techbod

If you you do have multiple pairs of cycle wings - if you have a pair in red left after Jez has had his, I'd like them please. cheers

Hi Simon, YHM cheers

Compaq Quantum DLT 15/30 GB model number TH3AA-YF x 2 HP surestore DAT 8 GB (model numbers c1528g and c1539) x 2 250Mb internal zip drives ide x 2. (Can't imagine much call for these somehow...) All worked fine when pulled but have been sitting around for 3 years or so. Might be useful to someone running older servers? Yours for a donation to NTL. Prefer pickup or gonads. Thanks

Yes I have thanks. I bought the correct rs2000 one from Ford after asking the POBC if I could get away with the Sierra one, but the answer (including yours I seem to remember ) was probably not. cheers

Thanks for the reply and confirmation of the bell housing size. My bell housing came with the 'spare' starter mount already cut off, so I don't anticipate any chassis fouling problems.

Has anyone got the depth (gearbox to engine) measurement of the standard type 9 bell housing to hand? Or alternatively tell me if the rs2000 alloy bell housing is the same depth as the standard one? Thanks.

I have asked at my local scrappy - its one of the old wander around and help yourself types - very helpful but they don't have anything suitable. The other scrappy round here is now far too organised - you have to pay them £5 deposit to borrow a hi viz vest to be allowed into the yard. When you find what you want you then tell them what car it is in, pay in full and they then remove the bit sometime in the next 3 days and phone you to come and pick it up. You also pay suitably inflated prices for this service! S*d that. This is for a bit of a project, and I have destroyed at least one coil pack so far, so I really would like to avoid buying new from Ford as it will probably get expensive quickly. I've bought a couple of ebay with variable results - so I thought I'd try blatchat as a trustworthy alternative

Looking for a ford coil pack suitable for use with EDIS module, not particularly bothered about what it comes from provided it works. Edited as I forgot to say 4 cylinder one please. Thanks Edited by - techbod on 27 Nov 2009 12:46:36

Hi Col, YHM re probe. cheers

If you are careful you can remove the 'proper' gearstick with the linkage in place, as Andy says using a big spanner (I've only got adjustables that big). Just unwind the large blue hemisphere, with four flats in it, and then the whole gearstick can be lifted out. You can then swing the whole thing to one side and dismantle the linkage at that end over a container to catch all the bits! I started doing this way after I kept loosing bits of the linkage and didn't know which well it had fallen into. You should then just be able to pull the gear lever out of the blue hemisphere and free the nylon ball. How wierd, did very the same thing! After spending ages thinking of complex milled from billet aluminium linkage replacements, I decided that bracing the existing linkage with a pair of suitable spacers bolted between the bars would probably do as well. After I mucked up one of the spacers, it eventually occurred to me that the bolts by themselves where probably good enough. Slight difference was I tapped the holes through the connecting bars, so the extra bolts just screw into the bars so no need for the three nuts each, though I do have one nyloc at the end of each for piece of mind! I have seen rose jointed escort mk1/2 4 speed gearsticks advertised (one here on ebay for example). Perhaps these would be an improvement?

The problem I feel with the standard gear change, at least on my car, is both the quality and the sheer size of the H pattern. The box itself was rebuilt few thousand miles ago, and the fact that it improves dramatically with the short shift using the same remote linkage and gearbox does make me think the original gear lever has allot to do with the impreciseness - so yes perhaps I should have tried replacing that first, though as you say it would still have a long throw. It may just be my gearbox that suffers with this, I've never driven another 4 speed 7, or perhaps its just the type 2 4 speed that has this problem. I think there are 7s out there with the type E box, it would be interesting to know if they are generally thought of as better. Eitherway, having driven a 6 speed 7 and then jumped back into my 4 speed car the thing that stood out massively was the quality of gearchange: the 6 speed pattern fits entirely inside that of my 4 speed and was much more precise. My car felt extremely agricultural by comparison. The 5 speed sitting in my garage does feel more precise but its hard to be sure when its not actually in the car and being used on the road. So it might just be my box, but I'm going to keep working at this to see if I can find a reasonable solution. Fingers crossed.

This is more for information than anything else, in case it is useful to other 4 speed type 2 gearbox owners. I've got two gripes with my 4 speed box; the revs/noise/mpg issue at motorway speeds and the huge, sloppy 'H' pattern of the gearchange. I have made sure the remote linkage was up to scratch, but in the end decided the only way to sort this was with a 5 speed conversion. So I've bought a type 9 xr4i box, rs2000 ally bell housing, lightened flywheel, etc intending to do a winter swap. However, after a longish blat a couple of weekends ago, I had second thoughts and decided to have another go at sorting out the gearchange feel. Found a spare gearstick on ebay that came with half of an unknown quick shift kit, and the rest (mainly a spacer) was fabricated based on kit instructions I found on the web. I bought the second gearstick because you have to grind away part of the locating fork, and if it went wrong I had a back-out plan! Its now fitted and it has made a massive difference to the gearchange - a much tighter 'H' in both axis, and a precise feel to it. The word 'snickable' springs to mind. Not sure why though! My 'standard' gearchange before was approx 10cm throw from 1st to 2nd, and about 6 cm across the gate. With the new setup, the throw is now approx 4cm from 1st to 2nd, and about 3.5 cm across the gate. There is a note of caution though - it is stiff. This could be a combination of factors - the new gearstick and ball was much tighter than the old one, obviously the pivot point has changed to give less leverage and finally the spacer I made up may not be exactly the correct length. I'll run it for a few days and then take it out to check its not obviously fouling on anything. So at the moment I would say I have a short shift rather than a quick one! Also I'm not sure if these kits place undue strain on the gear change mechanism, but the improvement is such I'll worry about that later. There is more fettling to do, but this shop does two (road and competition) quick shift kits for the type 2, and now I'm happy the improvement is worth it I'm tempted to replace my unknown half bought / half built one with a one of theirs. Very uncertain now, as whether I should do the 5 speed swap at all.

The actual gear lever, not the remote. Doesn't matter if its shortened or not. Thanks Edited by - techbod on 8 Sep 2009 10:17:58

Anyone got a passenger/nearside current model door for sale? I don't need the mirror or hinges, just a door in reasonable condition. thanks

Simon, YHM re propshaft cheers

Milo: yes please

Ah yes, thanks for that. Mechanical please (I wasn't aware of right angled speedo drive electrical ones).

Anyone got a right-angle speedometer drive (for use with type 9 gearbox) lying around unwanted they might like to sell? Edited by - techbod on 23 Jul 2009 12:37:53

Thanks for the replies. The anti rattle sleeve is still in place on my pivot and looks in reasonable condition though if I can get a spare I will replace it. The threads look ok on first inspection, although I will chase out with tap and check again as they do seem to have alot of crud in them. Was talking to someone I know yesterday and it turns out her husband works for a local Ford main dealer . One telephone conversation later and the RS2000 fork is ordered and getting the anti rattle sleeve is under investigation. Phil - thanks for the link - I had come across your site before when investigating all this. I'm in a similar position, my spare starter motor was cut off before I bought the bellhousing leaving a large rectangular hole. I will be doing the same, making up a plate (which is why I want the fork now so I can work out the slot size) which will be welded on, complete with a bracket fabricated to carry the clutch cable. Its nice to know I'm going down an established path. As this is part of a 4 - 5 speed conversion there is still a number of issues to address so I doubt the bellhousing will be in the car any time soon. cheers

Assuming it can be posted I'd like the dust shield/sandwich plate please. edited to add can I have have the switch set as well? YHM Edited by - techbod on 20 Jul 2009 08:44:10

Thanks for that reply (and the other direct email ones). It answers the question and I'll stick to getting an RS2000 fork. cheers

Looking through the archives, I can find posts that suggest the sierra or pinto clutch fork can be used with the RS2000 housing, but also posts that say it must be the matching RS2000 fork and the sierra item is incorrect. Does this also apply to the CRB? Can anyone help with a definitive answer? thanks Edited by - techbod on 19 Jul 2009 04:38:15

For reasons beyond my control it now appears I need to find a leather, or material, flying helmet type of headgear quite quickly! Normal crash helmet size wise I'm in the medium (57-58) category so the headgear would need to be similar unless its adjustable. Ideal would be if it was located around the West Midlands or possibly Surrey areas for pickup rather than waiting for the postman. cheers

Can I have 2nd dibs (in case first on falls through) on 34 - the aero screens. Are these standard 'brooklands' ones? Thanks.

Thanks for the replies. If I knew that the DMF was going to last a reasonable time I would go for it again just to keep the car as standard as possible for selling reasons. If the conventional flywheel does make the car seem a little rougher, especially at tick over any potential buyer might decide it meant the car had some kind of problem. However, reading around the web it seems there is no guarantee a new DMF will last a reasonable mileage or if you are lucky it will. So, annoyingly, I am still undecided about the best course of action...