Need a new gearbox as my BC box lasted all of 600miles trying to put 25psi down lol
Gonna go for the IB5 box as i hear they go in with no major mods needed? Question is what one do i go for? Want gear ratios to be as close as possible to the original
Thanks in advance for any help

 

Google around and find which MK5 escorts came with similair ratio's if you don't want the extra work of stripping and changing gear sets over, IME most non sporty models (not XR3i, Si, GTi, etc) and not Diesel box's are ok and IIRC all 1.6 and 1.8 hatchbacks are pretty close to the RST ones, ....

S2 RS Turbo
1st 3.15
2nd 1.91
3rd 1.28
4th 0.95
5th 0.76
FD 3.82

 

Ok thanks for the info mate

 

MK5 Escort still had BC boxes. IB5 were introduced in 1996. There are not many front starter IB5 boxes. 1.4 PTE had one, that's for sure. But the final drive is too short for a RST. And after all, Ford says IB5 is made for 5 Nm torque more.

 

If they are not IB5 and just late BC box's then there is nothing to be gained really.. The gearbox's are identical apart from the larger IB5 bearings, extra case webbing and self centering neutral.... The late BC box's had the larger bearings too.
But from experience the IB5's take much more power with out breaking, case flex is a big factor with snapping input and main shafts IMO and old fatigued brittle gear sets will often sheer teeth.
I've broken 4 BC box's running around 190bhp and not broken any IB5's running circa 270bhp.

 

Cant find any ratio info but ive got an IB5 from 1.4 petrol van on its way so will see how i get on with that

 

Darren how was the 1.4 van gearbox?

 

In the days of my ERST i went through quite a few boxes, i ended up buying a BC box out of a TD van and had it rebuild with an s2 slipper.

I cannot remember what the box was out of, but one of the late turbo diesel boxes can take a lot of punishment. I think it has some bad ratios in it so swap them with those from a BC ERST box (i handed over an erst box and a diesel box and the guy just made me a hybird). Think he only charge me about Ł150, that was 10 years ago. Sorry i cannot be specific it was a long time ago but it lasted and I was running close to 250bhp.

 

Didnt use the 1.4 box as i was told it had a pony final drive and would be revving its nuts off in 5th at 80mph but would get there real quick. I went for a 1.8 diesel box instead which is really nice. Took the oppertunity to fit s1 rollbar and mounts etc at the same time