fiestaturbo.com

[SEG1]

jim where did you get the turbo filter from and do you know what thread it is?

Kinaguwa Turbo on Ebay mate - he is a seller from Japan but I've bought quite a bit from him and it's been with be within a week every time, cheap postage too (P.S your injectors will be with you tomorrow )[/quote]

cheers mate ill check it out ,got the injectors today thanks

the car looks MINT mate

[jimmyesh]

cheers mate ill check it out ,got the injectors today thanks

the car looks MINT mate

Cheers mate, glad they got there ok - I'm sure you'll use them to their full potential!

[rsonblackwheels]

stance is spot on dude

stack gauges FTW, i use there stepper motor stuff, gr8 bits of kit, look awesome lit up too

[jimmyesh]

Right, I've pretty much narrowed it down to the engine that's behind the burning oil issue (as opposed to the turbo) . I could do with knowing whether it's the headgasket or the rings but as I'm going to remove the engine and strip it down for inspection, I'll just get everything properly cleaned before renewing both those parts anyway. I will do a compression test before I drop the engine out but the symptoms are all pointing towards the engine - (oily spark plugs+threads, blue/grey smoke once engine has been running for a few minutes, coolant boils up).

I figured that once I've got the engine out, I'll change the pistons for a set of 8.5:1 Compression CP items - only £380 with free postage on Ebay That way I'll have exactly the same compression as the MK1 Focus RS (I am running my engine on that ECU so it makes sense!).

Also, it's such a pain in the backside actually getting the engine in/out of this car that I'd rather just change everything that could possibly be the problem as I don't fancy doing this on a regular basis! There were a few oil leaks to sort around the cam-chain cover etc so they'll be far easier to remedy if the lump's out.

Lately my time has all been taken up with courses & family holidays etc but I have next weekend earmarked for some time on the car so hopefully will have the engine out then - after that I have only a few weeks until I'm out to the 'Stan for 6-7 months so I need to get a move on!

I have been out for a few spins in a mate's new FRS MK2 over the summer and it's made me even more pissed off that this isn't finished!

[jonyb4]

you'll get there mate

its not easy building something like this while serving

[Excursion]

That's a shame, mate. I'm a huge fan of the EECV Management, there's huge potential there IMO, it's just a shame the UK Ford tuning market is so, well, non-technical (aside from a few), as there's surely great potential with that ECU.

The compression test will reveal all. I'm really curious to find out the answer, I don't beleive for a minute a man of your calibre would mis-install all four pistons!

Is the oil black, or darker than expected?

[jimmyesh]

That's a shame, mate. I'm a huge fan of the EECV Management, there's huge potential there IMO, it's just a shame the UK Ford tuning market is so, well, non-technical (aside from a few), as there's surely great potential with that ECU.

The compression test will reveal all. I'm really curious to find out the answer, I don't beleive for a minute a man of your calibre would mis-install all four pistons!

Is the oil black, or darker than expected?

I think you mis-read my post mate (or I wrote it really badly! ) I love the EECV Focus RS ECU, my engine runs beautifully on it and I'm keeping it!

Ha, cheers for having faith in me on the piston-installation , I'm leaning towards headgasket failure myself as that would cause the symptoms shown. Surely a compression test will just show a lack of compression - It's still down to me to ascertain whether it's rings or headgasket

The oil still looks clean to me. If it was rings it would smoke right from cold, right? The fact it has to warm up before it starts smoking says to me that it's more than likely the headgasket.... (hopefully as that's cheaper!).

The other reason I'm thinking it's the headgsaket is that I used ARP studs that need re-torquing after first run - I never did this but it smoked even on its first run To get to the studs to retorque them is a complete Bic™ once the engine is in-car - I've read online that people tend just to torque them all up in stages to 100lb/ft (in the correct order of course) then leave the engine 24 hrs before re-checking them all. I'll try that approach.

The last possibility is that some form of swarf/dirt got inside the engine Highly possible considering the "home-brew" nature of my car - Although I did make every effort to cover anything that would allow particles into the engine.

I suppose only a stripdown is going to tell me the answers!

[FRSJON]

sad to hear you have to take it back apart jimmy and changing the pistons there brand new arent they?

[jimmyesh]

sad to hear you have to take it back apart jimmy and changing the pistons there brand new arent they?

Yeah they're brand-new - I may just keep them yet. Pulling the engine out is no big deal to be honest, I'm really happy that it all runs well and that all my experimental touches actually work! I know it all works and I know I need to stop the smoke, so the only logical way forward is to rip everything out, examine it, replace as necessary and reassemble.

I'm upbeat about it all to be honest, I am over the moon with where I've got the car to now and I won't stop until it's perfect

[Excursion]

I think you mis-read my post mate (or I wrote it really badly! ) I love the EECV Focus RS ECU, my engine runs beautifully on it and I'm keeping it!

Ahh no, not you! It was my poorly constructed paragraph.

Ha, cheers for having faith in me on the piston-installation , I'm leaning towards headgasket failure myself as that would cause the symptoms shown. Surely a compression test will just show a lack of compression - It's still down to me to ascertain whether it's rings or headgasket

Yes, but a teaspoon of oil after the second reading will tell more...

The oil still looks clean to me. If it was rings it would smoke right from cold, right? The fact it has to warm up before it starts smoking says to me that it's more than likely the headgasket.... (hopefully as that's cheaper!).

The other reason I'm thinking it's the headgsaket is that I used ARP studs that need re-torquing after first run - I never did this but it smoked even on its first run To get to the studs to retorque them is a complete Bic™ once the engine is in-car - I've read online that people tend just to torque them all up in stages to 100lb/ft (in the correct order of course) then leave the engine 24 hrs before re-checking them all. I'll try that approach.

The last possibility is that some form of swarf/dirt got inside the engine Highly possible considering the "home-brew" nature of my car - Although I did make every effort to cover anything that would allow particles into the engine.

I suppose only a stripdown is going to tell me the answers!

I usually find that low compression manifests iteslf as extremely poor idle long before smoke occurs. Let's see how you get on with further tests.

[jimmyesh]

I usually find that low compression manifests iteslf as extremely poor idle long before smoke occurs. Let's see how you get on with further tests.

Fair one, that's what I would expect too - my idle is silky-smooth so I'm sure compression is ok (will be checking it this week though )

Just bought one of those block/headgasket tester kits too (the ones where the liquid changes colour if combustion gases are present in the coolant).
Hopefully I can diagnose this as much as possible with the engine in-car before removing the engine and replacing the faulty part(s).

Maybe it'll be worth my while getting the head re-faced and/or checked on a datum-surface before fitting the new gasket

Cheers for your help/ideas on this, much appreciated - my little lad keeps asking me when I can take him around the track in it!

[FRSJON]

hope its not too much of a problem to sort,dying to this car in action !

[jimmyesh]

hope its not too much of a problem to sort,dying to this car in action !

Cheers mate - the support I get on this forum keeps me motivated with this project To all intents an purposes, it's done now - just the teething problems to sort and it'll be there.

I'm gagging to get this out on the road, a few years back you used to see these cars everywhere now you very rarely see any on the road. My mate Si wants me to go to the Nurburgring with him and have a race with his MK2 FRS!

[jayrs]

i know what ya mean mate, like the mk2 xr2, used to be everywhere and it seemed every other week at least 1 would be fore sale over here on the isle of wight, now, i reckon theres less than 5 here inc mine

[RS rob]

keep with it jimmy, another big fan of your work here!!

[jimmyesh]

Just ordered some new forged CP Pistons in 88mm bore size and 8.5:1 compression for the little Fez



These are winging their way to me as we speak. I have also ordered a complete set of new gaskets including a new headgasket.

In addition to this, I've just bought a "Turbo Blanket" to cover my exhaust housing - cost me another few quid but I can't take any chances as space is tight in the bulkhead area and I could really do without any fires!

I'm getting the car up on the ramps at work tomorrow and will start getting ready to remove the engine. From there I'm going to do a full stripdown and get everything clinically-clean, then everything will be inspected, then reassembled with the new parts as mentioned.

I've managed to get my faithful old engine stand back so work will begin sharpish

Watch this space

[jayrs]

i'll be watching mate
i envy you so much, would love to have a 4 post lift in my workshop

[Ratspeed]

Its good to see spirits are still high mate!

[jimmyesh]

Its good to see spirits are still high mate!

Ha ha, as always mate!

[Excursion]

Why the pistons, chief? The ones in there are new, aren't they?

[jimmyesh]

Why the pistons, chief? The ones in there are new, aren't they?

Ha, I was waiting for one of the more observant members of the forum to ask me that! Yeah the ones in there are new - they're Supertech items that are 9:1 Compression. The more I thought about it the more I wanted to drop down to 8.5:1 to keep the compression exactly the same as the MK1 Focus RS (and MK2 for that matter). As I'm running on a standard MK1 Focus RS ECU at the minute, I thought it made sense to keep the compression the same.

[filtra]

Well impressed, hopefully I'll have the cash and knowledge to do something like this in the future.

I'll be interested to find out what was causing it to smoke, always a learning curve these things!

[jimmyesh]

Well impressed, hopefully I'll have the cash and knowledge to do something like this in the future.

I'll be interested to find out what was causing it to smoke, always a learning curve these things!

Thanks for the kind words mate, much appreciated

As promised, today I removed the engine & gearbox (space is so tight in there that it's easier just to lower everything out rather than try to lift the engine out on its own).





Tomorrow I will be separating the transmission from the engine and mounting the engine onto its stand ready for stripdown

Although this is a hell of a lot of extra work, I'm already glad I'm doing it - I'm treating everything that I've done until now as a "dummy-fit". I know everything works as it should and that everything fits as it should. Now I can concentrate on making everything really clean, well-presented and most of all -reliable!

I have always intended that this car could be used reliably daily as well as the odd track day here and there - that's why I can't have it as some half-arsed effort

[Excursion]

You're such a slut

You're building for the same intended use as I

[jimmyesh]

You're such a slut

You're building for the same intended use as I

Makes sense doesn't it mate? You hardly see these on the roads now so it would be a shame to just keep it locked away, only to occasionally see the light of day on the back of a trailer

[jimmyesh]

Spent this morning removing some more ancills and transmission from the engine and mounting it onto its stand, then I move the whole lot back to my own little part of the workshop ready for it to be stripped down.



The pistons won't be here until about Sept 10th so I'll just concentrate on getting everything stripped, cleaned to within an inch of its life ready for the rebuild.

Also will be concentrating on sorting the heatproofing in the bulkhead area - new reflective silver hose covers will be ordered and the new turbo blanket is in the post. I'll also be sticking some aluminised heat reflective material on the underside of the bonnet just above the turbo/exhaust.

When removing the engine, I found out why it stuttered so much when trying to start it - I'd left the nut off the starter solenoid terminal!

[jimmyesh]

Spent today stripping the engine;

Bores still immaculate.







How I left things today;



The pistons and rings are immaculate and undamaged - selling them on now though as I've already ordered the 8.5:1 CP Pistons





Still at a loss to find the culprit of the oil-burning - the bores/pistons/rings are all in perfect condition. I didn't find any sinister particles in the bottom of the sump or in the engine.

Two things have got me thinking though... The Moly lube for the ARP studs had all congealed in the bottom of the sump -could this have continually mixed with the oil to cause a smokey engine? (I'd have thought that as long as the oil was properly controlled that it wouldn't matter if there was some moly-lube in there?).

The second problem is that my turbo oil-drain is below the max oil level of the sump I can't really position it much higher either as the Duratec has such a shallow sump (the crank is mounted higher in the engine in a girdle). Looks like I might have to get creative with some aluminium to make a kind of "extension" to the rear of the sump that my return can go to or try and find a suitable place on the rear of the block (without getting in the way of the driveshaft extension).

Just waiting for the pistons and a few other bits to arrive - should be a few days yet...

[Ruishy1]

Hmmm, it could very likely have been your turbo then if your drain was too low
i hope not as th n this stripdown is just more work for nothing

[Excursion]

The second problem is that my turbo oil-drain is below the max oil level of the sump

There's your answer

[jimmyesh]

Hmmm, it could very likely have been your turbo then if your drain was too low
i hope not as th n this stripdown is just more work for nothing

It's ok mate, I will be happier with the CP 8.5:1 Pistons in there TBH and I'm squaring away quite a bit of work that I was dreading when the powertrain was still in place!

The best bit is that I've just sold my VW camper on Ebay for £7400 so I may even treat myself to a brand-spanking GT28R! (Can't go too mad as we have work to do on the house )

I too thought the low oil-drain could have been the culprit but i remember very briefly isolating the turbo oil suppy with the wastegate held open and it still smoked While everything's out I'm just going to fit a new turbo and reassemble the engine correctly with all the new parts - hopefully I'll have a nice, reliable 19yr-old Fez!

[Ratspeed]

At least youve hopefully found the problem mate.

[Ruishy1]

it doesnt really matter if you had tem stopped the oil, there would have been remnants still in the housings.
ah well you live and learn, but its a bit of a costly mistake

damn you man, i was looking forward to seeing this going !

[jimmyesh]

it doesnt really matter if you had tem stopped the oil, there would have been remnants still in the housings.
ah well you live and learn, but its a bit of a costly mistake

damn you man, i was looking forward to seeing this going !

Ha, chill out mate - it'll all be back in in a couple of weeks and hopefully running clean I'm not treating it as a mistake, I wanted everything back out anyway as I had a few oil leaks around the cam-chain cover and sump as well - space is so tight in there that it's just easier to sort with the lump out.

Also, I can do a more comprehensive job oh heatproofing bits and finally fit the MK3.5 PAS bulkhead grommet for my PAS conversion that I could never fit with the engine in situ!

I think 8.5:1 Comp will be far safer on Ford EECV FRS ECU with the GT28R too

[jayrs]

i would of said about the oil drain also.

but then again, the turbo it self was second hand and basicly unknown, so the fualt could wll be with the turbo it self.
i would mod that return though

[jimmyesh]

i would of said about the oil drain also.

but then again, the turbo it self was second hand and basicly unknown, so the fualt could wll be with the turbo it self.
i would mod that return though

I suppose I was a bit pessimistic to just expect the worst and rip everything to bits! The car will only end up a better creation for it though