1985 Ford Escort mk3 Popular - welding time again!

[cjhillman]

Jan 11, 2019 21:31:45 GMT Fossilfish said:

What a great car you have, glad this one remains stock and it has you to to give it the care and attention it deserves.

It's amazing how simple it is, it must be a joy to be able to work on a car so simple and loads of room in the engine bay.

Thanks ! I'm trying to keep it stock, i feel like someone needs to keep one of these standard. Shes been a great daily driver this year! Its really easy to work on. I hoping to get a little more in depth when we move house (and if there is a drive). Hoping to get a second car then attempt a few other jobs like crank case seal. 

[cjhillman]

After doing this job i thought i'd treat myself to a socket set that wont bend when i use it! Also picked up a draper set so i know have a range from 4mm - 22mm haha might be a little overboard . Anyone heard of Elora ?

[astranaut]

Friend of mine has the exact same kit, handed down from his engineer dad, who will only use the best, and it's got to be 30 years old and still complete so must be good?

[jules]

Got some Elora spanners. Had them from the late 80's. Like to think they were/ or was one of the better makes.

[jules]

Quick Google. German manufacturer, and still available.

[cjhillman]

Can't believe its been this long since I updated this but, thats how well she runs and my Capri with all its problems is taking up my time.

I'm starting to go through a service slowly and started off with the fan belt. Started to smell a buring smell recently and thought it was the Rad fan on its way out. Didn't seem to be and i also tested its charging under load which seems fine. Then i heard the fan belt slip a couple of times and realised its still on an old Motorcraft one haha! The only problem is i couldnt find any info on which belt the OHV engine uses as it goes around 3 pulleys. ( i might have mentioned it before)

Long story short a local garage ordered me a few belts as they couldn't find the answer either and the longest one fits. Also ordered 2 13mm spanners that will live in the glove box for emergencies ... for a decent size engine bay there is no room for sockets around the alternator.










Next i will be doing Oil, Points and Timing probably not in that order. I think i may have wrote i changed the timing before but, i sent it to the garage to have the tappets done and they altered it again, the only problem was i had super unleaded in the tank... back to square one.

Back to getting my Capri to run now!!

[Fossilfish]

Just reading your Capri thread and saw this car mentioned, I think it was this that I saw on Sunday just past. It was under a arch outside Limehouse Dlr, my 7 year old shouted 'Hey dad look' and pointed to this tidy motor.I was on the main road and just got a glimpse but didn't stop to grab a pic for spotted section.

Looked great! wish I had a proper butchers

[cjhillman]

Jul 15, 2019 19:06:11 GMT Fossilfish said:

Just reading your Capri thread and saw this car mentioned, I think it was this that I saw on Sunday just past. It was under a arch outside Limehouse Dlr, my 7 year old shouted 'Hey dad look' and pointed to this tidy motor.I was on the main road and just got a glimpse but didn't stop to grab a pic for spotted section.

Looked great! wish I had a proper butchers

Haha yeah that’s me! It’s my main car for giging about town in and I was playing a small Sunday afternoon gig at the Craft Beer place on the corner . Glad it was spotted and it’s great your 7 year old is into cars too! I always wonder if anyone spots me in the old girl 😀

[cjhillman]

I always try and get out of doing big drives these days but last weekend i had to go London, Sheffield , Devon, London . Not the worst of drives but waking up Tuesday morning i noticed a small pool of water under the Escort. Looks like all that going up and down in temp ruined the gasket. All fixed now!

[cjhillman]

Spoke to soon... pool of water is back. I think its the top hose as it looks a bit cracked a side of the jubilee clip. I've tightend it down a little bit more as pressing on the lip of the hose produces water. This probably will make it worse but i'm thinking i might chuck on the old motorcraft one i've been keeping under the seat... cant be bothered but i have another big drive up to Manchester Thursday so probably for the best.








For now i've used the last of the black spray can i bought for my Capri's Grill on the bumper as it was looking scabby. Didnt take a pic of after but it looks so much better.

[cjhillman]

Over the last couple of months i'm noticing what feels like a knock when i accelerate and let off the Gas. If i do it gently it doesnt seem to happen but if i accelerate up to 2nd gear then have to start breaking for something you feel (not really hear) what seems like a nock. Could this be gearbox or engine mounts? i was wondering if its the suspension as i've got a creak coming from the passenger side at the moment.

[vulgalour]

That does sound very engine/gearbox mount. Every time you accelerate or let off stuff is going to shift back and forth. You've done the bouncing each corner thing, I trust? That can sometimes highlight where a knock is if it's suspension. Could also be a loose exhaust rubber, letting the exhaust knock on something.

[Mercdan68]

Gearbox mount, I’m 99% on that diagnosis

[cjhillman]

i did bounce the front and the passenger side is creaking a bit. i notice its doing it over bumps a bit too. Sending it too the garage tomorrow for points so will ask them to check it out. I had a look at the gear box mount and it looks ok but i don't know much. Engine seems solid when you try to rock it.

[cjhillman]

So the nocking noise was..... (drum roll) a bad Tie Rod. I took it to a great garage near my folks in Stoke-On-Trent. They did points, plugs, timing, tie rod and fan belt adjustment for about the same as 1 hours labour here in London At least its safe and drives nice and smooth now.
No more updates on this car. Its definitely time for an oil change soon and maybe a coolant swap as its mainly water now since messing with the thermostat.

[cjhillman]

So my Escort and Capri are in Practical Classics!! I wrote in to Danny Hopkins and they put it in. Very happy as ive always wanted to get in this mag! maybe one day i'll get a full page spread



I also tracked down the remaining garage of the two address on the cars numberplate. Luckily the address says "old southern cross garages" on google maps. a guy at the garage told me how the plot was originally bigger and they must have sold cars to the side of where i'd pulled in. He said they had been there for 13 years and before then it was only an MOT station so maybe it went out of business not long after my car was sold. I also think my car was sold from the Market Deeping Southern Cross garages due to the number plate being from that area. Still interesting though!



Heres a photo from the garage in the 70s. you can see how the origional garage has been demolished and my Escort is about where the white Citroen estate is parked. 


Also came across this Capri which had sold from the garage and still had its original plates! Wish i could have bought this one !!

[cjhillman]

Another year another MOT. Turns out i have done 10K this year in it! I must be mad!!! other than some new points its done pretty well this year. I was a bit concerned about the MOT and how i would afford any mega repairs with trying to go full steam a head on my Capri and unable to sell that being in bits if it went that way. luckily the only thing it failed on was the drivers side break master cylinder. I was told its in really good shape and a few things i mentioned for safety he said are tottaly fine.   

Before i took the car up i thought it was time to replace that cracked headlight as it was definitely going to fail on this. Last year i found a replacement and scruggled to get it off.



Its actually really easy if you undo the two bolts retaining it closest two the Grill. 



Much better


Looks better now although the new headlight has a different colour or stained seal inside which is a bit annoying.


Waiting for Its MOT


ON THE LIST FOR THIS YEAR:

- This year and i mean ASAP i need to do an oil and filter change.
- I also need to look into the rocker cover gasket which is leaking again. I think the garage that set the tappets crushed the new seal so, i should re do all that!
- look at the big oil leak... might be crank case seal

[cjhillman]

So now we have all this time I'm thinking I should have a look at a few things on the Escort. The Capri is getting all the "Love" at the moment and my idea is to get that running well incase the Escort needs a big Job but, I think a few things need addressing .

There is an oil leak and the Engine sounds really "sewing machiney" at the moment. So i'm thinking i need to try and check the Tappets (something i've never done) then replace the Rocker gasket (already have this) as the Garage who previously did the tappets crushed the last gasket and it seems to be leaking now.



Now the only other thing is to figure out if the Oil Leak is coming from here and trickling down the engine or coming from the Crank seal. I'm also wondering if its leaking water from the Water Pump and thats making more of a mess.
I guess i could do with cleaning the Engine a bit for this. Any advice on how to best clean this without a pressure washer and while in Lockdown would be great I'm also on a rented drive so i'll be putting down plenty of sheeting for this .


This is basically picture from down the Engine.







The other thing i'm thinking of doing is painting the Rocker Cover Ford Blue. I know they didnt come like this but, if i'm doing it to the Capri it would make a nice "Set". I'd love to paint the engine block too or most of it. Not sure what colour though... maybe that shout be Blue 

[kevins]

A common problem with those pressed steel covers is that they are overtightened and the flange bent then even when you fit a new gasket it never seals again, you can usually straighten them out by beating the high spots down on a straight edge.

[cjhillman]

Apr 1, 2020 21:08:39 GMT kevins said:

A common problem with those pressed steel covers is that they are overtightened and the flange bent then even when you fit a new gasket it never seals again, you can usually straighten them out by beating the high spots down on a straight edge.

Good to know!!! I'll be checking that out when i paint it. It is a right mess at the moment.