My RWD Escort RS Cosworth nick named "The Widow Maker"

[mboon]

Hi Matt,

Front indicators are a no go now sadly. The prices are OTT. Think a new set went for around £500 on eBay a couple weeks ago. The RS500 grills help keep cold air around the engine. I was planning on getting some New style Comp mo's in dark grey to give it a bit more of a mean moody look which will compliment the dark front end on the old girl. Just got back from cleaning her

[mboon]

Managed to clean the car, only a very quick wipe over, sun was shining nice so took a couple snaps of the paintwork. Not bad for an old car.



























And this is the reason she is not on the road at the moment! Only noticed this because I put it up on axel stands to check for leaks etc. Could only see when right under the car due to how low she was etc. Could not see it unless under her or the wheel off!



This is the tread, as you can see, has plenty of life in them







This is the inside!







Both sides are the same. As you can see, not good!



So guys, please check the inside walls on your tyres!

[TheLordJohn]

Where abouts are you?

[mboon]

I am in Yeovil Somerset....?

[TheLordJohn]

mboon said:

I am in Yeovil Somerset....?

I run an online tyre supply business y'see, and within the NW, I'm dirt cheap
Just thought it was worth checking.

[mboon]

North West?

How cheap is cheap bud? Looking for a set of Pirelli P Zero Rosso in 225/40/ZR18 x 2 or Toyo Proxy T1 Sports?

[TheLordJohn]

I couldn't get a price for the Toyo until the morning, unfortunately, but I can get the Pirelli for £111 delivered and I've got availability for Yoko AC01 C Drive, Continental Sport Contact 5 and Bridgestone RE050A.
Have you considered Uniroyal RainSports 2's?

[mboon]

Hi John,

I can get the P Zero Rosso for £115 fitted and balanced per corner...?

[mboon]

She is now taxed. I honestly thought I would be over the moon but after taxing mine and the Mrs car in one month has really pissed me off with the prices we pay!!!

Anyway, car is with me today and going to get some new tyres on her tonight and hopefully get the camber sorted out. Parked next to my little XR2 I have my eye on

Had a bit of grey smoke coming from the back of her when I first put her under some boost but cleared and drove really nice (for a old car)

All cleaned and ready to go. Might take her for a blast down to the coast tonight

[TheLordJohn]

mboon said:

Hi John,

I can get the P Zero Rosso for £115 fitted and balanced per corner...?

Go for that! Lol. I can't match that on those Pirellis, unfortunately for me.

[mboon]

OK mate, thanks for trying though

[mboon]

Today I went to try get some love back for the car. I have spent around £1200 in two months on her and starting to question ownership.

So off I set, left home around 7.30am this morning and headed to Cheddar Gorge. Some nice driving roads if it stayed dry... sadly it didnt. So just pootled along. I took the camera for some snaps in the Gorge. See below


IMG_0150 by Mark Boon, on Flickr


IMG_0151 by Mark Boon, on Flickr


IMG_0148 by Mark Boon, on Flickr


IMG_0147 by Mark Boon, on Flickr


IMG_0145 by Mark Boon, on Flickr


IMG_0144 by Mark Boon, on Flickr


IMG_0143 by Mark Boon, on Flickr


IMG_0142 by Mark Boon, on Flickr


IMG_0140 by Mark Boon, on Flickr


IMG_0139 by Mark Boon, on Flickr


IMG_0137 by Mark Boon, on Flickr


IMG_0136 by Mark Boon, on Flickr


IMG_0133 by Mark Boon, on Flickr


IMG_0128 by Mark Boon, on Flickr


IMG_0127 by Mark Boon, on Flickr


IMG_0119 by Mark Boon, on Flickr


IMG_0115 by Mark Boon, on Flickr


IMG_0113 by Mark Boon, on Flickr


IMG_0112 by Mark Boon, on Flickr


IMG_0111 by Mark Boon, on Flickr

Sorry about all the pics, I like to get a bit creative and the background was spot on.

For anyone that has not been here, its really hard to show in the photos but its stupidly high. Very cool place to go with the cars. They should close it and do a hill climb there, would be amazing

I also took this video of my driving half way down and then backup again. Not driving it hard or anything just giving a good show of what the road is like

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIHxakBes0w

[150bhp]

Love it, looks amazing!

[mboon]

Cheers 150. She cleans up well

[mboon]

What a surprise when opening Rallye News!!!



I knew it was going to be in but never knew it would be a nice big artical like it was Really happy with that!

I showed my parents and they want an extra copy of Rallye News so if anyone knows how to get hold of one, please let me know.

This is the rest of the artical incase you do not get RN





That is two features the car has had in less than 8 months of ownership

[mboon]

UPDATE:

Went around to see Leggy Pete over 1 month ago in the Escort, after looking over some serious V8 power and the two RS's we jumped in the Escort for heading for a McDonalds breakfast, I had egg McMuffin with sausage

After leaving we are greated with a E46 M3 Convertible in front as we come out onto the dual carriage way.

So as you expect, sat at the lights side by side... I am confident the Cossie is going to show him a clean pair of heals... But just as I went, it missed... I kept my foot in it thinking it was just a blip and it shot off eventually... then starting missing ALOT!

So we got it to a garage and check some bits, couldnt find anything... ended up getting it recoverd back home after Leggy Pete changed the plugs in the old girl.

When she was home and after a mechanic had gone over the car they put it down to an ignition issue as it would not start.

Parts I ended up replacing...

Dizzy cap
Phase sensor
rota arm
ignition amp
spark plugs

I went over the plugs and leads etc, cleaned any connectors up and checked everything 4 times. Still nothing

I got pissed off with the car and just turned it over and over... after about 30 seconds it started spluttering into life!!!

Still sounded like crap though and missing badly, but this told us it was overfuelling rather than an ignition issue...

So the main suspect was the 3 bar map sensor... I ended up getting Magneti Marelli parts for everything as they are apparently the best items to go for. For anyone looking for a genuine 3 bar map sensor, be quick! Only a small handful of these left!

So again, got it, plugged it in.. tested... still the same! Gutted!

Last thing to try was the coolant temp sensor in the head which tells the ECU whats going on... Decided I would check its location today and see how easy it would be to get too, after struggling to find it I stuck my hand down in the back right hand side of the engine and left around, I could feel a cable with a connector on the end which felt like it was not on... so managed to get it lined up and pushed back on... I am now starting to tot up how much I have spent on sensors!

Jump in the old girl after checking everything again and fired her up, took a few seconds but she fired and spluttered a bit, blew a bit of smoke and ticked over fine!! Reved fine. I let her warm up and give it some revs, all fine.. Took it a couple hundred yards down the road and got the boost to come in and it was fine again, blowing a bit of grey smoke but to be expected with the amount of fuel it has thrown through the system.

Let her warm up and took the ISCV off and the tickover is a little lumpy but I can sort that I am sure... Any ideas on things to try for this btw?

So M537 BSW.... I WIN!!! until next time!! I am also going to find that M3 and wipe the smile off his face!

The MOT ran out as well, so will book that in next week and get that sorted.. fingers crossed it goes through OK..

Also had to redo the insurance.. Went with Need2insure again as the renewal price was spot on and insured all my mods etc. I am putting greys in her and getting the car live mapped for them and all insured ready for this.

If I am honest, when the car played up and was recovered.. I really was not bothered about getting it fixed... It felt like a load of my mind knowning that it being sat on the drive and not being used, it was not going to break... which is pretty bad!

A month on and I was starting to get bored of it sat there doing nothing, lined up a garage for the winter months so she will be going in that from now on and only used at weekends if I find the time. I have fallen on my feet with the garage, my best mate is renting a coach house with a nice big garage under it.. has electric and a 24 hour security gaurd upstairs!

If anyone has ideas on storing the car for the winter please pass them on.. I will pickup a trickle charger and the car will be road worthy all year round so if I want to, I will drive it.

Thanks

Mark

PS no photos, car looks like crap.. Big clean next weekend I think depending on this MOT haha

[mboon]

A quick photo of her passing her test!!!!



Good girl... Had a look under the old girl and I was very surprised how good it was. MOT guy said he could not seen any rust My biggest worry.

A few electrical gremlins I need to sort but apart from that everything was good.

[mboon]

Well this now comes to an end. The car has just been collected and is heading back to Essex.

Thanks for reading guys. I will no doubt start another for the next car I buy

[TheLordJohn]

I was expecting that update after reading your Subaru thread.

Hope you've enjoyed ownership

[gaz1234]

you sold it already?