2.3 MK2 front engine cover

[brianh]

Has anyone got one of these spare? Its the cover that goes behind the crankshaft pulley, Ford part number 1019027

[insanitybeard]

Looking at the cost of a new one I can see why you'd want to try to an alternative source! Sorry I can't help further, what's the issue with your existing cover? Oil leak? For some reason I thought those covers on the 2.3 used to be aluminium rather than the pressed steel that photo suggests but I must be mistaken. I was assuming silicone sealer is used to form a seal but the photos suggest an integrated bonded rubber gasket seals it, helpfully not shown separately 

[brianh]

I had an oil leak from it, thinking it was the seal on the crankshaft got another seal to fit to it. On inspecting it found its actually rusted through on the bottom edge (possibly the result of the missing undertray). It looks damn near impossible to repair by welding due to the seal, which as you say is not shown separately. It's currently got some chemical metal stuck over the hole, but most of the bottom edge is corroded. So its currently parked waiting to see what's available. I did find one for Ã,£130 but it appears that was an old price now...

Wish it was aluminium as wouldn't have the problem, but it seems to be thin painted steel.

[brianh]

Attached is an example of why its a bad idea to leave the undertray off on these (as i'd suspect thats why its rusted so badly. The 5 white specs you can see are holes though into the timing chain area. The white gunge is some chemical metal that was put on as a temporary repair when the leak was discovered.

Next job is to get the undertray off my old one onto it now

[insanitybeard]

Bugger. And unfortunately it's not the kind of part there's any pattern alternative for either, unless you can find somebody breaking an engine with a cover in better condition than what you've already got which is a tall order. I recall the Mk1 Galaxies with the pre-PD diesel engines had pressed steel sump pans which sat in contact with the sound deadening/insulation of the undertray. This meant that the insulation as it soaked up water caused over a period of time the sump pan to slowly rust and if not rectified to eventually go porous and leak oil.

[brianh]

Doesn't look like its a part you could realistically reuse either - I ended up getting this one
https://www.allcarpartsfast.co.uk/ford/ford-1019027-cover-assy-cylinder-block-front/

As you say, no pattern part available, you can't buy the seal separately (and the oil seal in the centre of it isn't the one on eurocarparts either we discovered today, they have the wrong seal listed, they do have a listing on their systems for the part number, but nowhere to source it from). Couldn't even weld it as the seals attached to it and would have melted, doesn't look like the design would allow you to get away with silicone on it, but that might be the only option otherwise.

Thankfully its fixed, I think its just an oddball one caused by the age of it and the missing undertray, as the top half of it is fine, its just the bit from the pulley area downwards, noticed on removing it that a load of crud had built up behind the lip on it as well. The insulation on the undertray I think i might remove before reinstalling it as its in a very poor state anyway and soaked with oil where the plastic has fallen off over the years.

Is there any differences between the mk1 and mk2 undertrays? Guess I will find out soon

[insanitybeard]

At least that's a little cheaper than what they're on for but still a joke for a bit of pressed steel.
I don't think that the Mk1 & Mk2 undertrays are the same, and a quick glance at the parts diagrams shows different part numbers for the Mk1 & 2 with several variants depending on the engine fitted. Whether there's any physical reason why you can't swap them around is a different matter.

[brianh]

Guess I'm going to find out soon as I've got time. I'd suspect the different numbers may be down to different positions of the exhaust, so hopefully can adapt mine to fit, At least it came off a 2.0 petrol mk1 and going onto a 2.3 petrol mk2 so its similar.

That price is Ex Vat though, it only ended up a couple of pounds cheaper than the cheaper one on eBay by the time it was delivered. But did actually turn up 2 days after ordering it.

[brianh]

Got the undertray on after replacing the rear fixings and retapping the bolt threads on the other 4. Looks like the one from the 2.0 mk1 works for the 2.3 mk2. The sump on the 2.3 is steel as well, so have removed the tatty sponge lining from it as it was falling to bits anyway.