vulgalour
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 7,280
Club RR Member Number: 146
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Feb 11, 2016 19:05:53 GMT
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Today, I volunteered Mike to rebuild my engine. This is because I've been next to useless all day thanks to my stupid spine which hates me. Still, better than sitting at home watching daytime tellybox. To kick things off, the various mating surfaces on the block were cleaned of any overpaint on the edges and parts were got together so we could start reinstalling them and making the engine look like an engine again. This all went very smoothly thanks to Mike's ultra-methodical approach to everything and the fact I'd put everything away in specific order so we didn't have to guess at where things went.  There was a bit of an issue when we found one of the crankshaft end seals in the kit was the wrong size. Everything else in the kit looks the same as what came off the car. I did wonder if the old one had shrunk and the new one just needed compressing but the new one doesn't appear to physically fit where it's supposed to go. I'll be getting in touch with Der Franzose about that one.  Not to worry, we don't need that bit as we're not ready to put the flywheel on yet. The liners were cleaned up and found to be free of steps and scores, the pistons inspected and found to have a good set of rings on all and to likewise be free of damage. Paper liners (literally paper rings that go at the bottom of the liners) of the relevant thickness for the wet liners were fitted and the task of installing the pistons began. This went very smoothly for two which were installed in the block very quickly. Unfortunately, on the other two the ring compressor slipped which let to snapping the end off one of the compression rings and deforming the end of one of the oil scraper rings. That was quite annoying. Luckily, you can get single sets of rings from Der Franzose for about £15 plus postage. I've been unable to find an alternative supplier for these at the time of writing. Even so, we got far enough that the oil pick up could be fitted and the pile of parts to reinstate has shrunk considerably.  To avoid and catastrophies, the engine was put right way up and covered until we have the piston rings needed to finish the installation. There's still other engine jobs that can be done without the piston rings being available so we can still progress with things in the meantime. |
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vulgalour
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 7,280
Club RR Member Number: 146
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It's 1994 here at the moment with Mike pressing Nugget the Corsa back into daily duties while he puts some parts, money and attention to his Supra.   Really is a super wee car. If anyone has a Philips SC201 cassette radio we'd be interested. We're aware there are 'better' headunits, it's just that the SC201 is the one that's wanted in this instance. |
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vulgalour
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 7,280
Club RR Member Number: 146
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MoT is looming (3rd of April), I'm going to get it booked in pretty soon. Made use of the DVLA online MoT check thing which gave me something I didn't have; history.
As a result, I've learned the car passed every MoT with no advisories for the last 4 years. That's great news on the face of things, even with the work I've had to do. The history only goes back to 2007 but there's no mention of rust in any of them so that's also good.
2007
advisory on exhaust leak, trailing arm bushes and damaged door mirror.
2008
advisory for exhaust pipe having holes and play in inner steering rack joint
2009 FAIL
Track rod end and nearside stop lamp inoperative.
Advisory: play in offside track rod and leaking exhaust
2010
exhaust a bit knackered, offside front brake binding
2011 FAIL
Offside stop lamp knackered, major exhaust leak (didn't test emissions)
2012-2015
no advisories
I surmise the following has been done going by the condition of parts on the car:
Trailing arm bushes - ignored for 9 years and somehow always gone through MoTs until they were replaced recently in my ownership
Track rod ends - they looked like recent-ish replacements, but no older than 6-7 years
Rear lights - probably replaced 5 years ago with the 2011 fail
Exhaust - likely done 5 years ago to resolve the exhaust leaks
Brakes - the bind mentioned in 2010 is probably what caused the warped disc it had when I bought it and which has now been done in my ownership
Of course, I am just guessing based on what I've seen on the car and what's noted in the MoT history but it is nice to have some background to the car and to know that overall it's in good order. What I am suspicious of is its last 5 years of MoTs having zero advisories knowing what I know of the car so I expect it went to quite a lenient tester. I'm cautiously optimistic about the chances of a pass this year, all the same, because it's better now than when I picked it up by quite some margin.
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vulgalour
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 7,280
Club RR Member Number: 146
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Well, it's not much to report but I finally had the cash to get myself the piston rings because on measuring we found the Renault needs the more expensive £60 set. I'll get the liners honed and the rings fitted by a local company rather than DIYing because at this point I don't want to mess things up any further. I've also got the correct size camshaft end seal now which just leaves the correct sump crescent seals to acquire so the engine can be rebuild and have oil put in. What a chore this has been.
Had absolutely no time at all to do anything with the Princess lately, which is pretty annoying, but she seems to have stopped fogging up so I think I've dealt with whatever bit of bodywork was letting the water in.
Rover continues to be flawless.
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brc76
RR Helper
Posts: 1,108 
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ready for the mot?
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vulgalour
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 7,280
Club RR Member Number: 146
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Reckon so. I'm going to see if they'll do the headlamp aim before the test so I don't fail on it even though I think they're about right for a pass anyway. I can't test the emissions but I've no reason to believe that will be an issue. Maybe chuck some more screenwash in so I know there's enough to demonstrate the washer jets are working. I'm not used to this reliable car thing.
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Last Edit: Mar 9, 2016 3:35:38 GMT by vulgalour
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vulgalour
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 7,280
Club RR Member Number: 146
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Mar 15, 2016 15:47:28 GMT
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Just had the unhappy news that the Rover has FAILED its MoT. This has come as quite a surprise given the work undertaken. Happily, none of the work undertaken is the cause of the fail.
One blown indicator bulb - already fixed
Fibreglass structural repairs - the scary bit
There's an advisory on the hydrocarbons being too high while the Co2 reading is fine. Suggested we put some injector cleaner through it to sort this out.
The description I've had of the problem - not from the tester, but from Mike who picked the car up - is that there is a 'fist-sized' (which with Mike can mean anything from 2" to 8" across) hole on the inner sill and/or floor at the trailing edge on the driver's side that has been very recently fibreglassed. So recently, in fact, that the tester thought I'd done it so I guess it must have been done just before I bought the car.
I'm quite anxious about this repair in all honesty. It's exactly what led into the weldathon on the Princess and at the moment I'm in no fit state to be doing welding work. I also haven't the means to pay someone else to do the work for me at present. I just have to hope I'm well enough to get under the car by the end of the week and get this job done within the retest period. What's surprised me is that this really wasn't evident when we looked at the car when it's been up in the air.
I am glad it's been found, it means I stand a chance of sorting it out before it becomes a bigger problem but it does make me wonder about the previous testing stations its been to and makes me suspicious of that string of clean MoTs it had over the last few years. I'm staying positive though, the tester didn't have anything bad to say about the rest of the car so overall it must be in pretty good shape.
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vulgalour
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 7,280
Club RR Member Number: 146
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Mar 15, 2016 16:17:25 GMT
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14 days, so I've got until the 28th or 29th to get it done. MoT doesn't expire until the 3rd of April but technically since it's now been proven to be in an unroadworthy state I can't actually drive it, which leaves me with 0/3 cars able to be used. I just wish I'd seen the problem, I thought I'd eliminated all of the bodge in this car, typical that something would be waiting for me at MoT time.
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Mar 15, 2016 17:50:40 GMT
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14 days, so I've got until the 28th or 29th to get it done. MoT doesn't expire until the 3rd of April but technically since it's now been proven to be in an unroadworthy state I can't actually drive it, which leaves me with 0/3 cars able to be used. I just wish I'd seen the problem, I thought I'd eliminated all of the bodge in this car, typical that something would be waiting for me at MoT time. Its a bit of a blow to have something potentially substantial to blindside you at MOT time, the difficult, but important, thing is not to be floored by it, as you say you are off the road without it. Try to get underneath it in the next few days and fingers-crossed some wizarding with the welder takes care of it  |
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Mar 15, 2016 18:11:06 GMT
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With luck it will be a fingernail sized hole someone has slapped a load if jam over, it can't be that bad or you would have spotted it yourself.
Hope you feel better soon
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Mar 15, 2016 18:33:55 GMT
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Just had the unhappy news that the Rover has FAILED its MoT. This has come as quite a surprise given the work undertaken. Happily, none of the work undertaken is the cause of the fail. One blown indicator bulb - already fixed Fibreglass structural repairs - the scary bit There's an advisory on the hydrocarbons being too high while the Co2 reading is fine. Suggested we put some injector cleaner through it to sort this out. The description I've had of the problem - not from the tester, but from Mike who picked the car up - is that there is a 'fist-sized' (which with Mike can mean anything from 2" to 8" across) hole on the inner sill and/or floor at the trailing edge on the driver's side that has been very recently fibreglassed. So recently, in fact, that the tester thought I'd done it so I guess it must have been done just before I bought the car. I'm quite anxious about this repair in all honesty. It's exactly what led into the weldathon on the Princess and at the moment I'm in no fit state to be doing welding work. I also haven't the means to pay someone else to do the work for me at present. I just have to hope I'm well enough to get under the car by the end of the week and get this job done within the retest period. What's surprised me is that this really wasn't evident when we looked at the car when it's been up in the air. I am glad it's been found, it means I stand a chance of sorting it out before it becomes a bigger problem but it does make me wonder about the previous testing stations its been to and makes me suspicious of that string of clean MoTs it had over the last few years. I'm staying positive though, the tester didn't have anything bad to say about the rest of the car so overall it must be in pretty good shape. I have recently got a car with a really loud knackered wheel bearing and a knocking driveshaft , it makes me think dodgy mot's are very common if someones mate is doing them or £50 changes hands . It had 11 months 1 week mot left !! |
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vulgalour
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 7,280
Club RR Member Number: 146
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Mar 15, 2016 18:55:59 GMT
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Mike has got back and tried to describe the work required without photographs. I'm more confused than ever. The problem is somewhere between a 2" perforation in the sill rail near the B pillar to a four foot long strip about 2" wide the entire length of the floor where it meets the inner sill to the trailing edge of the inner sill needing a 2" square patch. Useless. I'd told him to get me some photographs so I know what I'm dealing with.
Now, the good thing is that the passenger side is apparently free of rust and I know one or both outer sills have been replaced because they're slightly differently painted to one another. Getting under the car myself is going to be impossible until at least the weekend, Sunday was spent bed-ridden and I've got some horrible bronchial thing that's absolutely kicking my rear lately, I'm getting better but it's slow recovery.
The other issue, now I have them in front of me, are the emissions, as stated on the receipt:
Fast idle test: FAIL
Engine speed: Manual check
CO: <0.20%vol
0.70%vol FAIL
HC: < 200ppm vol
68ppm vol PASS
Lambda: 0.970-1.030
1.031 FAIL
As a result of the above, natural idle was not tested.
Could the high CO and Lambda readings be down to a bad 02/Lambda sensor failure or even a sticky ICV?
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Last Edit: Mar 15, 2016 18:57:36 GMT by vulgalour
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Mar 15, 2016 19:51:12 GMT
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The lambda readings indicate it is a little lean but the co indicates rich!
to me this would indicate cylinder to cylinder variability.
it could be the lambda sensor but I would start with the basics, check for air leaks in the induction side this would be my first call, fuel pressure is also worth checking (is the filter blocked?) and as has been suggested the injectors could be gummed up.
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Phil H
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,448
Club RR Member Number: 133
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For the emissions, a couple of gallons of V-power and a damned good thrashing could well sort it out. Fixes a lot of problems with poor running or emissions when borderline like yours looks to be (Lambda just slipped out). CO isn't a million miles out in the great scheme of things. Has it just been pootling round the houses of late?.
Could also be an air leak on the exhaust - confuses the Lambda sensor - but I'd go for an Italian tune-up first. Get it fully up to temperature (not just the temp gauge - go a few miles further) then give it full throttle to the red line in 2nd and 3rd if the speed limits allow. Do that a few times over the next 5-10 miles.
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Mar 16, 2016 10:44:20 GMT
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I'd recommend a small tree branch and give it a damn good thrashing!  |
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120y
Part of things
Posts: 423
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Mar 16, 2016 12:47:52 GMT
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Feel your pain, just scrapped my Mondeo, never have another now. Just bought myself a mk1 Clio, love the car but it needs a waterpump as she has a piddle once in a while, but at this moment I have no spare cash. I know what she needs but I cant do it, really is frustrating. Hope you get better soon, oh and I love the work on the Princess, keep it up |
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1996 Renault Clio MK1 1.4 RT Auto
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vulgalour
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 7,280
Club RR Member Number: 146
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Mar 16, 2016 15:06:51 GMT
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phil: mostly pootling for the past month. I normally have at least one motorway speed sprint a week, it just hasn't happened of late. Added to that, my brother was super careful taking it to the garage because he didn't want to break anything when actually he should have just had fun and made use of the 50mph stretch between home and the MoT station! From feedback it seems more and more likely that nothing is wrong, it's just a bit stuffed up and needs to blow the cobwebs out, which is reassuring.
120Y: those little Clios are great! Surprisingly competent and comfortable little cars that really look very good now, they've aged well.
I'm just waiting for my transport to arrive so I can hobble over to the garage to try and look at this welding. Feeling pretty wobbly today, but I need to look to get it out of my head, take some pictures and try and work out how long the repair is going to take me when I'm feeling better again.
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vulgalour
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 7,280
Club RR Member Number: 146
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Mar 16, 2016 16:50:24 GMT
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Mike gave me a lift over to the unit and helped me get down on the floor to have a look at this rust. I'm now recovering from all this excitement by sitting still and trying to breathe more easily. I hate being ill, did I mention? First impression is that I think the tester was a bit over zealous with his inspection of the damage, in places it looks like an implement has been jabbed quite hard into the metal which wasn't particularly necessary so I'm not pleased about that. However, it is obvious there is a rust problem that needs resolving. Yellow chalk is prescribing a massive area too, which hardly seems necessary, this looks like perforation to the lower outer sill to sill rail junction, quite a minor repair all told, and shouldn't result in requiring a whole sill replacement. It runs from the trailing edge to about half way along the back door, everything forward of that appears solid but I will clean off the underseal and inspect to be certain when it comes to repairing this sill.   I want crack on with getting this sorted right now but I can't. Just getting on the floor to take two photographs and getting back up again had me feeling incredibly unwell and was, in hindsight, probably a very bad idea for my phsyical wellbeing. Good for my mental state, I don't need to worry about this now as it's well within my skillset and doesn't look like it's going to be a weldathon. |
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Mar 16, 2016 18:50:56 GMT
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If theres Jam there thats been done for a while, its not fresh at all.
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Last Edit: Mar 16, 2016 18:51:21 GMT by dodgerover
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Mar 16, 2016 19:10:32 GMT
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TBH that does look like a fair bit of rot . It will go up much further than you think . And jabbing the hammer/spike is what they have to do to determine the grot !
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