Dear Diary: My journey from Xflow to Zetec... Now definitely done!

[Quinten]

For moving (very) heavy stuff around my garage - I use these, they are far more capable than they look!

I have used one for a 200Kg boiler - they are more than up to the job for a zetec / crossflow.

 

http://cpc.farnell.com/duratool/d00324/tool-cart-300kg/dp/TL10580?MER=e-bb45-00001001

 

Free postage as well.

 

Good luck,

Dave.

That reminds me, I've got one of those (similar)! Perfect for the job

And to make your day even better.

Happy Birthday.

Cheers!

Here's what I've bought myself for my birthday

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

I did wonder if that was your birthday pressie! Hope the family are going to wrap it for you!!

Have a great Birthday.

[SootySport]

So you bought a whole new car in the end?     I'm confused now

[Thrustyjust]

Looks great, but  I would put a cambelt cover on it, as with our cars being so low to the ground and no undertray, stones can ping up and hit the pulleys and cambelt and for the sake of a few quid, it may save a belt jumping teeth and damaging the engine.

[Quinten]

So you bought a whole new car in the end?     I'm confused now

No, the engine is still in the car... We'll be taking it out in the coming weeks

 

 

Looks great, but  I would put a cambelt cover on it, as with our cars being so low to the ground and no undertray, stones can ping up and hit the pulleys and cambelt and for the sake of a few quid, it may save a belt jumping teeth and damaging the engine.

Good suggestion, thanks!

[tisme]

Here's what I've bought myself for my birthday

 

That's a nice looking engine (love the TB's and quite jealous ) - apart from those, is it a standard Black Top or are there other "interesting" bits lurking inside ? (I've had to take the combined Birthday + Xmas present route on a number of occasions recently - all to do with the Westie and even adding in some serious IOU's in the gardening department - and no, that's not a "code" for anything other than .....gardening !! )

 

I know this has been discussed a fair few times on this and other forums, but I decided when I rebuilt my XE to remove the cambelt cover (even shaved the cam cover itself to make a clean look) - my theory is that I can now see and check the important nuts, bolts, tensioner, water pump and belt very easily (just by sight and feel) rather than not seeing what's going on under the cover (which would require taking my nose cone off to do that).

 

I have a remote oil filter sitting on a large (ish) alloy plate that covers the gap in the bottom of the chassis between the rear of the steering rack and the front of the engine, so hopefully that will give some protection against anything flying in (and given that my lightweight steel flywheel is half exposed by the gap in the bellhousing, there are a few other places that could fall foul of any flying debris). I'm happy with the exposed belt "benefits" but guess it's down to your own preference or experiences.

 

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

While I've heard at third hand of jumped belts on open cam belt set up's. I do recall personally hearing from two different Westfield owners with XE's back when I was new to the club, who both lost cam belts BECAUSE they had cam covers in place! In both cases, (and they were separate occasions, not linked in any way), mild offs on circuit saw them scoop up some gravel from the traps, at least one pebble of which got stuck behind the cam cover, rattling around till it got caught in the belt.

In and ideal world, you'd run cover less, but with belt infill pieces, like Swindon used to make for the XE, but you've just got to do what you feel most comfortable with, that's the important thing.

[corsechris]

Remembered something useful when using a "clockwork" wiring harness when going to efi.

Might not be the same but mine needed a diode wiring in to the ignition warning light to stop it back feeding and thus keeping power to the ECU after you switch off the ignition.

Likewise. Thanks for remembering for me

[Quinten]

Because I need to fit a return fuel line I may as well seize the opportunity to replace the existing (nearly) 20 year old line in the tunnel with a modern fuel resistant line (R9 standard?). Is it worth using braided hose? Does anyone know a good supplier?

[garytipping]

Hi Q,

 

I've just had a brake hose made by Earls Hoses at Silverstone https://www. earls.co.uk/  they produced it in 20 minutes from me phoning them and reasonable price.

 

Cheers

 

Gary

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

I would use rigid metal fuel lines where ever possible, with just the last legs in rubber hose.

Stainless braided hose has its place, of course. The problem is on road car fuel systems, in long term use, the steel braid hides week spots or damage to the rubber hose beneath; you'd be amazed how far the fuel can travel along the hose before it starts visibly coming through the braid, if you do have a problem. And as the modern fuels with ethanol in, have corrosive qualities, now a days, I like to be able to see and inspect the hose condition itself. If it needs extra abrasion resistance, I just cover it in split convoluted plastic hose. It might not love k as "sexy" or as "racy" at stainless braided hoses, but it gives me more peace of mind.

(and yes, I had stainless braided hoses through out on the last car, so speak from experience on the leak finding front!)

[Quinten]

Cheers, Dave (and Gary of course).  I'm actually not sure what my current fuel line is like inside the tunnel, but now you mention rigid metal, that would seem most likely, as I can't imagine it being a flexible hose there.  The whole braided thing seems a non-starter anyway as I can't find any braided R9 spec lines, just R6.

[dombanks]

I used flexible hose all the way through based on the thought that less joints were better. If I were to do it again I'd use rigid as much as I can.

[Quinten]

This is a reminder for Dom although everyone may chip in

 

What will I need to mate my 5 speed type-9 gearbox to the 1.8L silvertop Zetec using my current bellhousing (RS2000 iirc).  I'm going to assume that I can not re-use anything that is currently there (clutch/flywheel/etc) so would like start a parts list of some sort that would be able to handle the 180bhp without trouble.

[Kingster]

Hi Q

 

The clutch is off a Mondeo Mk1 1800 16v - early ones have the correct 23 splines you need and correct dia for the flywheel which will be off a 1.8 focus (lighter than 2.0) both will be 220mm dia.

 

You need a spigot bearing - but that will probably still be in the crank on the new engine if it came out of another Westy.

 

The clutch release bearing is a QH CCT133

 

If you want to spend more money, look at getting a lighter flywheel - mine's a billet steel one from Ginetta that weights about 3.5kg and the car spins up a treat!