Cameron

Anyone got to the bottom of the head gasket issue?
Had a mate at Ford check the FINIS, no longer available
and like everyone keeps saying the cometic ones are for 87mm bore, surely that cant be used?

studabear

I used a cometic 1.5mm thick from Burtons first time around.

Carlitos

I still need to get my arse in gear and finish my build. I already have the larger bore gasket so am going to use it. I'm no mechanic but my thinking was if the seal round the bore is more important than how close the gasket is too coolant channels so long as good prep work and it is installed correctly.

Carlitos

First time around? What happened to make a second time?

studabear

A high speed run and it got a bit hot and blew the gasket, I never had the block decked when I chucked it together, just gave it a general clean up.
Had it decked and finished correctly after that, also managed to get a genuine Ford gasket for when it went back together.

big_wasa

I’ve built one. I have had it running but not extensively or had it near a dyno. It should be 250bhp give or take.


What I want to know is how hard have people pushed these ?

Cameron

was this an 87mm bore gasket?

studabear

Cant remember tbh. It was several years ago now.

big_wasa

Mine first start in its new home

big_wasa

And at around 600kg it should motor

studabear

Good work Wasa.

wellsy_RST

Hello all!

this is the exact thread i have been looking for! i haven't scrolled through fully, will do so tomorrow morning.
( so please excuse me if this thread already has the answer to my question)

anyways, does anybody know if the zetec st170 swap in an ERST s2 would take the Quaife QKE38Z 5-speed sequential gearkit?
would there be any cut and weld work to make room for the box, or would it fit straight in?

any help would be much appreciated!!

​​​​​​​

day_dreamer

I'm converting an 1987 mk4 cabriolet to use a 2003 1.8 focus blacktop zetec and ran into some issues. I know it is not a rst conversion but I think the procedures are simular.

I used a ib5 gearbox from a 1.8 1997 escort, this has the rear starter just as the blacktop has but not the hydrolic clutch. I also grabbed the clutch cable from the 1997 escort in the hope that this would fit. My 1987 escort was using the long clutch cable. Unfortunately both cable's are not correct, the 1997 zetec inner cable is too long, the half moon in the clutch pedal is adjusted to the complete end and still there is play on the cable. The cvh outer cable is too long it needs to be folded into an S to get it mounted, and the inner cable is too short, causing the half moon to sit on the very first tooth. which result in having a pedal that only release completely at the bottom.

Can I use the cvh short cable or do I need another one?

Same for the throttle cable. I used the original focus one but the pedal is staying on the ground, I have at least 4 cm of play in the inner cable. A silvertop cable does not fit as it has a half moon on the throttle housing where the cable needs to be slotted into while the black top has a plastic square with a hole in it that needs to be pushed on the throttle lever. I modified the MFI pedal to an EFI as I could not find an EFI. Is there an alternative cable that should fit or do I need to mount the focus pedal?

Last question regarding water hoses, Which hose are you all using for the hose from the rad to the waterpump? I'm a little confused on how to route the waterhoses to get a proper system.

big_wasa

Bottom hose known as the spider hose goes from the water pump to the bottom of the rad. It will have at least two separate connections. One for the thermostat bypass and one for the bottom of the header tank.

Carlitos

There was talk on this thread a few years back about the inlet Mondeo mk2 manifold rubbing up against the brake bar. I've got my engine in now and having the same issue. Did anybody who had the same issue resolve it? I've have both types of Mondeo mk2 manifolds, the one which says 2.0 and the one with 1.8/2.0 and the metal tube. Both are doing the same thing. I don't know if there's perhaps a 3rd type or is there something else to consider?

Bigkevg

how close is it to brake bar.

Carlitos

Touching. Just. Was a bit of a wiggle to slide it in to place. It does fit and I can bolt up the inlet but I can imagine it wouldn't last too long with engine vibration. I hadn't realised on the first fit that a wire was sandwiched between the two. That's now proper squished, probably need to repair it.

I've read the brake bar is in a different location to the mk3, more pronounced out or something like that. My mk4 is an 89 carb model but I wouldn't have thought the bar would be located differently to other models of the same year.

Bigkevg

Have you tried a non abs brake bar

Carlitos

It's a carb engine (Bonus model I think) so doesn't have abs. How different are the abs bars? I wonder if that's the difference.

Bigkevg

Abs is bigger diameter. Not sure if bonus had abs. Doubt it.

Carlitos

This model definitely doesn't have abs. But I wonder if the bar is a different size still. I've noticed wiring and other parts are slightly different on these low spec models. I'll measure it and check later. It only needs probably less than a cm space clearance.

Carlitos

If it helps anybody else it turns out there's a few different inlet manfiolds out there and some have a lower profile than others. The first two I bought were from Mondeo's. One stamped with 2.0 and the other stamped with 1.8/2.0 with a metal pipe coming out of it. Neither of these fit. I managed to find which said it was from a Focus but also fitted Mondeos (so the seller said) and is stamped 1.8/2.0. The main difference to identify is the idle is in a different orientation. The ones which don't find the idle motor is mounted sideways. The one which does fit is mounted face down.

nickscunny

iTrader: (1)

Does anyone within this thread still have their cars? Are they as reliable?