1966 Mk1 Cortina GT

4 minute(s) of a 210 minute read

The engine...

I had struggled with starting since Christmas and had put it off whilst I was fitting the headlining etc but before I can commit and start the interior and finishing off of the Cortina I needed it to run.

The loom was back in albeit unwrapped and I now had 12v to the coil but still nothing.

A look at the spark plugs showed I only had 2 wet plugs, a compression test later showed I had consistent pressure which ironically lowered my blood pressure! An inspection of the inlet/exhaust lead me to believe that some of the threads weren't in the best shape so it all came off.

I had to helicoil 3 of the 6 threads but it was a success, a tense success! These threads are 50 years old and are one of the most stressed on the engine because they have considerable weight on them and are temperature cycled (if you can get the bugger to run!)

Whilst the exhaust was off I took it upon myself to wrap the exhaust as one of the heater pipes runs close to number 4 runner and the clutch pipe is also close to the lower part of the manifold. I'll try the wrap but have heard mixed reviews so it may come off in favour of heat shielding the pipes that need it.

With the frustration of all this engine work and wiring I figured it was the perfect time to buy a pair of wheels! I was looking at banding the original set of steels but after looking at the JBW lotus replicas I figured it's cheaper to buy them the width I want so I have a pair of 7J's for the rear - yes they are wide, possibly too wide but time will tell!

Ah yes the engine! Over Christmas I had built a Lucas 23D vacuum advance distributor up for the Cortina to swap with the Accuspark non vacuum advance unit I had been using because I'm not going to run twin 40's and I don't think the 28/36DCD likes the vacuum advance take off being blocked. I put it on the engine and timed it up off the pulley but nothing.

2 weeks of fiddling with timing, carb setting, and checking everything else - nothing. It was a good job I don't have hair!

that's when I made one of the many discoveries about my problem - the aftermarket pulley. I bought this 2nd hand as it had a trigger wheel attached (I'd like to go EFI in the future) and whoever had it put multiple timing marks on the pulley. I didn't have anything to go off! I reverted back to the original pulley which hinted at firing but still wouldn't.

It was at this point the lockdown rules had changed and we could meet up outdoors so Easter weekend a friend came over to give me a hand and I stepped back and let him look at it with fresh eyes.

The engine was timed to TDC and the air fuel metering screw was reset (in delirium I kept winding out because more fuel = good). in a few hours it was running but also running the best it ever had!

Just don't run your engine without a rocker cover gasket!

Panic over!

I'm finishing off the loom and water testing the body for leaks so hopefully will have so major steps forward soon!