BUYING GUIDE - Fast Ford

BUYING GUIDE
ESCORT S2
RS TURBO
Words: Blakey
Building on the success of the Mk3 Mk 3 RS Turbo, the
blown Rallye Sport made a welcome return in
the Mk4 Mk Mk4 4 Escort range.
U
nlike its predecessor, the dampers remained unaltered.
‘Series 2’ RS Turbo had The handling was less responsive
no motorsport agenda than the S1, but there was an
and so was aimed squarely at,
upside with the front end now
and developed for, the hot hatch
less likely to lift when the throttle
buyer. Consequently, the
was buried.
new-generation RS was
The S2’s braking was
arguably softened
FAST sharper though. Via
to be more driver-
FACT vented front discs
friendly and the race-
The launch price of the based on those of
‘basic’ S2 was £10,028,
bred DNA of the S1
which rose to a wallet- the Sierra XR4i and
fell by the wayside
with the deletion of
items like the 4.27:1
busting £13,985 by
the time it was
pensioned
off.
slightly larger rear
drums, the S2 built
massively on the awful
fi nal drive and the front
stopping ability of the
tie-bar arrangement.
S1 RS Turbo. The controversial
Thankfully, the 1596cc
Girling-produced anti-lock
turbocharged motor did remain.
braking system was
However, while it looked much
the same, the CVH received a
also standard.
number of modifi cations, most
MORE CHOICE
notably the Bosch Motorola
Depending if you
management being reworked
had a penchant for
with part-throttle calibrations
Diamond White,
to enhance fuel economy and
colour choice
optimise ignition advance. Other
was improved
changes included a one-piece
over the
inlet manifold, water-cooled
S1 too. S2
bearing for the Garrett turbo,
customers
upgraded intercooler and
were able
re-porting of the cylinder head.
to specify
its subtly
REFINED DRIVE
enhanced
The B5 transmission reappeared
exterior,
but with a higher fi nal drive
that boasted
that made motorway speeds
bonnet vents,
less tiresome. The limited slip
a colour-coded
differential was re-engineered
XR3i rear spoiler
too, losing its snatchy action
and modest arch
by way of tightening the
extensions, in a
manufacturing tolerances
choice of four colours;
and drilling a few holes in the
Mercury Grey, Diamond
viscous coupling plates.
White, Black and Radiant Red.
Revising the diff made the
Inside, there were the
S2 feel less twitchy than its
obligatory Recaros but precious
predecessor and it was further
little else to distance the RS from
refi ned with the fi tment of
its cooking counterparts. Even
XR3i-based suspension. The
the steering wheel was pinched
set-up came with uprated springs
from the 1300 and if you wanted
but the ‘3i’s Fichtel & Sachs
luxuries like a sunroof, central
0160 SUMMER 2008 FAST FORD
locking and electric windows
then you had to splash £572 on
the Custom pack.
While you didn’t get many
creature comforts for your outlay,
you couldn’t argue with the
S2’s performance per pound.
It’s much the same today and
although it might not have the
looks or class of its elder RS
brother, it is certainly better value
and virtually just as fast.
IDENTITY
ID numbers can be found on
the slam panel panel and under a
fl ap of carpet carpet sandwiched
between between the driver’s seat and and
sill. What you want to see, see,
both clearly and perfectly perfectly
aligned, aligned, is the series of of letters
WFOBXXGCABKJ followed by
the chassis number listed on
the V5.
Considering a 90-spec RST?
Make sure you’re getting the
genuine article by looking
for the improved spec. Detail
changes were actually quite a
few, but but signifi signifi cant and easy
to identify ones include the
standard fi tment of a glass
sunroof, sunroof, electric windows
and mirrors, heated front
windscreen, windscreen, tinted glass, glass,
revised revised bumpers with the
front one one no longer longer having
a rubber rubber strip, rear rear spoiler spoiler
with curved over ends, ends, ‘Zolda’
trim with blue and red fl ecks,
intermittent intermittent wiper speed
control, control, extended two-part
centre centre console and second second
courtesy light in the rear rear of
the headlining.
BRAKES
It’s almost mandatory for any affect the effi ciency of the
‘80s fast Ford to suffer from rear drums eg the shoes and
warped discs and and the S2 is no wheel cylinders. The cylinders
exception. Despite their
fail sooner or later
adequate 260mm size, size,
and a telltale that
it’s easy to bend the FAST they’re leaking is
factory discs with a
excessive travel of
FACT
bit of of hard use.
SVE’s suspension
the handbrake.
Chronic judder
revisions actually meant
Don’t forget to
through the steering steering the S2 sat 10mm
check the operation
wheel when you hit
the pedal at at speed is
a clear sign that the
higher than the S1.
And that was a
good thing?
of the ABS too. It’s
not the greatest and
will feel harsh as it
discs are warped, but it’s
kicks back through the
not the end of the world
pedal, but a sickly system
as replacements are cheap. is costly to repair, not to mention
Braking components are likely to an MoT fail.
TECH SPEC
ENGINE
Type: CVH
Capacity: 1596cc
Bore/stroke: 79.96x79.52mm
Compression ratio: 8.2:1
Max power:
132bhp @ 5750rpm
Max torque:
134Ib/ft @ 2750rpm
Cylinders:
four, in-line
Cylinder head:
alloy
Installation:
front-mounted,
transverse
Block:
cast iron
Valve gear:
two valves per
cylinder, operated by belt-driven
overhead camshaft
Fuel and ignition:
Garrett
T3 turbocharger with
intercooler, Bosch KE-Jetronic
fuel injection
TRANSMISSION
Type: fwd
Gearbox:
fi ve-speed B5 Ford
manual with 218 mm clutch and
viscous-coupled LSD
Internal ratios:
1st, 3.15:1; 2nd,
1.91:1; 3rd, 1.27:1; 4th, 0.95:1;
5th, 0.76:1;
Final drive:
3.82:1
SUSPENSION
Front:
MacPherson struts, coil
springs, 24mm anti-roll bar
Rear: torsion beam rear axle,
trailing arms, arms, coil springs,
telescopic dampers, 16mm
anti-roll bar
STEERING
Type: rack-and-pinion
BRAKES
System: vacuum servo-assisted
dual circuit hydraulic with
mechanical anti-lock system
Front: 260mm ventilated discs
Rear: 229mm drums
WHEELS & TYRES
Wheels: six-spoke 6x15in alloys
Tyres:
195/50 VR15 Dunlops or
Goodyears
BODY
Type: pressed steel monocoque
three-door hatchback with
Ford RS bodykit incorporating
deep front bumper, bonnet
louvres and rear tailgate spoiler
PERFORMANCE
Max speed: 128mph
0-60mph: 8.2seconds
CLUBS
The Ford Escort Owners’ Club
www.feoc-uk.com
The Ford RS Owners’ Club
www.rsownersclub.co.uk
FAST FORD SUMMER 2008 0161

BUYING GUIDE
ENGINE
It sounds like a bag of nails
but the turbo’d CVH is tough.
Regular oil and cambelt
changes are key to its
survival and basics basics
like the the distributor
distributor
cap, leads and rotor
arm need to be in
good good nick nick if the RS
is to perform as it
should. Misfi ring
often often points to these
ignition ignition components
components
being at fault, while
another cause cause of rough
running is air leaks. leaks.
A lack of boost can stem
from collapsed boost pipes
and a weak actuator and, if
accompanied accompanied by a load of bangs bangs
on the the overrun, a faulty Throttle
Position Position Sensor.
Owners ‘tweaking’ boost and
adding iffy chips is a recipe for
an an engine rebuild sooner rather
than later. Too Too much boost can
blow the head gasket; usually
signalled by a loss of coolant,
white sludge on the fi ller cap
and rise in running temp.
More boost without
the increase in
fuelling will result
in meltdown. Too
much fuel is bad
too, the mass of
petrol washing
the lubricating
oil away from the
bores, then going onto
damage the seals and
contaminate oil in the sump.
Fuelling and boost can be
sorted by a professional tuner
but if there’s a lot of blue smoke
or rumbling from the engine
then it’s a lost cause, the
damage already being
done and the blue tinge
delivering bad news
that oil is being
burnt in the
combustion
chambers.
FAST
FACT
As well as aiding high-
speed cruising, the
switch to a higher
3.82:1 fi nal drive saw
it return 42.8mpg
at 56mph.
TRANSMISSION
B5 ‘box failure is generally
caused by wear and tear and
hard use. The mainshaft is the
biggest weakness so listen
for rumbling at speed. Expect
a bit of play in the change
but if you can’t select gears
without forcing them, the
linkage is shot. Try to beat
the ‘box through the gears to
see if the synchro’s OK. If it’s
tired expect a crunch when
you shift gears, particularly
between second and third.
As a rule, uprated internals
– usually a sleeve that allows
the fi tment of a bigger
bearing – are required at
anything approaching 200bhp.
The factory clutch is on its
limits at 170bhp.
Because a gearbox change
might have occurred, it’s
worth checking checking that any RS
has received the the correct correct B5
with the the all-important all-important slipper.
Jack up the car, hold one of of
the the wheels wheels and get a friend to
spin the other. If If it spins freely
then the wrong ‘box ‘box is fi tted.
Don’t forget that the the myth
of the diesel diesel gearbox being
stronger is exactly that.
ELECTRICS
Make sure everything works
from indicators to the heated
screen on later cars. What
can cause you grief are
the electrics linked to the
mechanical side of things.
Poor running and even
engine failure can be traced
back to duff electrics and the
underbonnet wiring is a big
culprit. It wears over time and
is cooked by the heat build up,
which ruins its effi ciency and
botches the signals that keep
the RS running right. The fan
activation switch also fails, so
let any car idle for a bit and
ensure it kicks in.
Don’t overlook the wiring
that serves the fuel pump
either. It breaks down over
time and the current needed
to keep it performing up to
scratch tails off. If If it’s left
unattended unattended it’s it’s just just a matter matter
of of time before the the blown CVH
runs too lean and expires in
an oily mess. mess. If you do do buy an
RS, get get this wiring wiring checked
over ASAP. ASAP.
Door card trim sags over
time and it’s rare rare to
fi nd a parcel shelf shelf that that
hasn’t been sacrifi ced
to the 6x9 gods, but
the biggest concern is
condition of of the Recaros.
The driver’s driver’s seat side
bolster wears fi rst, the
underlying foam crumbling
and the fabric sagging and
eventually tearing. Replacements
can be found on the Internet for
surprisingly little but repairing
the fabric can prove costly and
time consuming. Replacement
means holding out for good
second-hand seats but demand
for excellent RST Recaros,
particularly 90-spec, is high. high. It’s
usual for a mint, matching matching pair to
command over 200 quid.
Inspect the headlining for any
sagging and staining around the
sunroof, the latter pointing to
the roof’s seals failing. Feel the
carpets too. Any dampness and,
in the majority of cases, you can
bet that the metal underneath is
rotten as the proverbial pear.
IN N THE ADS
1991, custom, T&T one
year, 200bhp, 200bhp, intercooler,
radiator, Cossie brakes, Koni
suspension, full Samcos, half
leather, £11,000 spent last fi ve
years, 16in OZ Super Ts
Tel 07977 499245, Lanarkshire
£4000 ono
H-reg, 1991, 42,000 genuine miles, miles,
all MoTs, original original body, Magnex
exhaust, Stage 1 chip, Pace cooler,
Samco pipes, underbonnet chrome,
three-spoke RS steering wheel,
Bailey header tank and dump valve
Tel Tel 07522 07522 232117, 232117, Sheffi eld eld
£6000 ovno
0162 SUMMER 2008 FAST FORD
FAST FORD SUMMER 2008
0163
INTERIOR
FAST
FACT
Only 497 S2s were
sold in 1991, while the
model’s popularity
peaked in 1989 with
6965 sold.
INSURANCE
Jeff is a 32-year-old supermarket
manager. When the opportunity
arose to swap his slightly ropey S1
RS Turbo for a minty-looking S2, he
jumped at it. His latest RS, a 1990
car, is valued at £4000 and, aside
from a Cat 1 alarm, is standard.
Assisting the upgraded alarm in
lowering Jeff’s annual insurance
premium is his clean licence,
fi ve years’ No Claims Bonus and
the fact that the Escort is always
garaged at his Evesham home
when it’s not covering 6000 miles
a year. Jeff pays £296.70 to
insure his S2 RS Turbo fully
comprehensive. Quote provided
by Performance Direct.
HOW MUCH?
£1000-£2000
Most are only suitable for breaking
or project material. This sum gets
you an MoT’d runner that has a
fi ghting ghting chance chance of another ticket.
They will will need a great deal of work
to bring them fully up to scratch.
£2000-£3000
Tidy Tidy to good cars that should
be straight and presentable.
presentable.
Expect plenty of MoT MoT and some
worthwhile service history too.
£3000-£5000
Very good to excellent examples,
especially anything that’s
approaching £5K. The more
expensive cars cars will will be arrow
straight, straight, original with a low number
of owners and sensible mileages mileages of
at most 70K.
£5000+
The best cars, which will be in
impeccable condition with full
history and low miles. Anything
well well over £5000 needs to be
something special, such as ‘time
warp’ or concours examples.

BODY
Rust adores the Escort shell
and most notably manifests in
the rear chassis rails, bulkhead,
battery tray, sills, fl oor and inner
wings. All these areas will be
costly to rectify and it’s likely
that rot will also be evident
on the tailgate’s seams, door
bottoms, sunroof and the edge
of the bonnet.
They might be hidden by the
bodykit but don’t forget about
the rear arches either. Get your
hand up there to check for fl aky
metal, as it’s scarily common
for them to be non-existent
when the kit is removed.
Replacement panels can still
be bought new but genuine
bodykit components and
the vulnerable front
driving lamps can
only be sourced
second-hand.
Evidence of past
accident damage
is also likely. Panel
gaps were never
that great from the
factory but should
at least be consistent.
Also look for signs of original
sealant in the engine bay and
FAST
FACT
The clutch on the S2
is 20mm larger than
that fi tted to the
Series 1 at
220mm.
that the boot fl oor
isn’t creased from
a rear ender.
Mismatched paint
and overspray also
point towards body
repairs, although
don’t be too upset if
it is otherwise straight
and tidy as it’s a rare RS
Turbo that has escaped the last
20 years unscathed.
SUSPENSION
In fi ne fettle the S2 RS
Turbo handles well enough.
The ride should be fi rm and
compliant and although it’s
not as responsive as the
S1, it shouldn’t wallow or
feel vague in the corners.
Because of the RS Turbo’s
age though, many will
display such symptoms.
The aforementioned
wallowing, usually coupled
with a crashy ride, stems
from tired springs and
dampers, while a vagueness
from the steering often
accompanied by a
clonking noise points to
knackered bushes.
Replacement aftermarket
suspension is more
than likely too. Look for
good quality kit and at the
very least a matched set
of springs and dampers,
as stiffer springs alone
will knock out standard
dampers in double quick
time. Avoid anything
lowered over 60mm as this
sees the S2 practically on
its bump stops and doesn’t
do the geometry any
favours either. If handling’s
your bag, then you won’t
want a car lowered any
more than 25mm.
BUYING ONE
Many of the 22,108 examples
produced during the S2’s four-year
production run have departed to
the great scrapyard in the sky, but
you’ll still fi nd a fair few for sale.
Before you get too excited, the
sad reality is that a lot of the hardy
survivors are a bit shonky, making
sourcing a minter or even a reliable
daily runner a tiresome process.
Better cars are more likely to
turn up through the RSOC or the
classifi eds in enthusiast-read mags
like Fast Ford and Classic Ford.
Free-ads and eBay are generally
best for project cars but decent
cars also turn up in Auto Trader.
Don’t be fooled into thinking that
you’ll fi nd a bargain from a nonspecialised
source though; you
won’t. Values for good cars are on
the climb and while you can still
buy an RS Turbo for not a great deal
of cash, it’s best to remember that
said cars are cheap for a reason.
GO PRIVATE
Apart from the fi nest examples,
dealers don’t want to know about
the turbocharged RS as the model
doesn’t appeal to the normal car
buyer and offering a warranty
would probably bankrupt them.
So, the majority available are for
sale privately. Nothing wrong with
this but you have little comeback
if it drops a piston fi ve minutes
after you leave the vendor, so the
bottom line is to go over any RS
from bumper to bumper.
Later 90-spec models are
more desirable, but it pays to
buy on condition rather than age
or specifi cation. And when we
say “condition” that means body
wise, as putting a rust-ridden
RS properly right can run into
thousands. Unless you’re looking
for a project, spend as much as you
can, as the nicer cars will continue
to command good money. In the
two years since we last looked at
buying the RS, the very best cars
have already risen in value by as
much as £2K.
HPI
Given its popularity with the lightfi
ngered and the thrash ‘n’ crash
brigades, the S2 is ripe for an HPI
check. There are two ways to fi nd
out if your prospective purchase
has been nicked, written-off or is
burdened with outstanding fi nance
– over the phone on 01722 422422
or online at www.hpi.co.uk. The
former costs £42.95, while if you
enter the details yourself at HPI’s
website you will be charged a more
wallet-friendly £39.95.
NEXT
MONTH
FORD PUMA
FAST FORD SUMMER 2008
0165