Year/Model Engine Horsepower@RPM Torque@RPM
86-87/base; LX 1.9L carbed; SOHC

86@4800

 100@3000
86-87/GT 1.9L EFI; SOHC 108@5200 114@4000
88-90/base; LX 1.9L CFI; SOHC 90@4600 108@3400
88-90/GT 1.9L EFI; SOHC 110@5400 115@4200
91-96/base; LX 1.9L SEFI; SOHC 88@4400 108@3800
91-96/GT 1.8L; DOHC 127@6500 114@4500
97-99/base; LX; SE 2.0L SPI; SOHC 110@5000 125@3750
97-96/ZX2 2.0L; ZETEC DOHC 130@5570 127@4250

Ford Escort Frequently Asked Questions.
This section is meant to answer the most common questions about escorts.  I will focus mostly on 2nd gen 91-96 escorts since this is what I have personally.  Most of this information was gained from the message boards at www.escortgt.com and www.escortracing.com.  Please visit these websites and help out the 'scort community.

Q. What does it mean when people talk about 1st generation, 2nd generation, and 3rd generation escorts?
A. This is referring to the body style of the car.   Each time a new car is introduced, it is considered the next generation.  For escorts, the first generation is 81-90, second gen is 91-96, and third gen is 97-present.   Throughout this FAQ escorts will be referred to by the generation.
Q. What is the difference between the engines in different models of escorts?
A. -1st gen:  Both of the 1st gen models have the 1.9l SOHC engine.  Some older models (pre-86?) have the 1.6l engine but I don't know anything about it.  So the difference between the 1.9l's is that the GT has Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI) and the base/LX has CFI which is like a carburetor with a fuel injector in it.  There are other differences also but the fuel system is the biggest change.  Most engine parts are swappable bewteen the two first gen engines.
-2nd gen: The 2nd gen is where things began to change.  The base/LX models have the 1.9l SOHC Ford  engine, but now with distributorless Sequential Electronic Fuel Injection (SEFI).  The new GT has the 1.8l DOHC Mazda engine.  The two engines of the 2nd gens are totally different and no parts are swappable between them.
-3rd gen:  The 3rd gen has yet another variation of the 1.9l.  Although now displacement is up to 2.0l.  It is pretty much the same as the 91-96 1.9l SOHC engine besides that.  Last but not least the is the 2.0l DOHC Zetec engine in the ZX2.   I really know nothing about these so I won't get into it. 
Q. Can I get clear corner lights for my escort?
A. Yes, it is possible to have clear corners for any generation escort. 
-For a 1st gen, you will need to use mercury lynx corner lights.  They are clear with amber reflectors.  All you need to do is swap the amber reflector out with the clear one from the stock escort lights, and you have a fully clear corner.
-For a 2nd gen, you can either purchase a set of full clear corners, or find some mercury tracer corner lights which are already clear.  A few places that sell full clears are www.procarparts.com, www.pacificie.com, and www.directpart.com.
-For a 3rd gen escort, there are currently no clear lights available, but you can make your stock lights clear.  There is a full how-to here on www.escortracing.com, and it will show you exactly how to perform this mod.
Q. Are there any clear or altezza (euro) style rear lights available for my escort?
A. No.  There are currently no rear lights made for any generation of escort.  A few people have actually made their own, and this is the way to go if you really want something like this.
Q. Can I lower my escort with new springs?
A. Of course.  There are actually many companies that produce springs for our cars.  They include Eibach, Suspension Techniques, Intrax, Progress Technology, Sprint, Chikara, and AIM Industries.  Also available are fully adjustable coilover springs from either Ground Control or Weapon-R.
Q. Can I use the Ford Motorsport ZX2 Tokico struts on my 2nd gen escort?
A. Yes you can.  The suspensions of the 2nd gen, 3rd gen, and ZX2 have many interchangeable parts.  The only modification needed for these struts will be to either enlarge the hole in the thrust bearing or buy the ZX2 thrust bearings.  Other than that they are a direct fit.  For the best deal on these struts go to www.oemfordparts.com.
Q. What is the widest tire I can fit on my escort?
A. For a 2nd gen escort, you can easily fit 7" wide tires/wheels.  Anything larger than that and you will have problems with rubbing on the fenders.
Q. I put wider wheels on my escort and now the tires rub in the rear.  What can I do about this?
A. You will need to roll the lip on the edge of the fender.  Run your hand under the edge and you will feel what I am talking about.   The easiest way to do this is to take a bat, broomstick, etc., and stick it in between the fender and tire.  Now you will need to slowly roll the car back and forth until the lip is rolled up and out of the way.  You must be very careful when you do this, as it can end up bending the entire fender out.  The alternative way to stop the rubbing would be to cut the lip off entirely.  Don't forget to touch up the bare edges with paint so it doesn't rust. 
Q. I don't like the seats in my escort.  Are there any seats from other cars that are a direct swap?
A. Yes there are.  Mazda MX3/Precidia seats are probably the nicest available to swap.  They will directly bolt up to the stock mounts and will sit you lower than your stock seats.  I have also heard that Probe or Contour seats may also fit, but have never seen either of these done. 
Q. I want a new cat-back exhaust.  What is available?
A. The only readily available kit is made by pacesetter.   The downside of this is that the piping on pacesetter products is known to rust out very fast.  The best  alternative is to go to a local muffler shop and get them to custom bend you an exhaust.  Then you can choose whatever pipe size, muffler, and tip that you want. 
Q. What about an intake?
A. There are intakes available for both 2nd and 3rd gen escorts.  For the 2nd gen 1.9l you can get either the Weapon-R intake, www.procarparts.com intake, or the CTA Motorsports intake.   For the 1.8l GT you have the choice of the Weapon-R intake, PRM intake, K&N Fuel Injection Performance Kit, and soon you can get a full intake from Compass Motorsports.  For the 3rd gen SPI, CTA Motorsports is the only company to make an intake.
Q. I want more power in my escort.  What can I do?  
A. -All gens:  There are a few available options to upgrade your escorts engine.  You can turbo or supercharge the stock engine, or swap to a whole new, better, more powerful engine.  Both the turbo and supercharging of the stock engine will require major mods and fabrication, so most people just go all out and get a new engine.  For this there are also some options on which engine you can fit in your car. 
-1st gen:  The only swap I've seen into a first gen is a later model 1.9l.  I don't really know if this is worth it though.  Most 1st genners go the route of building up their stock engine to push out more power.
-2nd gen:  The biggest engine I have seen stuck in the stock engine bay is the mazda KL-ZE V6.  Many people also swap to the 1.8l BPT, which is a turbo'ed variation of the stock engine for the Escort GT.  Corksport can get both the GT-X and GT-R versions of the 1.8l BPT.  No matter which method you choose, there is sure to be a lot of custom work to be done to get everything to work perfectly.  
-3rd gen:  I have never seen a swap to a 3rd gen, but a 1.8l swap would be possible since the engine bay is basically the same as the 2nd gen.  There are a few guys who have turbo'ed the stock engine and have had good results though.