Donor Options

[Guest bloke]

how much of the 4x4 could be used as donor parts?

 

has anyone got any experienc of this?

[Guest bloke]

think i mean xr4i!!

 

bit ambitious i know

[Jon Bradbury]

Do you want to build a 4x4 Robin Hood, or just use the 4x4 Sierra as a donor for a more normal RWD car?

[Jon Bradbury]

Oh, just read your 2nd post.

 

Right...

 

XR4i - I'm assuming rear wheel drive (ie, not XR4x4 model).

 

I also assume its got a DOHC engine (2.0 litre).

 

If it has a Pinto in it you have no problem.

 

The DOHC engine can be shoehorned into a 2B chassis and there is a member here who has done it - Les Welsher. Take a look at his site for details. I think the main thing to consider is that the inlet & exhaust are on the opposite site to the pinto engine that the 2B is designed for. This means problems with the brake servo fouling the carbs / injection plenum. Les got round this by fitting a remote servo.

 

The XR4i has rear disk brakes IIRC - these can be fitted to the 2B (my own DOHC kit, note - not the same as a normal 2B, has the rear disks fitted) but watch out for overbraking (ie, rear wheels locking up before the front - a SVA fail point). There is much debate about fitting the Sierra brake compensator valve to get round this problem.

 

Of course, if your car has the pinto engine it'll be pretty straightforward.

[ibrooks]

The XR4i came in two variants. The early three door ones had the 2.8 V6 on the end of a type-9 box which I beleive has been shoehorned into a 2B but it's not a small job. Their rear brakes were drums but bigger than the rest of their contemporary Sierra's (I think they bacame the standard later - like the vented front discs). They were killed off by the arrival of the Cosworth. Later the badge was resurrected for a sporty version of the 5-door hatch and as Jon said they had the DOHC engine (but I beleive it was tweaked) on the end of an MT75 box and rear discs.

 

The XR4x4 came in three versions. The early ones had the 4x4 version of the type-9 box and the same 2.8 V6 as the XR4i. Later the transmission was changed for a 4x4 variant of the MT75 box and the engine was changed to either the 2.0 DOHC or the 2.9 V6.

 

The 4x4 system would probably be a non-starter as, for one, the front diff lives under the engine and so you have even less ground clearance and no possibility of shortening the sump (DAX have used a 4x4 system though I'm not sure about it's origins). The 4x4 rear axle may be a good option though as it can be connected to a "normal" transmission but it contains an LSD.

 

Regarding the LSD - this is really track technology and not necessary for road use (or at least sensible road use). They can make the car very twitchy in slippery conditions so you have to decide how you intend to use the car to decide whether you want to fit one.

 

Have Fun

 

Iain

[Jon Bradbury]

There you go - nice answer Ian.

 

I did look into the DOHC XR4i as a donor possibility and was rather surprised to learn that it has the same power output of the normal DOHC variants (this from the owner's handbook which lists the specs of all the models available at the time). Its only 115ps.... I have a carburetted DOHC which was free to collector and its even worse - only 105ps.

 

Do bear in mind though that my kit is specifically for the DOHC.

 

Cheers

 

JonB

[ibrooks]

See - we anoraks do have our uses - you just have to ask the right questions.

 

 

Now where did I put my Fordspotters guide????

[Big Jim]

how's that car coming along Ian? or are we in the "donor car still"??

 

[Guest bloke]

another xr41 4x4 advertised for 200 quid, thats two in a week

 

there must be some bits that are usable and economically viable for these prices???

 

2.9V6 sounds nice and rapid!