4722 replies to this topic

[Nev]

Today I managed to overcome my lazyness and get under the car.

Job #1 was to investigate the last remaining slight oil leak that I have. Worryingly it seems to be dribbling out of the gap between the gearbox housing and engine block. It is definitely oil rather than brake fluid, so the likely cuplrit is going to be the crankshaft end seal.

At the moment it is hard to see how much I am losing, though it clearly isn't a huge amount as the oil level on the dipstick hasn't moved in 500 miles. To monitor this more carefully I have fabricated a small catch tank out of aluminium sheet that sits diretly under the leak. This will capture all the oil and allow me to inspect it at regular intevals to see if it is getting worse. Additionally, this mini-tank will stop the oil from spraying on the road and allow me to put my floorpan back on.

Job #2 was to investigate the servo vacuum pipe at the manifold end. This looked slightly cracked, so I have put a jubilee clip over the end of it to squish it and improve the pressure over the join. I am hoping this will improve vacuum to the servo, but to be honest as the car idles at 1100 revs my vacuum is never going to be good. Thus I am currently bidding on an electrical vacuum pump on eBay to make my own kit with an adjustable vacuum sensor and relay. This can all be mounted in the front of the car and will allow me to adjust my braking force to suit conditions.

Edited by Nev, 28 August 2011 - 03:01 PM.

[cnrandall]

I doubt its the crank shaft seal... much more likely to be the sealant on the main bearing cap which can be changed from underneath. Give it a damn good clean with brake cleaner, then run her, then get the bore scope in there.

[cnrandall]

Also, why the 1100rpm idle, do you have a leak somewhere?

[Nev]

Thanks for the info Chris, though I don't have a bore scope available Though I have checked for leaks around the inlet manifold and not found any, I have a feeling that I have leak from it somehow. I measured the flatness of the top flange of the Klassen manifold with a ruler and noted that it was not quite flat when I installed it and tried using a rubber gasket to compensate, this perished with the pressure and had to be discarded. Thus I am now relying on the green rubber ring that integral in the TB to make the seal. Perhaps this cant quite do it or perhaps there is some other leak somewhere. The fact that I am losing vacuum to the servo also adds weight to this. Also, I have been told that my cam profile idles fine in another car... If I do have a leak from the manifold area, this means I must be leaking boost quite badly too, which in turn means the engine will be even more powerful if fixed - not something I want really It's impossible to check for boost leaks with the car just sitting still, it needs to be on some rollers with a load resisting the wheels in order for the ECU to respond and make boost. Thus this is a tricky problem to investigate...

Edited by Nev, 29 August 2011 - 05:01 AM.

[cnrandall]

Thanks for the info Chris, though I don't have a bore scope available

Though I have checked for leaks around the inlet manifold and not found any, I have a feeling that I have leak from it somehow. I measured the flatness of the top flange of the Klassen manifold with a ruler and noted that it was not quite flat when I installed it and tried using a rubber gasket to compensate, this perished with the pressure and had to be discarded. Thus I am now relying on the green rubber ring that integral in the TB to make the seal. Perhaps this cant quite do it or perhaps there is some other leak somewhere. The fact that I am losing vacuum to the servo also adds weight to this. Also, I have been told that my cam profile idles fine in another car...

If I do have a leak from the manifold area, this means I must be leaking boost quite badly too, which in turn means the engine will be even more powerful if fixed - not something I want really

It's impossible to check for boost leaks with the car just sitting still, it needs to be on some rollers with a load resisting the wheels in order for the ECU to respond and make boost. Thus this is a tricky problem to investigate...

Run her up and squirt fluid (we usually use brake cleaner as its always kicking about and evaporates off) over the areas you are concerned about. If the leak is on the boost side you'll get bubbles, on the vac side it will bring the idle back down momentarily as the fluid seals the leaks. I had my Klassen manifold off several times because of leaks, mostly around the flange where it mates with the head, worse part was the top edge which was too tall and hit the un-machined part of the head.

[Nev]

Thanks Chris, brake fluid is on it's way to me now from eBay. I needed some anyway to check I've isolated all oil leaks under the car. Were you working on your own car this w/e ?

[alanoo]

brake cleaner, not fluid
do not squirt brake cleaner anywhere, most corrosive think ever

you always should have a good collection of brake cleaner at home, most useful stuff ever

Edited by alanoo, 29 August 2011 - 06:02 PM.

[Nev]

lol, my mistake, i meant brake cleaner, dont worry

[cnrandall]

Thanks Chris, brake fluid is on it's way to me now from eBay. I needed some anyway to check I've isolated all oil leaks under the car.

Were you working on your own car this w/e ?

Pah, brake cleaner has nothing on wheel cleaning acid!

[Nev]

Had a bizzar problem yesterday/today but it's all fixed now, perhaps with a slight improvement to the way the power is delivered. Blogged here.

Am about to take my girlfriends 70 year old dad out for a blast once the traffic dies down, can't wait to hear him screeeeeaaaammm !! LOL

Edited by Nev, 01 September 2011 - 06:03 PM.

[Ormes]

Had a bizzar problem yesterday/today but it's all fixed now, perhaps with a slight improvement to the way the power is delivered. Blogged here.

Am about to take my girlfriends 70 year old dad out for a blast once the traffic dies down, can't wait to hear him screeeeeaaaammm !! LOL

Get him to hold the video camera since you clearly can't be arsed to tape it to your dashboard

[Nev]

Ack, sorry I keep forgetting about taking a video, I will get round to it eventually. Am really getting used to the power delivery now and hit 7000+ revs quite a few times this evening due to increasing confidence/familiarity in it's handling. I hammered it in 2nd gear for the first time ever and the rear end fish tailed all over the place, though the car stayed pointing forward. I think it hit the rev limiter and when I let go of the accelerator and there was an almighty bang due to the over run. I've never heard such a big bang and can only guess the flames out of the back must have been staggering! Pip pip.

Edited by Nev, 01 September 2011 - 08:36 PM.

[The Batman]

really happy that you are getting used to the car now Nev must make it all worth while

[Nev]

Thanks Joe, hopefully if the engine lasts 25,000 miles or so it will make it all worth while. I am more and more inclined to keep it at 500 BHP, though for the first month that I had it back I felt it was too unmanageable at that level. But, like all mechanical devices, it takes time to learn how to use it. Obviously it's a lot harder to drive than a smooth S/C car, but ultimately faster (assuming I improve the brakes). I took Chip (writes for Total Vauxhall mag) out in it a few days ago who has been building and tracking cars for ages (he owns 11 cars himself !!). He thinks it would be a devestating track weapon and thought the whole car behaved exactly as he thought it would. Hopefully your car will be completed soon - whats the hold up on it ATM ?

[Seb.F]

Do you plan to take it out on a decent track (by that I mean one with bends not a drag ) at some point Nev?

[Nev]

I have to fix the brakes first before I do anything hardcore in it. After that, I may well take it on an airfield or track day after that and will deffo come to the National next year. However I think it will fail many tracks drive by test, as the noise is humoungous once on full boost. It would be good to perform a drive by test if I knew someone who had some suitable sound measuring equipment. Feathering the throttle round corners is not as hard as you might think it is Seb. There are still various corners that I get caught out on when on the road, but its mainly due to the fact that I am not concentrating and still driving it like my diesel estate whilst in traffic. If I pay attention and keep the revs up artificially high (ie over 4000) the car is still very capable round the bends. Also the Quaife diff deffo helps inspire confidence both in and out of the corners and I am glad I stuck it in even though it was a bit of a pain to install. Also, I weighted it last week and it's only 890 Kg with 1/3 tank of fuel, so only barely any heavier than a standard NA.

Edited by Nev, 02 September 2011 - 09:17 AM.

[spuk87]

On my phone so cba looking at the build blog, what have you done to get it so light - considering it has big turbo, charge cooler system and rad(s) and a presumably heavy ish differential? Apologies if it is all on the blog and too much to put in here.

[The Batman]

4 pots nev i still have no map

[Nev]

Spuk, a summary of weight saving can be found on here.

Yea Joe, if my new auxillary vacuum system doesn't work I will have to think about 4 pots on the front. Maybe my master cylinder diaphram is failing too. I am sure I will get to the bottom of this problem eventually, Im just being my usual slow assed self and not doing much except driving it !

[Seb.F]

You permanently drive it with no soft top on or in the car? Or is it kept garaged and only used for the odd hour or so when it's actually sunny in this damn country?