The Ford Lotus Twin cam, the legendary higher efficiency motor of the sixties era. The Mk1 Twin Cam was introduced as a examination mattress engine in the Mk1 Cortina in 1963 & adopted by the Mk II which driven the
Mk II Lotus Cortina – the very same engine that was also fitted to the 1968 Escort Twin Cam.
The lotus Cortina & the Twin Cam Escort have been fast winners the two on the monitor and in many, a lot of rallies held through the earth. It is typically stated that the sixties had been the golden yrs of motor sport, and the company of lotus and their highly aggressive cars and trucks were being held in superior esteem. But the Lotus elan which was publicly introduced at the1962 Earls Courtroom motor clearly show was the sports activities car or truck that established the motoring environment alight, the elan recognized a reputation for swift place to point motoring, as very well racking up accomplishment soon after achievements on race circuits close to the planet. Lotus was fast to create on those people success with the release of the lotus elan 26R, the racing variation, which was dependent on the elan S2 product, only about 1 hundred 26Rs elans were made by the factory.
The operate of the mill four cylinder ford solid iron motor block presented the base on which the twin cam motor was crafted, the cylinder head was a Harry Mundy designed twin cam alloy head, which incorporated chain drive to the twin about head cams, which actuated the eight valves. The motor was generally aspirated and fed by ‘twin forty millimetre Weber carburettors, which are characterised by the distinct clucking sound they made when the throttle butterflies are opened.
But despite the significant ability output of this modest 4-cylinder motor there are two Achilles heals of this motor, the very first currently being the standing for water pump failure, which is generally prompted by the motor remaining remaining standing for prolonged intervals sans any coolant in the block, on the to start with crank of the motor the dry seal is ripped for the duration of the very first turn around.
Quite a few elan & escort owners have also upgraded from the authentic dynamo to a modern-day alternator for the electrical process, the significant pressure on the belt essential to run the alternator spots extreme side loads on the water pump which can guide to untimely failure… the typical drinking water pump substitution involves that the alloy twin cam cylinder head be to start with eliminated, this can guide to a pretty costly mechanical maintenance for the non-practical twin cam operator
The best fix for this issue is to install the more recent modular kind h2o pump, creating it much less difficult to take away and replace. The other dilemma with the twin cam lotus engine is the consistent routine of the motor of losing oil force on tight correct hand turns, a lot of house owners decide on to ignore this trouble at their very own peril, lotus twin cam
drivers have been recognised to simply hear for the bearing rattles then’ again off, and hold out for oil tension to return…. if you hear bearing rattle, the motor is only a couple of seconds away from a prospective engine blow up,
From a chilly start, bearing rattle can be tolerated in an motor simply because it only lasts for a single or two seconds whilst the engine is at idle., but it is an solely unique story when the engine is revving at 4 to 7 thousand revs per minute where even a short oil starvation interval can have a devastating impact on the motor bearings, bearing failure is not an if, but a make a difference of when the motor bearings seize on the crankshaft.
But You’ll Be Happy to know there is A Deal with – But there are actually only two solutions
1: If you are into circuit racing, then dry sump lubrication is a supplied, it can be high priced and time consuming to set up and to get it ideal, but most racers swear by dry sump lubrication.
2: Set up A Gated Wet Sump Oil Manage process.
It sounds technological but it is not, the gated sump system consists of creating and building a exclusive equipment which is mounted in the typical twin cam sump or oil pan, it is not high priced to create or difficult to fabricate, it is not complicated, and most residence mechanics would be able of creating the baffle if they enjoy fabricating with sheet metal, and they also understand how to do a little amount of money of brazing.
No a person but you will ever know that there is a particular anti surge oil manage technique mounted in the sump of your twin cam lotus engine. But the variance is that with the gated baffle put in, you will be able consider any offered corner at superior pace in your Ford escort, Lotus Cortina or lotus elan and not have the slightest worry about oil surge, the oil gauge will convey to you that the accurate oil pressure is getting shipped to your famous twin cam lotus engine, it is about piece of intellect and self confidence with high overall performance motoring. Make it when, establish it proper, and you’ll have no troubles.
