project Early Mondeo Saloon Saved From The Scrapman.

[sierraman]

It’s worth £100 to break. 

[trigger]

Excellent thread, I really like those early Mondeos, especially in Ghia spec, that was still a time when owning a Ghia did feel more special. 

Auto trader confirms it as a Cat C, it's probably from a time when the car was worthless, a door dent or bumper scuff would have been enough. 

[bunglebus]

I knew there was something familiar about all these Essex number plates - I learnt to drive in K---GAR, a 1.4 Fiesta Flight. I still think of Mondeos as modern cars.

[Noel Tidybeard]

the offset pin thing with the bulb was to make it theoretically impossible to put bulb in wrong

[Slowsilver]

9 hours ago, Noel Tidybeard said:

the offset pin thing with the bulb was to make it theoretically impossible to put bulb in wrong

True, but this is already done on a standard twin-filament stop/tail bulb by offsetting the pins vertically.
I think that the orange-coloured indicator bulbs used with clear lenses have the pins in line vertically but offset radially at 120 degrees to stop them being replaced with clear ones, which I can understand, but I can see no  reason for these fog/tail lights not to use a standard stop/tail bulb.

On 4/24/2020 at 5:45 PM, LightBulbFun said:

(nb the reason for this different base is probably because these lamps have a different optical setup compared to a "normal" 5/21W lamp so if you fitted one of those then you could potentially mess up the optics of things and blind someone or such!)
try compare them to a norma 5/21W bulb and see if the filaments are laid out in a different position compared to each other  
 

 

I have compared these and the filaments look to be exactly the same position, angle and height as each other. I would have thought that the optical characteristics of a rear fog light would be very similar to, if not the same as, a brake light. So still can't see a reason for using a different type of bulb.
 

[binhoker668]

Well well.  Bless my ten toes.  You’ve won a prize for your lovely new project!  Simply send me your address.  
 

[Slowsilver]

Wow, that's great.
PM sent.
 

[mrbenn]

What a brilliant save! Very much looking forward to following progress.

[Isaac Hunt]

On 4/26/2020 at 6:25 PM, Tetleysmooth said:

Someone who played timing belt roulette - and lost.

Anyone fancy having a bash?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ford-mondeo-ghia/223990068364?hash=item3426d9348c:g:DO4AAOSwgaxejd1D

 

 

That Reg could almost almost have been appropriate, K-POW.  

[sutty2006]

16 hours ago, binhoker668 said:

Well well.  Bless my ten toes.  You’ve won a prize for your lovely new project!  Simply send me your address.  
 

Can you copy me that onto a blank tape? ....... oh wait, it’s the wrong side of the 2000s. 
 

incidently, I still own a hifi tower that can do it 

[Slowsilver]

On 4/26/2020 at 6:25 PM, Tetleysmooth said:

Someone who played timing belt roulette - and lost.

Anyone fancy having a bash?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ford-mondeo-ghia/223990068364?hash=item3426d9348c:g:DO4AAOSwgaxejd1D
 

I was wondering about the cam belt on mine.
This one is a 1996 diesel (Duratec engine?) and does not mention its mileage.
Mine is a 2 litre petrol Zetec and I think I read somewhere that these engines are non-interference, in which case I will risk it snapping.
There seems to be a lot of disagreement on the change interval for these. In the service book at 48,000 miles the garage have written "Cam belt must be changed at 45,000 miles", so I assume it wasn't. I have also seen 70,000 and as much as 100,000 miles mentioned.
Mine has done 71,000.
Does anyone on here know for sure if these engines are non-interference?
 

[billy_bunter]

There is also a time limit. If you go and look up the timing belt for the car on an online site. The time as well as mileage should be stated

How long was the car stood for?

[Slowsilver]

It had stood for about 7 years. I am sure the belt needs replacing but if it is definitely non-interference I would prefer to leave it at least until when/if it gets an MoT before going to the cost/effort of replacing it.
 

[billy_bunter]

THat will be a yes then To replacement.

Cannot confirm sure on the engine interference or not. Others will happen along to confirm.

I suspect, but do not know,that  the water pump will need doing at the same time.  I would do all the other belts whilst you are there and check all the water pipes for bulging....

[Cookiesouwest]

Zetec should be 100k or 10 yrs. Not that I would want to leave them that long. They are interference units. Valves will get intimate with piston, if belt or tensioner go.

[sierraman]

37 minutes ago, Slowsilver said:

I was wondering about the cam belt on mine.
This one is a 1996 diesel (Duratec engine?) and does not mention its mileage.
Mine is a 2 litre petrol Zetec and I think I read somewhere that these engines are non-interference, in which case I will risk it snapping.
There seems to be a lot of disagreement on the change interval for these. In the service book at 48,000 miles the garage have written "Cam belt must be changed at 45,000 miles", so I assume it wasn't. I have also seen 70,000 and as much as 100,000 miles mentioned.
Mine has done 71,000.
Does anyone on here know for sure if these engines are non-interference?
 

No they’re interference. That’s a silver top you’ve got there the internal for that is 60k or 5 years. Therefore I’d do the belt ASAP, it’s not a difficult job, you’ll need the timing pin and the bar that sits in the end of the crank. If you aren’t sure I can talk you through it with pics on an engine 

[billy_bunter]

Agreed MOT 1st . Do it as soon as then you know monies, jobs to do etc.

A 2 minute look online for 2ltr a timing belt kit with pump etc is roughly 100 to 130 quid.

[sierraman]

Na, you’d get them cheaper than that, paid £60 for a NOS Ford one a while back. The pump frequently leaks on these so I’d swap it out at same time access is easy. 

[Zelandeth]

Get it changed ASAP.  I'd probably be doing it as soon as you've decided if she's likely to a viable candidate for an MOT.  They don't like sitting, the areas which have been under most tension will perish preferentially  (where it's been sitting around the pulleys), so even if you take a look at the belt and it looks okay, you may find some areas are far worse than others.

It's not a bad job on these as I recall.  Helps if you've got the right tool to lock the camshafts, but otherwise don't think there's anything to be afraid of.

[Ghosty]

On 4/23/2020 at 7:57 PM, Isaac Hunt said:

Does Autotrader show up any Cat markers if you run through the ad process and 'bail' before submitting?

It gives false positives sometimes, my old Civic came up as a Cat C on there, but it had a clean V5. It was accident repaired though. Not sure what was going on there. 

[egg]

I did have a camshaft locking tool. But I never used it, this one

I'll see if I've still got it...probably in the loft or something.

Or I sold it on ebay or on here...

[sierraman]

1 hour ago, The Mighty Quinn said:

That belt will be shagged. They don't like being stood - not just that but the grease in the rollers dries out. I'd replace it all ASAFP.

Belt itself rarely goes, compared to similar engines of the era the belt is quite a thick one. The tensioner rattles it’s bollocks off then seizes chucking the belt off. You can bet your bottom dollar the lower crank seal will be leaking as well, both ways. 

Parts are getting scarce, what took my latest one off the road was the ARB snapping, not the links but the bar broke, unobtainable new or used, couldn’t find one. You’ve to accept on these cars they stopped making them 20 years ago, if something out of the ordinary goes bang it could be off the road a while while you find the bits. That’s why I’ve sacked them off as daily transport. 

[sierraman]

2 hours ago, The Mighty Quinn said:

More I'd say. These things have just just gone now. They're not even in breakers. If you were planning on running a Mondeo for the next few years it'd be worth either having a complete spares car or buying one and stripping it to a shell and keeping everything. Before you know it, every nut and bolt will be scene taxed and you'll be paying 50 quid for just a window regulator.

I hope so I’ve got a massive shed full of bits! That’s my pension there!

[sierraman]

Easy way to TDC it on the end of the cams, they’re offset so the bar should just about slide in against the cylinder head, back it off a hares breadth and put the pin in the 10mm block plug, move the crank against the pin and the cam slots should line up. Probably teaching you to suck eggs here but    don’t leave the bar in if you are winding the crank bolt off with a breaker.

[egg]

@Slowsilver - I have just found the locking tool in the roof. Just remind me of your address by PM and it will be on its way to you if required.

[BorniteIdentity]

Are you ready for me to buy this now to collect later? All this talk of “is it a valid candidate for an MOT” is making me nervous!! 

[sierraman]

Every Mondeo fails on the handbrake, it’s shit as standard. Doesn’t help that the ratchet wears out quite easily in the cabin. Other frequent phail is exhaust emissions, usually a dose of Cataclean remedies this. 

Can also say with some certainty the front wishbone bushes will be perished, you can pick NOS Unipart ones up for £15 a piece, dead easy job but don’t forget to buy a spare set of bolts for the gearbox end. When these are fucked the rear most bush usually falls out of the arm with predictable effect on tyre wear. Get used to doing these they’re almost a service item, I’ve fitted them all eBay cheapies to Lemforders and they all last 18-24 months, it’s a bad design that’s why later fords all have a radial axis bush like the Focus. You can get Polybushes pressed into the original arms but these aren’t cheap and don’t get away from the bottom swivel joint failing. 

[egg]

I forgot K440 LYA in the list of MOT'd K-platers (another base) which didn't sell recently at £450 starting bid. And it had loads of work done.

That one has the grey interior, which I think was the least interesting of the launch colour trim.

[sierraman]

£450 sounds about right, it’s a test or two from the scrapyard. Simple cars to mend though, most jobs are a doddle but old age is seeing a lot of them off. 

[Slowsilver]

On 4/27/2020 at 11:46 PM, binhoker668 said:

Well well.  Bless my ten toes.  You’ve won a prize for your lovely new project!  Simply send me your address.  
 

This arrived safely this morning, courtesy of a very kind and generous @binhoker668.
Have been sitting in the Mondeo in the pouring rain enjoying some culture. Can imagine being some early nineties middle-management type blasting down the motorway at illegal speeds with all the (electric) windows and the (factory) sunroof open listening to Vivaldi at full volume and looking down on the riff-raff in their base Sierras as I zoom past.
From the pictures on the cover the car featured seems to be identical to ours. The front fogs and headlamp washers imply that it is a Ghia and it appears to be the same dark metallic blue/green colour (Cayman Blue).
It has now taken pride of place in the built-in cassette tape holder, alongside Shirley Bassey and Diana Ross.
The period restoration continues!