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Tractor Talk Discussion Forum

OT Ford Escort Head

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kraigWY

12-10-2004 18:20:49




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Step daughter has a 91 ford escort, 1.9 eng that is blowing white smoke. I checked the compression, and found 1-120, 2-125, 3-147 4-152. I assume that there a bad head gasket or cracked head. I don't have a manuel on this vehicle. Does the engine have to come out to remove the head? Any other things I should look out for before I start this project?

Thanks,




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Jet9N

12-11-2004 15:13:53




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 Re: OT Ford Escort Head in reply to kraigWY, 12-10-2004 18:20:49  
The "early" engines referred to were 1.6L. The 1.9L
were famous (infamous) for leaking head gaskets.
A decade ago it was a $700-900 job done by mechanic.
It seemed to happen at 70000 to 90000 miles. A number of people I knew had that problem. When mine started leakingI put in a jar of Bars-leak. Went
for 20000 miles and needed another dose. Sold it
and gave the buyer a jar in the deal. Never heard
how things went for him.

Jet

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BobR

12-11-2004 04:22:20




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 Re: OT Ford Escort Head in reply to kraigWY, 12-10-2004 18:20:49  
Head can be removed without pulling engine. Be sure there are no cracks in the head. The early escorts with the aluminum head seemed to have a problem with this. Bob



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Vern-MI

12-11-2004 03:34:07




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 Re: OT Ford Escort Head in reply to kraigWY, 12-10-2004 18:20:49  
It can be changed in the vehicle. You will find out whether you are in shape when you do this repair.

Loosen the engine & transmission mounting bolts and horse the whole assembly over to the drivers side of the vehicle to allow enough room to access the timing belt and water pump.

Check the head for flatness.

Replace head bolts.

Replace water pump.

Replace timing belt.

Be sure to tighten the head bolts in the correct sequence and to the yeild torque spec for these engines. When you are torquing these bolts it will feel horrible, like you are going to break or strip the threads.

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J. Schwiebert

12-11-2004 03:03:40




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 Re: OT Ford Escort Head in reply to kraigWY, 12-10-2004 18:20:49  
I have been out of the engine machine shop for 10 years. You have gotten some decent advise. Make sure your new head gasket includes new head bolts. Do get the head pressure tested. Also check the surface finish on the head. You have an aluminum head and a cast block. They do not expand at the same rate. The head has to be very very smooth. If the shop has an electronic gauge to check the finish, make sure they check it. Many shops can check it on the RMS scale. Also be careful about using gasket sealers as the head has to slide because of th difference in expansion rates

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Mark - IN.

12-11-2004 05:53:13




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 Re: OT Ford Escort Head in reply to J. Schwiebert, 12-11-2004 03:03:40  
Did they use cast iron blocks in those? I've never dealt with an Escort, but was guessing block and head would be aluminum for weight and cost cutting. Hmm? Well, if block is cast iron, that's a good thing - one less likely problem or warped surface.



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Allan in NE

12-11-2004 06:13:38




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 Re: OT Ford Escort Head in reply to Mark - IN., 12-11-2004 05:53:13  
Hi ya Mark, How goes it?

No, these little guys had the cast block married to the aluminum head.

The early ones were the jokers that would break a timing belt, wash all the valves and sometimes crack the head; Ford finally redesigned that problem in about '89 or so and then a broken timing belt wouldn't cost the owner upwards of $1500! :>)

Allan



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Mark - IN.

12-11-2004 22:42:27




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 Re: OT Ford Escort Head in reply to Allan in NE, 12-11-2004 06:13:38  
Hey ya Allan, it's been a while buddy. I liked that picture of your stocking stuffer, or whatever Santa's gonna put under your tree.

Cast iron block huh? I like it. Never forget goin' to a tractor pull some years ago and most everyone had mega-dollar ultra-large cubed Keith Blacks and so on. One old timer ran a blown stock bore cast iron Chrysler 426 Hemi block right out of Detroit, and he was a cheatin' son of a gun too. He got hooked up to the sled and sat there and sat there and sat there idlin'. They were about to flag and toss him, then he took off and got the only full pull. Just needed that cast iron block to heat up and get a real good tight seal on everything. Ha Ha Ha Ha. Never mess with them old timers, they understand Kentucky windage and stuff.

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Redmud

12-10-2004 18:47:16




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 Re: OT Ford Escort Head in reply to kraigWY, 12-10-2004 18:20:49  
The engine does not have to come out. sounds like you have a leak between 1 and 2. I'm thinking that engine has a timing belt, be sure to change it when put the head back on. and don't let the car set with water in the cylinders to long before you pull the head.
Redmud



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LUCASS

12-10-2004 18:41:51




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 Re: OT Ford Escort Head in reply to kraigWY, 12-10-2004 18:20:49  
THE HEAD CAN BE REMOVED WITHOUT REMOVING THE ENGINE. I USUALLY TAKE THE HEAD AND HAVE IT PRESSURE TESTED AND RESURFACED. ALSO A GOOD TIME TO PUT IN NEW VALVE SEALS,VALVE JOB AND RINGS IF YOU DESIRE.CLEAN THE BLOCK CAREFULLY AND MAKE SURE ITS FLAT ALSO..IF IT OVERHEATED AND CAUSED THIS, FIND OUT WHY. LUCAS



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RAB

12-11-2004 02:30:24




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 Re: OT Ford Escort Head in reply to LUCASS, 12-10-2004 18:41:51  
Also - If it is OHC and the head is warped, there is not too much scope for resurfacing if cam runs in non-adjustable bearings, as the cam may well run until it breaks or ruins the bearings.
Regards, RAB



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RN

12-10-2004 21:38:11




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 Re: OT Ford Escort Head in reply to LUCASS, 12-10-2004 18:41:51  
Escort and other sideways engine cars lot of times overheat when fan relays and water temperature sensors go bad, secondly fan motors fail/burnout. Thirdly leaking radiator. May not notice on country roads, get into town stop and go will show up as trouble- overheat, blow head gasket, sometimes crack head. RN



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Mark - IN.

12-11-2004 05:45:39




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 Re: OT Ford Escort Head in reply to RN, 12-10-2004 21:38:11  
I do believe that you're all correct. Never dealt with an Escort, but mechanicals are all the same.

I like those readings, tapering right off from the cam pulley. Those readings are a story book themselves. Head might be alright, might be scrap. I would imagine block's aluminum too. Well, certainly don't have to pull the motor to replace the head gasket - just the hood to get at it properly, and may not even have to do that (never touched an Escort).

I would imagine going to have to take the cover off of the motor for the serpentine belt that drives the cam because going to have to time it after put back on (doubt seriously has a chain, gotta be a belt). Check the idler pulley between cam and crank pulley to make sure is good before button up. Take that head down to a machine shop and have it checked and/or decked if needs it and is cheaper than buying a replacement. If need a replacement, I'd be leary of buying from a bone yard since are probably throw away's, as someone else said, and that's probably one of the reasons ended up in a bone yard to begin with, and would certainly have to be checked/decked as well.

That's pretty interesting that compressions drop off at the cam pulley in a linear manner like that. Engine overheated? Aluminum block and head expanded, contracted while cooling and now head bolts got loosened by belt movement/vibration? Maybe just a head gasket, but gotta pull the head anyway to replace it, so have the head checked for warpage, and if can be decked (if cheaper than buying a replacement). No big deal if was cast iron block, may not be a big deal for aluminum. Probably got the car cheap, and if have to invest in a head (and just may not), probably still cheaper than buying a new car.

A head job aint all that bad. Mmm? Something about those words. Ha Ha Ha Ha.

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Jerry Cent. Mi.

12-11-2004 04:43:19




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 Re: OT Ford Escort Head in reply to RN, 12-10-2004 21:38:11  
I would not put to much money in it. They were disposable cars in the first place.



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alg

12-11-2004 08:10:37




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 Re: OT Ford Escort Head in reply to Jerry Cent. Mi., 12-11-2004 04:43:19  
I beg to differ,my first escort(82')I put 155,000 miles on it without a hitch.My second escort(87') I put 250,000 miles on it,had too do a clutch.My third escort (92') I put 175,00 miles on it.They were good cars for what they were,a good commuter car.



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