130 replies to this topic

[zebwach]

A full update shall follow tomorrow as I am far too tired to do a full one from all the aimless driving around the country I have been doing to bed the engine in. First thing is first, a huge thank you to Duncan for his efforts. Wouldn't have been possible without him. A brief example of his dedication was working from 9am Sunday - 3am Monday morning solid. Considering he had work at 7am that day, massive respect. I have just covered my first 500miles and have my first oil change tomorrow morning. Apart from a very rare intermittent crunching when going into 2nd with the clutch fully depressed, everything is going well. Engine feels silky smooth and sounds good. Although hugely sedated with the new 2ubular (which is the most beautiful piece of pipe work I have ever seen) compared with my old Miltec. Although I haven't been passed 4000rpm yet and 99% of my driving has been off boost, so who knows what lies up above. I have have had 3 low rpm short squirts in lower gears, and every time it has attempted to kill me! The ATB just seems to want to spit me off the road. The roads are icey, covered in grit and im using R1R's, so not ideal I know. It is very strange feeling it work below you and when it does loose grip, even with all four wheels pointing in the same direction, it throws the rear end out to one side quite violently. Its very early stages, but first impressions are not good ones of how it now reacts on the limit. I think the biggest problem is definitely me, some driver training and an empty airfield is in order to learn how to react to it, else I cant see me staying out the hedges for long! Any way, peace too all VX people. Ill sleep on it and give a full update tomorrow. Zach

[Duncan VXR]

Zac you missed the up at 4am Saturday due to my alarm clock called Benjamin followed that day by starting at 8 and calling it a day when Paul turned up and we decided to go the pub for dinner and few drinks at 5....................at about 2am Paul was well very drunk and went home and Zac and I carried on drinking and talking rubbish until 3.30am. Then I was working on the car from 9am (Zac was not there for moral support but taking full advantage of his sleep lol) and had the car finished and drving at 3am. Sleep of course is over rated NOT!!! Looooooooooooooooooong weekend but happy with the results so far Did wonder how the ATB would feel Zac and sounds similar to how it reacted on my vag powered R5 but will have to have a drive to confirm. Def some open space to test requireed and may need a slight adjust of the suspensin also as for the crunch, maybe give it another bleed when its back in see if that helps The new revised 2bluar is VERY nice, zac did have to have a cat fitted as the decat pipe was the wrong one but is a very nice fit and no undertray fouling Sure with zac driving every second he has spare it will be back for the garrett and exhausy cutting up etc in no time :S DG

[Nev]

Zach is that a Quiafe ATB you have had fitted ? If so, does it have the revised ramp angles for RWD ?

[Duncan VXR]

Yes and yes Nev

[zebwach]

Nev, It is indeed the quaife ATB and yes, it does have the revised ramp angles. Im sure that once I get to have a proper play on the runway with full use of the engine and revised geo, it will be fine. I just didnt expect it to feel the way it does and need to adjust the way I drive ALOT to suit. Im planning on redirecting some cash to driver training and having the exhaust ceremic coated later in the year when engine bay temps are more of an issue. How is your build going? Are you intending to use the same ATB?

[zebwach]

Good news. Im an ATB convert! Iv just returned from another 300 mile running in session and a brief spell on an airfield having a play. Im delighted to say that it is ace. Once you come to terms with it working for you and not against, it offers so much more grip. You can literally negotiate round abouts using only the throttle to steer. Before I wasn't ready for what it was doing and was fighting it instinctively, the worst thing you can do it turns out. A lot more practice is required to dispel those old habits however. On the negative side, because of the attitude of the car when it does lose grip, the back goes an awful lot quicker than before. Im also chuffed to report that the crunchy 2nd gear hasn't reared its head at all today. Touch wood. All is not perfect in my VX world though. A minor oil leak was found during the oil change this morning. Its origin was not found but I will have a look myself for it when it is next on the ramps for oil change number 3, on Monday hopefully, and keep a close eye on it until then. I have yet to give it full beans and haven't been passed 4.8krpm, so I don't know the full extent, but I have suffered a few misfires under load. As it hasn't rained a since she has been back on the road and I personally watched Duncan put the spark plugs in bone dry, I fear I may be requiring my 4th coil pack. I cant see how it could be anything else? Leads maybe causing them to fail so often? I don't know if its that the last time I drove her was in the summer (hot air) and/or the 3 inch 2ubular, but even with limited throttle and revs, it is eye wateringly quick with next to no lag. Much more pull from low down the revs with immediate acceleration in any gear than I remember it having. I cant remember giggling to myself so much since the first day I picked her up 4 years ago! I dare not think what its going to be like with another 70+bhp, its going to scare the bejesus out of me. Cant wait!

[2.2_na]

its going to scare the bejesus out of me. Cant wait!

Sounds great!

[Nev]

Zeb, have you had it remapped yet ? If not, are you going to? The missfire sounds a little concerning, are you sure it wasn't overrun popping ? My build is zooming along now that I am in control again. In fact it's going faster than I imagined, I may well be ready for an initial fire up within a month if things keep going well.

[Duncan VXR]

Nev mapped to current spec other than the exhaust upgrade which at worse run a touch lean but as running in not an issue. When back fot garett, inlet mani, dg air intake kit and larger inj will be off to get mapped. Pro by my trailer ;-)

[zebwach]

This isn't the update that I would have liked to be giving. The gear box hadn't really felt right regarding smoothness of selecting gears (particularly 1st and 2nd), or even getting it into gear at all since having it back from the rebuild. Well im sorry to say that on the way to its 1000 mile engine oil change last week it gave in totally. With much clonking and grinding it has decided to create some kind of 1st-2nd gear hybrid which the gear stick seemingly has no control over (gear cables and connections have been checked). Obviously I didn't want to drive it in this condition and cause more damage by doing so. So once again I had the shameful ride home in a low loader with a sports car that you definitely can't run on £5 sitting behind me! Zach

[steveboyslim]

This isn't the update that I would have liked to be giving. The gear box hadn't really felt right regarding smoothness of selecting gears (particularly 1st and 2nd), or even getting it into gear at all since having it back from the rebuild. Well im sorry to say that on the way to its 1000 mile engine oil change last week it gave in totally. With much clonking and grinding it has decided to create some kind of 1st-2nd gear hybrid which the gear stick seemingly has no control over (gear cables and connections have been checked). Obviously I didn't want to drive it in this condition and cause more damage by doing so. So once again I had the shameful ride home in a low loader with a sports car that you definitely can't run on £5 sitting behind me!

Zach

That is not good, sound like a selector fork problem, which is strange as when an ATB diff is fitted that part of the gearbox, with the gears and selectors remains untouched.
Ther is a problem with the gear selection and syncromesh with the F23, Vauxhall/OPEL sell a preassembled gear cluster.

Steve

[zebwach]

Steve, I am not questioning your integrity. Especially as, apart from the odd anomaly e.g. the gear box having considerable amounts of water inside upon delivery, you have helped me out a lot and given me an abundance of useful advice/feedback, drawn from your considerable experience, pertaining to my build. I just find it amazing, as in absolutely amazing, that this fault were to develop right down to the meter in time with the gear box being disassembled and failing. The difference in smoothness of gear changes was night and day between dropping it off back in Oct/Nov and then driving it for the first time a couple of weeks ago. In my optimism and excitement of having her back at long last, I was really hoping it was teething problems associated with running in a refurbished box. Or even something as simple as bleeding the clutch, which it has been proven to have had no air in the line. I drive like miss daisy anyway, but even more so since having her back due to running the engine in. The exact cause of the failure is yet to be determined and shall only be clear once she is disassembled. Time will tell. Just a little disheartened at the minute due to the prospect of possibly spending more cash and the delays involved with fixing her. Zach

[steveboyslim]

Steve, I am not questioning your integrity. Especially as, apart from the odd anomaly e.g. the gear box having considerable amounts of water inside upon delivery, you have helped me out a lot and given me an abundance of useful advice/feedback, drawn from your considerable experience, pertaining to my build.

I just find it amazing, as in absolutely amazing, that this fault were to develop right down to the meter in time with the gear box being disassembled and failing. The difference in smoothness of gear changes was night and day between dropping it off back in Oct/Nov and then driving it for the first time a couple of weeks ago. In my optimism and excitement of having her back at long last, I was really hoping it was teething problems associated with running in a refurbished box. Or even something as simple as bleeding the clutch, which it has been proven to have had no air in the line. I drive like miss daisy anyway, but even more so since having her back due to running the engine in.

The exact cause of the failure is yet to be determined and shall only be clear once she is disassembled. Time will tell. Just a little disheartened at the minute due to the prospect of possibly spending more cash and the delays involved with fixing her.

Zach

Zach,

You are slightly missing the point, the gearbox was not refurbished, just a diff fitted.
The gearbox may prove to be beyond ecnomical repair, if that is the case and a replacment box is needed, I will swap the diff over for free while you wait, if you bring me the gearbox(s)
If you want the gearbox refurbished (rebuilt) I do not do that work, but I use a chap who used to rebuild the gearboxes for the works Ford rally team, again at cost.
Not to sure where the water come from, probably from when I jet washed the box, there was no sign of any water damage inside the box, which you or Duncan will see if either of you are there when the gearbox case is seperated.
Any questions please pphone I will gladly answer.

Steve

Edited by steveboyslim, 31 January 2011 - 08:16 AM.

[zebwach]

Cheers Steve. I shall phone you shortly with a few questions.

[zebwach]

Cheers Steve. I shall phone you shortly with a few questions.

[VXT Tim]

Any update Zach?

[Nev]

Ditto.

[Duncan VXR]

Box is with Steve who's gearbox contact is going to investigate further. I stripped the box and other than a very slight bit of rubbing on the casing from the diff could see no visual problems. Selectors look ok and no metal swalf other tha the small amount of alloy which came out with the oil, magnet in box had none. Still suspect seized or drag on one of the bearings, could not confirm as never removed full gear cluster from box, top set from splitting box were fine but in nuteral there is def drag on fd. Fingers crossed its a quick and easy fix DG

Edited by Duncan VXR, 15 March 2011 - 08:01 AM.

[zebwach]

A long over due update. As you are aware, I have had issues with my gearbox. Duncan recently removed said gearbox and diagnosed it with a seized bearing on the first cluster. The box was then sent back down to Steve. Steve has since been snooping around and trying to find either replacement parts or replacement box. Having spoke to Steve today and over the weekend, the replacement parts option is a lot more expensive and time consuming due to the work required. For that reason I have opted for a 2nd hand Astra GSI F23 box. The box Steve has found doesn't have a history with it, so it is a large gamble it being serviceable or not. But at £200 and Steve kindly fitting the diff and new seals for free, its a no brainer in my opinion. Plus if it is broken, im sure between the two boxes, a working one could be cobbled together. So cutting a long story short, I should hopefully here back, still in stage 4 form, this Sunday so that I can do the final 500miles of running in. Unfortunately im going to the sunny desert in the upcoming months, so its going to be a while before I get to drive her in 'Garrett' form. Zach

[Duncan VXR]

yum yum garage space back lol - can start the track beastie - Zac just leave your car with me and I will use it as a runabout over summer when bored with current spec (aka 500 miles time) I will finish the conversion for you and make sure it works even when abused constantly What are friends for DG Hope to get the box back in thu or fri evening and at worse sat so Zac can collect sunday