Hi Guys ... I am building a seven and have bought a new 1.8 Zetec and an MT75 gearbox. There have been lots of posts on this and other forums saying that these are a perfect fit.

Well mine doesn't!! the bolt holes on the crankcase line up but the ones on the sump casting don't in any way.

Also the starter motor is on the lower left (viewed from the flywheel) but is on the upper right on the engine.

Is it possible that what I bought as an MT75 isn't one at all!! it doesn't say MT75 anywhere, just 878T 7K400 AA on the casing.

Any advice (even abusive ones) are welcome. I can quite believe that I have been taken for a plonker!!

Do you have a picture of the gearbox at all??

Thats ok, only 5 of the bolts line up, the two top ones the two lower crankcase, and the starter side middle bolt.

Yes you need to remove metal from the sump to get the starter in, take a look in my archive for starter/box/engine pics.

[Edited on 5/3/09 by r1_pete]

I have a type 9 attached to my Zetec and only the top bolts are used. This is normal for zetec/ type 9 combo and my guess is for the MT75 as well. I believe the starter needs to match the car the gearbox was off and not the engine but you may wish to check this. I think you need a DOHC starter.

As said previous its only the top holes that line up and chop away the sump to get the starter motor to fit. If its a blacktop zetec you need to take a lot more off the sump than the silver top.
I am using 2.0L zetec and the MT75 box. I used the 1.8 cvh sierra starter motor as the DOHC starter does not fit the black top.

I begin to understand what I have to do. It is a black top.

Where the starter needs to mount for the gearbox there is a f***ing great chunk of ally in the sump casting. Is there any danger of cutting right thro'?

The lower mounts can be drilled to match but there will not be as much support as originally.

Yep mucho grinding, plenty of meat to go at.
Rescued attachment DSCN0840.JPG

and another view
Rescued attachment DSCN0850.JPG

I scrapped that idea though and fitted a silvertop sump, still needed mods though, and more inside to fit a windage tray.
Rescued attachment DSCN0838.JPG

Thanks Pete ... but you don't say why you abandoned the mod to the blacktop sump.

Didn't it work? which starter motor where you fitting?

we kept the blacktop sump and used the starter motor off a sierra 1.8 cvh. as said before a lot of grinding but can be done without grinding through the casting ours works well and no issues

quote:

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Originally posted by r1_pete
I scrapped that idea though and fitted a silvertop sump, still needed mods though, and more inside to fit a windage tray.

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Thanks Tim ... I'll go get a sierra cvh starter and a bunch of grinding discs.

It worked perfectly, I sold the modded parts on. It was just easier to modify the rear well Mondeo sump to install the engine in the B.

I used a QX Components QS1221 starter motor, its about the thinnest out there.