1900cc Escort Mexico Crossflow Engine Build!

[@kevinharker1840]

My x flow ran a 244 kent cam, standard pistons, rod, crank,all lightened and balanced, using new weber45s, it developed 110@ wheels, but was a lovely torquey motor, woud rev to 8000rpm if needed, Motorscope at Northallerton built it in 91 for the BTRDA clubmans forest championship, the engine was totally reliable al season, we won our class outright that year against some very powerful x flows, some had 140+ @ wheels.... torque wins rallies!! great videos Graham, im considering having another x flow built if you fancy the job.

[@trevdean540]

Intresting build.Looking forward to watching more.And i thought a 1760 x-flow in a mk2 Escort Harrier was the daddy back in the day. Lol.

[@billywhizz98]

Great video looking forward to seeing this being done

[@noskills9577]

Love a crossflow - look forward to the build

[@paulhughes8724]

Thanks Graham just what the doctor ordered 👍

[@garrywitcomb2334]

Great engines, so much scope,.can get some serious power with the right bits. Love it 👍👍 Steel Rods is the way in my opinion.

[@meXicossie]

I personally would go for the 254 had a 244 which was sweet but the 254 pulls way harder

[@PenguinMotors]

Cam is clients choice, but you have to bare in mind he wants MORE low speed torque than he currently has so going to a 254 isn’t a great idea as it will loose the low down gains from the capacity increase

[@buyingclassiccars5496]

where did you client get the Chinese stroker crank from? links? Thanks

[@davidray6271]

With a flat head and a flat top piston this will give you no squish area. When I have done this before (admittedly not on a Crossflow Ford), I have found great instability at part throttle conditions. This was found to be a result of unpredictable mixture strength at the spark plug when ignition occurs. The only solution was to use a multi-spark ignition system (made by MSD). Have you experienced this before and, if so, what was your solution?

[@PenguinMotors]

I haven’t decided what way we will go yet, but flat flat used to work in the 1980 with nothing other than a Lucus distributor so I don’t see why it won’t today. X/flow has poor squish however you build it

[@T90isback]

Hi Graham, does actually lighten the crankshaft on this sharpening style for the 'counterwheights', increase the real horsepower? Or it's just a matter of modifying how it feels when driving it? I'm just curious to know what a pro machinist really think about that

[@PenguinMotors]

theoretically you might see a small horsepower gain due to less drag from the crank cutting its way through the mass of oil flying around in the crankcase, but you probably need to be way above 8,000 rpm to make any real difference

[@T90isback]

@@PenguinMotors that makes sense, thanks for the answer!

[@terryjacob8169]

You'll probably get equal results by fitting a 'crank scraper', between the sump and the block, that partially removes the mass of oil travelling around the crankcase attached to the rod big-end/crank journals.

[@purejdmpassion]

Good morning ... Loving the content 👍👍 I have a technical question on the regards of cam selection on a 1600 xflow ... 254 - 260 - 262 - 264 ... On a street motor I have a 254 with a 4.7 diff on 40's - stock ratios and its not too bad but it would benefit on a transmission gearset. Jumping to the question ... Building a hillclimb engine ... Would love to know your thought on cam selection ... Shall I use also a 254 cam with a gear set and maybe a 5.3 or 5.7 final drive depending on road or track use and some guidance between 260 - 262 and 264 ... Is a 260 grind something to consider in my application ? Or shall I go 262 ? Your help is appreciated . Thank you

[@PenguinMotors]

what vehicle is it in? theres a big weight difference between a caterham and an escort and that will have a bearing on it. from what i recall most people that tried both a 254 and 264 in a hillclimb engine went back to the 254. All the cams you mention work well on a race circuit, but on a hillclimber i would of thought you want the one that give best torque spread which is probably the 254. but i have to say i have not tried these cams myself

[@purejdmpassion]

@@PenguinMotors Thank you for your reply ... Car is a historic escort ... I believe that torque is the factor. Had a 244 was ok on ratios but with a 254 I believe a gear set is needed so I have to agree any wilder cam would make it even worse ... Would there be any cam that might be considered instead of 254 in this application ? Similar to a 254 ..

[@PenguinMotors]

@@purejdmpassion you would need to talk to someone with more experience of those types of x/f cams than myself as i would only be guessing, but the only real way to get more torque is make the engine bigger

[@purejdmpassion]

@@PenguinMotors Thank you for help

[@extremeways2930]

Hi. More of a Pinto man. AX block? 711M was the block of choice, or so I though. What is the difference? Just out of interest. :)

[@PenguinMotors]

its heavy duty block, in short an AX block is the equivalent of having a 200 block for your pinto

[@extremeways2930]

@@PenguinMotors thank you. Could these blocks be sourced from run of the mill vehicles of the time like the 205 block from later Sierra’s?

[@PenguinMotors]

@@extremeways2930 not in the uk, but i believe they were very common in South Africa. Caterham Cars bought a load of AX blocks from Ford so now days that probably the most common source someone upgrading an X/flow caterham 7 to a 16v engine

[@extremeways2930]

@@PenguinMotors thank you. 👍

[@fraud3647]

@@PenguinMotors I just check my storage and one 711m 6015 ba block is still home, so i can began build new engine. We machining hd dry liners for big bore this block,

[@lawrencesargant1669]

I used 13gt pistons works great with 234 cam

[@PenguinMotors]

yes it works well

[@juliomorales4330]

Buenas , por que no usas otro tipo de piston , son muy pesados esos ,de algún auto más nuevo

[@themechanicdrredewaan5916]

Can we get the contact where to buy that crank?

[@PenguinMotors]

it was a maxispeeding crank, but i dont know if the make them anymore. ike engineering does cranks www.ikengineering.co.uk/shop-c1cfx

[@fraud3647]

When i build high-performance crossflow big bore block always it need sleeved, original bore wall is weak and bore not stay perfect round and rings flow pressure down crankcase, race tuned x-flow can do up to 220bhp.

[@PenguinMotors]

Bore size was discussed at length with the client who opted to go with current setup. It’s a road car so not going to have its neck wrung. 220bhp x/flow that’s a new one, never seen any evidence that anyone has ever built one making an honest 200!

[@fraud3647]

@@PenguinMotors X-flow have potential go highly tuned over 200bhp. 1000cc anglia pre-crosflow was done 120bhp. Broadspeed race car 1300cc over 145bhp. Holbay and Zakspeed well know engines hit over 200bhp.

[@PenguinMotors]

@@fraud3647 squeezing 120bhp out of a 1 litre engine isnt the the same as trying to get over 100/per per litre out of a bigger engine, essentially the head can only support so much power. on small engines you can get a very high specific power by revving it really hard, but the same head will not allow a bigger capacity to rev so hard. i challenge you to show my ANY proof a naturally aspirated X/flow has ever made 220 bhp

[@fraud3647]

@@PenguinMotors Germany race engineering was done Zakspeed crossflow race circuit engine they are done 212bhp. They working with Boreham UK company create racing engines group 2 and 5 cars.

[@PenguinMotors]

i know who zakspeed are, but ive still yet to see any dyno proof of any naturally aspirated x/flow making over 200bhp, let alone the 220bhp!

[@EJProMods]

looks like crankshaft is not balanced?

[@PenguinMotors]

it is ive seen drillings in it

[@leejameshunter8992]

I wouldn't bother using a flat piston and flat head, no usable squish available & a tonne of advance required. You get better easier power using the correct forged pistons.

[@PenguinMotors]

Yes I’m aware that will need a lot of advance

[@RobertTaylor-om4cc]

How much better is the Ali cylinder heads you can get for the xflow.