As some know, I've had endless problems with my escort. I'm now rebuilding another engine for it. I've stripped the bottom end and checked / had everything checked and refitted with new shells, oil pump and gaskets. I've bought a ported + polished head with a piper cam, again I've stripped and cleaned it and rebuilt it with new seals and gaskets. I've used a good H/G and new head bolts and new timing belt. Hopefully I've done everything I can to make this as reliable as possible as I can't afford to spend anything else on it! The turbo has only done a hand full of miles since I bought it. This is it's last chance to be a reliable car as I've already spent a fortune on it and I paid too much in the 1st place for it It only gets used on a weekend as it's a second car.

 

"How reliable can an RST be?????"


Very if you look after it.

 

well i had a cab that was put together by a chimp and it broke down a hell of a lot yet ive just redone mine and other than teething troubles its sound

 

Mine has be fine (touch wood) !!! damn ive cursed it now lol !!!

 

Set up correctly they can be more reliable than new cars. Less electronical crap in there that could go wrong.

The engine is pretty much bullet-proof in standard trim, with regular servicing and the injection system in good nick.

 

i have put 3000 miles on mine since i bought it a couple of months ago its running around 190bhp and hasnt even coughed or splattered yet!!!

 

think its all about the set up tbh cos mine and 2 of my mates are never on trhe rd at the same time lol

 

my mates runs all the time no problem, just the rest of the car is falling apart

 

If it's put together properly and looked after properly it will be ultra reliable!!!!!!

 

I did 19k miles in my S1 with no serious issues. Just the odd fuel pump failure which I rectified by wiring in another relay.

 

not had any real problems with any of my rs turbos there good if ya dont cain them

 

Mine has done 145k miles, 100k by me at 15 psi boost. I`ve had 2 gearbox rebuilds and i freshened up the engine at 143k it only needed rings and shells everything was still within Ford tolerance. Iam still on the original turbo! I changed the oil and filter every 3k and had a RR set up every year, its never let me down yet

 

We used our old Series 2 every day of the year for 2 1/2 years and it never let us down once


Brian

 

judging by the thread the other day as long as you dont race anything modern like a clio itll be fine.
if you do though itll break big time.

 

they can be reliable. mines done nearly 130k engine has never been apart origional turbo runs sweet. tuner reckons she could see another 50k.

 

 

Well mine isn't very reliable after fitting my rebuilt bottom end and supposedly good S/H head it's rattling it's tits off if it's not fixed tomorro I think I'll have to fire it!!!!!!!!!!!

 

At the end of the day guys its a 19 or 21 year old car and if its not been looked after service not to frashed ect since day one its gonna be a pain in the arse unless u refresh every thing, Or you could be unlucky like this chap and have a friday car.

Long story short mine is not bad so far cause i give it nothing but the best she is vert high maintence lol

 

my girlfriends s2 is on 140k on original engine and turbo only started to get a slight problem with it now (read other post) but otherwise neva been a problem as long as ya look after them and regular oil changes thay last

 

there great if looked after and if corners aren't cut- ford did a pretty good job with the rs turbo we just all messed it up cus of bleed valves and the like lol

 

The more money you spend the more reliable they get........... but mostly they start very unreliable

 

all down to regular services good oil etc i swear by mobil1 thats all mines had for the last 15 years

 

When you see under the bonnet of some!!
Absolute shite -wires all over the place/spliced here and there,hoses taped up to make joints some with paper masking tape!
And generally fucked about with.
Think! --was it like that in the begining of its life??
no wonder problems occur is it?

 

ive had mine 5 year ish, never had an issue with it. if i have its becuase of me (no oil gettin 3rd insted of 5th bla bla bla)

 

I got my Escort RS Turbo 15 years ago this April (18th iirc) and it was always used as a daily runner up until I moved in with my missus about 4 years ago. In all th eyears it was a daily runner it always got me to and from work and rarely put a foot wrong. TBH the only reason it isn't still a daily car is as I needed something more suitable for my work, something I could park without panicing about and I just didn't want to spoil it using it daily

 

alright mate i would change the cam belt kit water pump plugs and leads ect as then they are loverly and you get the piece of mind that its all good ...good luck with the build

 

yep yep so true just treat your escort service it regulary etc and it will be fine. my mates are scared to go in mine because the old engine kept cutting out and breaking down before it died..now i got a new engine test drove it to essex and back and was running super smooth....i love it!!! im going to do an oil and filter change, and give it a new air filter this easter......dont have a girl to treat out so thought might aswell treat my car (which happens to me my baby anyway) ..

 

RS Turbo would be proper car for everyday use for its reliability if properly looked after.

 

This is relevant to this topic so may be of interest to people:
http://www.motorsport-developments.c...AF261_tech.pdf

 

mine has let me down twice in 4 years with a crunch in the gearbox and a starter motor apart from that nothing else works but it gos lol

 

as said above they are reliable if looked after