[Gear] crunch time & losing its cool... RFU's adventures with a MK2 Focus that escaped death and proves to be a free* car

[twosmoke300]

  On 22/06/2023 at 15:15, sierraman said:

The older ones, probably pre 2000 design seem to be ok but the newer stuff especially diesels and direct injection petrols, it’s a sealed unit in effect, once it’s fucked you have to throw it away and get a recon unit or a crate engine. I’d probably blame small capacities for coolant and oil meaning that a slight drop in either is catastrophic. 

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Some vag engines definitely aren’t meant to be rebuilt 

[Bren]

  On 22/06/2023 at 17:09, twosmoke300 said:

Some vag engines definitely aren’t meant to be rebuilt 

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Ditto honda. I remember reading should the engine die in your S2000 then a replacement engine from a breaker would be your best bet.

[twosmoke300]

I’ve put cranks and shells in a couple with no issues 

[High Jetter]

Isn't it funny how things have changed over the years? 30/40 years ago this wouldn't have seemed much out of the ordinary. Yes, engines and their systems have become more complex over the years but for a man of your talents, @RoverFolkUs, this is definitely do-able, I'd say. Looking forward to the progress, and the first firing up when it's done!

[RoverFolkUs]

  On 22/06/2023 at 12:16, sierraman said:

If you are pulling dead engines out of cars all day you would usually chop the loom. Quicker and less hassle than fannying about releasing connectors etc. 

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FTFY 😂

[RoverFolkUs]

  On 22/06/2023 at 14:56, Split_Pin said:

At first I was thinking 'WTF just throw it away' but then I remembered about 5 or 6 years ago I was in a similar situation with my old Corsa (which also turned out to need a fair but of welding).

It had a mystery knock so I bought an engine hoist, contacted a grass track racer who had the presence of mind not to throw away an identical engine to the one I needed, hired a van, collected the engine and over the course of a few months tinkering and some help from fellow shiters, changed the engine. 

I sold the car 2 years ago but I still see it about.

So, go for it, we'll worth doing IMO, however you decide to fix it.

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I had the same initial reaction when it was being dragged onto the tilt and slide. The recovery guy (top bloke) also bought scrap cars so I had thoughts about getting shot there and then. This was amplified by the fact I already had another car I was hanging onto that was arguably slightly surplus (not anymore!) 

It wasnt really until it was unloaded I looked over it again and reminded myself how clean and rust free it is for a MK2 Focus. Some of them are absolutely hanging but this one is pretty decent and there's no structural rust anywhere

Then I thought is it really justified wasting the rest of the car "just" because of a few broken or bent bits of metal? I think it would be a shame, it's not like the rest of the car is absolutely hanging because it isn't, and it's always been well looked after by all of its previous owners according to the massive stack of paperwork that everybody has cared enough to keep. 

Even if it needs a complete engine, I think it's just about worthwhile but if that's the case I think it will be put on hold until I can get another complete car to ransack bits from. 

[RoverFolkUs]

  On 22/06/2023 at 17:51, High Jetter said:

Isn't it funny how things have changed over the years? 30/40 years ago this wouldn't have seemed much out of the ordinary. Yes, engines and their systems have become more complex over the years but for a man of your talents, @RoverFolkUs, this is definitely do-able, I'd say. Looking forward to the progress, and the first firing up when it's done!

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Thank you, yes it's definitely a lost talent that has gradually dissipated over the years. Commercially, I can't think of anyone who would take this on unless it's swapping another engine in. And I don't blame them at all because I wouldn't do it either, it's hard to guarantee the work you do when you're limited to second hand parts and working at a sensible budget taking the age and value of the car into account, where you can't send the crank away to be checked everything is within tolerance, and so forth.

I'm going to have a create a YouTube channel or similar to film the first startup aren't I! 

(Or film the scrap lorry eventually taking it away 😆😆)

[High Jetter]

  On 22/06/2023 at 18:47, RoverFolkUs said:

Commercially, I can't think of anyone who would take this on

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You're not getting paid though, it's YOUR car, that you enjoy, and will fix in you're own time. That's the difference. My Dad rebuilt stuff on his Riley when it broke down on the road. With my Mum waiting for him, usually. (Before they married, it went soon after...)

[RoverFolkUs]

  On 22/06/2023 at 21:53, High Jetter said:

You're not getting paid though, it's YOUR car, that you enjoy, and will fix in you're own time. That's the difference. My Dad rebuilt stuff on his Riley when it broke down on the road. With my Mum waiting for him, usually. (Before they married, it went soon after...)

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That's the only reason I'm doing it

I evidently don't value my time as much as I thought! 

[High Jetter]

  On 22/06/2023 at 21:54, RoverFolkUs said:

That's the only reason I'm doing it

I evidently don't value my time as much as I thought! 

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You can't put a value on pLeisure time.

[omegod]

I have a 1.6 2005 engine and gearbox removed from my brothers Foci that was broken due to body damage, t'was a fine runner but has been sitting for a couple of years now 

You want it ? 

 

[RoverFolkUs]

  On 23/06/2023 at 12:55, omegod said:

I have a 1.6 2005 engine and gearbox removed from my brothers Foci that was broken due to body damage, t'was a fine runner but has been sitting for a couple of years now 

You want it ? 

 

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Ooh, whereabouts are you/is it located and do you know if it's the Ti-VCT? Notable by the inlet manifold design among other clues? 

Ti-VCT

Non Ti-VCT

Also, I assume it was a MK2 and not a very late MK1? As that's the changeover year which complicates searches sometimes

Cheers!

[omegod]

It's the Non Ti-VCT 

[RoverFolkUs]

  On 23/06/2023 at 15:13, omegod said:

It's the Non Ti-VCT 

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Ok, so the bare bones of the engine is all the same, I'd just have to swap over the ancillaries and camshafts

Since my last post I looked at your profile, is it in Liverpool as per that? I'm over 5 hours away 😞

[omegod]

  On 23/06/2023 at 15:26, RoverFolkUs said:

Ok, so the bare bones of the engine is all the same, I'd just have to swap over the ancillaries and camshafts

Since my last post I looked at your profile, is it in Liverpool as per that? I'm over 5 hours away 😞

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Aye, could be the heaviest shitely request ever   It'll be here for the foreseeable should you want it at some point  

[RoverFolkUs]

  On 24/06/2023 at 19:35, omegod said:

Aye, could be the heaviest shitely request ever   It'll be here for the foreseeable should you want it at some point  

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That's what I was thinking 😅

Thank you very much 👍

[stuboy]

my duratec stated a 100 a day impersonation .

 

 

[RoverFolkUs]

  On 24/06/2023 at 20:29, stuboy said:

my duratec stated a 100 a day impersonation .

 

 

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Average Duratec HE. Worn piston rings

[RoverFolkUs]

Oh dear 😳🤣🤣 

....

Oh hello number 1 conrod, you decided to make a bid for freedom...

Yep, it's even smashed the crank ladder carrier...!!! 

That shouldn't be facing that way...

A 2nd hole in the block.. 

Let's not waste any time stripping this down and getting it out then.. more tomorrow! 

[juular]

  On 07/07/2023 at 19:26, RoverFolkUs said:

Oh dear 😳🤣🤣 

....

Oh hello number 1 conrod, you decided to make a bid for freedom...

Yep, it's even smashed the crank ladder carrier...!!! 

That shouldn't be facing that way...

A 2nd hole in the block.. 

Let's not waste any time stripping this down and getting it out then.. more tomorrow! 

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[High Jetter]

This, lads & lassies, is proper.

[somewhatfoolish]

Air conditioned crankcase; the rare factory option. 🤣

[PicantoJon]

Extra inspection hole! 

[RoverFolkUs]

  On 07/07/2023 at 23:58, somewhatfoolish said:

Air conditioned crankcase; the rare factory option. 🤣

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Well it is a GHIA you know so the original owner spared no expense 🤣

[sierraman]

I hope you are using nothing less than the finest components in this rebuild. I’d expect the replacement crank ladder to have been made by hand in a workshop on the side of a mountain in Bavaria by a 90 year old engineer that made cuckoo clocks for Nikki Lauda.

[Zelandeth]

That's some impressive carnage.  Guessing the engine was turning at some speed when this happened then?

[Jenson Velcro]

Is throwing a rod a common problem with those engines? What do you think caused it?

[High Jetter]

  On 08/07/2023 at 11:28, Jenson Velcro said:

Is throwing a rod a common problem with those engines? What do you think caused it?

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There's a clue in the first post, it got flooded

[Jenson Velcro]

Oops, sorry. My bad

[Jenson Velcro]

And I’ve been there and done that myself. With a Citroen ZX though.