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ianminki - 6/5/18 at 10:23 AM

hi all
getting rely fed up now with my car just been out for my first trip and after 6 miles had to return home . having had the engine reboard this last year and lots of new parts fitted looks like the crank is U S as low oil presure and rumbling from the engine coming from bottom end . so looking at selling the car and cutting my loses .what sort of price can i expect to see for the car with age related plate mot and us motor the car is a stylus 1600 x flow engine 4speed box bike carb conversion 15inch wheels with new toyo tyers regards ian


SJ - 6/5/18 at 02:03 PM

I feel for you. With Crossflows are normally pretty robust but all are very old now.

Zetecs are 10 a penny and an easy swap. You could go with standard efi for not a lot of money.


steve m - 6/5/18 at 03:15 PM

Ive been there as well, rebuilt my fav 1691 xflow, all very high spec, and it ran like shyte, black smoke and very low power
So back in went the 1660, and has been fine since

Are you sure the pressure relief is working on the oil pump, as if its seized, or not free, that gives low oil pressure
also Burtons do a better spring and washer set to upgrade the relief valve ?

steve


ianminki - 6/5/18 at 04:24 PM

hi to both of you
the oil pump is brand new from burton's it came last week plus new oil and filter so got it all fitted and went for test drive only to do 6 miles be for i had to turn for home the warmer the oil got the lower the presure went till oil light started to flicker at a steady 40 mph. the crank was supoed to have been reground along with having the rebore and new shells fitted. the engine is running a little on the hot side as i am still sorting out the bike carb's (well trying ) i am not a mecanic or a car builder but i have allways sorted and looked after my car and bikes . i just have no idea as to what to do now apart from sell and cut my loses .
thanks for your replye's regards ian


SJ - 6/5/18 at 04:47 PM

If the crank has been ground are you sure you fitted the correct shells?


ianminki - 6/5/18 at 05:12 PM

hi
i had the re bore and crank done and re fitted bye the engineer as i did not have correct tools to fit pistons back in . regards ian


David Jenkins - 6/5/18 at 08:26 PM

quote:
Originally posted by ianminki
the oil pump is brand new from burton's it came last week plus new oil and filter so got it all fitted and went for test drive only to do 6 miles be for i had to turn for home the warmer the oil got the lower the presure went till oil light started to flicker at a steady 40 mph.


This sounds a lot like the symptoms I got when I tried to drive to the SVA centre the first time. In the end I found that the oil pressure relief valve on the oil pump had stuck open - a quick push with something like a wooden skewer freed it, and it was good to go from then on. That was a new oil pump as well..

If you take the oil pump off (no need to remove the filter) you should be able to see the end of the pressure relief valve piston. If it's stuck, all you'll see is the bore the piston runs in. Prodding it with something non-scratch may free it, but note that you'll be pushing against a strong spring.


johnemms - 6/5/18 at 08:59 PM

I had a tiny bit of swarf hold the pressure valve open - knackered my x flow after a new build


steve m - 7/5/18 at 08:02 AM

My current 1660 xflow, when very hot the pressure drops to around 20psi, it is quite alarming, so ive fitted a low pressure warning light 14psi I believe

I would as mentioned above the the oil pump off, 3 bolts/studs
on the mating side theres a small washer looking thing, prize it off and the spring will come out with the valve, its worth doing this job with your hands and pump in a plastic bag, as the washer will go a good 10 yards

with it in bits, blow out the hole, and clean with some petrol soaked rag, if the bore is scored its knackered

The oil plunger should slide freely up and down the bore

reassembly is the reverse, plunger spring washer placed back in, and tapped home into the housing with a small socket

steve


mistergrumpy - 7/5/18 at 08:15 AM

Sounds like you've put a lot of effort into that engine. Surely you can't be beaten by it after everything you've done? You'll be looking back in years to come wishing you'd got on top of it all.
I know that breakdown feeling but I just plod on over years even until I win.
Keep at it.


ianminki - 7/5/18 at 10:41 AM

hi all
just out of the garage having had the pump off cleaned of the valve is in fine fetal and working .replaced pump and started up the car left it for to run. then got a long bar and put it to sump ear at other end and i can hear a rumble for what seam to be round 3 and 4 big ends so to me sounds like big end . the crank was supposed to have been reground and new shells fitted along with the re bore . as this was done last April i am past the 3 months i cannot go back and complain. it is only this last couple of month's that i have had it running and able to test it out on the road thanks for your reply's regards ian


alfas - 13/5/18 at 09:11 AM

had a similar problem last year with my sylva ....old crank to engine-builder....re-ground to given measurements from shells, crank even got a hardening treatment.......re-built engine with the correct shells, h-beam conrods.....it lasted exactly 100miles until it went bang...no.3. big-end.

i fitted a 2nd hand (1700cc, stage 3 head......) high mileage engine and it drove perfect. as it was the 3rd engine failure within the ownership of that car, i had engough and it was advetized for sale straight away....
i´m driving x/flows since years....never had any troubles...but with that car it was a nightmare...whyever....
no i´m back to a locost mk-indy, again with a x/flow....util now everything fine


back to your question...what you can expect for the car with a damaged engine:

2500


ianminki - 24/5/18 at 02:18 PM

hi alfas
sorry for late reply been on hols. engine now taken back out striped (what a mess :mad taken to engine specialist in hull only to be told that not only the crank had not been done but fitted with wrong size piston ring's (awaiting report on damage) so looking at putting in a zetec motor or something a bit more simple can anybody advise me on the car to take an engine from and what is needed pls .can I keep the standard 4 speed escort box or do I need to update that as well . I know ill have to change exaust and other things like engine mounts but what other bit would I need

regards ian


ttalps2000 - 24/5/18 at 03:14 PM

There are plenty on ebay! Bell housing will be the same as the crossflow i believe. Use the carbs you have (assuming DCOE type)

There was a zetec manifold and system for sale on here from Shooter a week ago, looks very good, so that a start!


big_wasa - 24/5/18 at 05:25 PM

There was a chap near you with a 1.8 Zetec for sale as he had upgraded to a 2.0. I wouldn’t go mad with a 4 speed anyway and they produce near the power of the 2.0 but less torque.

http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=211358

I had some other bits, all good


Shooter63 - 24/5/18 at 06:04 PM

quote:
Originally posted by ttalps2000
There are plenty on ebay! Bell housing will be the same as the crossflow i believe. Use the carbs you have (assuming DCOE type)

There was a zetec manifold and system for sale on here from Shooter a week ago, looks very good, so that a start!


I've still got the exhaust, and I'll have a type 9 box and bell housing available as well in a few weeks time

Shooter


tims31 - 24/5/18 at 08:45 PM

Go for a zetec. There is loads of people on here that have done it and can provide lots of info for you, especially big_wasa who helped with mine. An old Focus or Mondeo should get you a decent Blacktop or Silvertop plus all the loom and ECU etc for a few hundred quid which is an easy route or look for complete package on Flea-bay.


ianminki - 24/5/18 at 08:53 PM

hi all thanks for reply's
shooter i may be intrested in that and box.(do you have a tell number i can contact you on pls) just whating for results tomorow regarding my engine as to what i am going to do . as for the zetec's witch one do i get i wuold like a 1.6 as i do not do any compitsion driving my car is road use only. from what model car do i get engine from to use in the stylus ????
regard's Ian


Ugg10 - 24/5/18 at 09:15 PM

By all accounts the 1.6 Zetec E (not SE/sigma) is not a very good engine, 90hp and not many ways of getting any more out of it. The 1.8 and 2.0 are better and externally the same. 1.8 revs a bit better 2.0 has a bit more torque.

So, silver or black top? Silver top has a ready made water pump that runs the right way when there is no ac or os pump, black top needs a fix.

I posted info on getting the silver top running on Weber twin dcoe’s on here http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=212368 but spark ecu should work ok with bike carbs, zx6r are the usual suspects with 1.6-1.7mm jets and a couple of other setup mods. What are your at the moment.

If you already have carbs then this is a cheap way to get a 1.8 running, £25 ecu, bit of wiring and an inlet manifold (£100-150). Then just exhaust manifold and you are off.

1.8 on bike carbs should make about 150hp so you may want to check out braking as well?

[Edited on 24/5/18 by Ugg10]


ianminki - 15/6/18 at 08:40 AM

hi all
firstly thanks for your reply's.. and after cooling down I have sent the x flow off to a more reputable company to have the engine sorted .the job is far from been done properly the first time. this is what they have found that need's putting right re bore not finished correctly crank not been reground nor new shells fitted and the crank was bent. piston ring the wrong size and gaped wrongly .as it has cost me a lot it be a shame just to give up on it . hopefully get engine back next week with a full report on what as been done so i can try and get some money back from the first so called engineer.. regards ian


Tonesta - 16/6/18 at 01:01 PM

Hi ianminki

Christ your spending some money on the cross flow I bought a brand new Zetec 2.0ltr for just shy of a grand.
I still have the 1.8 blacktop I took out along with ford Ecu and wiring you can have it all if you want to pick it up.

U2u if you want


procomp - 16/6/18 at 03:51 PM

Hi.

Do not under estimate the costs of fitting a Zetec in favour of a X-flow.
Also people keep calling the x-Flox OLD. very strange as the X-Flow is still in current production and parts are far easier to get than they are for a Zetec SE Duratec.

if the hard work on the crossflow has already been done and is just needing reassembly by someone who actually knows what they are doing then that is by far your cheapest and most sensible route.

Unfortunately every man and his dog say they are crossflow experts where as in actual fact a good many haven't got a clue. find a good recommended builder and the engine will be fine with good power.

Cheers Matt


MikeR - 16/6/18 at 03:58 PM

For future reference Matt who would you recommend in the Coventry / Leicester surrounding areas (I'm assuming you don't do rebuilds).