Taunus engine

[johnad]

Hi
Hopefully someone on here can help me
I have recently purchased a boat with what I'm told is a ford taunus engine in
As far as I know to enable this to be used in a marine environment the exhaust manifold is changed to use river water for cooling.
But what I really need to know is it correct that this is indeed a Taunus engine ?

Is it possible to tell from the picture what type it is " 15m / 17m ? Etc "
Im also having trouble finding any service information ? I need to do a service but what oil to use ?
Also when it's started it will not tick over and if I try to slacken the idle screw it just cuts out so will only tick over on high revs it has a Rochester 2 jet carb and I have a little fuel coming from the exhaust so I suspect it's running rich ?
Has anyone any experience that may be able to offer me some advice

 

[Burnerman]

Errr wow!
It looks like a Ford Kent series push rod engine, Bosch distributor with a mechanical fuel pump.
I'd use a semi synthetic 10/40 oil for now - that would do you well enough.
Give us a close up pic of the carb if you can.....it will need a thorough clean and I wouldn't be surprised if it has an electrical cut off, hence the idle issue.
John

 

[Burnerman]

Just had a thought......Google Ford Watermota for some bed time reading. Thought I'd clocked that lump somewhere!
John

 

[johnad]

Thank for the information so it's a watermota not a taunus like I was told ?
I haven't got a picture of the carb but this exploded view I found online is the same I will get some more pics at the weekend

It hasn't got a electrical cut off the engine revs high for a short while then cuts out I did have it running a little better by holding the choke valve plate with my hand and getting it to a position where it slowed the revs down
I did try to put it in gear but when I did the engine cut out as soon as the load from the prop came into play ? (Like there was no power)

 

[Burnerman]

I believe the name Taunus was applied to many Ford engines and vehicles that originated in Germany and elsewhere, and were never destined to reach the UK.
All I'm doing is looking at the motor and it looks like a non crossflow Ford 105E common between the 60's and 70's.....it was available in 1500 and 1700cc versions, maybe others.
When the motor was marinised it basically had some changes to the cooling and exhaust systems and I think had a heavier flywheel - and called a Watermota. These were often found in small cabin cruisers and the like on such places as the Norfolk Broads. They had a good life but were replaced by the more economical and smoky BMC diesel.
As for the carburettor, its a twin choke down draught with a staggered choke, which means the second choke only comes into play when a burst of accelleration (!) was needed. It has an electrically operated automatic choke for cold starting which often proved unreliable. Similar carburettors were made by Zenith and Solex, and also the Weber DCD which was a better unit.
For sure the carb will need a strip down, and cleaned with carb cleaner and compressed air to help with your problem but I'd also suspect the ignition system would need an overhaul including contact breaker points, distributor cap rotor arm, HT leads and plugs....all standard and simple stuff!
An interesting project! lets hope some other old timers can chip in.
John

 

[Belle427]

Have a look through some google images, should be able to identify from those.

 

[DaveHerns]

You appear to be missing a valve and tube running from the crankcase breather to the inlet manifold. That would affect the running at low speed.

 

[Burnerman]

Yep, that thing had a bakelite flap inside, if I recall....it allowed crankcase fumes to be ingested into the inlet manifold, but didn't allow fresh air to leak.
I'd leave the breather open, but blank off wherever its pipe would go to.
John

 

[honda]

This engine looks familiar John.Was it fitted to the either the Anglia or Capri can you recall ?

 

[Burnerman]

Sure, this motor was the fore runner of the popular Ford Kent series, but if memory serves when it was fitted to the Anglia (Harry Potter type) it had been converted to a crossflow cylinder head by then. It also starred in the Fiesta, Escort and Capri in 950, 1100, 1300 and 1600 guises so you could say it has served Ford rather well!
It retained a cast iron cylinder head throughout that time, with revisions to the camshaft and rockers as the years passed. The later heads used a tapered spark plug which teased the mechanic from time to time by snapping off
Regards
John

 

[Burnerman]

That carb is puzzling me.....I'm nearly sure it was fitted to the original Vauxhall Cavalier (RWD).
Twin choke, the second choke operated by engine vacuum - but I've never heard of a Rochester carburettor.
John

 

[Mikefromlondon]

Apply the usual and basic engine servicing and tuning procedure, i.e. clean everything, plugs, points, set correct gap, check all spark leads for HT leakage, (best in the darkness as you could see hairline like sparks running across wires and distributor cap, clean the rotor point and distributor cap inside, change engine oil, any mineral based oil would do on old engines like SAE 20/30 though you could use semi synthetic
as suggested above. change oil filter.

Check static ignition timing is around 5-8 degrees advance, , check vacuum capsule alters the timing plate inside the distributor, and that it is not stuck. Check centrifugal advance weights are free to move out inside the distributor as well.

Check or replace condenser across the contact points,a weak condenser will generate weak spark, bad running and idle problems too, then go onto carburation system, check fuel pump delivers enough fuel, can driven mechanical plunger or leaver driven.

Clean carb, set tappets, etc etc, and clean air filter, for the time being you could run it without any filter, finally make sure no air leaks through missing pipes etc where you have crankcase ventilation etc.

 

[Burnerman]

I bet it's been fed on Duckhams or Castrol 20/50 all it's life, Mike!
John

 

[Mottie]

This engine looks familiar John.Was it fitted to the either the Anglia or Capri can you recall ?

Not the Capri (unless you are talking of the very early '60's early Capri classic/Consul Capri) because they were all crossflow engines. That's a pre-crossflow engine as fitted to Anglia's, MK1 and early Mk2 Cortina's, 1500GT Corsair's etc. They came in 997, 1200, 1340 and 1500cc. They didn't have a closed breather system - there would have been a tube coming out of that oil separator box on the left hand side as you look at the picture, venting down the side of the gearbox under the car. Hard to tell the first three apart by looks, but the 1500 engine had a taller block so there's about an inch between the top of the water pump and the bottom of the cylinder head. The others were almost flush.

 

[JohnD]

long ago I knew someone in Germany who had a Ford Taunus, and I think it was very similar to an Anglia, apart from the back window.