Robin Hood Superspec Zetec First Start

[Guest Jomeo69]

Ok nothing like one step forward two steps back.

After the success of the first start we went to see of the maps andy has sent us worked.

So after wheeling the car out of the garage we took the spark plug caps out for the first time to have a look and were confronted with this.....

 

 

WTfunk?????

 

About 10mm or more of rusty water just sitting in the valley around plug 1 and 2.

 

 

So after the subsequent frantic cleaning of the valley we removed the spark plugs to find they were half covered in rust...

 

 

We removed the rocker cover and really tried to get in there and clean all the rust out.

 

 

This illustrates the problem slightly better. We have no idea how this happened as the Engine for 1 is brand new with zero hours and 2 has never been stored outside at all. how long it has been in there is anybodies guess.

 

I dont suppose anyone has any idea what to do next? We have cleaned out the valley as best we can without taking the head off (which i would really really want to avoid doing namely because i dont have any direct experience in that sort of area although i suppose now would be a gooda time to learn as any, and also as the engine came directly from Robin Hood as a 'new' engine i personally dont think that i should have to sort it out if it was incorrectly stored at their factory).

 

We havn't tried to start it again since then as there was an accumulation of liquid ontop of the two pistons that are involved. so if anyone has any pointers as to what to do next i would be very gratefull.

 

Joe

[stevedohc2b]

I think these engines where made in 2004 that is what the label with the dragon on states when I rang ford tec line.

 

And has an 04 cast in the block. So have been standing around for some time.

 

I would ask GBS what they can do looks like this has got wet and water has rusted the plug.

 

when I picked mine up it was warped in plastic and sat in a large crate with an other one the same in side the factory.

 

I would doubt any one would leave several hundred pounds of engine out in the rain.

 

Has it got in side the engine. Which if plug on tight I can not see how it could.

 

unless it ran in when you undid the plug did you dry it first?

 

Stephen

[stevedohc2b]

If you don't want the hassle of exchanging the engine I would clean up the rust plug-in hole and check the cylinder compression and if ok change the oil to get rid or any water.

 

The oil they come with is a bit thin anyway. And a new plug should be OK to use.

 

I would try asking for some money back or some thing free as compensation.

 

Stephen

[Guest Jomeo69]

hey steve when we took the plugs out they were only done up finger tight. I guess something could have leaked down then. other than that i have no idea how i would check without the head off.

Our engine was just sat on the yellow plastic crate when we picked it up from RH with no wrapping.

Where can i get a compression tester also what gap should the plugs have as ours seem to have at least 1mm??

Joe

[stevedohc2b]

Try and borrow one from a garage you need one that will fit the zetec head my cheap one needs an adapter for it to fit that I don't have. You could try a motor factors.

 

I must say I fit new plugs from packet never set gap these days. ( prob total wrong gets ready to be shot down )

 

Stephen

[stevedohc2b]

Just looked gap up in Haynes man says 1.3mm

 

Stephen

[Guest Jomeo69]

crikey thats a big gap. well if Mr Hayne sez so then so be it.

thanks stephen.

[Andy Spencer]

Strangely I have had a bit of water in there before too and mine's not a GBS engine, happened after washing it and water went down through bonnet vents and obviously past the plug caps.

Do all the checks as others say and fingers crossed!

Good luck

[brumster]

It's not untold of for engine remanufacturers to have pallets-worth of engines standing outside for months on end, they can keep quite some stock in hand so I'm reliably informed from a director at ATC Drivetrain.

 

Hmmm, now I've just had an idea for a bulk-buy I know they do Pintos, wonder if they do Zetecs too !!

[Longboarder]

The plug valley on mine is always filling with rain water through the bonnet vents. Drove to MOT two weeks ago on variously two, three or four cylinders. Used a brake bleed tube to suck it out when I got home and she purred like a kitten after.

 

The two plugs are dead but the rust discolouration to the plug valley is 'cosmetic' or at least of no mechanical importance. If you are concerned that water has entered the engine and thus there is a chance of rusted bores then drain the oil. Water is heavier than oil so it's the first gush you need to look at.

 

Finally you may be able to find a garage that has a bendy fibreoptic 'see-down-little-holes-o-scope' to examine the bores without taking the engine to bits.

Good luck.

 

Nigel

[Al Milton]

Hi Joe,

 

Not wanting to state the bleeding obvious mate, but this may explain why you were running 2 cylinders 'cool' and 2 cylinders hot. (see discolouration of manifolds in 3rd photo), plus how warm they felt the other day.

 

Finger tight plugs aren't normally a good thing

 

I'll ask around at work if there is a borescope I can 'borrow' for a couple of hours one weekend. No promises though, i'll let you know.

 

Cheers

Al

[Guest Jomeo69]

you know what Al i think your right. lol waiting to see if my garage man has a compression tester i can borrow.

When i do get one, does anyone know what sort of figures i should be expecting??

Many thanks for the replies.

joe

[Guest Jomeo69]

Ok today got new Sealey compression tester and extension bar, so here we go.

Got over garage and did tests on all 4 cylinders one at a time. cyl 1 and 4 were 100 psi and 2 and 3 were 90 ish.

This seems a bit low to me what does anyone else think??????.

But as they were all within 10 psi decided to give it a go. New spark plugs in. and nothing. not a sausage.

The injectors firing can be heard and the tops of the cylinders all look wet with fuel so its gota be a spark/ignition issue so will have another go tomorow with alot of tracing of electrics first. Will keep you all posted.

joe

[Longboarder]

Don't know what the current lack of sparks is but on plug gaps; put them back to 1.0mm. Ford originally stated 1.3mm but they found this was killing coils so they issued an update bulletin saying the recommendation had changed to 1.0mm.

 

Nigel

[Guest Jomeo69]

Awesome thanks for the tip.

Like i said will have another go tomorrow.

Many Thanks Nigel