucks.

 

I did just dropped an 08 escape motor in my 05 escape yesterday. The 08 didnot have a oil cooler so I swapped it over and I put my 05 throttle body on the 08 b/c it was broken on the 08. I am guessing the 08 has electronic steering b/c it had a dummy pulley were the p/s pump goes. It runs great except for 1 thing. Only off idle if I get into the throttle hard it will make a pretty loud knocking noise but only for maybe 2 sec at the most. It does not do it if you are driving normal. the sound is comming from the front of the engine were the cam gears are almost like it is detonating. I have 93 octane in it so that should not be it. The motor only has 20,000 miles on it so I do not think that is it. I am wondering if this motor has different cams and might need a 08 ecu. I say that b/c the epa mpg ratings on the 05 are way different than the 08. I did find out that they have the same fuel inj.

 

What was the knock about? Did you figure it out? I didn't have that issue. Mine runs great.

 

Did you leave the VVT solenoid unpluged on the 08 engine ? If yes, how did it run ?