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        General >> Give/Need advice to/from others >> Newbie looking for some advice
        
(Message started by: pinto on Feb 27^th, 2007, 1:06pm)

Title: Newbie looking for some advice
Post by pinto on Feb 27^th, 2007, 1:06pm

Hi All,

Thought I'd drop in and say hello to all you good folks and see if I can glean some info from you on my next (hopefully) car...

My name is Jeff, and im more usually found playing with Sierras ;D (and I recognise some names around here too ;) ) but my current needs are driving me towards getting something bigger and newer.

Being a avid ford man, my options looked grim and wrong wheel drive until the penny dropped and I started looking at scorpios...true, they have an aquired look... but they're actually starting to grow on me...and nothing like the bland crud ford deem worthy of a blue oval on the front these days.

So... to my questions....

Im looking at buying a 2500 TD scorpio, and was just wondering if anyone here could tell me what thay are like to live with, how well they go and what to watch out for when buying... im also interested in finding out if they came in Ultima spec (not that it really matters as a deceased ultima could always donate some new clothes :) ....)

And for those it may interest....

Im the technical manager of a plant that manafactures trans-esterified rapeseed oils... Biodiesel for people who dont have a chemical library lol... and I'll be seeing how she runs on pure (B100) biodiesel over an extended period. If anyone has any questions on it, or is interested in hearing my findings, I'd be more than willing to bore you into a deep, restful sleep ;D

Hope to catch you around,

Jeff (Pinto)

Title: Re: Newbie looking for some advice
Post by Simmo on Feb 27^th, 2007, 1:37pm

Jeff, welcome. Suggest you go to THIS PAGE (http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/about.htm) and scroll down the list on the left hand side. Should answer most of your questions but no doubt some owners will offer their views in due course.

PS Nice to see another possible Sussex owner !. ;)

Title: Re: Newbie looking for some advice
Post by Highlander on Feb 27^th, 2007, 2:10pm

I run mine on pure veggie oil, either out the supermarket or filtered used stuff from the local restaurant. no problems with it, runs fine and smells lovely :)

Title: Re: Newbie looking for some advice
Post by taliban on Feb 27^th, 2007, 10:13pm

mines an ultima according to the log book, but it doesnt have the trip computer or heated windscreen, but that could be down to it being an early frogeye. if you can get the slightly later version, it has the 125bhp engine whereas the earlier ones like mine are 115bhp. autos where only made for a year if that and are very rare.
the engine has few known problems; can throw pushrods, i think the alternator belt tensioner could be a weakness but quite easy to change, the earliest models were fitted with underpowered alternators, but have probably all been changed by now.
the engine has plus points; no cam chain/belt to worry about, the valves are hydraullic so dont need adjusting, the engines are pretty bullet proof...

Title: Re: Newbie looking for some advice
Post by taliban on Feb 27^th, 2007, 10:19pm

p.s. simmo's a top bloke, when its really cold or wet out he'll go outside and check stuff for you.....

Title: Re: Newbie looking for some advice
Post by pinto on Feb 27^th, 2007, 11:28pm

Thanks for the welcome folks :)

on 02/27/07 at 14:10:48, Highlander wrote:

I run mine on pure veggie oil, either out the supermarket or filtered used stuff from the local restaurant. no problems with it, runs fine and smells lovely :)

Yup, you can indeed run oil, but it has a few drawbacks - not least of all being caught running oil if you have no receipts for duty and VAT payed on it as road fuel !! - this can carry a huge fine :(

From a technical point of view, oil still contains lots of glycerol that biodiesel removes - the glycerol affects the spray pattern of the injectors, making them less efficient, and it also creates a lot more carbon deposits in the combustion chamber and on the injector heads. Oil also burns less cleanly, so produces higer emissions and less power.

And lastly - theres the cold start problems, as oil is rather thick at relatively high temps... so winter can mean lots of wear on the starter and glow plugs.