Getting an old car running

monkeyspank

monkeyspank

monkeyspank

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My mate has got a lovely old escort (mk1 I think) in his garage but it has been stood for about 5 years. He's tried to turn it over and obviously nothing. I told him not to try again. The exterior is a bit dusty but in fantastic condition.

What sort of work would we be looking at to get it running? Obviously changing the oil, coolant, petrol. battery. filters??

Is there likely to be any damage to the actual engine?

Any help greatly appreciated. :)
 
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When you say turn it over, I assume you mean using the starter motor via the ignition, opposed to by hand?

I would make sure the engine still turns freely by hand before doing anything else, especially if it has been totally untouched for 5 years.
 
check it's got oil, chuck some fresh petrol in and some octane booster, or drain the old petrol out. stick some jump leads on and fire her up. checking it turns freely is a bit late now..
 
He tried starting it with the key :D I don't know how far he got with it really but hopefully the battery was flat?? He's a total idiot, I am only a standard idiot, so I offered my help. I service my own cars so I thought I might be able to help, with help from you lot :)

How do you turn an engine by hand?
 
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monkeyspank said:
How do you turn an engine by hand?
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Take the plugs out (so there's no compression, or it gets a tad difficult :))and turn it where the crank pully is (i.e. the lowest of the "fan belt" pullies).

With the spark plugs out and it should all turn quite easily
 
Right 5 years is a while. Change the oil and petrol, take the dizzy cap off and clean between the points with a bit of wet and dry. Take the air filter off so you can see what's going on. If you want to ensure you have oil in the bores, which I recommend, then pour a teaspoon of oil down each of the sparkplug holes and turn it over a few times to make sure it coats the sides well. It'll smoke a bit when it starts but lube it up nicely.

Then when you're ready suck the petrol up the line to the carb, tip a little in the top of the carb and start it up with jump leads or a new battery.

Edit: if the sparkplug leads are all hard and cracked then you may need to change them :)
 
I presume it has a crossflow (kent) engine? I'm 90% sure that it will require a 20W50 oil, just a decent mineral oil should be fine. As for fuel, just for getting it started any kind of petrol will be adequate.

For actualy using it on the road, the engine probably requires leaded fuel unless it's had hardened valve seats fitted to the engine. However, since that's awkward to get hold of for most people, use standard unleaded fuel and a lead replacement additive such as Castrol Valvemaster, or just use unleaded until the valves recess into the head and then get hardened valve seats fitted.
 
Tbh, just disconnect the ignition coil (so it won't fire) & then turn it over, this will get any oil circulated before (hopefully) she fires up after you've re-connected everything. :)
 
Are those old escorts injection or carb'?

If its carb'd then best to drain the float bowls at the very least and if possible take the airbox off and blow the carbs through with carb cleaner. Then flow a bit of petrol through the carbs so it drains out the float bowl so as to clear any debris loosened by the carb cleaner. I've seen carb's on a bike that were stood for a good few years have flakes of yellowy petrol deposits wash out when doing this. It prompted me to do a full strip and rebuild of the carbs, the rubber seals and diaphrams inside had perished and needed replacing too.

Not saying the escort will need anything like that, just something to maybe check if there are issues with it running smoothly through the entire rev range.
 
Dureth said:
Are those old escorts injection or carb'?

If its carb'd then best to drain the float bowls at the very least and if possible take the airbox off and blow the carbs through with carb cleaner. Then flow a bit of petrol through the carbs so it drains out the float bowl so as to clear any debris loosened by the carb cleaner. I've seen carb's on a bike that were stood for a good few years have flakes of yellowy petrol deposits wash out when doing this. It prompted me to do a full strip and rebuild of the carbs, the rubber seals and diaphrams inside had perished and needed replacing too.

Not saying the escort will need anything like that, just something to maybe check if there are issues with it running smoothly through the entire rev range.
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Injection didn't arrive until the Mk3 XR3i so I'd say 99% certain its an old carb Mk 1 or Mk II
 
Dureth said:
Are those old escorts injection or carb'?

If its carb'd then best to drain the float bowls at the very least and if possible take the airbox off and blow the carbs through with carb cleaner. Then flow a bit of petrol through the carbs so it drains out the float bowl so as to clear any debris loosened by the carb cleaner. I've seen carb's on a bike that were stood for a good few years have flakes of yellowy petrol deposits wash out when doing this. It prompted me to do a full strip and rebuild of the carbs, the rubber seals and diaphrams inside had perished and needed replacing too.

Not saying the escort will need anything like that, just something to maybe check if there are issues with it running smoothly through the entire rev range.
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All of them carbed.
 
Great info lads, many thanks. I've got some homework to do but I know what I'm looking at now. I'm going down to see him again in a month so I'll report back then.

:cool:
 
Dogbreath said:
I presume it has a crossflow (kent) engine? I'm 90% sure that it will require a 20W50 oil, just a decent mineral oil should be fine. As for fuel, just for getting it started any kind of petrol will be adequate.

For actualy using it on the road, the engine probably requires leaded fuel unless it's had hardened valve seats fitted to the engine. However, since that's awkward to get hold of for most people, use standard unleaded fuel and a lead replacement additive such as Castrol Valvemaster, or just use unleaded until the valves recess into the head and then get hardened valve seats fitted.
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Yup it'll be happy with any cheap 20W50 and they run fine on unleaded. Did about 25K miles on mine with unleadeded with no problems :)
 
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