67 replies to this topic

[Hark]

First time I've read this through mate, really enjoyed it. You've done so much to it!

[jonnyboy]

We still need to know how a boat ended up on the car!

 

good read

 

But please I need to know about the boat I cant stop thinking about it

[sford]

I think it was a drunk person, just walking home and picked it up to carry. Then saw a non-standard car and threw it on top. It was in a nice area of Stratford-upon-Avon near to the town centre but on the drunks walk home to other areas. It still bears the scars now! 

[sford]

Gearbox with the new slave fitted and all torqued up. There is what appears to be a bleed nipple on the top of the slave. Should I fill it full of fluid prior to fitting to the car?

 

 

Started to take the clam off. Interior all removed. Found some ear plugs that were lost under the seat with a key ring on them. One source of rattle. 

 

 

And as I left it at lunch time. Clam off and on axle stands. I know the ramps appear to be under the wheels but they are there just to be tucked out of the way and are not bearing any load. Front end is choked as well of course. Nev's guide is doing well so far. Next up is the coolant header tank removal and then I'll drain the gearbox.

 

[Mopeytitan]

Bleed Nipple is for bleeding clutch won't need to do anything till gearbox back jn

[sford]

So the car is on 89,997, up on axle stands and gearbox out. 

 

 

 

The new lightweight flywheel, clutch and clutch cover have been fitted.

 

 

And tonight I bled the clutch. While I was there I changed the oil and filter for new. Thanks to Hark I was able to use one of the recent oil filter housing tools and it made the job much easier. Started her up and moved backwards and forwards in the garage. Really happy so far although won't know if it is fully working until the weekend when I can get it out the garage. The biggest pig was aligning the gearbox and sliding it on. There isn't much room to move.

[OneYet]

The biggest pig was aligning the gearbox and sliding it on. There isn't much room to move.

 

 

Hear hear! Took me 4 (four) hours last time. Bruises all over me along the way. 

[sford]

Changed my discs out for some new ones and replaced my Mintex 1155 pads with some Pagid RS14s tonight. Bled the brakes as well. Will bed them in when it isn't wet and miserable outside at some point. 

[D-DAWG83]

Fair play with tackling the clutch yourself, as well as the other work. After fitting a LW flywheel to my other car, im sort of looking forward to needing to replace the clutch, as it gives me the excuse to put in the flywheel. Hope all went well and drives alright

[Nev]

Good to see people taking on such a substancial job

 

One tip: Once you've bled the clutch,  stomp on the clutch pedal a lot (up and down for 5 or 10 mins), let it sit for an hour and then check that you don't see any brake fluid weeping out of the slit at the bottom of the gearbox. ie It's worth checking the slave cylinder isn't leaking prior to full assembly.

 

GL.

Edited by Nev, 08 April 2016 - 05:23 AM.

[sford]

First track day of the year for me on Friday, Anglesey. I've put 1000 miles on the new clutch/gearbox and it's all been fine so far so looking to using it in anger. 

[sford]

Started taking the car apart as supercharging it this winter. As it sits this at the minute - 

 

 

The intended spec will be:

 

Stage 2 Eaton SC with Pro Alloy charge cooler, dutch software, decat exhaust with turbo backbox. As I'm working my way though there is bound to be some project creep. Already going to replace the front tow mount with a new one. Building a stack of bits for powder coating. Will be making a more substantial mount for the front splitter and replacing all bolts with new stainless as I go. 

[tommobot]

 ...About time!

 

Bar the dutch software, should be exactly the same as mine with decat & turbo backbox.. Good luck!

[sford]

This weekend saw the start of the conversion. New parts turned up.

 

 

And finished up being fitted like.

 

 

I'm going to make up a blank for the sensor on the top of the SC. Then it's just a case of tidying everything up and re-fitting the clams. Cutting the matting on the back of the bulkhead to mount the ECU was a pain in the ass. Not worth drilling through as it will just foul up the drill. Made some stand offs to slide over the bolts to space it away neatly. 

 

Just need to get a bit of tube welded in place of the cat on the standard system and that should be all for this winter. 

 

Huge thanks to the Batman for supplying the kit and answering questions. The man knows his stuff!

[vocky]

Cutting the matting on the back of the bulkhead to mount the ECU was a pain in the ass. Not worth drilling through as it will just foul up the drill. Made some stand offs to slide over the bolts to space it away neatly.

 

I could have supplied you with a ready made ECU bracket, which simply bolts on - no drilling or cutting required.

Edited by vocky, 22 November 2016 - 10:59 AM.

[sford]

Cheers Vocky. What does the bracket look like and where does it fit? Pm me if you wish. I've got some sound deadening heat proof material that I've sat over the area that I cut out so it still has the same amount of proofing as elsewhere.

[vocky]

replaces the redundant airbox bracket, so simply bolts to the car using the original M6 bolts.

 

[Nev]

Oooh, supercharger time, nice. Mind the power denialists don't tear you to shreads

 

BTW, looking at your pics, it's possible to face your ramps in opposite directions (with the tyres nestled up against the stop rest), that way the car cannot possibly roll forward or backwards.

Edited by Nev, 27 November 2016 - 10:02 AM.

[sford]

Oooh, supercharger time, nice. Mind the power denialists don't tear you to shreads

 

BTW, looking at your pics, it's possible to face your ramps in opposite directions (with the tyres nestled up against the stop rest), that way the car cannot possibly roll forward or backwards.

 

Cheers Nev. TBH, I don't use them. They were just stuck there to be out of the way.

 

Front clam went back on today. Got the bonnet stuck closed. Pretty sure that's going to be a pain in the ass re-aligning. Mounted the splitter far more substantially now with a large aluminium spreader plate on the inside of the clam. Made a bracket to hold the air filter steady too. Will be sending off the ECU next week to Peter for him to flash it and then it'll be first start. 

 

Final jobs include

 

decat the standard down pipe and refit sensors

new mesh in rear clam

heat shielding around exhaust tips

paint v

refit remaining panels

whine

[sford]

Car update 2017.
 
Got the car back together and mapped. Didn't manage any track days this year at all. Other than Brunters with the usual crowd. The car was really quick and I had no hiccups other than one of the lights coming loose. It managed two days and 3 tanks of fuel on track and was great. Good to catch up with the usual gang and meet some new faces. Big thanks to Ivor for the louvres. This lead me onto the winter project this year. 
 
The car has always been mechanically looked after but areas on the outside have gotten a bit tatty. You're going to have to excuse the instagram shaped images as they're all originally uploaded to there (yes, I shamelessly have an instagram account for all my oversharpened images). 

 

 

 

After Brunters I started amassing parts for this winter's updates. First off was a new header tank. My one is the original one that came on the car when I bought it 7 years ago. 

 

 

I noticed when doing the SC that the manifold was cracked. Managed to get this from Graeme.

 

 

 

This will be getting a ceramic coating prior to fitting. I have some nimbus to put on the boot wall to shield the boot from it. 

 

Also updated my cam cover (had a spare that I cleaned and then painted crackly black) and fitted a new badge. 

 

 

Got this from Mr Grist to fit at some stage.

 

 

Attended Goodwood as a guest of Rennsport and drove this home. 

 

 

And most recently acquired this.

 

 

It's damaged so will need some repairs but the idea is I'll fix it and put the wheel arch louvres into this and save my original clam for returning the car to normal, should I ever device to do that. Turns out a front clam fits in a Mercedes Vito fine!