Cologne or Essex?!?

[Red Merlin]

Evenin' All,

Having recently realised a 20 year desire to own an 'S', I put my newly acquired S2 into a well recommended garage (with a good pedigree of TVR experience/knowledge) for a 'once over check', which resulted in the O/S exhaust gaskets needing to be replaced.

When I went to collect the car, I was asked if I knew whether the engine had been modified as there seemed to be some items consistent with a Cologne engine and some of an Essex. I know it's not uncommon for TVR to have mixed and matched in certain areas (my S2 has an S3 bonnet - apparently a 'special edition/customer request on purchase!?!); But my question is, if I have the engine number, is there an 'register' I could refer to that will give me a definitive answer as to the engine type? On the original handbook all the details have been filled in and the engine size is 2.9?!?

Grateful of any advice anyone can provide.

Cheers

Rob

[V8 GRF]

If it's a Cologne engine this page may be of help:

http://myplace.frontier.com/~capriclubchicago/Colo...

Either way if the numbers don't match then you know it's an Essex I guess?

[mk1fan]

Should be obvious if it's a Cologne or an Essex by simply looking at it.

Better still, post a picture of your engine.

[jim3000s]

Ford stopped using the Essex in '81, so unless it's been retro fitted .....
Hope this helps, Jim

[greymrj]

There are substantial differences between the Cologne and the earlier Essex, cannot imagine any mix and match! Putting an Essex into an S would be a very odd and retrograde thing to do.
Think we need to get the date of the car and the engine number and sort if from there.

If yours is a 2.9 then you should be looking at a 2.9 EFi Cologne engine, a common big Ford lump for many years.

[magpies]

shouldn't be anything transferable between the 2. Couldn't the garage be more specific and say which parts they think are the old Essex 3ltr

[greymrj]

Good starting point would be to check the engine number on the block with the registration document. If they are the same then it is the original 2.9Efi Cologne. If not then you will find on Google a listing of Ford engine numbers (dont get confused by an American site!).
Let us know what you find out.

[Red Merlin]

Wow, what a response - Thanks all.;)

I'll do all the necessary cross-checks as suggested.

I'm pretty sure its the 2.9 EFi but I'm no expert - the point the garage made was regarding the number of exhaust ports each side of the engine - mine has 3 either side, which I though would have been correct for a late S2 (Registered in Jun 90)??

I'll keep digging.

Thanks for all the info.

Cheers

Rob

Edited by Red Merlin on Tuesday 12th May 22:42

[phillpot]

Earlier 2.8 Cologne had just two ports per head but later 2.9 EFI engine had three.


Hundred + differences between Cologne and Essex, one easy one is the distributor.. at the front on an Essex and at the back on a Cologne.


Sounds like your garage are not "in to" Old Fords ( or older TVR's )!

[greymrj]

If, as you say, the garage has TVR experience, I wonder why on earth they made any connection with Essex engines? Can you ask them to be more specific? Either they were confused (and they shouldn't bave been!) or they did spot something genuine which we have yet to identify.

[oakdale]

2.8 two exhaust port and 2.9 three, why they would think it's an Essex I've no idea.

[v8s4me]

Red Merlin said:

.....as there seemed to be some items consistent with a Cologne engine and some of an Essex. ..

There is one, they were both made by Ford

phillpot said:

...Sounds like your garage are not "in to" Old Fords ( or older TVR's )!

[mk1fan]

Post a picture of your engine.