first let me say hi,,,iv been meaning to join for ages but only just got round to it,,,

anyway i was wondering if anyone can help me at all,,,,ill try and keep this as short as i can so i dont boor you to death

iv got a project transit connect with focus rs running gear ,,full loom everything from the focus,,,it belonged to my mate and it was fully running but needed the lights wiring up,,,

my mate started playing trying to wire up the lights a blew some fuses and replaced them with other from the fuse box,,,then found he couldnt start the van,,this is the story he has given me anyway,,,i replaced all the fuses

so now iv got the van but it wont start or turn over ,,,,the pats light isnt flashing or doing anything realy,,,i can unlock and lock the doors and get the ignition on but the alarm wont turn off

another mate rigged up the pump and the starter but we found the injector feed was stopped by the ecu

im stumped on what to do next realy or who to ring as the van is stuck on my drive now,,,,,

is there anyway around the alarm/immobliser,,,,,even if it ment buying a aftermarket ecu or a company that could strip it out for me,,,,i have all the paper work for both the van and rs so anyone can see them and know its not stolen running gear

any advice is welcome

 

anyone ?

 

bit of a update if anyone fancy's giving some advice

the alarm is now off

the pats system seems fine,,, the light goes off when i turn the ignition on

but im still getting nothing from the starter switch,,,,iv ran a bypass so i can turn it over,,,,it will start for 1-2 sec then cut out,,,,,turn it over for a bit and it will try for 1-2 sec again then cut out,,,,if you turn the key off and on it will start first time every time but will cut out after 1-2 sec every time,,,,

whe it was at my mates workshop he said he checked and it was the injector feed stopping after a sec

any ideas anyone ??????????????????

 

not one bit of advice or help

 

i remember when i did my first focus rs conversion into a normal focus and i had a similar problem, it turned out it was the imboliser

we by passed the starter feed and the fuel pump but it would still cut out

 

it's going to be the pats stuff fucking shit up

are you using the original key and fob and immobiliser loop thing on the barrel?

 

yes mate used everything from the focus ,,,,,it started a drove out of the workshop first time it was done but the previous owner tried to wire the lights up his self and then it wouldnt start

the pats system seems to be working ok ,,,the light goes out anyway,,,,,the fuel pump is priming fine and it starts for a sec then cuts out and wont go again till the pump re primes ?,,,,but the starter button doesnt work either

 

Undo what the other guy has done and see if it solves the problem and then work out where the lights are wrong

 

he only cut and tried to wire up the rear lights so the plugs at the front havnt been touched and the rears are all bare wires now and not connected to anything so there shouldnt be anything wrong that side of things now ,,,,,eveything seems ok wiring wise nothing looks out of place or missing just alot of bare wire at the rear,,,but still no joy

got a auto spary taking the van away monday to try and have a go,,,but if not then its going to have to go down to ford for them to have a go

thanks for your help ill keep trying till it goes

 

a lot of the newer cars have these funny canbus systems where even one part of the seemingly unconnected wiring can affect everything

so put the wires back to the way they were, if everything was working then it stands to reason that putting things back the way they were "should" put things back to the way they were

i know that on my mondeo, if i don't wire the interior lights to the feed and return for the same light loom things get all fucked up

 

ok thanks for that ,,,,im going to get the auto sparks to wire all the lights up as they should be and g from there as your right with all the wires cut im not sure what goes were but that could be the problem,,,,,

will update you if i get any news

cheers again

 

you would be best to speak to geoff at chorley street garage who has built 2 frs powered connects, my mate ste at http://www.scautoelectrics.co.uk/ is the auto electrician who helped geoff build these vans so he may also be able to help you.

 

thanks mate,,,its currently at a auto sparks but he seems to be dragging his feet with it so im going to get it back very soon,,,,,ill give hima buzz when its back and see if he is willing to have a go,,,,,next step for me realy is replacing everything eletrical in the van,,

im not giving up just yet

 

got there in the end,,,,thanks for all the help guys,,,ended up being a a bit of a wiring problem and a boost pipe being split

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdRKymWVQuw

 

yay!!!!!

 

just getting the last few bits done now before its on the road,,,

seats have now been fitted (will be removed for carpet to be fitted )

got to get this finished soon as my mk3 turbo (s1 replica) will be back soon and iv got to start the bodywork on that







the connect will prob be going up for sale when its finished

 

right guys another quick update,,,,

iv spent the last day finding and wiring all the lights up,,,i should of done it myself in the first place

carpet is now down and all the plastics have been put back in,,,,seats are mounted properly now,,,

should be in for a mot next week and then its its first proper road test,,i cant wait now

only thing left to do is get the rear wheels on (focus hub converion) and lower it

 

You got any more pics of this ? Chris

 

ill get some up later on today,,,,,,

this connect rs (x-press) now has a brand new mot and is up for sale

£5000

 

 

been driving this around for a bit now and it is wicked fun,,,,open to good offers on it or may take a cheap px aswell

 

Looks a nice little van, have you got the rear wheels fitted now ?

If I sell my RS Focus, I'll be in touch

 

for sale thread?! lol.....

 

the way you post with all the ,,,,, reminds me of that dickhead rubinsbin that used to wind everyone up on here

 

not yet as im still waiting to get the rear hubs off another focus but hopefully soon

 

dont realy get what your trying to say mate ,,,,this is the way i type,,,,i didnt take IT in school so it may not be right but i dont realy give a F$&k

 

Does it have decent IRS (Focus ?) or just the original torsion beam ?

BTW, 99% of electrical problems are simple, its finding them that's difficult and takes the time.

 

hi mate

its still on the rear beam,,,need to fit focus hubs to take the rs wheels but hoping to do that next week

apart from that its done,,,,i done everything myself in the end due to getting fed up with waiting on people

now its fully on the road with a new mot and tax,,,,,,its great fun and iv already shocked a few people with it,,,,,ford main dealer in bristol love it

 

Agreed, but who can you moan at if your doing the work (in between earning the money for it !). I've yet to hear of one with one of these with any upgrade to rear suspension as people have done with YB transplants into RWD Transits.

My own plaything is a FRS engine into a Mk2 Mondeo LX. Virtually nothing to draw attention externally, its even got the regulation duct tape on the cracked bumpers.

Good luck with the sale (and next project !)

Martin

 

thinking of keeping it for a bit now as it loads of fun and i want to get it finished realy,,,,,

dont realy get what you mean by upgrading the suspention,,,do you mean just lowering or getting coilovers on there or somting like that

 

All I've ever seen/heard of on Connects is people attaching, as your looking at doing, FRS knuckles to the rear axle. That's just a solid tube mounted on leaf springs, very 60's.

Whilst not as unstable as when they are the driving wheels, as in a Mk1/2 Escort or Transit there are many ways to 'frig' a solid axle to have better suspension geometry such as DiDion or Watts links and/or multi link location and coil springs.

I've seen RWD Transits with full 4 link location of the rear axle, and even one with Sierra subframe/diff. Connect - how about putting in mounting points re-inforced to current load points so the SLA FRS rear subframe with hubspacer to increase the track to match the Connect. All the suspension forces apart from the dampers are contained within the subframe.

Has anybody done a rear subframe from a Ford FWD into an earlier car or van ??

Martin

 

sorry mate think you have lost me as its sounds a bit technical,,,,,iv got a few mates that have 4 linked there mk1 escrots ,,,,is it along the same lines as that ,,,,,would be good if i can find someone to do it as cash isnt a problem if i can get someone to do it

 

Hmm, think I'm out teching myself as well....

At each corner of the van, you're trying, despite all the forces - sideways, up/down, engine or braking torque, to firstly keep the tread flat on the road. Also it would be nice to keep the body level and not rolling too much. Some of these are independent, some linked.

On a 'live' rear axle, one of the main things when putting power down is the torque also tries to twist the leaf spring resulting in undesired 'lifting' and 'unwinding'. One solution was the fitting of 4 struts/links to resist the torque, or even use it to control squat. It doesn't, AFAIK, change the cornering handling much. Also, on the Connect, I don't think it would do too much as your only handling braking torque not the engine power.

Next simply, imagine looking at the two rear wheels on the end of the axle from behind with only one going over a bump. Do the treads stay level on the road surface? Now think of the FRS doing the same. Treads (and grip) stay level(ish) as they go up and down. So control of grip and going around corners with the Independent Rear Suspension (IRS) should be better......

I think thats why, despite the cost pressures and move to FWD, there was on RWD the move from leaf springs and solid axle (MK1/2 Escort), through half leafs (Capri), multi link solid axle (Mk4 Cortina) to IRS (Sierra & Scorpio).

Even on FWD there have been interesting developments at the both ends. At the rear we've seen the crude rear end of a solid (live) axle and cart springs on vans (not usually required to go fast round corners), torsion beam and coil springs on Escorts, McPherson strut and Short/Long Arm (SLA) (Saloon/Estate Mondeo). All attempting to optimise the way the rear wheels change camber and toe as loads change and they move. The last also illustrates the conflict between widest load floor (estate/van) and struts/ dampers intrusion.

So, if you want your van to go around corners, rather than just parade, you need something better than a live axle; graft in a multilink IRS rear end from a current model (FRS ?) should be the easiest.

Martin

 

i get what you mean now,,,,,might be worth a try when its been on the road a bit longer as it drives well at the mo and its not going on the track till next season now so iv got loads of time to work a few things out,,,,,im breaking another focus in the next few days so i might cut out what i might need then and start planning

thanks for the tips as i prob wouldnt of thought of giving it a go but sounds like it could make alot of diffrence to how the van performs

 

WARNING - Don't listen to me too closely. My Mk1 Transit did a 540 on Southampton Hostpital internal 'race track' (diesel spill?). Also rolled into a field on the way to Cadwell Park (that might have been helped by 'Green Dragon' juice) !!

You've always got to have an excuse ready.

Martin

 

sound to me like your driving it right though

 

Hi I realize this is an old post but anyone know or fitted a focus subframe complete with engine and struts to a connect?? I'm putting in an 1800 zetec and would like to keep it as is rather that swap engines over??

 

I've read on here people doing the 2.0l zetec as a straight bolt in job but don't know about the 1800 I'd guess it would be the same

 

I know this is a really old post but would love to speak to you as now am the owner of the van ..I only join the forum two days ago so can't believe I found my van on here already ..plz get in touch as the lad I bought it from lied through his arse about just about everything aswell as ripping us off big time ..Andy by the way .