Undesirable, uneconomical, unkillable? The 1.8 litre curse.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Let's not forget that the 1.8 litre Sierra didn't have reliability on its side either given the tendency for them to eat their piston rings and valve stem oil seals unless meticulously maintained. We had one at about 60K miles that used nearly as much oil as petrol.

 

Granted...still drove perfectly!

 

 

That was the 1.8 CVH, utter shit. The Pinto version was near enough impossible too kill.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

I used to deliver Sierras all round the North and up to Scotland in the summer hols, the 1.6 was a bit slow, the 2.0 quick enough but thirsty, the 1.8 was as quick in real world driving and as economical as the 1.6. I seem to remember the 1.8s had better damping and received the latest little updates first.

 

Similarly, where a Passat or 80 was more than brisk enough with the 1.8 (and relatively lairy with K-Jetronic and the extra 20hp over the 90bhp carby ones), the 1.6s were flat and had to be rowed along with the gearlever.

 

 

You've never driven the 1992 onwards 2.0 Passat. Slow?   

[chodweaver]

Three-cylinder engines are great, though my preference is clearly for engines built before DMFs were things. The Japanese have been building them since the 1980s with no horrible balance issues.

Ah, fair enough. I was thinking of these clown cars...

[iainrcz]

I had a 1.8 406, it was ace.

 

Acceptable economy, lovely comfy seats, would float around when required, yet also could be manhandled in to out handling whatever the wanker up my arse was driving.

 

 

I remember the one hilarious time I kept up with a Porsche of some denomination going back down through kielder forest in the wet.

With the arm rest down, AC on and the boot full of holiday gear.

 

Sent from my VFD 710 using Tapatalk

[Liggle]

Always avoided the 1.6/1.8 cooking models of a range for this reason. 

 

Although I always thought the Astra G 1.8 (X18XEV) felt perkier than the 2.0 (X20XEV) SRi I had. Less torque though. 

 

 

[Datsuncog]

I believe the first 1.8s were the Pinto engine and was changed to a CVH engine when the Sierra was facelifted for the 87 model year, I preferred the Pinto ones. The Escorts got the 1.4 CVH engine in about 86 I think - its a long time ago

 

That was the 1.8 CVH, utter shit. The Pinto version was near enough impossible too kill.

 

My dad had two 1.8 Sierra estates - one very early 1987 facelift (KXI 9026) in Mercury Grey, which was still rocking the pinto lump. Bought at four years old to replace our crusty Renault 18 estate, it was pretty bombproof and gave no mechanical grief that I can recall over our three and a half years of ownership, despite towing a 5-berth caravan throughout the UK, Ireland and France. Looked pretty flash with a secondhand set of pepperpots fitted, too.

 

The only gripe I can recall was the gearing made urban driving a pain - it would sound unhappily strained in 3rd at 30mph, but would then chug and judder if put into 4th. My mum learned to drive in it, and did not find it a pleasurable experience. It was sold on in 1996, and I was surprised to see it still knocking around in 2003, apparently going strong (albeit being used as a decorator's hack, so probably on its final owner).

 

Its replacement was a 1991 Chasseur, picked up in 1994 as an ex-Northern Bank company car - VXI 1727, in silver. It looked pristine; the rear seats still had probably never been sat in (deduced by the rear doors being stuck to their seals)  This was fitted with the CVH unit (necessitating a new Haynes manual, I recall), and was also used as a towcar. It was a really nice looking motor too, and despite racking up the miles rightly, didn't give any major problems other than a new radiator required not long before it was sold on in 1998. I don't remember any oil-burning issues or owt like that.

 

The gearing on VXI was much better than on the Pinto car, as I recall - this was the car I learned to drive in. But as I never had responsibility for the Sierras' day-to-day running costs, I'm not sure how they compared.

 

The two 1.8-engined Series 1 Phase 1 Lagunas I ran were pretty shit on fuel, with about 30mpg generally achievable with a bit of care. My 2.0 Lag was only ever a £50 parts car (plus the clutch was shagged), so comparisons weren't possible. The 1.6 unit fitted to my dad's Series 1 Phase 2 Laguna felt substantially perkier - though admittedly his was a brand new car at the time I drove it, whereas mine were both knocking on 18 years old at the point I acquired them.

 

 

At least driving the Lagunas prepared me for the same running costs as I'm currently experiencing with the Subaru Forester 2.0XT - which is faintly damning considering the Sub's 4x4 gubbins and turbocharged boxer engine...

[forddeliveryboy]

You've never driven the 1992 onwards 2.0 Passat. Slow?

 

I drove an E-reg single point injection 1.8 once, that felt glacial even flat out. Sat at 90 all day (top speed was around 110iirc) it would out-economy most diesels of the day at around 45mpg. Dunno if there was a 1.3 or 1.4 for the German market (I'm sure earlier version were available with 1.1s) but the 75hp 1600s must have been marginal in the UK.

[sierraman]

I had a 1.8 CVH, it was a bit coarse but it was reliable enough. Problem was people neglected them or chucked 20w50 in and it bollocksed the top end. A lot didn’t like the CVH, it was rough and could be trouble if it was neglected but a looked after one would give good service.

 

The Vauxhall four cylinder units at the time would go through cams like no tomorrow either if neglected.

[kinkersaab]

I had a doom maroon Granada 1.8, it didnt even have a rev counter.  Total povo spec other than Abs.  I quite liked it...

[Guest Hooli]

I had a 1.8 CVH, it was a bit coarse but it was reliable enough. Problem was people neglected them or chucked 20w50 in and it bollocksed the top end. A lot didn’t like the CVH, it was rough and could be trouble if it was neglected but a looked after one would give good service.

 

The Vauxhall four cylinder units at the time would go through cams like no tomorrow either if neglected.

 

Aye people had a silly habit of putting thicker oil in as it was cheaper and/or the car made a slight noise so thicker oil is betterz innit m9? The thicker oil couldn't get through the oilways to the cam followers & you got the standard CVH death rattle & gutlessness.

[sierraman]

All mk3 Grandads has ABS I think.

[Crispian_J_Hotson]

1.8 suits the touring perfectly well. Grunty little revvy thing that likes to run above 4k rpm. 

 

I also was a proud* owner of the 1.8 CVH smoke machine. Thankfully a nice lady wrote it off for me TBone style!

[bolognasal spray]

My dad had two 1.8 Sierra estates....The only gripe I can recall was the gearing made urban driving a pain - it would sound unhappily strained in 3rd at 30mph, but would then chug and judder if put into 4th.

 

Nerd alert minutiae crap - but this is interesting because I've find that there's a marked difference on this particular score when driving my '04 1.8 petrol focus and my wife's '09 1.8 petrol focus. Mine is happiest in 3rd at 30 - the latter definitely wants to be in 4th. 3rd is just too revvy. One other difference I know of - the '09 car went back to a chain, doing away with cam belt. 

 

That's all well and good for maintenance - but to drive, I really think the earlier version feels much more relaxed everywhere - be that in town, on A roads, or motorwaying. Weird.

[Lacquer Peel]

Three-cylinder engines are great, though my preference is clearly for engines built before DMFs were things. The Japanese have been building them since the 1980s with no horrible balance issues.

Yes they were made with balancer shafts and can be quite smooth, I think 3 cylinder engines get their bad reputation from the awful GM 3 cylinder which is apparently balanced* by a heavier than normal flywheel for the engine size.

[forddeliveryboy]

All mk3 Grandads has ABS I think.

First European to come with it as standard across the model range, from 1.8L to 2.8i Ghia.

[artdjones]

Ireland and Italy do, and I'm sure many other countries do too.

Ireland used to for road tax purposes,but all cars sold since 2008 have tax based on CO2 emissions.Anything older is still capacity based so anything 1700-1800cc is €636 a year to tax.