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Escort Cabriolet Club

Cossy Cab Has A New Engine


Guest Lee81
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Car went off start of last september for a new engine build with Harvey Gibbs at SCS.

 

After an eternity I got it back just over a week before christmas.

 

Drive home was not good had loads of problems which eventually led to the car being trailored home.

 

They sent out a low loader to collect car and rectify faults. So I had the car back for 3 days

 

Finally I got to collect car again 2nd week in january.

 

Have spent a fair while cleaning the car as when i got it back was prity dirty. Think it had been stored outside. Engine bay in particular needs alot of cleaning as the multiple fluid leaks on the 1st trip back had coated most of the new components. So I still have loads of work there to do.

 

Overall not a good experience and I'd wish I had done the build myself but thought this would be quicker! lol how wrong that was.

 

A few pics for now

 

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Guest GINGExR2T

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What an awesome car, did you do the conversion yourself????? I'm in the process of building a rwd Cossie Mk4 but a hard top, a lot of work but will be worth it in the end.

 

 

Ginger

 

 

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Not a good experience with them then, surely they should of tested it all after? I'd try and get some money back, just for the inconvenience and pain in the arse having to clean everything.

What power is it running?

Well when I left there were no signs of any leaks so in that respect I can't say that they didn't check. The main reason for the trailor home was that the clutch cable had been shoved down and was wedged tightly against the exhaust manifold. This burn't through seizing the clutch in the down position. Coated the engine mount and everything close in burnt plastic and soot. Also horn wiring hadn't been connected and had gone through pas pulley. Lots of hoses and wires were left loose and some were 2-3mm from contact from timing belt. If they get in there it's game over.

 

In terms of spec the engine before was running 380 bhp with the same in torque. I had them long stud the block to give better sealing of the head gasket which is now WRC multi layer steel. All new hd bearings and high pressure oil pump. So block should be good for up to 500 bhp but I'd need to change turbo. For now I'm sticking with a T34 hybrid which is at its limit at max 400 bhp.

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There's no build thread of car as I bought it converted. No where near the condition the car is in now lol. It had been neglected and unused when I got it. Paintwork was good but had loads of electrical problems, bits missing, nackered plugs, distributor rotor and cap so worn I was surprised car ran. There's some threads on here of bits I've done. Caliper rebuild and new bumpers etc.

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  • 3 weeks later...
Guest Lee81

Bit of an update. More problems.

 

So far covered 170 miles since rebuild.

 

Yet again I have a thermostat housing leak. So more of that bloody red fluid thrown around the engine bay. Just after I had spent 3-4 hours cleaning engine bay up after previous fluid leaks.

 

Engine has continued to run quite hot all the time though I'm hoping sorting the thermostat leak will sort this although leak isn't major. Also now misfires badly when hot. Will get some new plugs (They shoved the old ones back in)

 

Have called SCS 9-10 times this week and seems to be constantly engaged. Still no sign of receipt and full spec of what was done after requesting it 4 times previously.

 

Going to sort stat myself as its easier to do that than travel 45 miles there and then the same back. Plus then I'll know it been done right.

 

Rant over lol

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Not a good recomandation for a company of there standing Lee. Just goes to show all these magazine articles should be taken with a pinch of salt.

Hope you get it sorted for the show season m8.

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Guest Lee81

I spoke to a couple of people that had engines built by them and they were all impressed. Though this had been 2-3 years ago on both cases. Maybe things have changed since then though.

 

I prity unlucky when it comes to people working my cars. It almost always ends in loads of problems. Hence why I do virtually everything myself.

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Guest GINGExR2T

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have you got any pics of the inside I can have a look at mate, rear sets, boot floor etc, just interested in how the conversion was done.

 

 

Cheers

 

 

Ginger

 

 

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Guest Lee81

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have you got any pics of the inside I can have a look at mate, rear sets, boot floor etc, just interested in how the conversion was done.

 

 

Cheers

 

 

Ginger

 

 

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There are pics of the underside on here somewhere. But in basic rear seat area is standard cab welded over the seat section from the sierra as thats slightly lower and further back on chassis. Boot floor is custom. Its been made to the corugated shape as per ford and welded in. Mainly to make room for the alloy fuel tank. Though still gives boot area the same size as per normal cab.

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Guest Lee81

Well got a chance to take a look and sort some bits this weekend.

 

Misfire solved two of the plug leads hadn't been fully connected to distributor cap. Insulators were holding them on cap but leads had been arcing. Plugged them in but need to get a new distributor cap as its burnt the plastic away quite a bit.

 

Car now runs alot better though suspect it was like this when they set fueling so will need to check base idle when i get a chance.

 

SCS strike again with shit workmanship. I'd suspected spark plug breakdown as the cause for misfire but as above thats now sorted. However when i tried to remove plugs I can't all four are stuck solid. Put penatrating oil on them and tried again today. Used a torque wrench to get some idea how tight they are and stopped at 80NM which is the same as wheel bolts. I can only assume they have a bloody Gorilla loose in the workshop. So thats on back burner with more oil to help loosen them at a latter date.

 

I have now replaced gasket on water pump as found more coolent was leaking from here as oppose thermostat housing.

 

Final note went to check oil and theres emulsified foamy oil up dipstick, oil cap and oil catch tank. See pics below. Seriously hope this is due to the wet weather and not a head gasket fault.

 

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  • 1 month later...
Guest Lee81

Bit of an update. I have now replaced the thermostat housing gasket. Fitted new low temp thermostat. Also Fitted uprated fan switch.

 

Housing was completely cloged with corrosion and crap so thermostat wasn't functioning right. Also warped hence leaking. Filed the face until flat.

 

Heats up quick and runs cooler now

 

Done some re-routing of pipework and wiring. I am now coolent leak free.

 

Still can't budge spark plugs

 

On lookout for L8 ecu to convert and get ALS and LC so if anyone know of any for sale let me know

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