Im picking an Escort RS Turbo Mfi engine up on friday for my cabriolet its in a complete car that had the conversion done but shell is rotten so want to put it into mine. Im after advice fitting it or if someone lives not to far away (im in Reading Berkshire) that would do it if i paid them. I got a mate that could change the engines over but its the loom that i dont feel confident to do. Is the conversion as easy as peope say im planning on using my xr3i box will that be fine and link up okay?
I could do with a guide of start to finish of how to do the conversion exactly what parts i need and any problems i might have. I would appreciate any help THANKS SHAUN

 

I'm in reading. Your box will be fine but obv doesn't have a LSD. And it is a case of pull your old loom out and pop in the new one mate

 

Easiest way might be:

Take everything out of the donor car, put everything into your cab. Cut both wiring looms for tail lights etc. and put the cab loom onto the RS loom.

You'll have to use nearly every engine part from the RS. Injectors were the same and you can for sure keep your MFI fuel pump.

 

SOUNDS LIKE WE COULD BOTH DO WITH SOME HELP!!


need some advice... i have 90 spec xr3i cab, but have been buying bits up on ebay for rs turbo conversion, so far i have got engine (ported & polished big valves etc) t3 turbo, wiring loom, ecu's, manifolds, exhaust, pro alloy intercooler, metering unit, bigger brakes, rs gearbox, baileys d/v most of what i think need, i know most ppl say to get a donor car put them side by side and swap everything over but obv i cant do that as i have no donor car??!! just wondering of what sort of problems i can expect to have if any?? also does it matter being a 90 model and efi changing to mfi turbo.... any trouble or as ill be changing the loom will it not matter? also as i have power hood will i have to start messing about with the looms?? any and all advice would be massively appreciated

 

with a EFI car you'll need at least the MFI fuel tank, fuel pump and maybe the fuel lines from a MFI car!

 

Regarding OP

The loom seems daunting if you've never donr one but its not too hard. theres a method in it.

start from the passenger front wing and start unplugging things, coil, metering unit, washer bottle, headlight etc labeling as you go. follow it down the inner wing, across the crossmember and up the other side, the drivers inner wing. theres also more that go from the fusebox across the bulkhead to the ECU's and behind the block, cold start, oil press etc. dont worry if you get abit stuck, the sensors should be colour coded.

pop the fuse box top panel up with a screwdriver and there'll be 3 screws underneath. undo those and your done in the engine bay.

then take the dash out and work passenger side to drivers. you can unplug the door looms, these are colour coded for when you refit them. the dash wires all head towards the fusebox hole so unclip them off the bulkhead as you go, as said work left to right.

along the drivers side is where the rear light and fuel pump looms run, you can cut this if you want to resolder it afterwards, or if you drop the tank you can unplug the wires and pull them through. theres also a fuel sender multiplug here. the rear light wires just pull through, but you might have to unbolt the backs of the rear seats, i work on orions normally lol, so they're abit different! you'll also have to snip the interior light loom somethere suitable and label it to be reconnected at the other end as you've no chance of pulling that one through in one piece imo.

Lastly, and very carefully, take the relays off the black bracket in the drivers footwell and the whole loom should pull out of the hole underneath the fusebox. pull it out into the engine bay NOT the interior. you wont get the ecu plugs through the hole. its tight to start with but gets much easier once all the relay holders are through.

thats about it. hopefully this will help you, not make it sound really hard to do! lol. i did mine in an afternoon including labeling everything and i'd never done one before. its easy peasy.

Joe.