Swedish Rocket

[BobN]

Hi Filip

I think you want the car to self centre when steering left or right? If yes then I have seen in other forums that people put springs in the steering track to make this happen. I have not done this as I don't need it.

Bob

[casesensitive]

Sept 4, 2015 11:19:12 GMT filled said:

Okey, thanks!

Is it hard to make the car re-steer? (translation?) When I turn and let go of the steering wheel the car would go back right?

I think what you're referring to is auto-centring steering. Some people have inserted land rover valve springs in their quick-rack conversions to aid centring. I'm hoping the suspension geometry will take care of that itself.

[casesensitive]

Sept 4, 2015 11:59:04 GMT filled said:

My wishbones are the same width between attachment points, but various length. I don´t know which ones to be where.

From build guide, longer bit goes to the rear, I think I used @bobn's build guide to get my bearings, as he has the same bits as me for the most part.
mevowners.proboards.com/post/23109/thread

[filled]

Yes. It is self center steering i meen. What is steering track?

[filled]

I have the longer bit rear now! :-)

[mawdo81]

Sept 25, 2015 18:23:26 GMT filled said:

Yes. It is self center steering i meen. What is steering track?

Think he meant steering rack! It's aFord Sierra rack.

[filled]

Hi Again!
I still have problem with the self center steering! I have the aluminium up-rights from rally design and 17" wheel and 205/40 tire.
I have the caster angle so much i can at the moment.

People in Sweden have told me that up-rights whit cortina gem. is bad. But it I have seen some of you have them to?

[Stiggy]

Adding valve springs only helps self centre near full lock. Steering needs to self centre at speed from near the centre position when the car is traveling in a straight line. Otherwise it feels twitchy.
Set zero toe and zero camber then 9ish deg castor and ensure the rack is not slightly stiff, bearing for support of column can be slightly stiff, ball joints can be slightly stiff, track rod ends can be slightly stiff. Experts often have varying opinions of Cortina geometry, they are often all correct in their own minds
I can't imagine Ford got it too far wrong though.

[filled]

Thank you Sir, I will check and fix.

[filled]

Hallo
In November was my car approved for Swedish roads!
I think it is the first in Sweden.

Now I can start to make adjustments for it to get better.

I have noticed among other things that it is difficult to change gear. Have you had it? particularly the first, third and fifth gear.

[Stiggy]

Congratulations!
Gear change on Rocket is normally very good, push pull cables and the gear lever are usually trouble free. Maybe you could show pictures of your set up, then we can comment as to if it is likely to be a gearbox problem or not. It could be cable routing that is causing stiffness.

[filled]

Pictures will come later!

another question.
I currently have 1.8 L engine with IB5 gearbox.
I'm thinking of an engine from ST170.
I can use my gearbox that I already have?

fit the engine mounts that are in the frame?

[mawdo81]

Yes but you'll need to keep the fly wheel you already have and swap that over to the new lump. Also the st170 doesn't have a tank return so you'll either have to replace with the right pump or convert/switch the fuel rail. There are others daydreamer who have done this swap on here already.

[daydreamer]

Hi Filled,

Congratulations on getting the car road registered.

Re Gear Change.
Difficulty getting 1,3 and 5th suggests that the fore/aft cable needs adjusting. This is quite easy, this link explains.

adjust gear cable - ib5

If you adjust to far then you will have difficulty getting 2,3 and reverse.


RE using ST170 engine.
This is quite possible, I have done it.  But there is more to do than most expect.

I am assuming that you have standard 1.8 with Ford ECU, ford exhaust manifold , standard exhaust downpipe with catalytic converter.

You will need the 1.8 flywheel from the 1.8 engine.  You can use the standard 1.8 clutch on that flywheel but I recommend that you get an uprated clutch and pressure plate.  The standard 1.8 clutch gives up if you push the 1.8 hard, with an ST170 it will give up and slip more often.

The ST170 has a different engine mount, very similar but it mounts about 1cm away from the standard 1.8 mount point.  you can just drill a new hole or use the existing mount hole, not such a big deal,  you can't use the 1.8 engine mount with the ST170 engine.

The exhaust will need to be made from scratch or an aftermarket 170 exhaust bought , cut and re-welded. The ST170 exhaust in standard or aftermarket form does not fit in the Sonic engine bay.  With some cutting and welding you can probably reuse your existing exhaust back box.

You will need the ST170 ecu or an aftermarket ecu,  you will need the st170 fuel pump, fuel pump controller or an aftermarket solution.

If you are using the ST170 clocks or the 1.8 clocks  and the ford ecu, you will need a signal adjuster as the ib5 speed signal for the ecu is different to the Getrag speed signal.  I am still trying to get this to work properly,  but I am waiting for warmer weather to return first.  If you have an aftermarket ecu and aftermarket clocks then it will be much simpler.

The ST170 engine and st170 parts will be about 1/3 the total cost, adjusting the exhaust will probably cost as much again , adding an uprated clutch the same again. 

This is a very brief summary, if you want to do it then I can try to explain in more detail.

[filled]

Thank you! I have an ECU from. Megasquirt and an orginial 1.8 l engine.

I've gott an e-mail sugesting me to post pictuers. I'll do that in the morning.

The build is now on locostsweden.se (SWE). Forum >> mina bilar (my cars) >> MEV Rocket