• From: West Lafayette, IN
  • Registered: 2010-01-18
  • Posts: 53

Topic: Escort ZX2, transmission failures?

Hey guys, I'm hoping to pick some brains for information. I'm gonna try and get together a car and team for Lemons Chicago (Autobahn) this year. I figured I'd try and get a Ford Escort or other Mazda BG-chassis car (i.e. early-mid 90s Protege/323). I've owned a few, so I figure they're familiar, and they're easy enough to find.

Anyway, I know a lot of guys on the ZX2 forums talk about differential failures. A lot of those guys also run turbos, so I won't be dealing with high power figures. But an enduro is still a lot of stress.

So I'm curious, those of you who have run Lemons with an Escort, or have otherwise run track days with one, have you had transmission problems? What kinds of failures should I prepare for?

pinkshinyalan's Website

  • From: Marysville, CA
  • Registered: 2009-12-15
  • Posts: 127

Re: Escort ZX2, transmission failures?

trekkor runs an escort. Pretty sure he just had a tranny go out on him at the last race.

E=MC Hammered
E30, 302I (ME car)
Pintoghini with turbo 2.3L
Old Spice Crown Victoria
  • trekkor
  • trekkor
  • Lemons Staff Stalker
  • Offline
  • From: Napa, Ca
  • Registered: 2009-08-26
  • Posts: 2,124

Re: Escort ZX2, transmission failures?

Yep, we lost our trans on Sunday afternoon.
Got stuck in 4th gear and we still finished the race.
Ran the last 4 hours with one gear!

Our hot lap in race was a 2:25. I managed a 2:32 with only 4th gear!

It seems the shift fork broke.
I'll post pictures after I open it up.

Meanwhile, I've found a used box on Craigslist.

As long as you shift smoothly and heel-toe down shift ( instead of slamming it into 3rd at 100mph ) you shouldn't have any issues.

Good Lemons car!


Let's see your Filthy.


KT

TH 2009- 40th ~ SP 2010- 13th Class Bad win!! TH 2010- 17th ~TH 2010- 16th  SP 2011- 20th ~ RF 2011- 13th Least Horrible Yank Tank ~ TH 2011- 79th
SP 2011- 105th ~ SP 2012- 119th ~ SP 2013- 139th ~ BW 2013- 17th
Follow Filthy on Facebook: Flailing Lizard Motorsports
  • sergio
  • Lemons Staff Stalker
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 1,185

Re: Escort ZX2, transmission failures?

Does Quaife make a LSD for an Escort?

  • Registered: 2009-10-25
  • Posts: 1,993

Re: Escort ZX2, transmission failures?

sergio wrote:

Does Quaife make a LSD for an Escort?

no way anything Quaife will ever get past BS..but of course they can't see it either

Richard Doty
1984 Porsche 928 "Estate"
Porsche- "there is A substitute" Racing
Dirt Poorsche Racing #2
  • From: West Lafayette, IN
  • Registered: 2010-01-18
  • Posts: 53

Re: Escort ZX2, transmission failures?

No, Quaife does not make an LSD for most Escorts. They do make one for the Mazda G-series transmissions, but it will only fit the 2nd-gen Escort GT as a drop-in even though all 3rd-gen Escorts had G-series transmissions. To fit a 3rd-gen Escort you need custom axles, and some modifications to make the speed sensor work (though that's not a big concern for a track-only car).

pinkshinyalan's Website

  • From: West Lafayette, IN
  • Registered: 2010-01-18
  • Posts: 53

Re: Escort ZX2, transmission failures?

Trekkor, thanks for the info. Yeah, the 3/4 shift fork is kind of weak too, though I usually forget about that. All the turbo guys talk about is the diff, so that's what I had on the brain.

I'll put up pictures of my car as soon as I get it! My former daily-driver Escort now belongs to my girlfriend.

pinkshinyalan's Website