Cheers guys! Speedy, Since he's just sitting there I may as well do something with him! That and now the heads off, there's lots of room to get to other stuff without jacking it up.

Matt, I'm planning on making carbon fibre door cards out of the original ones, probably some time over the summer. Not sure if I will or just leave them as is. We'll see. . .

Mark, the gearknob I made myself, turned it on a lathe. Glad you like it!!

Today I managed to get the headgasket locating pins I made, to fit. I first made them a little too wide for the thread in the block, and too wide at the top so I wouldn't be able to get the head over them. They fit well now. Fitted the fuel tank, and removed the old overflow tank, leaving a gurt big hole to blank off! Planning what lines and adaptors I need to plumb in the pump and filter, as well as the lines.






It looks small, but is 40 litres.



Also managed to cut holes through the front panel to fit the larger later type rad and fans. I flipped the blades over on he fans as well to improve airflow when they're spinning. While I was at it I measured up how long the new rad hoses and pipes should be, and where they go.

Managed to find a good route for the oil cooler hoses to go too, so I'll start cutting and mounting that stuff up next week too.

For now it's a case of waiting a few days, while the bits I've ordered turn up, also gives me a chance to actually do some uni work

Good work! Are you making it down to A52 this weekend?

Cheers bud. I might not be, looming coursework deadlines and skintness, as well as not seeing my gf properly for awhile. Hopefully will turn up for a lil while tomorrow evening. Won't be going to the beach break though, gutted to miss another! Work wouldn't give me the day off.

Which reminds me, need to book tickets for RR show and book the time off!

Hi jon.
Turned it on a lathe. Well impressed
Cheers Mark.

he he, cheers Mark!

Progress was made today. Managed to get the water pump on (bloomin M7 bolts, rargh). Also got the head, cams, dizzy and stat back on. I'll be able to do the timing belt tomorrow, and put the inlet manifold back on and connect all the wiring again. Can't wait! Hopefully the rad hoses will turn up tomorrow, so the coolant side of things should be sorted by Wednesday.


Gasket on.


Skimmed head.


Head on and tappets in.


Torquing up the head bolts, this simple bit of kit cost me 20 quid. Won't be using it again for awhile, which in a way is a shame, but should also be a good sign!


Stainless bolts, replacing the naf torx bolts. No more rusting and rounding off.


Same on the dizzy.


Cams back in


Manifold with heat proof paint, needs a tidy up though.

Bring on tomorrow.

Nice one dude! Avonmouth sometime soon when it's done?

Hell yes dude, that sounds bloody brilliant. Nice bedding in sesh for him! Preferably when its wet, easy sliding.

Well, he runs. Very well now. First time I got him started, he was idling pretty high. Took him to fleet and back to run him in (mate was having a BBQ) so was a good test session. The alloy rad pipes didnt come though, so had to use the old steel ones, which leak slightly. Come Tuesday, the alloy pipes will be on. Got the fans wired in and working too. Nice to have a manual over-ride, complete control now!

The idle problem was down to the fact that the MAP sensor tubing was too small in diameter and too soft a rubber. I knew that because it was the only piece I swapped over, that didn't need swapping over, but changed anyway. Problem solved. Also slackened the timing belt off a little, I went a bit over-board on the tensioning. So all is well right now, which is real nice! Got some bonnet pins on too now, so the bonnet comes completely off for easy working on.







Tomorrow I'll get some completed shots, going to try the see through photoshopped bonnet look.

Nice dude. Very nice news.

Nice to hear she's running again mate!

Been running for a few weeks now, only a few small niggles. Idling is a little eratic, so chances are the ICV is on it's way out. That and the fuel pump I got with the thank has a dodgy connection (I needed to solder it back together) so the engine isn't getting enough fuel. I'm pretty sure the pump is on it's way out too, it doesn't sound too healthy.

But anyway, got a new pump and a few filter/pump brackets which should improve the fuelling and quieten things down a bit.





Also got a few proper connectors for the fans, as opposed to the bog standard spades, which I've found can shake themselves loose. Once I've done them, I'll grab some pics.

Another thing to note is the MAP sensor connector on the loom side has snapped, (clip that holds it on to the sensor), so I need to get one of those, best bet is probably renault. Can't find any connectors on-line, they're all too small. Not too much else really, fans work well to keep the cooling in check, little/no coolant leaks, no over heating, and running well bar the idle problem. Cool stuff

They are called Weather Pack connectors dude, can't see any in autosparks, polevault or VWP though.

Ebay however, to the rescue
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-Way-Delphi- ... 928wt_1185

Legend Chris! Cheers. I'll get one ordered.

Got the rad connectors sorted, work well and look good.


Been wanting to try out the faded bonnet pics for awhile too, so tried some of those.




I'll get the pump and other bits fitted when I have some free time from exams and revision. Woop.

Nice one, pump looks good and those connectors - i nearly bourght a load when i was going to make a whole engine loom for the EFI swap i was going to do. AKA 'AMP superseal'

Cheers Matt. If I do put him on throttle bodies in the future, I'll build a new complete loom. New connectors everywhere, I know where to go now. Will be expensive though!

EFI not happening then?