1985 Ford Escort mk3 Popular - welding time again!

[vulgalour]

That is looking more like an ignition switch issue and if it's a known problem on mk3s, that's probably the best place to focus next, especially since you mention nudging one of the wires got it to behave. That does sound like a bad connection and if there isn't good continuity that's going to make it behave just the same as a bad earth. New earth strap and cleaning the earth points won't have done any harm and it helps with elimination.

Can you swap the Capri's battery on for testing? If it's good, that would help rule out the Escort's one being bad as the cause of the issue. Good luck with it, you'll get there.

[cjhillman]

I'm not sure re the Capri Battery. Unfortunately I recently bought one for that as it was dying but picked up a super large one which I doubt would fit this. Also I'm struggling to unbolt this battery as the nut has been painted over. The battery is really old and I was hoping the garage would check this out when they do the wheel bearing... not getting a lot out of them though as they are busy.

I think I need to figure out testing the alternator properly. Its just one of those things where I'm spending a lot on each Car and they both look like they need Alternators and batteries .

Back to the Earth strap. The old one wouldnt budge and the head was pretty rounded off so... I'll leave that one and concentrate on the new addition.

[cjhillman]

Had some fun with the Escort recently. It was booked for another filming gig last week (last month it was in a Rap video ). This one was set around 1989-1991 and they wanted my Car as it would make more sense for the era. I was pretty chuffed with this as I hate seeing something set in say 1991 and the Car being a brand new mk3 Fiesta. Heres a few shots from the set...













I basically had to drive past the camera with the headlights on full beam to give a nice glare, probably about 20 times. Unfortunately we'll never see this as it was an internal video for a large corporation .

On the way over the clutch ratchet did that thing it likes to do every other year and slip/move the biting point. I'm wondering if this is heat related as it was a bloody hot day and it handnt done this in a while. It seems fine again now but a little crunchy under food occasionally.

The burning smell seemed to have calmed down now. I didnt mention before but I had a local garage test the charging system and do a wheel bearing. They said the alternator was only occasionally charging so replaced it for me too but the wiring all seemed to check out under the dash. when I was on the filming shoot I noticed that with the lights on putting it in reverse or flicking the headlights on too quick would stall the car... pretty odd, its not done it since though.

Fast forward to yesterday and after a few pot holes coming home from work I noticed the burning smell was strong entering a dule carriageway. I went back down to side lights (this seems to cure it) and then it was fine for the rest of the drive home, even when I put headlights back on. Today I cut out the ignition switch connector and just crimped the wires together using yellow connectors...

... not my best work. I might actually replace these again with different connectors plus, I couldnt get any heatshrink over the connections. Is there a good alternative that can be wrapped over post connections after the fact?


You can see on the Red power connection the plastic has started to burn. Probably just changed this in time. When you stuck your head down by this pre cutting it out, it smelt exactly the same so, must be the problem. Time will tell on the cutting out /headlight stuff.

[vulgalour]

Hope that's your problem solved, at least for now. Looks like something inside that plug is getting very hot indeed so you did right to chop it out. At least now if the problem reappears you'll be able to see the issue easier with how you've joined the wires too.

[cjhillman]

Apr 7, 2021 0:13:28 GMT vulgalour said:

Hope that's your problem solved, at least for now. Looks like something inside that plug is getting very hot indeed so you did right to chop it out. At least now if the problem reappears you'll be able to see the issue easier with how you've joined the wires too.

Cheers mate! Yeah I’m guessing it must have been loosing connection maybe and getting hot when I turned the headlights on? Not sure really. Fingers crossed this sorts it. Not 100% confident on these connections so may redo them. If I could have got some heat shrink over the connections Id have been happy but, it’s all so tight now the plug is out I just did my best to crimp them in.

[cjhillman]

Feeling highly Retro today at Halfords. My Dads friend had one of these in the early 90s. I always remember it was a company Car or one he bought cheap from the company. Great for R/C model planes which him and my Dad used to do (Dad still does), my Dad also had an Escort like mine but a 5 door... couldnt not take this pic!

[kevins]

My tr7 melted a pin in almost exactly the same position, I also ended up by passing it. The best tape I have found is self amalgamating stuff, it bonds to its self so well you have to cut it off.

[cjhillman]

So all good so far except the other day I thought I smelt burning again. Couldn’t see any evidence when I got to work. Took it back to the garage today as the wheel bearing noise hadn’t gone away after having one replaced . Turns out the other front side was bad!! Can’t tell you how many wheel bearings this car had had lol. Lovely and quite now though.

[cjhillman]

Ok so a few eventful weeks here. I've been using this Car as usual and then the other week when it froze, it wouldnt start. A nice new battery sorted that out so all good there. Its also had a new alternator as the Car wasnt charging the battery... now it is

Two weeks later and i'm driving to a Recording studio to do some of my normal work, thinking they worst problem would be the the clutch quadrant (its started self adjusting occasionally ) ... I turned into a corner in Chiswick and heard a huge clunk!! I thought it was something rolling around in the boot but on the second turn it was all over the road. I couldnt see what the problem was at first but then I saw it....





A snapped Tie Rod... so happy I was only doing 5 mph when it happened. I ordered new Tie Rods for both sides and Superflex bushes. It drives A LOT nicer now.

Now all thats out the way I'm going to be getting the Car ready for Retro Rides Weekender!! I've been looking forward to this for a while and after entering both Car, the Escort was picked Probably for the best as i'll actually get there haha!

So the list for the next two weeks:

New Break Pads
Fuel Lines
Fix Vacuum Leak
Clutch Quadrant replacement (at least take spares with me but really need to try and do this.)
Coolant Replacement
Compound/Polish paint
ISO Stereo Block
Check point and get spares/ tools ready.
Buy Tent

[vulgalour]

That was lucky! I don't think I've ever seen an Escort do that.

[cjhillman]

May 5, 2021 21:16:08 GMT vulgalour said:

That was lucky! I don't think I've ever seen an Escort do that.

Its something i've never experienced before in anything haha. Safe to say in the future i'll be upgrading more suspension components/bushes. The weirdest thing was I turned right off a main road into a side street with no bumps or anything, it just went!! Managed to drive a mile down the road at 25mph to where I was working and called the AA at the end of the day.

[cjhillman]

Had a quick look at the stereo wiring today as I havent bothered for a year. The earth seemed to start melting last year. I'm guessing this is just a loos conection and built up too much heat ? what would be the easiest /quickest way of fixing this? I was going to buy a new ISO block but its all so tightly wired in so i'm wondering if its better to just and get this pin out and splice another in somehow? I never have any luck getting this pins out so I'm all ears on how to do it properly.






Also had a quick listen for this vacuum leak sounds like its coming from around the back of the carb on this side... Cant see anything yet though. I tried spraying WD40 around it as it was running but nothing yet.



Also noticed a bit of milk in the top of the oil breather and neck... fingers crossed its just the short trips to work over the last few months.

[peteh1969]

Another good reason to do a compression test?

Some of those vac hoses by the carb look a bit crusty need looking at them.

[vulgalour]

Those vac hoses might have cracked right where the clamps are, if you flex the hoses a little and have a look there might be tiny cracks there. Worth replacing them all with new if you can since as soon as you do one, the rest will follow suit. Compression test a good idea too, just in case, though honestly that mayo doesn't look that serious, the test will just offer you peace of mind.

[gess]

I once had a Tie rod on my Granada snap, those are on the front wheels, so the steering got a bit funny especially under braking. I had just had the car for allignement and the nuts on the tie rod needed to be heated to make the adjustments. This heating and the amount of tourque needed to move the nut obviously weakended the rod. Have you had any work done to the rear suspension lately?

[cjhillman]

I’ll check out the hoses on Sunday and see if I can find a crack. If I’m honest I’m pretty sure I could hear this last summer and took them off to find nothing . It’s very loud on one side of the carb so it should be obvious you’d think. Will dig deeper. Also will do a compression test too.
Planning on doing the break pads Sunday if they turn up tomorrow.

That’s interesting about the Granada . I’ve had no work done on the rear. I can only put it down to the speed bumps I go over to get to my temporary job most days :/

[fr€$h&m1nt¥]

What I'd give for one of those tellys!!



Funnily enough the next place I want to take photos of my truck next to is a local repair shop, I wanted to before my MOT ran out last year but ran out of dry weekends.

Sadly it won't have the cool TVs in the window but original signage is close enough.

Hopefully it hasn't changed owners during lockdown...

[kevins]

what that telly shop is missing to be authentic is the yellow film all over the windows!

Looks like the radio earth has  a poor connection at the crimp on the terminal or to the radio,  if it's the later you may be able to get away with just closing it up if not yes you need to get the pin out repair the connection and sleeve it with shrink wrap then re-fit.

ref the running it might be worth taking the breather hoses off and cleaning them out, they can get clogged over time especially when a car is used predominantly around a city.

[fr€$h&m1nt¥]

May 7, 2021 6:24:45 GMT kevins said:

what that telly shop is missing to be authentic is the yellow film all over the windows!

Funny you should mention that.

[cjhillman]

Did a classic half a job. I thought i'd do the brake Pads... got everything off and couldnt move the piston back (i havent got a winder) with any hand tool I had here. Looks a bit worn. Not sure if I should invest in some new callipers. I'm struggling for time before RR weekender and wish I hadn't touched them now.

I think the damp is from some penetrating oil I used on the calliper bolts.