well, my mate just got a new motor for his gemini, its a G161 (1600cc)

idles lumpy as, got a 32/36 weber carby, and goes pretty darn hard.

which makes me wonder (ive been wondering this for a while)

is my 2ltr really up to scratch? its got a dodgy re ring done by me, making 180psi all 4 last time i checked. good speco cam. rebuilt head with porting work, stock carby, extractors, electronic ignition and pea shooter exhaust.

yet i cant help but feel like its not making enough power...

are Escorts just talked up too much by (most) of there owners? or is mine seriously lacking something?

the only other escort i sat in seemed to have a decent bit more poke than mine, but that was decently worked. and that was with 3 people in it.

as some may know my old cam was more of a turbo cam, so once i put the new cam in the power difference was awesome. but is this cam waiting for a better induction system? or should this motor still be making good power?

My 2c,

For the size of the car and the time period, an Esky with a 2L and a few well thought out mods can go well but in terms of todays standards unless you go all out on the sucker they are just 'Fun'.

Like my Escort when it was in it's prime was making I think about 86kw (115 rwhp), which is pretty tame by the standards of this forum but at the end of the day the mods weren't really that extravagant (and were only a little up on what you have now).

When I drove it, to me it felt like the fastest thing around and driving it was the best experience ever (which was only intensified when the diff was locked). HOWEVER, the fast part went out the window when I drove my mates Tommi Mak Evo 6 and then again as I joined the AWD club with my WRX. Both cars were what I thought were "fast" and unfortunately the poor old escort just couldn't compare.

Needless to say any day of the week I would prefer to drive my Escort around than any of the AWD patrol as you just can't top the feeling of throwing around a 1000 kilo matchbox sized car with no form of electronic aids (driving heaven IMO).

So really to summarise my nostalgic ramble.... The old 2L can be made to go very hard if you have the funds. But at the end of the day, if you want a "fast" car you'd be better off investing your money into a later model 4 cyl banger. But if your in it just for the love of driving a super responsive awesome driving machine, get it running well, get ya sussy sorted, lock your diff and enjoy it for as long as you can!!








ahh i miss my RS[V]

yeah, i may just be expecting a bit much from her.

i still love my escort though. and even though building a crazy 2ltr, or slotting in zetecs and the like is always crossing my mind, odds are the engine in it now will be in there for a while to come, and thats just fine. awesome fun to drive.

i got twin 40's going on soon anyway, should up the entertainment a bit.

If you did your own porting your most likely willyed it.
not just anyone can port them. most port them worse than stock.
my mk1 stock 2lt with a single 40 down draft (v6 capri one) cr@pped over a 2lt gemini running twin side drafts. just to make sure , a couple of runs at 60 + and a couple of red light races. Ford still won

I must admit to also being abit niave (speeling?) before having my escort up and running completely. I thought they were talked up but now having driven mine about 200 or so kms in the last 2 and abit weeks. I'm absolutely wrapped with how it goes. Has left a few people scrathing their heads at the lights. It will never go like a modern turbo or equivelent without going all out however, for what it is its surprisingly quick. I say stick with it sterling and you will be happy in the end.

Once you put those 40's on you will find a big difference. Ive had a holley and a 32/36 and they were alright, but when i put the 40's on i really noticed the increase in power. Im not making crazy power in my 2lt pinto but it's faster then some modern day cars. It's had some runs against 13B's, 6's etc and won some. Wait till the 40's go on mate you will love em.

I had more fun driving my f**ked engine, With all its faults than any other car ive driven. That said i havn't driven anything all that great but the escort just did something for me that a magna couldn't.

Chuck her on a dyno, then you'll know if its lacking. I should have realized mine was lacking when i could only get 0-100 in the high 14's =P

Sterling

I know you are down the morningtom pen. get yourself down to Mammi Motors for a tune.
let them run it up on the Dyno, they have done quite a few Escorts over the years & will be able to give you some realistic figures on what other Escorts made on their dyno. Both Chaz & Gerald are great blokes and will give you an honest answer
(and they dont sponsor me - just been going there & racing against them for many years)

Sterling, maybe you should have just bought a 180sx or a r32.. plenty of easy reliable power there.

now my Escort is FAR from a power house.. tired old original low comp bottom end with a reground cam and little bit of porting on top and a 32/36 slapped on the side, bolted to an AUTO!
it got dyno'd a few years ago with a high comp bottom end, and i think it pulled an earth shattering 85bhp. [may or may not be correct]
its a happy little revver, often seeing 6k in first or second.
sure id like more power, and im hoping a fresh bottom end and a 38DGES will help that, but if not, i wont be too disappointed. its a fun car to drive regardless of power.

I was thinking of going 2ltr with my mk1 because of the extra power over the 1600, till pj took me for a spin in his 1600 turbo mk2 escort, WOW.
With a simple turbo setup & mecanical fuel injection on a standard block. Cheap performance & it goes hard by todays standards. If you want it to go I would look at soething like that, there are a a few turbo Escorts in the small ford car club that you can get ideas from.