Colonelk
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,742
Club RR Member Number: 83
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Jul 29, 2019 15:25:07 GMT
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Hi all, I've mentioned this project before but thought I best put a thread up, been working on it about 5 weekends now  Behold a 1983 Vauxhall Carlton thats been floating around without an engine in!   Cue me, needing an interesting economical daily, but not allowing myself to buy a car to solve the issue. Also cue me, remembering a half arsed plan for RWD Isuzu diesel daftness and that most of the parts I need are floating around the barn. Seems like a good idea... I love an old carlton, and I like Isuzu TDs, so lets get busy...  Conveniently these engines share the Vauxhall family 2 bellhousing pattern of the gearbox already in the car, so thats one headache sorted. The Carlton 1.8 clutch is 204mm and an Isuzu clutch is 200mm... so I'm using the Cavalier flywheel and Carlton friction disc. I made some engine mounts (first time I've ever done that). Wasn't too bad in the end, I was concerned about injection pump clearance to the steering box but when I factored in the 7 degree slant these boxes use it ended up ok. However, I forgot to think about where I was putting the alternator when I made them. A LOT of head scratching and measuring resulted in this...   Thats basically a Forester Alternator in an RX8 case. RX8 was the right size and case design but had a daft ECU controlled voltage regulator! Luckily these Mitsubishi alts seem quite interchangeable. Its a bit tight, but uses the later CDTI block mount that I wanted. Obviously means loosing vac and tach signal, but I'll cover that later. Interior is going to need a dang good clean...  Made a daft gearknob ages ago...  I found a Florin in my machine!  ...and some retro trash...  This was end of play yesterday... so much to do. I'll fill in the other stuff I've been upto on these in the past few weeks later...  Obviously wiring still needs a lot of tidying but everything is pretty much where it needs to be. |
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Last Edit: Jun 1, 2021 21:08:58 GMT by Colonelk
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Colonelk
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,742
Club RR Member Number: 83
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Jul 29, 2019 22:12:03 GMT
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Some of you may have noticed that the downpipe in the last picture was actually facing upwards... well theres a reason for that. Add some of this (tacked together for now)...  ...to the AndyFab* ( HARDCORE ) downpipe. Here shown upside down for extra confusion.  Then let the second turbo enter the chat...  Means something that looks like business  (Yes the bonnet does shut) Mocked up the charge pipe route  That was it, also investigated the oil feed and drain situation for turbo no.2 and I think we are ok to use the old vac pump feed and return locations which is handy! |
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ivangt6
Part of things
Posts: 776
Club RR Member Number: 132
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Jul 29, 2019 23:37:24 GMT
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Well this is brilliant. You seem to be solving the problem that many of us have. An interesting, ecomical but reasonably quick practical daily driver. I was toying with getting something modern with the 1.7 Isuzu but ended up with a focus with the 1.6 peugeot engine due to cheap tax. It's a pile of curse word! Big regrets.
Is this compound turbo'd?
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1979 Mini 1000
1972 Triumph GT6
2007 VW Golf GTi
1979 VW T25 Leisuredrive
1988 Range Rover Vogue SE
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Colonelk
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,742
Club RR Member Number: 83
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Well this is brilliant. You seem to be solving the problem that many of us have. An interesting, ecomical but reasonably quick practical daily driver. I was toying with getting something modern with the 1.7 Isuzu but ended up with a focus with the 1.6 peugeot engine due to cheap tax. It's a pile of curse word! Big regrets. Is this compound turbo'd? Thanks, yup going compound! It's a bit of an experiment really. A properly sized bigger turbo would probably be more than enough for this engine, but I had the parts laying around and have been obsessed with compound charged setups for years so thought "why not?" I know theres lots of areas I could improve it even now but just want to start with something basic then see what it wants. Should have moved the power limitation to the pump now at least (it's always the turbo on these normally) Initial goal is 150bhp, 200lbft with a minimum of 45mpg. Here's hoping! Should be fun in something that weighs about 1200kgs |
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Last Edit: Jul 30, 2019 8:10:43 GMT by Colonelk
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Jul 30, 2019 12:21:16 GMT
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Compound-charged Isuzu 1.7 diesel... fantastic! Really looking forward to seeing this at RRG.
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recarouk
Yorkshire and The Humber
Posts: 435 
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Jul 30, 2019 12:21:44 GMT
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love a carlton, keep the updates coming and good luck with it all |
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Jul 30, 2019 20:16:26 GMT
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This is one of those engine swaps that makes so much sense, you wonder why it hadn't been done years ago
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Last Edit: Jul 30, 2019 20:16:53 GMT by moggyman
1953 Minor (Long term project)
PT Cruiser
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bstardchild
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,975
Club RR Member Number: 71
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Jul 30, 2019 21:10:19 GMT
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Booked and marked for the lolz
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Jul 31, 2019 19:39:13 GMT
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I like this a lot!!!!
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lightyearman
Part of things
GYJDM - Grimsby based Japanese car club - Find us on Facebook
Posts: 639
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Bookmarked!
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'89 Honda CRX siR Glassroof Flint black fully restored track beasty
'90 Nissan S13 Pignose - pass the mig wire
'86 Mini - matt orange, 13" Wellers, Project 2018
'97 LDV Convoy home built camper/tramper van
'04 Saab 9-5 Aero HOT. Anyone want it?
'91 Honda VFR400 NC30 17,000 km from new
'87 Honda XR80 4 stroke baby crosser
'03 Mini Cooper S - honestly, they are fun...
'15 VW T5.1 LWB daily brick
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Colonelk
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,742
Club RR Member Number: 83
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Thanks for the interest chaps! Lots of parts turned up this week, including a NOS master cylinder, so with any luck I can get it water and oil tight, with brakes, and have it driving around the yard by Sunday! Fingers crossed! Still waiting on the final silicone 90 to complete the boost loop, then employing HARDCORE to do some inlet fab for me. Then its taking care of any MOT failing business (there are a couple of small rusty areas), and hopefully sending it for MOT ASAP. Just hoping I don't get banjaxed by an unknown. Everything is unknown on this car! Alternator is made from 2 scrap ones, pump is from an engine I've never seen run, not tested the oiling system with the new sump other than at idle (really regret not spending more time on that with baffling and whatnot). Clutch spins the wheels backwards and forwards on the stands but don't know about further than that, PS pump is scrapyard fresh, as are the brake calipers, the vacuum pump etc etc etc etc. |
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recarouk
Yorkshire and The Humber
Posts: 435
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will keep it all crossed for you that it rises from the Scrapyard ashes! |
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Colonelk
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,742
Club RR Member Number: 83
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Sorry chaps, not much to update on this picture wise I'm afraid. I was thrashing fairly hard over the weekend with the end dream goal of driving it around the yard. New master cylinder turned up, it fits and bleeds up on 1, 2, 3....... ok 3 of the brakes. Looks like I have a blocked flexi. Ok, no bother, we can drive around the yard on three brakes, I've got new flexi's coming anyway.  Found an old coolant pipe that fits by bottom hose needs just perfectly Needs a clean up but thats a good bit done.  HARDCORE turned up to AndyFab the inlet for the inlet manifold. Left him to it, great work, fits with about 1mm to spare to the bonnet haha. I finished up welding up the turbo up pipe, its not pretty, but it'll do. Also mocked up the beginning of the exhaust. Sadly my quick and dirty cheat route for the exhaust will fall foul of the wheel and tyre, so decided to park that and come back to it next weekend.  Tapped the fitting on the block to accept 1/8NPT for the oil feed for turbo 2... great success (after I figured out which drill to use) Made up the oil return line for turbo 2... great success. Finished the wiring connections in the boot for the battery... great success.  Drained the gearbox oil of which there was about 5ml's! Sump plug covered in swarf... I'm sure its fine. Ignore and continue.  Timing belt kit turned up, fitted that, but the tensioner roller is a different design that I *could* have made fit but I didn't feel comfortable with it, the old one feels good, so chucked it back on for now. Love the Isuzu "locking kit" though, just an M8 and M6 bolt through the pulleys into the block... A million things tightened, tidied and what not, inlet manifold final fit, exhaust manifold final fit, turbo 1 final fit, turbo 2 (hopefully) final fit, before I knew it it was 6pm on Sunday. Attach battery, hand prime pump just in case any air bubbles have gotten in there aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand... she wont start  Now, it did a similar thing the first time we tried to start it where it would sort of misfire and kick back (making the starter make a HORRIBLE noise). Once it was going it started and ran and stopped on the button. Now its back to its previous behaviour. I tried a bit of easy start and still no dice. curse word. This was pretty demoralising and frustrating and I can think of 3 things it might be, but I was so tired at this point I just downed tools and went home. I'll be back up a couple of evenings this week though, and the good news is that the to do list is forever decreasing! Sorry for the lack of pictures, I'll try and get more next time |
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Colonelk
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,742
Club RR Member Number: 83
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 IT RUNS! Turns out it was just air in the system. *phew* Also good news... no oil leaks! Also good news, when I actually connect the sense wire properly, the alternator works too!  Managed to fill the gearbox with oil, plumb the boost reference for both turbos and also discover a clanking from the flywheel/clutch area. Ah balls, gearbox off time then. Also need to figure out why the radio lights up any time the battery is connected...  |
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Last Edit: Aug 6, 2019 21:59:28 GMT by Colonelk
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Rich
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 6,339
Club RR Member Number: 160
Member is Online
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Excellent work, did see it running over on the ‘gram. Made me happy. The radio probably has an illumination wire that’s been mistakenly wired to 12V possibly thinking it’s a ‘keep alive’ wire when that radio clearly doth not need a ‘keep alive’ 12V feed.
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Aug 15, 2019 18:37:02 GMT
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Following this with interest! any news yet?
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Aug 15, 2019 21:46:06 GMT
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elk yer a fuh king nutter  does it do 11;s yet will it make it west tomrrow? |
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2001 HONDA CT110 (NOT RCV)
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Now if you turn it into a Lotus look-a-like ....
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Rich
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 6,339
Club RR Member Number: 160
Member is Online
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Aug 16, 2019 11:03:29 GMT
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Now if you turn it into a Lotus look-a-like .... Unlikely as it’s the wrong body shape, it was the later Carlton that lotus ‘tarted’ up (no offence to lotus Carlton owners, they are excellent and I wasn’t honestly being dismissive ) |
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tofufi
South West
Posts: 1,463
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Aug 16, 2019 11:59:52 GMT
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I didn't spot this before, but it appears to be a lot of very sensible madness. Hope to see it Sunday! |
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