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Mk1 Transit - V4 Cologne - Who has a workshop manual?

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Mk1 Transit - V4 Cologne - Who has a workshop manual?

Postby FordMk1Transit » Fri Mar 24, 2017 10:58 pm

Hi all, My first post here, after lots of reading.

We are from The Netherlands and have got 3 identical Ford Transit Mk1- Long Wheelbase - German Firetrucks from 1977. All three from the same district, Low KM's and in very good shape. Fantastic machines. Normal people buy 1, we bought all three.. ;-) I have converted one of them into a campervan, with a poptop roof. Sleeps 4!

I'm now in need of some basic info on setting the timing, etc. I need to get the engine in the "campervan" running right by tomorrow afternoon, so hope someone over here can help me out. It started stalling at traffic lights and idled very roughly or not idling at all.

It has the Ford V4 cologne engine probably the 1.7 version.

Worked on it today. First thing I did was rebuilding the carb: it was very clean to begin with. Used the air compressor, brake cleaner and installed new gaskets. Started engine, ran the same as before. Can cross it of my list, but didn't help to improve idling.

Next thing was looking at the breaker points/rotor cap. Both has seen better days. I bought a powerspark electronic ignition kit, but it didn't fit my distributor, so had to clean up the points with some sandpaper and refit those unfortunately. (I think it's a Bosch distributor, rotor cap is motorcraft.)
I have no data on this engine, so guessed and used the 0.40 feeler gauge on the points.
Still doesn't run any better.

It was getting too late to start the engine, don't want to annoy the neighbours.
Have my timing light ready, have already loosened the "distributor-baseplate bolt", have fresh sparkplugs ready. Will get up very early to continue working on it...

So now, after a long story, can anyone help my with the following questions:

1. Carb (Fomoco): Is it correct to turn the little adjustment screw all the way in and the 1.5 turns out. Then adjust idle screw when engine is hot and choke is fully off?

2. Contact breaker gap: What feeler gauge should I use?

3. Number 1 cilinder: this is the one front left, correct? So the one closest to the alternator?

4. Ignition timing: (I have pulled vacuum advance hose off and blocked the hose in order to not have a vacuum leak) Who has the correct info on ignition timing?

5. Spark plug gap: Do new plugs normally need adjustment? If so to what gap?

6. Anything else I need to think of when doing this all?

Hope anyone out there can help. Thanks a lot in advance!
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Mk1 Transit - V4 Cologne - Who has a workshop manual?

Postby bulls in transit » Sat Mar 25, 2017 1:07 am

1 carb,your correct 2 breaker gap 0.3...0.4.3 yes that's no1 cylinder(from front of van left hand side),4 static advance 6deg.BTDC,5 spark plug gap 0.6+\_0.1.
Got a V4 firevan myself,had similar sounding running problems myself,first of all I'd check your valve clearances,and or compression test your cylinders,I went through all of what you are going through to find the valve seats had worn,got van with 14kkm,always put additive in but the seats had still had it at around 20/22kkm,fitted leadfree heads in the end,I've got ford manual in English,if you need anything posted can photo and post pages if needed.
The distributors shared with later 2ltr.pinto engines,so cap /rotor from these fit,would advise against any 'Intermotor'parts though,got electric ignition kit off of Accuspark,fitted after head change an had no problems with ignition since(6000km).
Mine seems to run better with a slightly richer mixture too(put that down to modern petrol vs old 4star)
Valves,inlet 0.35,outlet 0.4,adjust cold.
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Re: Mk1 Transit - V4 Cologne - Who has a workshop manual?

Postby FordMk1Transit » Sat Mar 25, 2017 7:13 am

Thanks, exactly what I need!

I was also worried about the exhaust valve seats... did not want to think about it yet.
Will start work on it now, will post back my findings.
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Re: Mk1 Transit - V4 Cologne - Who has a workshop manual?

Postby Johny89 » Sun Mar 26, 2017 2:33 pm

if you are looking for a workshop manual try amazon, got my haynes copy from there they shipped to Belgium after contacting the seller so don't be afraid to ask them to change shipment options (btw was 25euro for me(diesel version))
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Re: Mk1 Transit - V4 Cologne - Who has a workshop manual?

Postby bulls in transit » Sun Mar 26, 2017 4:41 pm

Motomobil gmbh also do copies of ford manual,not to sure if the Haynes will cover the cologne V4.
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Re: Mk1 Transit - V4 Cologne - Who has a workshop manual?

Postby FordMk1Transit » Tue Mar 28, 2017 8:54 am

Thanks, I do need to get a workshop manual indeed ;-)

Here's my feedback after last Saturday-morning:

My neighbour came in to help after he finished a busy night shift; those are the best. He's a car guy too.

First I removed the carb to gain access to the distributor.
Changed to breaker points gap from 0.40 (was more 0.45 after re-measuring) to 0.35 as I figured a smaller gap would give the coil more time to charge. We later tested dwell angle, this was around 50degrees.

After that (cold engine) I removed the sparkplugs in order to change for new ones. Set the new ones at 0.60 gap.
I was able to remove/replace #1,#3 and #4, not sparkplug number 2; this one was stuck (nearly bent my sparkplug socket...) decided to leave it for a bit, didn't want to break things.

Sparkplugs #3 and #4 where looking fine (light brown/coffee with milk) and sparkplug #1 was black (no further damage). #2 couldn't be checked.
For reference: in order to remove sparkplug #1 it's easiest to loosen the alternator bolts and move alternator upwards to give the needed space.

I wasn't able to do a compression test as I was still working by myself at that time.

Put the carb back on, turned the air-screw all the way in, then 1.5 turns out again.

After all this was done it was time to play around with ignition timing.

Loosened the 13mm bolt at the base of the distributor slightly it could be turned by hand.
It started up easily, but noticed straight away that it wasn't running any better. We tried to get it to idle at 800rpm, but it would stall every time. It got it running at around 1000 (the tacho wasn't steady, moved from 1000-1200 rpm every few seconds)

Attached the timing light and it would show something like 15degrees, turned it a bit, say towards 20 degrees and it would run a bit better. Eventually decided to remove the light and try setting it by ear.... turned the distributor at 1000rpm until it would run better (until it started running at a higher rpm).

Did a test run. Drove OK-ish, not too much power (still) and some backfiring. Set ignition again, still some backfiring, but already a lot better. Since I had no more time left and I needed the Transit I set of on a long trip. It didn't stall once, but still doesn't idle nicely. All the work didn't make much difference I'm affraid.

Will try to get the last sparkplug out and do a compression check. What reading should I be hoping for?
Still need to set the valve clearance still as well; had to pick my battles last Saturday.

Again; "Bulls in transit" - thanks for all the info, that helped a lot. You mentioned an electronic ignition kit that would fit: could you maybe let me know where you got this from/partnumber maybe?

I've heard it was risky to put hardened valveseats in the V4 cologne heads, since it was easy to drill too deep and hit a water channel? Anyone over here has any experience with this? I'm thinking of getting this done to be able to run normal unleaded, maybe even LPG in the future.

Thanks again.
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Mk1 Transit - V4 Cologne - Who has a workshop manual?

Postby bulls in transit » Tue Mar 28, 2017 12:09 pm

Dont want to sound like the bringer of doom but your symptoms sound similar to mine prior to head change on mine(hardened seats),my van progressively lost power over a period(I was traveling/camping in it from U.K. To Spain,hills became progressively harder until even the slightest incline need dropping down a gear to keep speed(!?)up.Tickover was rough,no matter what I changed(rebuilt carb,changed fuel pump,lines,plugs,points,reset timing and checked valves,changed rockers,even a few pushrods!,it would run fine for 100/200 km and then return to rough.The plug color showed ok,but van was just getting more gutless over routes that I had already previously covered without the need to change down gears.
Don't know the correct psi for compression test,the gauge I bought for job just had a green section for ok,two were well below(1+3),when I took heads off used a trick passed to me from this forum and poured petrol into combustion chambers,it leaked through the closed valves on low reading cylinders.
I got my heads exchange via motomobil gmbh(needed van back on road asap,was living in it at time),not the cheapest option,but at the time quickest,they have held up well since.
SweedSpeed in Sweden(google search will find them) do sell a kit of hardened seats/valves for V4colonge/Saab engine at €125~+postage,as well as exchange leadfree converted heads,as previously stated motomobil gmbh do exchange heads also.
The ignition kit I fitted was from eBay U.K.,search Accuspark electric ignition,on the cologne V4 there's two distributors fitted,one Bosch,one fomoco(C7 KH),the fomoco one has a black distributor cap,and the rotor arm has a spring contact on top,Bosch red cap and no spring contact on top of rotor.I sent them a message via ebay quoting van/distributor,they billed and sent me correct bits 1st time(~£55 including cap and rotor,posted to Spain iirc)
I also bought a rotor and cap from Accuspark,they fit a LOT better than anything I was able to source previously(i.e. intermotor etc),ignition it's been fit,adj,forget since(tbh same as heads).
When changing heads did find probable cause for failure of seats early(in relation to Km,s engine had covered) on 1 and 3,the rockers are bolted to head through two rocker supports,one has an oilway,one doesnt(on later cologne v4s oilways were improved post 67,mines and early one of later spec,according to ford manual same as yours),on LHD head oilway is at front,rhd head at rear of engine bay,on mine they were initially fitted reversed,the pics in manual are ambiguous(3 pics all showing different).initially I reassembled rockers on to new heads as they came off,and as pics,but oil flows to rockers seemed low when 'tweaking' clearances with engine running,read manual text and looked at rockers/oilways,realized they were reversed,changed round to correct pos.,oilflow rockers/top end is greatly improved,noticabley so on tickover with covers off.
Can only assume they were fitted incorrectly from factory,the oilway support does line up to the oilway in head,reverse rocker support and oilway from head to rocker assemblies blocked meaning top end doesn't get lubed properly,part reason for redesign intially(was all about improving oil flow)
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Re: Mk1 Transit - V4 Cologne - Who has a workshop manual?

Postby FordMk1Transit » Tue Mar 28, 2017 10:45 pm

Sounds the same indeed.. thanks for the detailed explanation. (Have the rotor arm with spring plus black cover; so Fomoco.)

Found out today that it's running on 2 cylinders instead of 4.. After unplugging the wires to sparkplugs 1 & 2 no change in running. So it's running on 2 cylinders on the same side, could name it a 0,85liter slant 2 engine..

I parked it at an engine guru this afternoon, who's going to have a look at it in a few days. Will post back his findings once he gets back to me.
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Re: Mk1 Transit - V4 Cologne - Who has a workshop manual?

Postby FordMk1Transit » Sat Apr 22, 2017 11:17 am

Finally got the Transit back. Luck was on my side.. the inlet valves where too tight.
Yes, I should have checked this myself...

Ignition timing was set again as well. It's now running better than ever, idles at low RPM. This all whilst still using worn points. Electronic ignition kit (kit 19 from Accuspark), new coil & ballast resitor, cap and rotorarm arrived in the mail as well, will fit soon.

I'm happy!
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