Arctic Project (Take 2)

[TubaMagna8]

MOT day….

Failed…



Ordered some new pistons for the front brakes will strip them down, and ordered some wishbones to do that… need to work out what’s happening with the emissions, thinking either a vacuum leak or dodgy sensor somewhere….

Pulled the spark plugs out, appears that the cylinder further away from the intake is being starved of oxygen…. Might end up putting the XE inlet on..


Also got my other parts including a reverse light switch as they’re temperamental…. But also cruise control bits….

 

[TubaMagna8]

Started on the Mot failures...

Got the front brake off, and managed to slip it down and replace the piston and the seals....

It was difficult to turn the wheel even with it in neutral.



Clamped the flexi to stop too much brake fluid leaking...






Very crusty..
Gave the surfaces a once over with the wire brush on the drill


made sure all the surfaces where clean and got the piston in... Took a while getting the seal to be seated properly.



I got everything when ordering from BigRed so also got some new bleed screws too as well as slider pins...



Caliper back on, need to bleed the brakes, but waiting on the wishbones to turn up...

 

[TubaMagna8]

Wishbones turned up.



A lot of WD40 and a lot of swearing... got the ball joint detached, thanks to Andy_Mk3 and his tip of nut on and chisel between the CV and the nut. worked a treat...



New Vs Old... got sore arms tonight, will keep the old one and probs refurbish it.




Just need to sort the emissions out, hopefully have a new cat coming this week as well.

 

[Kev_mk3]

Nicely done. How much where a set of new callipers over the refurb kits any ideas?

 

[TubaMagna8]

Nicely done. How much where a set of new callipers over the refurb kits any ideas?

Rebuild kit was about £36 for both fronts think AUTODOC is about 47 for 1 from ate, quite satisfying rebuilding them lol

 

[DavebGsi]

Them caliper have done mileage haven't they! Well worth a rebuild though and like you say, satifying! Thought about painting them while their off? I did my volvo ones silver and made everything look really fresh

 

[TubaMagna8]

Them caliper have done mileage haven't they! Well worth a rebuild though and like you say, satifying! Thought about painting them while their off? I did my volvo ones silver and made everything look really fresh

I thought id rebuild it get it back on for mot, then over winter I might buy another set and rebuild them but get them powder coated.

Got them bled the other day, And everything back together. Just need to sort out what im doing regarding the inlet. I have a new catalytic converter to go on, but I'm worried that it might be the inlet so might just go full hog and put the x16xe inlet back on.

Got some new anti-roll bar links, Put that on and used my dads caliber to make sure it was compressed between 38 & 39mm I think Haynes suggested.




Gave the leg a good wire brush over same with the anti-roll bar, then got some hamerite on it, not the neatest job but freshens it up a little.





also a new Wiper stalk for an omega turned up as well as the omega relay. Can get that fitted at some point.



Been a slow few weeks, Had lots of things on as well as finally getting my dream job, Going from Driving funeral cars and carrying coffins to being a funeral Director, Full time hours and contract so better pay and I can finally look at getting my own place, where the mk3 projects can keep going

 

[Kev_mk3]

Nice one on the job I would say its a dying trade but you know

 

[TubaMagna8]

Mot Day today, Passed with an advisory for slight blow from the exhaust, its on the cat side, ive had one lying around from auto doc, so I fitted that after mot, except its the wrong type and doesn't fit... ffs




I got one with other things tho, I wanted to fit the new wishbone and everything I had done on the drivers side previously, but on the drivers side.




Gave the strut a good clean and some hammerite




Brake caliper off, and stripped that down....










also ended up taking half of the metal shroud inside the bush on the new wishbone as it was too long and wouldn't fit.



All Back together, get a few more trips with her before the tax runs out in November.

 

[TubaMagna8]

Nothing much major Progress wise, Still trying to hunt down the emissions issues, So decided now I knew the X16XE stuff worked I got a better condition lower manifold from eBay, I have new gaskets and also getting them shot blasted and vapour cleaned. So will start to strip it all down, and build back up.

I had tried to polish this before VBOA but had given up on that, Looking forward to the results from vapour blasting



Purchased a used Rocker cover, new gasket and o-rings, This one is off for Vapour blasting too.





I also got a spare engine loom to make an extension to tidy it up, and use a load of Deutsch connectors.

Also got a new thermostat, and aux belt to fit.

Just been eying up some new connectors as thinking of going fully custom braided looms.






I had never got around to fitting the injector filters either so I've removed mine and posted them to nige-p for refurb/testing.



Got the first image back from the Vapour Blasting guy. Looks loads better, will have to keep onto of keeping it clean too!

 

[TubaMagna8]

Got next week off, So I plan to get the roof liner out and re-line that. So more progress and pics to come

 

[TubaMagna8]

End of the week off pretty much, No roof liner out as the weather hasn't been the best for it, but cracked on with other things.

Collected the parts from the Vapour Blaster on Monday. Now they're clean the upper inlet looks like a male organ.... x4


First thing to get on with, seen as the alternator had to be moved to get to the lower inlet I Got the aux belt off and put the trolley jack under to support the engine whilst the engine bracket was removed, Another thing I wouldn't have thought to do or even consider doing a few years ago.



Bit of WD40 and the bolts came out with no issues at all!







Drained the coolant using my turkey baster method, Mean I didn't waterboard the drive when I took the lower inlet off... Again whilst I was doing that I had got a new thermostat as the original the housing wasn't in the best condition and for £8 off of auto doc.
I also replaced the original bolts with some capped Allen head bolts from Accu.co.uk Look so much better, and fairly decent quality.



Just before I removed the lower inlet.


New vs Old


Took some time getting the bits of old gasket off, few chemicals and a bit of a clean up and it looks a lot better.

 

[TubaMagna8]

Another angle







New gasket put on, The bottom two bolts the nuts have been seized but have worked as normal bolts instead.


All back together for now,


Next up is do the crank case cover and get the injectors back in, I've ordered some braid and heat shrink to make the looms for the injectors, to try tidy it all up.

Also have a Rear axle brace to fit, like those found on the GSI, and possibly have some upgraded front brakes to come too...

 

[Kev_mk3]

Nice work. Very old skool method of tuning but the best imo

 

[TubaMagna8]

Started on this again last weekend, Took the old crank case cover off and then put new seals on the new one, and the O Rings.

Gave it a good clean over to make sure no left over Medium was in any of the holes etc.



Looks in nice condition underneath as well. Got a close up of one of the lobes which is what they all look like which is a good sign






New one gasket-ed up…


On and tightened up, I have also taken off the exhaust heat shelled to try clean that up a bit and I’ve removed the Sai. And that will probably stay removed.



Quick mock up with the upper inlet placed on top, Plastics need some work, and next job is to tidy/eliminate some of the wiring too.



Ordered this kit to help make some harness’s but also to try and divert, rearrange some of the existing loom.


Also in the pipe line, I have some calipers to get cleaned up, refurbed and hopefully powder coated…. Will be going 308mm on the front… Thanks to Gareth for providing these
Ordered the caliper brackets to fit these, just need the discs which Mtec have sent me the link for and get some spigot rings.

 

[TubaMagna8]

I ordered some new EV1 connectors to make up a different cleaner loom for the injectors, however the wrong parts turned up, So I set about doing what I could for now with what I have.

Started by doing what I could with the existing looms that where in place.



Handy Temu de-Pinner came in use, was able to remove most of the wires to get the braid over.


Started by getting the cables that need to be at the back of the engine to the back of the engine across the top of the bay.




Will still use a bit of the plastic shroud where necessary



Big strand of cable on the left is slowly getting thinner!



Going to order a 12 pin Male & Female Deutsch connector set to cut the injector plug off and make my own slimmer version.

Aiming to have it started in the next three weeks!

 

[TubaMagna8]

Few more parts arrived, some 12 pin deutsch connectors to replace the other plug/socket:


Got on with the injector wiring, just need to make the labels for them, not bad for a first attempt.








I’ve used similar coloured cables as the factory loom to keep consistency and for trouble shooting etc….

 

[DavebGsi]

do love some sexy wiring plugs!

 

[Kev_mk3]

Started on this again last weekend, Took the old crank case cover off and then put new seals on the new one, and the O Rings.

Gave it a good clean over to make sure no left over Medium was in any of the holes etc.

View attachment 27464

Looks in nice condition underneath as well. Got a close up of one of the lobes which is what they all look like which is a good sign


View attachment 27470

View attachment 27468

New one gasket-ed up…
View attachment 27469

On and tightened up, I have also taken off the exhaust heat shelled to try clean that up a bit and I’ve removed the Sai. And that will probably stay removed.
View attachment 27471


Quick mock up with the upper inlet placed on top, Plastics need some work, and next job is to tidy/eliminate some of the wiring too.
View attachment 27472


Ordered this kit to help make some harness’s but also to try and divert, rearrange some of the existing loom.
View attachment 27467

Also in the pipe line, I have some calipers to get cleaned up, refurbed and hopefully powder coated…. Will be going 308mm on the front… Thanks to Gareth for providing these
Ordered the caliper brackets to fit these, just need the discs which Mtec have sent me the link for and get some spigot rings.

View attachment 27465

Spigots for wheels or discs?

Im sure my mtec discs didnt need them but I MIGHT have some if you do need disc ones ping me a message on fb or anywhere ill post them up

 

[DavebGsi]

i've never heard of disc spigot rings? wouldn't of thought you would need them as the 2 screws hold the disc to the drive flange?