Ford RS200 Group B Rally Car Information & Database

Peeps, this weekend, i plan on starting my one, aint had it kicked over in 6 months, any hints, helps? its been on a trickle charger all this time.

cheers
John

Have fun this weekend,John...are you doing anything special with your car? Personally,I can hardly wait for the car show season to get underway so that I can justify digging the Metro out from it's winter hideaway!

I'm really not sure what pre-startup precautions are needed for the RS200,but I'd be interested to hear from other owners. With the 6R4,the dry sump needs purging prior to startup by removing the oil pump belt and manually cranking the pump for a minute or so. Not only does this pump out any oil which has drained back into the bottom of the engine from the dry sump tank but it also primes the top end of the engine and helps to prevent camshaft wear. It's a bit of a pain at times but better safe than sorry!

Is that sort of manual oil system priming possible with the RS200? I also like to crank the engine for a few full revolutions with a socket on the crank pulley before actually turning the key - just to make sure the cam belts are OK and to ensure everything is nice and free. Of course,this is only after the engine has been stood for a while...

Good luck at the weekend and please let us know how it goes. I bet that wonderful BDT is gonna sound great!!!

All the best,

Gary

I'd have a look also at the Workshop manual... If there's a special recommendation - other than the window sticker though that applies for post starting really - I'd bet it's in there somewhere... I'll see if I can have a look in it tomorrow.

As Gary mentions, and as as is the case for the 6R4, I'd bet the dry sump setup requires something special rather than just cranking it... Ok maybe Porsches dry sumps can handle this... LOL

OMG, got me crapping it now incase i do anything wrong

Well I looked in the manual and there is no mention for anything special after immobilization of the vehicle for any length of time... But I would think what Gary suggesed might stil be a good idea...

John, let us know how you get on.

Not sure if this applies to a RS200 but was told this tip years ago for any long standing or rebuilt engine.
Turn the engine over with a socket on the crank pulley first to check nothing has seizded.
Then disconnect the coil lead - try to start the car as normal, obviously the car won't start but keep cranking the engine until the oil light on the dash goes out, this gets the oil pressure up without putting any load on the engine. If after 30 seconds the light does not go out ........STOP something is wrong but at least you have not wrecked all your bearings running them dry.
If the oil light goes out and all is Ok reconnect the coil lead and fire up as normal.

Hope this is of help

Regards Pete.

John - You will be fine, started mine after 4 months no worries last night

If you really wanted to be SUPER cautious, for an "normal" car you would remove the spark plugs (to remove compression) and crank over to get oil pressure up then put it all back together and start but from recollection, the cranking is not enough to get the oil pressure up so just go ahead and start her but keep the revs down until she is warmed up and the oil pressure starts to drop else you will pop oil seals out

Then, once warm, roll her back and see what has dropped off over the winter !!1 LOL

cheers Guys

i chickened out last weekend, but might give it a go this w/end, as MOT next month & want to check over before then

Completely on a different league I know but i chickened out starting my Escos last week-end too, though it was mainly due to the weather being crap.

Hopefully this week-end...

cheers Guys, got her statred.....had to take 2lt of oil out of(schoolboy error)should really read that BIG manual

mot tomorrow & show at the w/end , mite even give her a wash

usual, had big plants to put the ears, pod & split rims on this year, but the weather & being a lazy git aint helped much