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Well time for an update. I was having ignition issues again, with a random misfire under load. I replaced the points in the dizzy, which helped but didn’t get rid of it. So I bit the bullet and bought an electronic ignition module to convert the Lucas points dizzy to electronic. Install was easy but wiring it (properly this time) into the car was a bit of work, and the car is definitely running better. - Lets start with the wiring. It turned out that the Escort is a resisted ignition system, so at the coil it only gets 9v. Much less than the 12v the electronic ignition required. It also turned out that the GT40 coil I was running was a 12v coil, not a resistor type. So, i did some trickery with the ignition. Ive installed a 12v relay which takes a feed direct from the battery, and used the resister wire (9v) to turn the relay on and off. The relay is then supplying the coil, and im powering the dizzy off the coil. Has it got more power? Not really. But, it has better power delivery right across the rev range, and is more linear. Funny thing is, I still have not replaced plugs, leads or air cleaner. Bursons sold me the wrong plugs twice, and thats as far as i got. I have finally got the 13” steelies on. The car looks completely different now. They didn’t come out as dark as I wanted. They are a bit grey, but they are metallic. I installed new, longer studs. Funny enough, they were off the shelf from Autobarn, 10mm longer. The spline was just 0.2mm larger, and pressed into the hubs fine. Spacers are on, and it all clears. They fill the guards nicely. The two rusty wheels were a bit too pitted for the powder coating to fill, so up close they are a bit bumpy. anyway, the pics can do the talking

'Engineered' aftermarket suspension arm failure - for an F-truck chassis in QLD - https://www.facebook.com/SouthernChassisWorks/posts/934191238502847 @deankxf -

No, do not use oil flush it will cause the same problems dumping kerosene in the sump would, the goal is to clean the engine gently and slowly, anything that rapidly speeds that process up is what causes problems, the only safe way to clean an engine fast is to dissemble it

I picked the car up this morning and spent this afternoon putting it back together. So what is next? I can go back to doing what I was doing before this little hiccup. The car needs a good clean inside and out after being in the panel shop. I have new spark plugs and points for the ignition system, need to get new ignition leads. All of that stuff is still off the old 1300. It desperately needs a new air cleaner, looking to run a K&N weber air filter, just have to find one that fits. Its then the wheels. Before all this happened, i was getting the 13 x 6 steelies fitted. I need extended studs to take the 5mm spacers, then get the wheels blasted and powder coated. I cant wait to get them on the car. It will definitely be a different look for it. The more i drive the car on the 15s, the more i realise how, not up to the task those tyres are. They are getting on for 10 years old for starts, but also they are eco tyres due to the unique size. With the Escort having a fair bit more grunt, even on dry roads, and even from a rolling start, it will spin the back tyres. Like today, mid intersection, (turning right), 2nd gear, and started accelerating out of the intersection, granted i put the foot into it get going, and i felt the back started to step out. I guess with the old 1300, i could barely break traction, so those tyres didn't bother me. Now, well yeah they don't hold on at all with the 1660. my 13" tyres, are a much better tyre, semi performance tyre. I think I'm losing out on general grip, but also handling because of those tyres on the 15s. so I can't wait to get the 13" steelies done, and on the car with some decent tyres.

i showed a mate of mine this, and he responded with Basically if the XG has XF roof lining and interior light seatbelt same as XF, or if it has XH roof lining and E series interior light, will have different seatbelt location

1. Get a voltage reading at the positive terminal of the ignition coil with KOEO (key on engine off) It should be 90% of the battery voltage 2.Also, there should be a relay fitted for the fuel pump. Which will prevent it draining current from the ignition coil and so dropping the voltage measured above 3.Something to consider: When ignition switches fail they will only make intermittent contact between the terminals inside the switch 4. Measure the resistance of the primary and secondary coils of the ignition coil The primary coil is susceptible to burning out and becoming an open circuit In which case the resistance will be infinity

My brother didn't do anything but check for straightness, replace one valve and clean the sufaces with a wire brush and send it.. 100,000 ish kms no issue on the gasket, but the car was basically worn out, so was given to a mate to run into the ground.

Yeah, bolt kits should be same from XA/XB etc, seat rail has a small "cup" over the square head of the bolt to stop it from turning. I always dab a weld on there as I hardly ever remove seat rails once they're in. As Dave said, they get cleaned up by dirt, speedbumps, tree roots and cats etc...

Well I'm back with good news. So at idle when I drop the timing the engine runs slower and rougher but after setting it at around 12° it seems to be really happy. When I put my foot down it goes hard off the line and seems to cruise nicely. I might fuck with it more but so far so good. Just gotta deal with that cold starting issue although I think the thermal choke is rooted, I'll swap it out tomorrow and hope for the best.

Also I found that photo of the f100 https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/917722616108843009/1267362253041307759/20230420_065835.jpg?ex=66a88293&is=66a73113&hm=270d8f206b5a137262dc24f382cd23771482bb89dd9153157c42bd0436f9a17e&

Not far at all. It hasn't travelled more than a 200km trip in its whole life. It's geared for hauling and doesn't like going harder than 90. Honestly I'm more thinking it would be fun just to have something that big. The thing is atrocious on fuel anyway with the 60l tank emptying in about 150 km. It's got the old alloy head 1 with the single throat carby in it so that would contribute to it being anaemic but it's not really daily driver material anyway. Although it neads a trip to a good panel beater first as it got in an accident a while back and did a number on the drivers side and bullbar. Unfortunately no one near me even wants to touch the old girl so it's just been sitting. If you know a good panel beater in Queensland I'd be interested, preferably in the Central Queensland area but I'm willing to travel for someone who's good.

Thats the ticket. I got it in and timed even with that tiny friggin timing mark and she runs so smooth. I'll drop a video here for you all

Thanks. I won't chase it too much longer & will probably just leave it to the painter. Are looking forward to the minor restoration & interior reupholstered

Performance Ignition Services in Nunawading Vic, is the only place which has the proper ones brand new. Hunting idle, could just be a vacuum leak, a slightly sticking IAC valve, OR as you've suggested - unsteady timing.

Ive been a little quiet again, because well, i can't catch a break. The poor little Escort is back in the panel shop at the moment...I'll get to that further down So going back to where I was up to in my previous post, fitting these wheels, and having brake issues... I found a place in Moorabbin who CNC billet slip on spacers for thousands of different cars, as well as other random parts and stuff that is not car related. They are made to order, but they had a listing for hub centric spacers for Escorts. less than $100, and i have billet 5mm slip on spacers so the front wheels will clear my brakes. This is where the wheels sit with the spacer in behind. they do clear. I have had the car out on the street with it all sitting flat and in level etc etc, and they do not scrub anywhere, but they do fill the front guards perfectly. I can't wait to get them on I had been bench testing the master cylinder to make sure i got rid of the leak...how? well I ended up finding the old o-ring from before i rebuilt the master cylinder, which is a round profile instead of square. it was in good condition, so reinstalled that, then had the reservoir filled with fluid, and was using a pulling tool to recreate the motion of applying the brakes on and off. I left it on the bench with fluid in it for a few days to be sure it wasn't leaking. and success. So I reinstalled the master cylinder, ready to bleed the brakes and get them working and car driving... ..... then this happened ...... Where do i even start? I was pushing the car around the shed by hand, getting it into position to jack it up and put on stands so i could get underneath to bleed the brakes. I was rushing and I rolled it a bit too far forward. The car rolled off the concrete slab shed floor, onto the (downhill) driveway that leads to the laneway that the shed exits onto. Now before you ask, I did have wheel chocks, they were purposely just down the driveway a bit so i had more room to move the Escort around, however it was raining, so when the car rolled into the chocks it managed to push them out the way on the slipper concrete driveway. The Escort proceeded to roll across the laneway and into the wire fence of the office building behind I did manage to slow the car down by doing the silly thing and getting in front of it, getting out of the way in time to not be pinned against the fence. so the damage could have been a lot worse if i didn't slow it down. i couldn't reach to grab the handbrake quick enough either. As you can imagine i was furious, at myself more than anything else. it took me weeks to bring myself to call Mark and tell him the car was coming back to him. He was furious with me too. After cooling down, i finished bleeding the brakes, and decided id have a go at fixing the worst of the damage myself... Using a heat gun to warm things up and a ratchet i pulled the dent out, reversing the initial impact. I could at least get the bumpers back on, and get it looking presentable again so I didn't feel so upset. When this all happened, after bleeding the brakes the same day that i did this, I left the car on stands for about 2 weeks. I would walk into the shed, see it, and walk back out. i had no motivation to fix it, or even look at the car. When I finally did get it off stands, fix the dent, fitted the bumpers, washed it and took it for a drive, i finally had the guts to call Mark and get it in for repairs, which is where the car has now been for a week. I have no idea how long it will take, or how much, i simply left the car with Mark and told him to just repair it and tell me when its done. So apart from the paint damage around the headlight, the car still presented really well, and once I gave it a wash, was nice to just stand back and look at it and appreciate that it still looked fine even with the damage, and when its repaired (again) it will only be better. This was a shitty day, pulling it apart again to go back to Marks.

I just drilled a hole out, on the bottom slightly ontop of the other one and to the left. Worked fine

The Weber is all back together with new gaskets and diaphragms and yes a new 2 stage idle switch... fitted it back on the motor and is running sweet!

My carby bloke(RIP) said they OFTEN got air leaks from being done up too tight. He used to race a p76 in ipra class (Nigel Newman)

Ill rerun the test tomorrow and post the results

Good news and bad news. The bad news is that the back plastic bit of the solenoid has a huge crack going all the way through. The good news is that all the problems were caused by a burnt washer connecting the feed cable. A bit of emry tape and a new washer later shes spinning over just fine. Now to fix the other million issues with this car

Cheers Dale

My first point of call would be custom sunroof in maidstone. Have not been there for years but if the original owner is still there Peter he would no if seals are still available or not. Dale

I found that and more...but the freight seemed a little excessive Tried part number in weberperformance search, but nothing, they have plenty of jets but no holders...

You'll need a xflow t5 bellhousing, 4.0l are different to xflow

I was suspect of this idle switch when I tried to twist the vacuum hose off and noticed that the plastic could turn in the metal body, which made me realise that it is probably no longer hermetically sealed and either not working at all or only partially... I feel like I'm getting a better understanding of these carbs now and will have a go at giving it a new lease of life. I've owned my 89' van since 99' and it has only recently begun to run differently. For a while I was running E10 which made it run beautifully, but now I wouldn't recommend it (for those who don't know, E10 is terrible for diaphragms) which is most likely the reason for the demise of my diaphragms... All in all, my van has been a very reliable daily for me over the years! Go the Blue Oval!