sierra gearbox

[shortyrules]

hey just bought another esky after a few years without one. decided id do a bit of work on this one and do it right so i got a few questions.
first, its a MK2 1600, dead stock
ive heard that the easiest gearbox 2 put in is a ford sierra 5 speed which would be nice. any ideas where 2 get one from. im in victoria. or any other box suggestions
ive got a weber and manifold off a 2L but the 1600s dont have the fuel return system. any ideas on getting this 2 work?
apart from that im not really going to do 2 much. gotta keep it cheap and everything else i wanna do is cosmetic
any other helpful ideas would b really appreciated!
thanx

[Timmeh]

Congratulations on stepping back into another Escort, they are addictive cars.

The Sierra 5 speed conversion is a simple straight forward modification, but it is popular and therefore it means the boxes are in short supply. Keep hunting the usual places like ebay.com.au, trading-post.com.au, the local papers, etc. Its worth checking this forums For Sale section too, though most of the stuff is typically Falcon gear.

Also in this forum, there is a thread at the top that has links to other Escort websites that have stuff for sale.

As for your manifold, I haven't had a 1600 before, though other forum users have, so I wouldn't be the best person to advise you on it. If I had a look at the car, I'd be able to offer some advice, but from just personal knowledge, I'll let someone else give you an accurate answer!

Tim

[shortyrules]

coool thanx mate! il keep my eye out then

[The MaDDeSTMaN]

Sorry mate, but I think you'll find that if you want to use the webber carby from a 2L escort, you'll have to get a different intake manifold, because the 1600 "kent" engine and the 2L "pinto" engines are VERY different engines. It's not impossible, however you'll have to get your hands on the intake manifold from a kent engine that ran the same (or similar) carby, such as the early 1600 Mk IIs (manufactured from October 1975 to July 1976), Mk I 1300GT, Mk I Mexico, and some others.

Whereabouts in Victoria are you, if you're not too far from me I'd be more then happy to come over and help you if you'd like some help from someone who has worked on the kent engines before.

[shortyrules]

yeh thats cool i got the manifold aswell. i just gotta figure out how 2 put it all 2getha. ive been told u can run a hose back 2 the tank and put a T piece in the filler hose for the fuel return system.
im in shepparton
where r u?
thanx 4 the offer 2 mate!

[The MaDDeSTMaN]

Originally Posted by shortyrules

yeh thats cool i got the manifold aswell. i just gotta figure out how 2 put it all 2getha. ive been told u can run a hose back 2 the tank and put a T piece in the filler hose for the fuel return system.
im in shepparton
where r u?
thanx 4 the offer 2 mate!

The manifold you've got, is it from a 2 litre or from another 1300/1600, because the manifolds are different and I don't know if you'll be able to bolt up a 2 litre intake to a 1600...

I'm pretty sure my 1600 has the fuel return system, I'll have a look at how it is setup and get back to you.

Oh, Shepparton, hmm, bit of a drive for me from Melbourne then... :(

No problem, only too happy to help anyone if I can with an Escort - I love those little cars, that's why I've started work on my own site devoted to them...

[shortyrules]

its off a 1600. so the manifolds all good. prob try it on the weekend. gotta do a clutch cable or sumthn 2 coz had a nice snap and loss of clutch on the way home. gotta luv the nice easy shiftn box!! made it home no probs. and starter is a bit stuffed 2. just like my last one
ah well a good weekend of work!
let me know how yours is set up 2
thanx

i put one of these sierra 5 speed gear boxs into a ford transit van when they told me a new auto was 5 k and they paid 350 for the old auto i paid 490 for a sierra box and short shifta in melb from a gear box rebuilder agent but im sorry i forget who and cant find the reciept,maybe ring a few of the gearbox rebuilders ,they could tell you who imports the transit van parts ,or contact the ford transit repair agents ,they import the sierra boxs to fit into them into the ford transit vans ..maybe a transit box will fit ? .with the carby return line beware what tube you fit the return line too.i fitted a webber and 1600 manifold to a 77 MK2 escort but the return line has a rubber hose where it joins the tank.mine was perished and i lost lots of fuel but before that happened i had connected the wrong hose and filled the carbon canister with fuel and drove for miles before the smell of leaking fuel alerted me.you can imagine my fear parked in the servo next to a huge lpg bottle with raw fuel pouring onto the extractors engine still running ,carbon canister full .the servo people seemed most unconcerned until after they realised what had happened.
the sierra 5 speed bolts strait up to the 2 litre and 1600 kent engines but beware it is the same pattern as a 2 litre cortina gear box .the gear stick sits back futher than a escort so you have to relocate the handbrake lever or modify the gear stick and from memory some siera boxs were longer than a escort box so please make sure to measure the sierra or 1988 on transit box when you find one .also if you want to fit the sierra box to a 1300 or 1600 kent engine you need to remove the 10 mm spacer from under the clutch fork piviot point if it came complete . .good luck