Zetec reliability?

PostPost by: Spyder fan » Fri Oct 23, 2009 11:28 am

Rich,
I have sent you a PM so we don't go off subject here....
Kindest regards

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PostPost by: ianduke » Mon Oct 26, 2009 6:02 pm

The disappointment was basically like thinking you were marrying Heidi Klum, but due to a horrific set of unforeseen circumstances ending up taking Kerry Katona home instead.
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PostPost by: richgilb » Mon Oct 26, 2009 6:13 pm

At least you got a big pair of baps then.
I am now an ex-Elan owner but will drop by from time to time with some suitably inappropriate comments.
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PostPost by: Spyder fan » Wed Nov 04, 2009 8:19 pm

Okay I admit it, I have had a problem today :roll:

Mrs T and I are house-hunting: or to be more accurate Mrs T is house-hunting and I am Double-Garage-With-Workshop-That-Just-Happens-To-Have-A-House-Off-The-Driveway-Hunting.

Anyway we took the +2 as it was a nice afternoon, parked outside the house we are looking at, all without problem. Mrs T was disappointed with the house and especially the garden, so it doesn't matter a fig that I actually liked the 3 car garage with inspection pit and 250 square foot of workshop space with mezzanine above.
Got back in the car feeling a bit down and started her up only to be greeted by the starter motor pinion sticking causing a luvvly grinding thrashing noise, gave the starter a good wack with my old spinner hammer and tried again but no luck same thing, had to get towed by the AA back to my single car garage with no inspection pit and a measly 36 square foot cupboard laughingly called a workshop thats full of Mrs T's garden stuff.

I have had a look at the starter and it appears to be a pig to change, there are 3 Allen key headed bolts, one of which is at the top of the starter and virtually impossible to reach without extensions and wobble bar fittings, also I don't have Allen Key sockets, so it looks like ?20 for the sockets, ?60 for the starter and a long afternoon cursing and swearing........ I seem to remember my lovely leaky wheezy noisy old twincam having just 2no 9/16 bolts to undo for the starter, which would take about 10 minutes including driving up the ramps..... thats modern parts for you.
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PostPost by: john.p.clegg » Thu Nov 05, 2009 7:42 am

Alan

....and let's hope that you don't need to change the ring gear?...

John :wink: :wink: :wink:
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PostPost by: elanman999 » Thu Nov 05, 2009 9:41 am

Alan,
To half quote you " Original is best" :wink: :wink:
Cheers
John
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PostPost by: Spyder fan » Fri Nov 06, 2009 8:51 am

john.p.clegg wrote:Alan

....and let's hope that you don't need to change the ring gear?...

John :wink: :wink: :wink:


Hi John,
it's a pre-engaged starter so the ring gear shouldn't be an issue, most likely the internals of the starter are looking pretty shabby. I'm fitting the new one today i will give an update tomorrow.

Cheers

Alan
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PostPost by: Spyder fan » Fri Nov 06, 2009 8:58 am

elanman999 wrote:Alan,
To half quote you " Original is best" :wink: :wink:
Cheers
John


Hello John,

well it is an 'Original Zetec Elan +2', so I suppose it now needs modifying with a proper Ford Motorcraft product and not the generic item thats been fitted from new. The 10 minute thing with the LTC starter is mostly due to them having the bolts work loose, which sort of gives a head start on removing them :roll:

This is the first bit of unplanned maintenance that I have had to do, I'm not really looking forward to skinning my knuckles, although I often find the swearing and cursing to be quite therapeutic :lol:
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PostPost by: Spyder fan » Fri Nov 06, 2009 6:54 pm

Okay, it took 15 minutes to remove the starter motor including driving the car onto the ramps etc, thats 5 minutes longer than a LTC +2.

There was no damage to the ring gear nor was any expected with a pre-engaged stater motor that hadn't worked it's bolts loose. A very reasonable ?65 for the starter motor from a Scorpio 2.3 of 1998 vintage, refitting was a very quick 8 minutes.

Boy! these Zetec Elan +2 cars are really unreliable and troublesome. I noticed that my Spyder chassis actually has a bit of surface rust on it, no doubt caused by the lack of lubrication from an engine that doesn't leak oil?

Comments gratefully accepted and expected :lol:
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