OK I had problems up here in Scotland last year - due to roads. I keep hitting the sump off of the ground and damaging it. TO the point last year I broke and engine mount and cracked the sump twice.

I live near aberdeen and all the roads round my village have changes in tar that drop or raise an 1" or so, or manhole covers that are proud. - They are shocking, I would spend most of my time wandering over roads or crawling at 5mph to avoid them.

So I build a sumpguard, but now I have even less ground clearence (55mm dwon from about 65mm) when car empty). And when on the road it has struck 4 -5 times on a short 1-2 mile test.


So how do I improve ground clearence. I have tried turning up my front springs but didn't help much


Car is MK Indy with 1.8 Zetec and std sump. (timing cover already touches bonnet)


I did ask about short sumps but only got a few mumbles about yeah you could shorten it. - not ...... sells shortsump.


I need a quick solution before I miss another summer due to cracked sump or broken engine mount I am also etting fed up of fixing thes problems rather than driving what should be a good car

[Edited on 12/505/08 by mad4x4]

move to lincolnshire or norfolk where the roads are flat, or fit a bike engine

[Edited on 12/5/08 by graememk]

£195 from here: Scholar.

That's why most people chop their own.

Stu

If it's a real problem as well as fitting a shortened sump you could fit a bonnet bulge to allow the engine to be raised a bit.

Cheers

mark

dry sumping?

bonnet bulge and raising engine is the locosted route (or fitting a crossflow).

CVH Sierra steel sump? Dead easy to cut and shut

PS: I want one as well

Your only options are to raise the ride height, lift the engine or shorten the sump. You could do a bit of all 3.

Raising the ride hight will probably spoil the geometry. Lifting the engine will spoil the centre of gravity, your gearbox linkage and may need a taller bonnet or a scoop. A shorter sump would seem to be the best option, plus perhaps a slightly raised engine and / or ride height.

How about making the tyre diameter bigger. If you fitted tractor front wheels all round you would get a sort of mini monster truck look and fantastic ground clearance. You could even get one of those removable boat ladders to hang over the side to get in and out

quote:

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Originally posted by smart51
Your only options are to raise the ride height, lift the engine or shorten the sump. You could do a bit of all 3.

Raising the ride hight will probably spoil the geometry. Lifting the engine will spoil the centre of gravity, your gearbox linkage and may need a taller bonnet or a scoop. A shorter sump would seem to be the best option, plus perhaps a slightly raised engine and / or ride height.

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I use to bottom out the Falcon down near the river at that curved beach road, hence the sump plate.

dry sumping is the final solution.

heavy springs? I want to run 13" tyres when everyone else with a car like mine has 16" or 15", so I am forced to just make it super hard so it won't bottom. Contact Gaz-Shocks for springs.

I have similar clearance (2 1/2 " now) and I guarantee our roads are a lot worse than yours, so I'm in big trouble with that with soft springs.

I cut about 25mm off my sump and installed the engine as high as possible, i have about 80mm sump clearance which has been ok on the local roads and can mange on speed humps as long as im carefull.
You could cut the sump yourself and make up a plate to fit , then find a local engineering company or fabricators to weld it.
Paul.