clubstylus

My car's donor was a Mk2 Escort so I had assumed it had an english rear axle, but I'm told its not it's probably a Koln.....

Can anyone confirm what type it is?

The little tag says it a 4.1 or 4.11 ratio I think, not easy to see after I've had a few beers.....

And if it is a Koln would it take 200bhp and the torque from a tuned Zetec? or would it just eat its gears for lunch?

http://locostbuilders.co.uk/upload/2012 ... .19.00.jpg

http://locostbuilders.co.uk/upload/3Axle2.jpg

CMA wrote:My car's donor was a Mk2 Escort so I had assumed it had an english rear axle, but I'm told its not it's probably a Koln.....
Can anyone confirm what type it is?

That doesn't look like any Mk2 Escort axle I've seen (but I'm not an expert)...

DH2

I've no clue why an Escort M2 wouldn't have a TIMPKIN ENGLISH ----- never heard of KOLN anyway but my English axle was obviously very secondhand when I put it in the car in 1997 . Innitially my 2lt zetec car had 165bhp on carbs then I lost the water out of it so on rebuild it went up to 193bhp still on carbs . A few other minor tweeks bumped it up to 205bhp some years later until 2006 when it got TB'd plus other mod's to make it 232bhp ----- it was only then that one shaft broke at the first sprint after the upgrades.
The axle had put up with 200bhp approx'ly , hard standing starts on track for 6 years of 15 events a year before giving up ----- they're pretty tough bits of kit

Just looked at the pic's ------ no way that's an English axle. They have the diff nose bolted into the diff housing NOT a removable rear plate although the ATLAS does ---- KOLN

Just buy ned's little blaster which already has a zetec in situ at £4500 or there abouts

hi rob
just looking at the ford escort manual 1975 to 80 one that ive lent and your axle look like the salisbury type axle as for ratio sorry carnt help there
regards ian

I know nothing about Neds car, colour, mods, build, etc. If a Zetec one is worth £4500ish then mine must be worth a lot less which means I'd be making a rather big loss on what I have paid so far

Also in today's market its easy to buy one but very hard to sell one. And as I have already a lot of time, money and blood invested in this one I'm a bit loathed to sell it to end up making the same mods to another one and end up further out of pocket than I need to. If I sold this one I'd be changing for a different car altogether.

And if this Axle (what ever it is) cannot take more power than it currently takes then I feel it will be up for sale soon anyway and I'll be looking for a different type of car with a more suitable drivetrain.

According to here it cant be a Salisbury as the ratio doesn't match what they say Ford produced:

http://performanceclassiccarparts.co.uk ... uilds.html

http://www.turbosport.co.uk/showthread. ... Atlas-Axle

I think the deal here is that UK built Escorts had either Timken/English (diff in from the front), or the less popular Salisbury (diff in from the back).
Some German built Escorts had this Koln type (which I'd never heard of either). This looks like an Atlas but it isnt one, & isnt up to taking big power.

The sub question is what's "big power".
If the Koln is OK for a 1600 X-flow in a tonne of Escort or Cortina, then life in a similarly BHP lightweight kit car is somewhat easier.
Whether that means a std 165 or tuned 200 Zetec is OK, particularly if it the axle has never been rebuilt, - subconsciously feels a bit marginal to me I have to say.

But.. If it was me - I'd leave the axle as is, do the engine swap, enjoy the car, & see how long the axle lasts. If it goes bang - find an English & swap it over - gives you an excuse to find an LSD then too Plenty of used ones around in the rally adverts.

Or.... reduce your ££ engine spend (perhaps buy the cam kit later) and do the swap to English now whilst you've got the engine, gearbox & prop out. (might need new prop/flange).

4.1 ratio is very good BTW, the perfect compromise for fast road occasional track use. That's probably the reason it was attractive to the original builder.

Just my 2 pennies worth

Thanks for the info so far chaps.

I believe the axle came from the donor 1.3 1976 UK reg'd Mk2 escort.

Any links to the English Axle adverts as I wouldn't know where to look. Hmmm LSD sounds like a nice idea..... But getting all the brackets made and welded on doesn't, especially if its a different prop flange

Cams were going to be a later upgrade I was just making sure it would handle the future plans. Initial plan was AT Throttle Bodies on zetec then upgrade cams once I have more cash.

What was turning out as a simple engine upgrade is turning into a nightmare and a money pit. Might have to call a stop to it before I spend anymore.

I asked a similar question regarding power handling and English Axles/ Half shafts on the RGB forum http://www.rgb-racing.org.uk/rgbbb/view ... f=2&t=1040

I was given the number for Procomp, I called them and they had a wealth of information. Could be worth a try.
I believe that they built the rally items back in the day and so know all the incarnations.

Contact: Ivan Gilmour or Mathew Gilmour
Address: Procomp Motorsport
6 The Parklands
Erdington
Birmingham
U.K.
B23 6LA
Tel/Fax: 0121 350 3258


Edit:

That doesn't look like an English Axle to me.

Hopefully you can see the attached picture. The bolts on the Atlas axle are symmetrical side to side whereas the Koln are asymmetric. As already suggested I'd leave it in until it brakes.

Yup, thanks all for the replies. Looks like it is a Koln then

And from the one reply I had on Turbosport, they recon it won't survive with a Zetec.

Does anyone know it the prop flange is the same on the Koln and English? And apart from brackets, are they a straight swap? (Same length and same diff nose length) or would I be looking at a new prop too?

Or does anyone know of an English already with the brackets welded to it? Preferably with an LSD but I think thats dreaming a little too far

CMA wrote: Or does anyone know of an English already with the brackets welded to it? Preferably with an LSD but I think thats dreaming a little too far

There's one sitting in my back yard... not LSD but it is a 4.1 ratio...

Dave

DH2 wrote:

CMA wrote: Or does anyone know of an English already with the brackets welded to it? Preferably with an LSD but I think thats dreaming a little too far

There's one sitting in my back yard... not LSD but it is a 4.1 ratio...

Dave

Well done that man

Dave's sounds like the best option, but here's a few from the auction site...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ford-English- ... 25742b1034

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/escort-englis ... 4d03e32026

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FORD-ESCORT-R ... 41695296d3