JASAPP

[Wild E. Coyote]

Small(ish) update!

Pleased to inform you that the RST LSD fits in IB5 gearbox :wink: !

With everything at my disposal following half a year of getting everything together and servicing the LSD, finally the gearbox is back together!



The bearings pressed on and in the gearbox housing - nothing major there except the fact that it wasn't easy to gather them all. Three were dead easy to find, one needed mashining for the retainer and two were really difficuilt to source. Our biggest bearing stockist managed to source them on special order and I had to pay extra 15 GBP (converted) for the shipping them. It was either that or buying them from Ford and, needless to say, the OE route was much more expensive… Anyway, got them in the end and they are all on and fit as well! Happy times :lol:



You can see the third gear selector fork shiney and new; the old one was worn at one end a bit. Still can't understand why, as the rest of gearbox is in really nice nick (thanks Ian G for sourcing it and bothering to pack it up and ship to Croatia!!! Top man!). The previous owner must have liked to drive around with his hand on gearstick all the time while in third gear. That is the only explanation I can think of.

Only the fifth gear left to be put on. I just couldn't persuade myself to hit it with big hammer (which I didn't have at my disposal either) so decided to heat up the gear instead. It is heating season here so there is heat already and used it without exposing the gear to open flame…





The gearbox is now functional. Also changed the bias spring inside; the old one was OKish (or so I thought). I can compress it with fingers; not so easy, but doable. The new is impossible to compress. Shifting quality (granted, on table) is incredible already; really looking forward putting it in car which should happen next week. On my shelf is already new clutch (remanufactured from Ford) waiting so that will be installed when I will swap the gearboxes.
Gearbox is now completely renewed: all the bearings and seals are new, the third gear selector fork and the bias spring as well. On the very same shelf is the new shifting rod as well. That would make the transmission side of car completely renewed. Can't wait to see how will the car drive with it installed and with LSD rated at 120 Nm :grin: :lol:

Happy times!

 

[oilburner]

The Escort RS Turbo uses the B5 gearbox which is very similar to the IB5 (The I standing for improved)

 

[tuonokid]

Well done and no comment about heating up the gear to get it in place :lol:
Barry

 

[Wild E. Coyote]

Well, it worked! No major difference to putting it in oven, is it?

 

[Wild E. Coyote]

Update time!

Gearbox is assembled and ready for installing.



I have to say that new bias spring made shifting incredible. With using a screwdriver on the table as it is it it's shifting fantastic. All the bearings are new, the third gear selector fork as well.

Couple of months ago purchased new clutch set. There is no point in swapping gearboxes and leave the old clutch in, is it?

Went for Ford refurbished set. It was very cheap so went for it…



I was slightly worried what might be inside unmarked box (the only tell is this sticker on it), but it turned out everything was new!

The friction plate is Sachs



The pressure plate is like this (unamarked, couldn't tell the manufacturer)



In detail here



And the cylinder is LUK



You can see the Finis on first picture. I don't know what would be the price in UK, but for me it was half the price of the LUK set. When taken the old clutch down, I saw the reason for vibrating at moving; one of the small springs in the friction plate snapped. There is still plenty of friction material, and the pressure plate looks very good. The prevoius owner did change clutch as stated, but don't think the cylinder was changed as it was bone dry; probably still the OEM.

Anyway, the new clutch is on




And then the gearbox as well!



Sticks out a bit (visually), I'd say…. I guess I will have to do something about that engine in the long run.. :wink:

I also have a new shifting rod but didn't do it this time. It will be replaced when the exhaust will be upgraded with 4-2-1 manifold.

Anyway, the LSD was rerated at 120 Nm and I can say you can feel it. It bites strongly, the SW is selfcentering much faster than before. The steering also is lighter, although that might be because everything on front suspension was lubricated. I planned on changing the front bushes as well, but there was no need as they were done already and are in VGC.
The car has sharper turn in now and it understeers less. Especially you can feel the LSD on bumps in the middle of turn when tha car is already cornering. I have one curve as my reference point in wet: no wa I could pass it under the thorttle; when front wheel hit the bump the car would just understeer out unless lifted of. Now it holds on to the line. It moves a bit on bump as is to be expected, but doesn't drift out anymore!
Shifting is improving on daily basis; straight out of the garage wasn't great, but now has much improved, on border of perfect. Will give it few more days and then will adjust the connection of rod if necessary.
Also can confirm the car sticks to the road better; it is snowing/raining and I see I am the fastest on the road although not trying at all. No drammas, nothing is hapenning, puma just sticks to the surface when other cars seem to be struggling….

Also, in preparation for taking down the complete front suspension tried the bolts holding it in place and couldn't move them at all. Already have ordered new ones, but any advice on how to take them down easish? I am affraid it is going to be PIAS as they are probably rusted in like hell. Any advice or tip is more then welcome!

 

[TGPlayer1]

If you can, which by the looks of all the other things you can do, you can, apply heat. The amount of times i've been swinging on a spanner with no movement, and then get the bolt a bit hot and it comes out with ease is remarkable. Works 9/10 times, otherwise it's just not going to come out without drilling it.

 

[PumaNoob]

Awesome work on the gearbox there mate, the only problem now is making the rest of your engine bay look as good as that box :lol:

 

[Wild E. Coyote]

It is not that big of a problem. Just need Ian G to find me another engine in good nick (and get it somehow transported to Croatia; that might be A problem) to be completely refurbished and brought to the same visual standard as the gearbox…. :wink:

 

[tuonokid]

Well done Sinisa, top work mate
Barry

 

[Wild E. Coyote]

Cheers, Barry! How is your ABS saga going on? Resolved it and got the ABS working?

 

[tuonokid]

Hi Sinisa
Not done any work on it for over a fortnight now as it's been too cold up here so I'm still at the stage where I've got to remove the front right ABS sensor bolt, fit a new sensor and check the left hand front. Trouble is now the Puma's in the drive as it's place has been taken by something else.
Barry

 

[Wild E. Coyote]

Nice. Tell me, how much would a working lotus cortina go for in UK? That is something I awlays liked….

 

[tuonokid]

Hi Sinisa
Maybe up to £100,000 if it's a genuine early A framed concourse MK1 probably starting at £15,000 for a genuine complete basket case. Classic Ford prices have gone through the roof here, a nice Anglia just sold at auction for £14,000 and don't even mention Escorts. People are importing Escorts from S Africa, France and Malta just to get decent shells, nice MK1 Mexicos are circa £20,000 now.
Barry

 

[Wild E. Coyote]

Jeeez! So I better keep my puma in good nick, then. In 40 years it may be worth something...

Ok, what about a BDA engined escort? Expensive as hell, too?

 

[tuonokid]

Super expensive for a genuine MK1 RS1600 or MK2 RS1800 but how much would I want one of those . At Ford fair 2 years ago there was an original white MK1 Twincam with a for sale sign and details on it and I think the price for that was £60,000.
Barry

 

[Wild E. Coyote]

Ouch! But the sound of a BDA engine at full cry is something I will never forget. It is just fantastic!

 

[tuonokid]

Music to the ears, 10,000 revs in 1970, showed Honda how to do it

 

[Wild E. Coyote]

Update time!
Always fancied Sparco seats in FRP, but they are mostly worn and expensive. The problem is that alcantara for FRP was custom order and can't be obtained anymore. Plus, since my car is silver, thought vibrant blue might be overkill colourwise so turned attention to FRK seats. Additional problem is that seats are big and heavy to post and I am not around the corner. But, cards lined up nicely in December; a friend of my sent his truck to UK to deliver something, the FRK seats popped up on eBay....
Got in contact with the seller, he lived conveniently on route from London to Dover and was willing to meet the truck along the way.
This were the seats as advertised



But, the truck got delayed, was badly late and the seller couldn't be bothered to meet him during night. He returned me the money and that was it I thought, the sparcos weren destined...

The fate had it that another truck was also in UK and heading home few days later so I offered the seller again to meet the truck in few days. Christmas was coming and he agreed. I paypalled him again the money and he met the truck on some gas station or shoping mall parking. It was rather nerve testing coordinating them both from Croatia, but it worked!

Few days later I picked them up (and payed nothing for the shipping!). If someone wants to know, two sparcos CAN fit in puma as these images prove





As was expected, the seats were just about OK, but not in great shape...



Alcantara was worn and dirty as they were used on track quite a bit





So I had them refurbished. Took them to Mr WR to do his magic. The decision to go after FRK payed off as the grey alcantara is easy to get (although not cheap). So he got on with that part and I turned my attention to runners and refurbished them completely. There was some rust which I cleared and then the usual stuff: priming and painting











For some reason there were few bolts that were not imbus type. It made them undoing inside the rail really PIAS so replaced them with proper ones. Also sprayed them to match the rest of combo and to prevent them from going rusty







And then got the call, the seats were finished!





Mounted on runners and still covered in protective foil waiting to be installed



After that took out the recaros and took down the pretensioners. The holder supllied with the seats is not OK for this so will have them custom made but put the pretensioner anyway on just to try them. And the sparcos are in my car!





After short drive can confirm: they are like a good suite; tight but as it is supposed to be. They hold the body excellent and look aces!

 

[tuonokid]

Awesome Sinisa, they look fantastic :thumbs:
Barry

 

[Wild E. Coyote]

Cheers Barry! Indeed they do :grin: