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Dec 20, 2022 21:01:12 GMT
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Today I picked up a new toy thats a bit of a project to go with the other project that I havent finnished  It's a 1990 MK4 escort van with a 1.8 turbo diesel fitted in it, with an RS turbo body kit fitted to it.
Here are some crappy pics from when I got it home  Heres a better pic from the advert In my defence it is one of the cleanest vans I've ever seen. Having said that given my OCD I have a list of jobs as long as my arm to do on it, which I will slowly work my way through over the winter
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stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,960
Club RR Member Number: 174
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Ford Escort mk4 vanstealthstylz
@stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member 174
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Dec 20, 2022 22:27:01 GMT
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Ace, all the period correct cool bits, just needs a giant sound system lol
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Ace, all the period correct cool bits, just needs a giant sound system lol It's not giant, but I do have a period pair of pioneer 6x9's to go in that I pulled out of the skip at work |
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totti will probably like this and have advice as his is a worker. Nice van. Certainly another car I would be happy to have on my drive.
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Dec 22, 2022 18:36:10 GMT
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I managed to get 2 or 3 hours on the the van and my 205 today. First up was re fitting the speedo cable, which was tucked behind the blower box.  The guy that I bought it from said that it was like that because it runs where the turbo is and will melt the sleeving, however I managed to route it so that there is a nice big gap. I wont post a pic because I haven't been able to get a good one. Job 2 was removing the speedo to find out what bulbs I need, only for the motor factors to tell me that they can't get them any more - bum ebay it is then, so I had to refit the speedo with the blown bulbs still in. Job 3 was fitting new rear lights as I hate them tinted   They are pattern parts and the orange is a bit too yellowey, but they will do untill I can get round to trying to remove the tint (mabye thinners?). Job 4 was changing the glow plugs, although no1 didn't want to play ball, so I'll have to sort that out when I eventually get the van over to my workshop. It's starting much better now even though I've only done the 3  Job 5 was to replace the tiny front numberplate with a full size one   That looks so much better to me |
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Dec 22, 2022 18:37:22 GMT
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totti will probably like this and have advice as his is a worker. Nice van. Certainly another car I would be happy to have on my drive. Hi Grizz, this one is a worker too, or will be |
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Dec 26, 2022 17:10:22 GMT
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I managed to get a couple of hours tinkering on the van today. First up was changing the headlamp bulbs as the ones in it were the ice blue? things with LED sidelights, which look great but are rubbish when its wet Next up was to pull the clocks out to refit a bulb I took out as a pattern for the motorfactors that I forgot to put back in last time they were out. while I was in there I thought I'd remove the 2 remaining blue bulb covers
Then spray all the connectors with contact cleaner and refit it all and see if its working properly, which it isn't really, but when I took it for a test drive the top row of bulbs wern't flickering on and off as much as they were, also the handbrake warning light came on....and went off after 1/2 a mile or so and the lights for the heater controlls now don't work
Most of the lighting isues I'm putting down to the headlight switch, as if you tap it more lights come on  well the switch does look original so 32 years old. so I've ordered a replacement. When i was out on the test drive I noticed the temp gauge sticker has come off, which I'll add to the growing list of jobs lol
Oh and while the steering collum shroud was off I noticed this wire hanging down, which turns out to be permanent live, so I wrapped it in tape untill I can find my manual to work out what it is. I'm looking forward to getting this into my workshop so I can get started in earnest plus I've only got basic tools at home. |
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Dec 28, 2022 16:45:52 GMT
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I got a few more hours on the van yesterday, First off I've figured out what this is,  It's the feed for the horn, which would explain why it's not working I suppose I changed the last glow plug, then changed the oil, but not the filter as the oil that came out was horrible, to i just put the new oil in to try and flush it out while I drive the van about for a couple of days and I'll change it again next time I'm at the workshop. While I was there I tightened up the alternator belt which was so much fun as I have giant arms and only a small gap to get to the top bolts
I did notice that there doesn't appear to be a whole lot of room to do the timing belt, which is somthing I'll be doing in the coming weeks.
I also managed to get all of the instrument lights to start working at the same time 
While I was out in Crediton this morning the headlight/ indicator switch started smoking a lot, so I disconnected the switch, turned round and drove home. Needless to say It's now off the road untill my replacement switch turnes up.
Mike
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Dec 29, 2022 17:24:13 GMT
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I went out to the van to start cleaning up the couple of spots of surface rust, when I noticed filler on the wheel tub, so I started tapping it with my trusty hammer and was supprised that I only found a couple of small holes. So I packed up and back indoors.  On the plus side the parts ive ordered have started arriving, in this case a replacement back box that hopefully won't knock on the rear cross member.  Hopefully next week I'll be able to get it tucked up in the workshop so I can crack on with it, as I really need it to be ready for dailying duties by the beginning of February. |
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I had a few spare minutes today, so I fitted a pair of pedal rubbers, a replacement headlight/indicator switch.   It would appear that tightening up the alternator belt hasn't done it any favours, but that's a job for another day  A mate of mine has offered to run the van over to my lockup on his recovery truck possibly next week, so fingers crossed |
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I got the van up to my lockup mid last month
Then promptly pulled the gearbox out to change the clutch as the thrust bearing was noisy.
unfortunately I couldn't get the clutch kit beforehand because I didn't know what clutch was in it, so at this point I had to go parts hunting, then had to wait for them to arrive. While I was waiting I pulled the N/s arch liner and washer bottle out, along with the front bumper to chase some surface rust While I was waiting for paint to dry, started having a closer look in the engine bay and at some of the usual rust spots and have come to the conclusion that the previous owner liked to fill rust holes and bodge the mecanical modifications.
The turbo drew my eye as it was a little oily. I was at this point I realised it was borked as the turbine shaft had a fair amount of play and the plastic thing on the front of it was broken. However I did manage to find used replacements for both for £76 delivered from Madrid, which I didn't think was too bad.
While I was removing the turbo I found the reason for the big cloud of black soot on start up, someone had cut the egr pipe off without blanking it off, which I have now done. along with refitting the gearbox and turbo. I'm starting to think that this thing hasn't had a legit MOT for about 3 years (when the previous owner bought it) Before I put the van back on the road I have to modify one of the coolant hoses from the heater matrix to the oil cooler as its badly kinked and sort out a coolant leak on another hose, but I'll do those when I change the water pump. Another job I did was to repair both of the seat bases as they were held together with cable ties, fortunately you can still get replacements quite cheaply. The only small problem I can accross was that one set of hooks and bars that hold the base in were missing, so as i couldn't find any I made a set.   What a difference that makes, I'm nolonger sitting on 2 metal bars, which is so much comfier lol I finally managed to get the gearbox and turbo re fitted yesterday, which is so satisfying
The last job I did today was to fit the grommet thing that holds the bonnet stay in place.
While hunting parts I came accross a genuine RS Turbo bonnet and steering wheel (which is the look I'm going for) |
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Mar 14, 2023 13:04:32 GMT
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I've had some time off work, so I've been able to push on with this. The gearbox is back in, the replacement turbo I sourced is fitted but unfortunately I forgot to take ay pics. What I did notice was that the EGR pipe had been cut off, so every time it opened the soot was just going into the engine bay so I removed and blanked it off While I was refitting the gearbox somehow I managed to break the servo vacuum hose, so I replaced it with one from a mk6 escort as I couldn't find one for a mk4 diesel. While I was working in that area I also changed the diesel filter.  I've also fitted new RS turbo shocks and springs, with new top mounts, bottom arms, wheel bearings track rod ends and CV joints. Which makes it look like this. I'm aiming for the look of a standard RS turbo as the van will get used a fair bit, plus I live in Devon which i swear has the worst roads in the country.
  While the back end was in the air I had a look at the back box as the one on it was knocking on the cross member because it was far too big, it was also blowing on the snot welds so I fitted a standard one, just untill I get round to fitting a new system.   While waiting for parts I did get round to welding up a small rust hole on the front panel, which I forgot to take a before pic of.    I have also fitted an RS turbo steering wheel, which I will try and remember to take a pic of when I go up there tonight. I am thinking about changing the wheels on this, mabye to 15" rs turbo wheels or the 16" peugeot steels that Mercdan68 put on his mondeo. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Mike
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Mar 15, 2023 10:38:17 GMT
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Great work on this, see so few about these days!
Do you have a link for that seat diaphragm?
The original looks suspiciously like the ones fitted to the aftermarket seats in my mini, which I had to give the cable ties and lots of duct tape treatment.
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Mar 15, 2023 10:50:21 GMT
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Great work on this, see so few about these days! Do you have a link for that seat diaphragm? The original looks suspiciously like the ones fitted to the aftermarket seats in my mini, which I had to give the cable ties and lots of duct tape treatment. I just got them from ebay. Aparantly it's called a seat pan
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Mar 15, 2023 12:16:57 GMT
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Great work on this, see so few about these days! Do you have a link for that seat diaphragm? The original looks suspiciously like the ones fitted to the aftermarket seats in my mini, which I had to give the cable ties and lots of duct tape treatment. I just got them from ebay. Aparantly it's called a seat pan
Awesome, thanks for the quick reply  |
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Apr 15, 2023 16:30:31 GMT
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Over the last few weeks I've been chipping away at the small jobs on my list while I've been putting off doing the timing belt. First off I tackled the rubbish wiring modifications.
The first of these was the cigar lighter that was loose in the glove box , I moved it to where the blanking plug for it was. Sorry I forgot to take pics. Next I re-soldered the stereo wiring as the heatshrink covering the joints hadn't been heated up and had slid off, that and it looked curse word
 Then I removed the modern stereo and fitted a period one in it's place Amazingly it works, but the LCD back light isn't working, which I guess is just a bulb? and I can sort that out later.
 Next I drained the cooling system so I could change one of the hoses coming from the heater matrix which had been re directed and kinked in the process of fitting the turbo
I replaced it with this  Yesterday I started removing a few bits to make life easier when I do the timing belt. Now I'm just waiting on a water pump as the one I bought last week was wrong 
Which brings me up to date.
Tomorrow I might head up there, time the engine up and fit the locking pins in readyness. I might even look at the electrical gremlins in the dash and blow the tyres up
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well the switch does look original so 32 years old. so I've ordered a replacement.
