Talk:Merkur XR4Ti

Misc text from article

The following was with the article. I have copied it here as I am not sure whether or not it should be included.

     Subject: Ford Merkur XRTi
     Date: Wed, 29 Nov 2000 15:13:03 +0100
      
     Dear Sir,
      
     Thank you for your request and your interest in our company. As you certainly
     know the Merkur XR4Ti was built at our facility at Karmann-Rheine from 1984 til
     1988. In total 45,368 vehicles left the assembly lines in Rheine.
      
     Wilhelm Karmann GmbH had been building a wide variety of high quality car and
     truck bodies for decades for many prestigious European customers. We also built
     over 200,000 units of the two versions of the Ford Escort Convertible from 1981
     til 1997.
      
     Karmann built the entire car at Rheine, tooling and building a great many new
     parts. The Ford facility at Genk, Belgium supplied parts and other parts were
     shipped directly to Rheine from a pan-european array of Ford facilities and
     Ford suppliers. Prototypes for testing in Dearborn, at the Kingman, Arizona desert
     proving ground, and at the European proving ground at Lommel in Belgium, were
     Karmann´s responsibility, as were prototypes for impact testing, which were
     carried out in Dearborn.
      
     Ultimately there were nearly 850 newly parts required or modified for the
     Merkur. Due to strict U.S. safety issues a large range of modifications were
     demanded. The European bumper systems were improved by the inclusion of U.S.
     -style polygel mitigators. The fuel tank was changed and an unleaded fuel
     filling system adapted. The side doors and the door latches were modified and
     reinforced to U.S. specifications by including steel beams. Additional strength
     was placed in the body through the use of a new floor pan stamping, two new
     longitudinal members running full length under the car, new inner and outer
     fender designs and a reinforced firewall area.
      
      
     If we can supply you with any further help, please let us know.
      
     Best regards,
      
     Wilhelm Karmann GmbH
      
     - Historical Archive -
      
     i.A. Karin Schlesiger

What does XR4Ti stand for?

   * XR was a prefix name for several pseudo-performance/race cars that Ford sold around the world, including the XR2 XR3 and the 'Made in Africa' XR6 and XR8.
   * 4 = four cylinder or fourth model, depending on which version of history you wish to believe
   * T = turbocharged
   * i = fuel injected 

What original colors did the Merkur come in?

1985: 0A...Black 0B...Diamond White 0R...Rosso Red 04...Regency Red Metallic 0V...Strato Silver Metallic 07...Nimbus Gray Metallic 03...Paris Blue Metallic 05...Mineral Blue Metallic

1986: Exactly the same as 1985 with 2 mid-year additions: 0T...Azure Blue Metallic 0O...Regal Red Metallic

1987: Deleted were: 07...Nimbus Gray Metallic 03...Paris Blue Metallic 05...Mineral Blue Metallic 0O...Regal Red Metallic

Added in 1987: 0Q...Blue-Gray Metallic 0U...Crystal Blue Metallic

1987 SCORPIO COLORS: From XR4Ti: Diamond White Black Crystal Blue Metallic Blue-Gray Metallic Strato Silver Metallic Regency Red Metallic

EXCLUSIVE SCORPIO COLORS: 0E...Burgundy Red 0H...Ivory 0S...Sand Gold Metallic 0J...Chestnut Metallic 09...Raven Metallic

1988: S=Scorpio & X=Merkur 0A...Black S & X 0B...Diamond White S & X 0E...Burgundy Red S ONLY 0S...Sand Gold Metallic S & X 0J...Chestnut S & X 0U...Crystal Blue Metallic S & X A5...Brabazon Metallic S ONLY 0Q...Blue-Gray Metallic S ONLY 0V...Strato Silver Metallic S & X 04...Regency Red Metallic S ONLY 01...Magenta Red Metallic S & X 03...Biscay Blue Metallic X ONLY

1989: AT...Nautilus-Gray Metallic S ONLY 0A...Black S & X 0G...Antique Bronze Metallic S & X 0V...Strato Silver Metallic S & X A0...Matisse Blue Metallic X ONLY 0B...Diamond White S & X 0K...Gitane Blue Metallic S & X 01...Magenta Red Metallic S & X A5...Brabazon Metallic S ONLY 0E...Burgundy Red S ONLY 0P...Radiant Red X ONLY 08...Tuscany Gold Metallic S & X

Common XR problems:

  1. Erratic idle (vacuum leaks; worn distributor bushing; heat-stressed sparkplug wires).
  2. Dead batteries (underhood heat generated by the turbo tends to cook them).
  3. Driveline vibrations (the rubber coupler for the two-piece driveline fails frequently).
  4. Electrical problems (most due to corrosion on the contacts)
  5. Timing belt needs replacing every 60k miles.
  6. TFI on the blitz (Ford had a major issue with low quality TFIs being sold to the public).
  7. Leaking radiator, usually around the plastic end caps.
  8. Leaking taillight gaskets.
  9. Drooping headliner.
 10. Clicking or failing constant-velocity joints on the rear axles.
 11. Cracked dash.
 12. Cracked leather seats or split seams.
 13. Inoperative hatch lock (the pot metal housing takes a beating and cracks often).
 14. Inoperative electric antenna on 85-87 models.
 15. Inoperative 'hatch window' antenna on late 87-89 models.
 16. Erratic tachomter (needs rebuild), fuel gauge or temp gauge. Or all three.
 17. Burned out illumination bulbs in the gauge cluster.
 18. Leaking fuel injectors.
 19. Leaking valve cover gasket.
 20. Torn steering rack boots.
 21. Shudder under braking (usually a combination of warped rotors, worn lower shock bushings and steering rack mounts).
 22. Broken or missing wheel well liners. Made of plastic and have deteriorated over the years. Very expensive to replace.
 23. Failing (or failed) spark plug wires (turbo heat tends to cook them - Magnecor brand is recommended)

Malcolma 12:13, 7 November 2007 (UTC)

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