Further Desert Madness

[Jon Dent]

Hello All, I have been recomended to contact you all for advice by Jon Gould who like myself is participating in the Plymouth-Dakar Banger Challenge later this year. I have read with great interest the advice you have passed onto him in preparing a Montego for the desert. I am now on a quest for similar advice. My question is that my weapon of choice is a 1989 1.6L Montego Estate purchased for £45 are there any substantial preperations that i should make that differ from the diesel. Having spoken to several mechanics they all inform me that the ECU that controls the Carb is a common failure part - is this correct. Additionally we are looking to change the clutch in the coming weeks and in the manual it looks like a huge job are there any short cuts? Finally should anyone be intersted our team has a web site with details/photos of the car etc: www.thefastandthedubious.co.uk
Thanks in advance
Jon Dent.

[H48HPE]

obviously, give it a good service and use quality parts. definitely change the cambelt and fan belt. flush out the cooling system. if you think it needs a new clutch do it but ive never done one so i cant give any help there. id recomend the following spare parts:

clutch cable.
accelerator cable
2 spare ECUs
spare spark plugs, leads, distributor cap and rotor arm
spare alternator
spare water pump maybe
spare gaskets for the head and associated parts

I think id be tempted to go to a scrappers and fill a box with bits, such as alternator, carburator, coolant hoses, distributor, coil, a load of wire,nuts and bolts, fuel hoses, radiator.etc.

i think the bigest problem you could face after ignition faults are water leaks, so have spares like the hoses ready for that. + id take some copper pipe so you can bypass the heater matrix should that blow. i think id rig up some extra protection for the sump too, if that got bust, you realy would be stopped.

just some first thoughts
andy

[tony]

does any one know if there is a carb from a differnt car that can be fitted that has no ecu in it ? or is it not that bad?

[Jon Dent]

Thanks for the info guys. We have already changed the cam belt and the alt belt is on order. The car has 71000 miles on the clock which would appear to be genuine - I dont know if this will effect the longevity of the carb? Additionlly we have fitted the rad from a diesel car and also got and additional rad as a spare. I am struggling to find any 1.6 cars in scrap yards around the lancashire area and as a result I have not yet managed to track down a an ECU for a 1.6 car. Any suggestions as to where I am likely to get one/two spares and how much i should expect to pay. Also is it true that the ECU's were set up differently for different parts of the country? If so will this cause me any problems?
Thanks Again
Jon

[e692wtt]

For scrapyards, try Pimhole at Bury, just off the M66 junction 2 (turn towards Bury on the A58 and turn left at the top of the hill after mebbe 1/3 mile just past the church on the left). Less Maestros/Montegos than there used to be but worth a try.

[E_T_V]

Don';t forget that there are a lot more maestro 1.6's in scrap yards than there are montys.. The engine's and ECUs are identical..

With such a low milage engine you'll be fine.. Ours lasted to 180 and 200k respectively. The only thing I wouild recommend you carry is a gasket set.. (as head gaskets have been know to go and all the cam covers leak oil) and check the cooling system is A ok. Also take some vacuum tubing and ends as these are common faults. Also unplug the fuel cut off actuator on the carb as it sometimes sticks and can cause a few scratched heads. Maybe a fuel pump too as a precaution as these have been known to play silly buggers too.

Otherwise you'll be fine.

I'd recommend adding a suplementary in-line fuel filter as the quaity of fuel abroad isn't always wonderful. (cost a couple of quid from a motorfactor)

Good luck, keep us updated