Panko's Mk1 Escort (Round 2)

[Panko 2,480]

Fixed. 

 

In total i think ive moved it about 8mm. 
temporarily put the box back together and it works well nicely. Strangely smoother than before. 

[Panko 2,480]

I also had my reproduction stickers turn up today. 
Dealership sticker and rego sticker

 

 

[2redrovers 21,390]

Good to hear

[Panko 2,480]

Tomorrow is the day. 

I will have the engine up and running. 

 

Today, I got it all ready to run. Filled it with oil, set the base timing, and had it turning over on the starter. 
Ive also wired up my VDO oil pressure gauge for when we get it running so i can keep an eye on that. 
At this stage I haven't seen the oil pressure register on the gauge, but there appears to be oil pumping around. 
When we first cranked it, it was very slow, then after a couple seconds it took off, im assuming as oil started pumping around the engine. 

 

Before calling it a day in the shed, I stuck the plugs back in, and had a crack and cranking it over...it was very slow. Battery is in good health, so im going to take a stab and say this engine has a fair whack of compression. 

 

 

Suddenly this little engine seems to be very busy with pipes lol. ive decided not to hook up the radiator, but I am going to fill the block with water so I can at least run it for a short period. hence the radiator hoses pointing upwards. And hence why the heater hoses are linked together etc. 

 

[deankxf 20,266]

1 hour ago, Panko said:

but I am going to fill the block with water so I can at least run it for a short period. hence the radiator hoses pointing upwards. And hence why the heater hoses are linked together etc

i'd still put hose clamps on the fuel hoses while using the fuel pump

[Panko 2,480]

Just now, deankdx said:

i'd still put hose clamps on the fuel hoses while using the fuel pump

i will the feed one because its a lose fit. but the pump to carby hose is really tight. 

ill see if i have any clamps tomorrow. the old ones i think got thrown out because they were beyond serviceable life lol

[Panko 2,480]

IT RUNS!!! 
Yep, it runs, and runs quite well. 
I didn’t film the first fire, but the second time we fired it up I did film. 
Ill post the video up later. 

I had to reset the exhaust valve clearances, which quietened down the top end a bit. 
 

But it runs like a dream. Its going to be a savage little engine i think. I haven’t done a comp test, im going to wait until its in the car and ive run it properly. 
In hindsight, I should have gone a slightly bigger cam. But i am looking forward to going for a first drive. Im expecting it should make around 70-80kw at the crank. Most likely ill put it on the dyno once its up and running to get a proper tune. So ill take your bets when its ready for the dyno 

[2redrovers 21,390]

Good stuff

[deankxf 20,266]

1 hour ago, Panko said:

So ill take your bets when its ready for the dyno 

Cool! 

what's the rev range/limit of the cam? 65kw at the wheels at 6000rpm for My guess

[Panko 2,480]

1 minute ago, deankdx said:

Cool! 

what's the rev range/limit of the cam? 65kw at the wheels at 6000rpm for My guess

 

Rev range is 1250rpm - 6000rpm. Designed to give instant torque down low and to be run with a twin choke weber. 

Id be happy with 65rwkw. 

[Panko 2,480]

Video time  

 

Apologies for the crappy footage. I was too lazy to set up the good camera, and it turns out the battery moved and was vibrating against the bench I had my phone sitting on  

 

Watch for the old fella zapping himself at the start I had him jumping it for me while I was on the throttle

 

 

[deankxf 20,266]

25 minutes ago, Panko said:

Watch for the old fella zapping himself at the start I had him jumping it for me while I was on the throttle

 

 

sounds like it might need ign timing bumped up some more

[Panko 2,480]

Just now, deankdx said:

 

sounds like it might need ign timing bumped up some more

 

possibly. 
I had the vac advance disconnected because I remember from on the 1300 the vacuum advance was faulty, so was running just mechanical vacuum. 

 

i had the base timing set at around 11 degrees BTDC. I think 12-14 is probably about where it needs to be. but the timing scale stops at 12 BTDC lol 

 

Once the engine is in the car and I have it running, I'll hopefully have had the dizzy fixed and graphed to suit the cam, and timing will be better. 

[Panko 2,480]

Small update. 
 

at this stage, I will be reinstalling the running gear and subframe next Sunday. 
the hoist is clear and given the green light to go install it all. 
 

I also spoke to someone who works with these small Fords and owns a number of them, Tim from Angry Anglia, and he was saying he runs the same cam I have fitted in a number of his cars, and its a really good low/mid range cam. Lots of low down torque, and gets moving really well through the mid range. So im happy with that.
 

ive put in my order for the rest of the parts i need to finish the car, including my brake upgrade For the front   

[Panko 2,480]

I got the gearbox back together today. It shifts really nicely now. much better than it did previously. 

 

 

 

And bolted it back up to the engine. 
Aligning the gearbox on my own is a bit of a challenge, so sling and engine crane to the rescue. 

 

[2redrovers 21,390]

So that's with the short shifter? Does look like you're going to be grabbing at the wrong slot for a while until you get used to it

[Panko 2,480]

1 minute ago, 2redrovers said:

So that's with the short shifter? Does look like you're going to be grabbing at the wrong slot for a while until you get used to it

 

sure is. 

 

Yeah i think ill make a few mistakes initially, but the gears are very defined, and the gates are very precise. so hopefully wont take long to get used to 

[2redrovers 21,390]

Cool stuff. Have to see if we can get more boxes happening.

[Panko 2,480]

1 minute ago, 2redrovers said:

Cool stuff. Have to see if we can get more boxes happening.

 

I know of at least one in the future. 
just not sure when. Its for a Zetec conversion into a Mk1. But its a fair way off. 

[Fingers 463]

1 hour ago, Panko said:

 

I know of at least one in the future. 
just not sure when. Its for a Zetec conversion into a Mk1. But its a fair way off. 

I really like the idea of a Zetec.

Mainly because they can be dressed to look like a BDA, and I have no chance of affording a real RS1600 or RS1800.

[Panko 2,480]

4 minutes ago, Fingers said:

I really like the idea of a Zetec.

Mainly because they can be dressed to look like a BDA, and I have no chance of affording a real RS1600 or RS1800.

 

you got that right. 

 

I wonder how hard it actually is to convert a 1600 kent to a twin cam. They are the same block after all. How do the DOHC cams get driven? 

[Fingers 463]

3 minutes ago, Panko said:

 

you got that right. 

 

I wonder how hard it actually is to convert a 1600 kent to a twin cam. They are the same block after all. How do the DOHC cams get driven? 

 

Probably not hard at all if you have buckets of cash.

They are a belt drive.

[Panko 2,480]

3 minutes ago, Fingers said:

 

Probably not hard at all if you have buckets of cash.

They are a belt drive.

 

Occasionally the heads come up on their own. it would be a cool project but yeah you're right. need a lot of money 

 

Interestingly. ive seen the same engine out of a Lotus come up for sale, for a lot less than an Escort lotus engine. I guess there would be a few parts unique to Escort. 

[Fingers 463]

Ok, a Lotus Twin cam  is a different animal to the RS1600 engine, that is also a twin cam.

The Lotus was based on a Pre Crossflow style block, the BDA on a Crossflow style block.

The Lotus has a timing chain, the BDA a belt.

The fact that both were fitted to MK1 Escorts adds to the confusion. 

[Panko 2,480]

Just now, Fingers said:

Ok, a Lotus Twin cam  is a different animal to the RS1600 engine, that is also a twin cam.

The Lotus was based on a Pre Crossflow style block, the BDA on a Crossflow style block.

The Lotus has a timing chain, the BDA a belt.

The fact that both were fitted to MK1 Escorts adds to the confusion. 

Correct. 

 

You know more than I do. however i thought (but could be wrong)  the heads are still able to be bolted onto the 711m blocks. the Lotus blocks were 701 blocks, which we didn't get as a pushrod. im not sure if anyone did. but to look at them, they are identical to a 711m