hey guys, I had a look in the mechanics data guide book thingo that came with the escort, and it says the 1.6: 84hp, and max continuoues rpm is 6000rpm?? The max I rev it to is about 4000 and that sounds like it's revin it's tits off. It's basically standard apart from the 32/36 and a bit of Headwork and exhaust. Iv got it dynod at 43hp whrn it was auto, and fully standard exhaust, so I took it for a drive and in 2nd gear took it out to 5000rpm, it got there... Slowly. But it was pretty scary, I don't think I'll take it to 6000 haha. Anyways what does yuur 1.6s rev to? Would love to know.

Brandon.

Mine does 6,500 easy and 7,000 if I am stoopid with it

:o what kind of work is done to it?

Quite a bit. head, cam, carbs, balanced, lightened blah blah blah. Its a grumpy little thing under 3,000 but I prefer it at 6,000
Cost me many thousand's of dollars too.

Very nice. How much power are you making? And what carbys?

If it sounds like it is reving its ass off at 4000 rpm then maybe it is, it could be as simple as your tacho is reading incorrect.
Maybe check that before trying to go to 6000, you could end up with dimples in the bonnet and a puddle of oil underneath which is not pretty.

i had my old 1.6 out to 7000 - 7500 out on the track, had a mild cam, std bottom end, 4-1 extractors, single 40mm side draught and it put out around 65rwhp. but.... my old engine was a bit of a freak

I'd love 65hp out of my 1.6 haha, but hopefully I'll just be going a 2ltre. How can I check that my tacho is correct? Apart from putting it on a Dyno. It idles just about 1000 on my tacho and it sounds like it, but I'm guessing that can vary from rpm ranges?

iirc, in 4th sitting on 100kph, the tach should read pretty close to the diff ratio.

Brandon
 
A stock 1600 should easily rev past 5000 in a snap and a well sorted near standard one with a sinble downdraft weber will easily go past 7000 rpm.
 
I assume you have a downdraft weber and manifold fitted off a ghia, if not get one ($150 all up off ebay is the going rate), basically these are a very similar set up to a 1600 GT Cortina.
 
Without making major odds to the motor there are a couple of things you can do:
 
1: Check the carb is actually getting full throttle when your foot is flat to the floor. Not as silly as it sounds, bent linkages, stretched cables etc, pretty easy to lose the last bit of throttle movement.
 
2: Have a good look at your timing, no engine is going to be revvy if the static timing is still set around 4 to 6 degrees. If you slowly advance the dissy you will hear the idle come up, try say 12 degrees initially, have agood look at the bottom pulley and the manual, make sure you are timming off the correct marks.
 
You will be surprised in the difference in how snappy the motor will be off idle and through the revs just by doing this. Just make sure it doesn't ping when you get the revs up.
 
If you want a better explanation of basic timing, caruburation etc get the David Hamill book on Pinto's. (About $35 from Pitstop Books in WA, you will have it next day if you order over the phone). I know you are talking about a 1600 here but the principals are the same and that book has a LOT of good info about basis of sorting out a Pinto which by the sound of it you are heading towards.
 
Cheers
 
Shaun B