1.1 OHV Escort, any views? (an update 6 years on!)

[cjhillman]

I've been offerd a mk3 Escort 1.1 OHV. Just seeing what peoples thoughts are on these engines?

I have been waiting for a 1.3 CVH for ages because I do a decent amount of miles a week with some musical equipment in boot sometimes (full time teaching/giging musician)... so I thought a 1.3 would cope better with the weight and get a bit better mpg?

from what I'm reading it looks like the 1.1 is a better engine though? I just think with only 4 gears to it'll drag its everywhere. Not a bad looking car though.

Gotta way up all the facts, it looks like they want more for insurance than my 1.4 focus to

Any experiance would be welcome.

Thanks,
Chris

[Deleted]

It's the Valencia engine, the same as in my Fiesta, about 50bhp as standard, I think the 1.3 CVH is not much more if any. Not sure what carb the MK3 Escort would get as standard. If it's the VV that will be your biggest downfall, Weber conversions are about if you look for them and work wonders for reliability, driveability and economy.

If the car is fitted with any other kind of single choke weber carb out the factory that is good.

Depending on age (around 1984 was the change over IIRC) you might get electronic ignition, if not, it is worth converting over.

My Fiesta with the same engine on the same 4 speed gearbox does me a pretty consistant 43-47mpg, of course your car will be a bit heavier. But considering I still got a 45mpg average when I was on holiday with a mix of driving, that was me and the missus, all our lugage it's still not bad. I'm a big fatty too!

Your 4 speed box isn't too bad, it leaves you at a slice over 4000rpm at 70. A lot of people go mad for a 5 speed gear box, but with a suitable gearbox you'll only save 200-300rpm TOPS at 70, and if you fitted a gearbox with taller rations you'd struggle to keep speed with lacking power and end up using more fuel.

The 1100 are usually able to take abuse better than a CVH, lack of servicing etc. Being a timing chain rather than a cam belt is another plus as i've not yet known a chain fail regardless of the milage, i've seen some pretty high milage OHV's. Better on fuel than the CVH I have heard people say the 1.3 CVH isn't best on juice.

Valve gear can get a bit rattly if ignored, but not normally an issue like on the latter Endura KA/Fiesta engines.

If it were me, i'd take the 1100 OHV over the 1300 CVH.

*edit* as for insurance, a classic policy would be best, Try Footman James, they love smaller engined retro's. My Fiesta is 124 quid a year with modifications declaired, 2 drivers, Unlimited miles AND that covers my SIerra too

[steveo3002]

i had a 1300 ohv valencia one with a 4 speed was painfully underpowered and needed thrashing to keep up with normal traffic , so I'm guessing the 1100 wouldnt be much good at all unless you only drive in town

they also rattle and sound q harsh

[trigger]

I haven't driven a 1.1 in the Escort but the 1.1 in my old Fiesta wasn't was greatest of things, Personally if it's a 1.3 your really after then I'd just wait that bit longer until one comes up, You don't want to be left disappointed.

I quite rate the CVH myself, I've never had a problem with them and they go quite well and have a nice exhaust note to them, and they don't rattle like most OHV's do.

[Deleted]

Feb 13, 2012 16:14:44 GMT steveo3002 said:

I had a 1300 ohv valencia one with a 4 speed was painfully underpowered and needed thrashing to keep up with normal traffic , so I'm guessing the 1100 wouldnt be much good at all unless you only drive in town

they also rattle and sound q harsh

Would that have been in a Mk4 Escort? The 1.3 OVH wasnt a valencia, it was a HCS by then, they are a totally different level of bad, especially if late enough to be strangled by emission laws

[steveo3002]

yah was mk4 body...d reg so not much emmision gear , i also fitted a weber but it was just too lame to pull itself along really

[BenHancock]

I have the same engine in a fiesta.

As said by weblefeck, it's excellent on fuel and the 4 speed box isn't really a problem.

I have a VV carb on mine and have had no issues with it. They seem to get have a bad reputation, but if they are in good condition they are fine.

I should imagine the 1100 would be fairly slow in the Escort as it doesn't have much torque. In the fiesta it loses speed rapidly on long inclines.

Ben

[Deleted]

Yeah that said the VV's are good when working well. But not many like that left with their age

I can honestly say i've never had much trouble with hills. Even when on the south coast some of them can me pretty bad, especially around Lime Regis! ;D

Even when doing jobs with my little trailer on, not the biggest trailer but never any issues.


I've never been one for powerful cars though, maybe I'm used to it ;D

[14500rpm]

Feb 13, 2012 15:36:30 GMT cjhillman said:

Gotta way up all the facts, it looks like they want more for insurance than my 1.4 focus to

If you need to rely on it getting you places you might be better sticking with the Focus, especially if the insurance are coming at you for more money.

Maybe get the Mk3 as a project (engine swap) on a limited mileage policy?

[bortaf]

The 1.1s are so thrashable they rock
i used to have a Mk4 escort and went everywhere at 7000 rpm ;D

gutless but fun and hard to bereak the law in no matter how fast they sound like they are going

[jrevillug]

Compared to a 1.4 Focus it will be dead slow, thirsty, noisy, and need a lot of maintenance: every 5,000 miles it'll need an oil change and the valve clearances need setting (or more often as it gets towards the end of it's life), but it's a job of about an hour (maybe two the first time if you're new to mechanicing) so nothing to be scared of.

If it's pre-86 or 87 (I forget which) it'll need an additive in the fuel to prevent valve seat recession, which will put the fuel bill up a bit. I'd recommend Castrol Valvemaster.

Finally, it won't do starship milages - with decent maintenance it'll probably do 80-100,000 miles before becoming totally shagged.

That said, they are tough as old boots, so if you treat it properly it will be reliable and well up to regular use - it's what they were designed for after all.

In comparison, while the CVH won't need the clearances doing as often, it has a reputation for killing camshafts at 60,000 miles (how accurate this is I don't know) and valve stem oil seals at regular intervals, so it's probably no better overall.

Recently I was taken for a drive in a MK1 Fiesta with an 1100 Valencia with 98,000 miles on the clock (and low compression on two cylinders, and timing set by ear to boot) and it seemed to go well enough to keep up with traffic, so a decent lowish miles 1100 in an Escort will probably be livable with.

I don't know if they did an Escort with the 1300 Valencia - might be the best of both worlds?

[sheffieldcortinacentre]

alot of the mechanicals are unique to the 1100.

got some if needed.

[hkr91]

I'm currently running a 1.3 HCS with a 4 Speed daily ... Fully loaded I'm still reaching speeds (according to the speedo) of about 90mph...

It's running a twin choke carb (standard) and a coil pack. Fuel wise I get about 37 (mixed and I'm very heavy footed but she keeps up with traffic no problems. I've hit 100 mph according again to the speedo.

[will]

I had one with the 1.1 Valencia and it was a great little car.
Loved to be spanked when going solo but would shy away from hills and driving 4 up with chubby chums as you would expect from a small engined car.


^^^Probably not a 1.1 Valencia ;D

[cjhillman]

Thanks for all your replies guys.

Its an 1985 3 door. yeah i am concerned it wont live up to what i need (i'd go check it out but its the other side of the country)... but i had a 1.0 saxo which was ok... a 1.4 mk5 escort which was quicker than this focus 1.4

I'm not a speed demon at all and its probs best i'm in slower cars or i would be, Its just if its thirsty on fuel i no it'll get me down... but then again if i have a 1.3 cvh it will be, so i duno if it makes much difference. I doubt i'll be able to get into the whole swapping engines thing just because it'll be a pain. if i did sawp it i'd probs want the zetec 1.4 with it slipping under the tax bracket and for fuel.... but i doubt i'd even entertain it with all that i've read is involved.

I couldn't have one as a second car unfortunately as i'm only 24. Just thinking of a change soon, so if i don't have this one i'll get one at some point I'm sure... just wanted some advice because it was offered to me.

Hopefully if i can sort my work out in the future so its more from home fuel wouldn't be an issue and also i could get out of gig driving.

Mileage wise the focus i have now has just done 143000 miles (i had it at 138000 last year) so when it comes to have another 12 months on it soon i might move on just before it looses all its value etc.... Don't get me wrong the focus is ace, but its a bit big for the street i live in in Manchester pluss i think i might have to spend on it if i kept it another year and i feel like with rise of price in mk3's i might get priced out very soon

I'm sure i'll figure it out but thanks for the info and anymore that might be posted. it's always good to know!

[cjhillman]

ha ha i havn't got meny chubby chums so i think i'd be ok there lol Nice mk3 pic though.

[Richard TR7]

My first car was a mk3 1.3cvh and my best mate at the time had a 1.1. The 1.3 was prety curse word on fuel even with a weber carb fitted and motorways were pretty unpleasant (3" tailpipe might not have helped). Both cars were reliable and kept up with modern (1994) traffic but were starting to rust quite badly. However with your job description I would add that security was abysmal, we could open any other similar aged ford with our keys, the windows in the back of the 3 door could be popped in or out in a matter of seconds and the boots could be popped without touching the locks. This may have been why they were so expensive to insure. When I sold mine aged 19 I insured a 1.8 Cavalier injection for less! Still loved that Escort though.

Best pic I can find of mine..

[cjhillman]

yeah, the security has crossed my mind. i don't tend to keep anything of value in my car ever. I'd have to look for some some security mesures if i bought one. I'd be curse word if i woke up one morning and it was gone. your car is pretty much the exact same car bar the 1.3 engine and year that i'm describing.

[Deleted]

yes, they are VERY easy to steal! You are from Manchester, not to stereo type, but it would be a big worry of mine.

The Valencia was only given a life expectancy from Ford them selfs of around 80,000 miles. Mine has done 103,000 and is still very strong! Head's not been off in the 35,000 miles i've had it. I'm not having to re-set my valve gear very often either. My engine even spent almost 6 years laid up, when it was re-fitted it had no compression in ANY cylinder, a quick shot of red-x and it ran sweet, back to full pop and has been for the last 5000 miles delivering great economy.

There are some guys on xrtwo.com with 950's and 1100's over 150,000 mles.

[bortaf]

you need to change the oil lots to keep the tappets lubed and remember a noisy tappet is a happy tappet LOL
mine wentwell over 100K before i sold it and still managed 245-30 MPG no matter how hard i pushed it which was hard all the time but it was fun roubd the houses