Mk4 Escort Estate, ST170 on Throttle Bodies (+'Ring Video)
#1
Fast Ford snapper
Thread Starter
Mk4 Escort Estate, ST170 on Throttle Bodies (+'Ring Video)
I've owned this a good while now, so I may as well do a thread on it as it's had a fair bit done to it, and still has plenty more planned for it
A couple of years ago I was realising that I really needed an Estate car for doing my photoshoots. I considered all the usual off the shelf typical modern options but nothing really inspired me, I just couldn't get any enthusiasm up for them.
So thinking of what I really wanted I narrowed it down to either a Mk4 Escort or Sierra Estate.
I already had a Mk3 Escort project so that ruled out one of them, and I figured a Mk4 would be easier to find anyway. The Sierra idea was killed off for the time being as I realised it would be a lot more uneconomical and cost me a lot more as I'd probably end up putting something with a Cosworth badge on the rocker cover under the bonnet
A 5dr for practicality was decided upon, and Mercury grey was the colour I had my mind set on, and bloody hell was finding one difficult!
Various wanted ads, scouring eBay, Autotrader, small ads etc for 3 months eventaully found me an ideal candidate.
Being sold by a small time trader in London for a few hundred quid, I didn't waste a minute and got the overnight bus down to meet a bemused seller at 9am in Wimbeldon
Money exchanged and I was smoking my way back up north with the 1.4's valve stem seals being replaced high on the agenda
I can't seem to find any pix of it as it was originally on the skinny steels, but here's an early one with just RST rims as its only mod:
Next came an RST bonnet, mirrors, pressed plates (and Fast Ford sticker!):
And a mint 90 spec interior was bought late one night in Bolton on my way back from a London trip!
Diamond Tints sorted me out next:
It also has been used as a tripod in it's working life:
The CVH was fine, but I constantly had it in my mind that more power could be had for the same sub 30MPG economy. So the next job was a trip to Sitech Racing for a 2.0 Zetec conversion
An S2 RST tank and full fueling setup was installed, as were the LSD gearbox and brakes.
Needless to say I enjoyed the hike in power
Still running on standard suspension it was a bloody handful, as the standard gear is so soft it can barely cope with a 60 BHP 1.3 let alone more than double that
I'm often hanging out the estate doing car to car action photos so the soft suspension was ideal in theory but in practice it was lethal
So now it runs a spax setup, which is actually fairly smooth!
Bringing us up to date is the latest and best mod, a full Weber Alpha Gold Turnkey kit. A proper plug and play throttle bodies and ECU kit that has utterly transformed the car. Weber say it should be 165BHP but it feels much quicker! It's kept up with a brand new Astra VXR and just managed to pull away from a Focus ST that was 3 up
It's a whole lot of fun now (a bit too much if you ask the local Traffics actually ).
Out with the old:
In with the new:
More to come soon.....
A couple of years ago I was realising that I really needed an Estate car for doing my photoshoots. I considered all the usual off the shelf typical modern options but nothing really inspired me, I just couldn't get any enthusiasm up for them.
So thinking of what I really wanted I narrowed it down to either a Mk4 Escort or Sierra Estate.
I already had a Mk3 Escort project so that ruled out one of them, and I figured a Mk4 would be easier to find anyway. The Sierra idea was killed off for the time being as I realised it would be a lot more uneconomical and cost me a lot more as I'd probably end up putting something with a Cosworth badge on the rocker cover under the bonnet
A 5dr for practicality was decided upon, and Mercury grey was the colour I had my mind set on, and bloody hell was finding one difficult!
Various wanted ads, scouring eBay, Autotrader, small ads etc for 3 months eventaully found me an ideal candidate.
Being sold by a small time trader in London for a few hundred quid, I didn't waste a minute and got the overnight bus down to meet a bemused seller at 9am in Wimbeldon
Money exchanged and I was smoking my way back up north with the 1.4's valve stem seals being replaced high on the agenda
I can't seem to find any pix of it as it was originally on the skinny steels, but here's an early one with just RST rims as its only mod:
Next came an RST bonnet, mirrors, pressed plates (and Fast Ford sticker!):
And a mint 90 spec interior was bought late one night in Bolton on my way back from a London trip!
Diamond Tints sorted me out next:
It also has been used as a tripod in it's working life:
The CVH was fine, but I constantly had it in my mind that more power could be had for the same sub 30MPG economy. So the next job was a trip to Sitech Racing for a 2.0 Zetec conversion
An S2 RST tank and full fueling setup was installed, as were the LSD gearbox and brakes.
Needless to say I enjoyed the hike in power
Still running on standard suspension it was a bloody handful, as the standard gear is so soft it can barely cope with a 60 BHP 1.3 let alone more than double that
I'm often hanging out the estate doing car to car action photos so the soft suspension was ideal in theory but in practice it was lethal
So now it runs a spax setup, which is actually fairly smooth!
Bringing us up to date is the latest and best mod, a full Weber Alpha Gold Turnkey kit. A proper plug and play throttle bodies and ECU kit that has utterly transformed the car. Weber say it should be 165BHP but it feels much quicker! It's kept up with a brand new Astra VXR and just managed to pull away from a Focus ST that was 3 up
It's a whole lot of fun now (a bit too much if you ask the local Traffics actually ).
Out with the old:
In with the new:
More to come soon.....
Last edited by Ade; 02-11-2010 at 10:20 AM.
#4
Fast Ford snapper
Thread Starter
To be honest quite a headache!
What I bought with the engine was a previously converted (bodged!) 1.6 Escort loom that had been then running a 2.0 in a MK5 Escort.
The condition of the loom was a bit ropey and as a result it never drove quite as well as it felt it should have as I'm sure it had internal breaks.
I even stripped a loom out another car to start a fresh but it turned out to be so different and complicated that I just bought the throttle bodies!
The Weber conversion totally transformed it, and as much as I would reccomend it to everyone I know it is still pricey.
To be brutally honest if I was doing a Zetec conversion and working on a tight budget I would go straight for one of Weber's plug and play stand alone ECU & loom kit which retains the original inlet manifold.
Its about Ł300, ready mapped for whatever version of Zetec you have....... and well worth it if it means you don't have to deal with shonky old Ford looms!
What I bought with the engine was a previously converted (bodged!) 1.6 Escort loom that had been then running a 2.0 in a MK5 Escort.
The condition of the loom was a bit ropey and as a result it never drove quite as well as it felt it should have as I'm sure it had internal breaks.
I even stripped a loom out another car to start a fresh but it turned out to be so different and complicated that I just bought the throttle bodies!
The Weber conversion totally transformed it, and as much as I would reccomend it to everyone I know it is still pricey.
To be brutally honest if I was doing a Zetec conversion and working on a tight budget I would go straight for one of Weber's plug and play stand alone ECU & loom kit which retains the original inlet manifold.
Its about Ł300, ready mapped for whatever version of Zetec you have....... and well worth it if it means you don't have to deal with shonky old Ford looms!
#6
#7
Fast Ford snapper
Thread Starter
It's not exactly subtle!
Yeah, we eventually got it going, but that loom was faulty. The timing seemed to be a bit random as it was flat one minute and a rocket the next!
Also the ICV was tempremental and every replacement I tried was incompatible for some reason!
You're not wrong about the restrictive inlet, the transformation with the TBs shows that so clearly
Also the ICV was tempremental and every replacement I tried was incompatible for some reason!
You're not wrong about the restrictive inlet, the transformation with the TBs shows that so clearly
Trending Topics
#13
Fast Ford snapper
Thread Starter
Not sure if I've even still got it...... will check for you
Hehe, it did give the S2 a good run for it's money! He had me in fourth though!
A rematch without 300kg of mobile photo studio on board is needed....
A rematch without 300kg of mobile photo studio on board is needed....
#18
Fast Ford snapper
Thread Starter
If I've got it it'll be in my lockup..... which is in another town from where I live! Will check when I get the chance.
If I drive like a girl
Usually high teens to low 20s though!
If I drive like a girl
Usually high teens to low 20s though!
#23
Regular Contributor
Join Date: May 2007
Location: truro cornwall
Posts: 261
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
ade thats nutz have you had the car dyno'd yet will be intresting what power it is pumping out.
would mine a set of tb's on the old mondy have you got any vid's of the beast running
would mine a set of tb's on the old mondy have you got any vid's of the beast running
#24
Fast Ford snapper
Thread Starter
Going to collect it from Sitech Racing tomorrow, will do some vids soon...
#28
Fast Ford snapper
Thread Starter
#33
Fast Ford snapper
Thread Starter
#38
Fast Ford snapper
Thread Starter
#39
BANNED
BANNED
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Far away from you so it doesnt matter
Posts: 4,370
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Adrain had the car down when doing the photo shoot for my 3 door the car sounds the dog dangelsand goes like fucktop slpr mate keep the mods coming matetop car and top guythis car is alot bettr in person
Last edited by CRAIG HAYTER; 05-03-2009 at 12:18 AM.