Escort Sigma 1600 Race Car

[Roadsport]

Re: Escort Sigma 1600 Race Car

Years back when I had a similar streak of bad luck with my pinto an old mechanic said to me " Son, your luck will turn if you don't run out of money first."
Now aint that the truth?

[Roadsport]

Re: Escort Sigma 1600 Race Car

Yes the cottage was nice. By the lake with very clear water and with a sauna and all.

[Roadsport]

Re: Escort Sigma 1600 Race Car

So, long time no update. The new Sl72 bits finally arrived. And not a minute too soon as I'm due in the paddocks this weekend and the box is still in bits.
These tiny bits set me back 540€. I sure hope these buggers will hold from now on... The event next weekend would be a good test but I'm still not sure can I make it to that event alltough one more good event would do wonders for the motivation for next year.

[mario r h santos]

Re: Escort Sigma 1600 Race Car

Stupid SL72!

I just built a straight-cut manual type 9 with Tran-x internals. Just hope it goes different than your story. Don't get me wrong.

Good luck on trying to put it back together till next weekend.

I'm looking forward to "see" you making another good race.

Cheers,

Mário Santos.

[Roadsport]

Re: Escort Sigma 1600 Race Car

Well I'm sure the gear kits will work just fine. And hopefully this darn SL will be working propperly eventually. If it fails again , I'll be taking it to a propper professional to have alook and make modifications if necessary.

[Roadsport]

Re: Escort Sigma 1600 Race Car

Ok, so the X- box is back together again. And I'm pretty convinced we found the reason for the last failure. Two actually. I don´t know the correct part names in english but bare with me. The locking pin (of the selector yoke?) in the rear of the selector rail was too long after the first rebuild. It stopped the movement of the selector short and put the 5th operation block under excess load. Also the retaining plate holding the 5th gear locking disc is very demanding alingnement wise. If not perfectly alingned the lever didn't move to the right edge. It only moved to the 1st and 2nd gears edge to the left and was stuck to neutral refusing to move to the 5th gears edge to the right side. Some fettling with the retaining plate sorted the problem. Whilst the right position was found the whole feel of the gear lever was different and it no longer got stuck. So hopeful. Tomorrow after work I'll install the box and the day after its off to the season filals.

Can you spot the box? Seems to blend well to the surroundings.


I've learned some of these parts need to correctly positioned.


Or else the oil return gallery will be blocked.


Also marked the correct position of the retaining plate.




Heres the broken bit again. Better pic this time.



So this next event is pretty much just a test to see if the issues are sorted so I don't have to consentrate on the box during winter and focus on the 1490cc prototype bottom end instead.

[taunus]

Re: Escort Sigma 1600 Race Car

What's up?
No time and result in http://www.mylaps.com/results/showevent.jsp?id=836963
Don't tell me it is that gearbox issue again.

[Roadsport]

Re: Escort Sigma 1600 Race Car

Yup. We got the box back together and it felt quite fine on the bench. So a day before embarking to the event we installed it. But very much to my dissapointment it felt excatly the same it did before the previous selector failure. So I decided not to enter the event and avoid another failure.
I could not feel the clitch on the bench but with the engine running the fifth gear does not engage smoothly. It seems to "hit a corner" and take a side step to engage the fifth. If I were to stop at neutral push all the way to the right and engage the 5th it does so witout scrubbing. Something is out of line but I, we , have no idea what since every selector is located by locking pins and it is highly unlikely that the selector rail would've bent or twisted. Once I get my act together I think Ill have one more look. If I can't work out the fault I'll take it to a specialist (Lampola) .

Hows the Capri doing?

[taunus]

Re: Escort Sigma 1600 Race Car

I did't get the new engine ready for this season.
Dry sump oil pump is still missing.
Hope I get it this week, and after dyno session still going to Alastaro circuit
for a test ride.



Main target for both of us , is the next season.

[Roadsport]

Re: Escort Sigma 1600 Race Car

OK. So this season was pretty much a disaster. Only finished one event and DNF'd or retired from the rest three due to our incompretance or the quality of the SL72. The box is still untouched since the withdawal from the season finals. Sorting the box is an necessary but unpleasant task.
More to my liking is the planning of the season to come. The plans include the Cylinder head overhaull, a custom 1490cc Zetec SE bottom end build and a suped up English axle build. I'll keep this thread updated as things move along. All thoughts and insights are more than welcome.

[Roadsport]

Re: Escort Sigma 1600 Race Car

First bits of the project English Strongman have arrived.

An all new ATB 16T lsd




One unused 5.3:1 CWP


And some rusty scrap off eBay



As usual the rust will be removed with citric acid. Powder seen at the bottom of the jar


Add water and wait...

[Roadsport]

Re: Escort Sigma 1600 Race Car

Like watching the paint dry...

Day 2 in the acid. The rust is disolving nicely


After a quick rinse.



I'll let them soak for a day or two more. I really love this stuff. Rust gone without a single drop of sweat. Nor did I have to inhale any rust clouds. All this for 2€

[Roadsport]

Re: Escort Sigma 1600 Race Car

Today the mail man brought something rather funny looking

[RWD fords rule]

Re: Escort Sigma 1600 Race Car

Looking good, that will add a lot more oil, are you planning to use std atlas shafts? that is a good idea rather than using expensive english shafts

[Roadsport]

Re: Escort Sigma 1600 Race Car

Thanks Jason

I've had a long chat with Torsten at GP4 fabrications. We decided to go with the atlas GP1 extra heavy duty tarmac 16t shafts. I really like the 2 piece shafts as I don't need to worry about the shaft eascaping from the bearing. PLus the bearing can be changed at the paddocks if needed. Tosten was suggesting 18t shafts but I really wanted to go with the ATB lsd so he agreed to do (?) some H/D tarmac shafts which he reckoned would be fine on a light(ish) circuit car. I'm really trying to avoid kick back on the brake pads.

The extended oil pan serves two functions. Added oil capacity and a good vertical surface for gussets for extra axle casing support.