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Jul 21, 2022 20:56:44 GMT
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..Next, hopefully more exciting, update will be in the next few days... Or, just over two weeks! Lots going on though with a decent bit to report.
Engine is now built up and ready. Here are some from the build process.
The cam cover is just a temporary one, final will be Black.
Walbro fuel pump and filter arrived. Also got the purple tag steering rack cleaned and prepped ready to refit. Looking forward to using that, loses over a turn lock to lock. |
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Jul 28, 2022 20:18:06 GMT
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In final preparation for the nice shiny new engine the engine bay has been stripped, welded, prepped and painted. Have also removed anything that won't be needed any more. Not quite tucked but certainly a little tidier than it once was.
Back when I'd started all this I had a wiring loom made for it. That one turned out not to be right for this build so another loom was sourced and made right, will also have a plug so that full diagnostics can be accessed with tech II.
Same time as sorting those the gauges were all wired in. Will have Boost, Oil pressure and Wide Band to keep an eye on things. Silly things but these and the dash lights all lighting up and being ready was a very exciting moment.
Next was to drop the engine in. Once in it became clear we couldn't use the old radiator as it really let the rest of the engine bay down so a new one was ordered. We also discovered that the alternator was hitting on the engine mounts so some re-jigging had to take place.
Still, lovely to have the engine in and looking complete-ish.
On turning the engine over to build up oil pressure several of the pipes started leaking. Annoyingly these were pipes that I'd bought right at the start over ten years ago that were stopping the first start. Fortunately the company that is making the power steering lines has stepped in and will be making new ones up. |
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Brigsy
Part of things
Posts: 617
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Coming together nicely, keep the updates coming.
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Aug 20, 2022 19:53:25 GMT
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Coming together nicely, keep the updates coming. Thanks mate. Be good if we can get it any where near as tidy as your van! 😎 |
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Aug 20, 2022 21:22:20 GMT
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Well, it's been quite the roller coaster with this car over the last three weeks.
Had a train booked up to Newcastle to collect it after the new oil lines had been made up. Plan was for the car to be MOT'd and then run in for a few hundred miles before I got up there.
Rest of the suspension was then fitted up. Brake reservoir relocated and steering rack sorted.
First there were issues with the clutch which wasn't building up pressure. Got a new master cylinder in there on next day delivery and that solved it. Then there was an issue with the thermostat housing which needed a take off plugging or welding. Got that sorted in the end.
On going to bleed the brakes for the first time it was discovered that the adaptor was wrong for the Wilwood master cylinder. An adaptor was ordered but the only free Sunday I had came and went while we waited for it to arrive.
Finally it turned up and the brakes were bled.
Brakes are now working fine but the ABS unit appears to not be powering up and the pedal doesn't return quite to the top so we've got that to investigate.
Next thing to sort was a thermostat housing that needed
So the train ticket was rebooked with the following Sunday in sight. Car was dropped down onto it's wheels and ready for it's first test drive.
Went forwards about a metre with the worst crunching, banging, game-over type noise from the gearbox. Not good, not good at all. Car was switched off straight away and pushed back in. Was it the diff? Was it the gearbox? All used items bought a year ago and with no sort of come back and no chance of getting them replaced straight away if they were. Train two was cancelled and re booked for another two weeks time.
Upon rolling the car back it was noted that the diff sounded fine. So the gearbox was dropped and investigated. But only after another weekend of sleepless nights and trawling online for a suitable gearbox if we'd need it. Which it certainly sounded like we did! At last - some good news! The gearbox is fine. It was the rod on the slave cylinder. Too short now because of the new position of the gearbox and had pushed itself out.
New slave was ordered but a longer rod was needed. Tried a few machine shops but, despite promises, they didn't come through. After some clever, out-the-box thinking a new rod was located and fabricated to fit and give adjustment if needed.
And the latest news? Well, I've not seen it yet but at 3.00am this morning it successfully drove around the yard and was then put away to await an MOT on Monday.. hope I haven't jinxed by writing that..  |
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Aug 20, 2022 21:47:00 GMT
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Great news! It looks so right on those wheels too. I miss our (larger) e34 wagon. Great shape these cars.
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Very cool build, looking forward to seeing more on this! Hopefully all goes well today!
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Aug 26, 2022 10:55:19 GMT
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It's all coming together! Just little snagging stuff like the clutch pushrod (nice fix btw).
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75swb
Beta Tester
Posts: 1,052
Club RR Member Number: 181
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The Turbo Touring - E305AAB75swb
@75swb
Club Retro Rides Member 181
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Aug 30, 2022 20:49:45 GMT
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This does look epic. Tantalisingly close now
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Sept 9, 2022 20:46:45 GMT
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Just a really quick post tonight. Last few weeks have been a series of setbacks and constant issues. I’ll do a better write up in the next few days as there is a new problem today that we’re working with. However, this:  I’m sure there are a lot of us on here that have had long term projects. Of course they’re never finished, but there are some points along the way that feel like huge obstacles have been overcome and can be celebrated. Taxing this for the first time was certainly one of them. |
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Sept 10, 2022 21:08:45 GMT
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Great news! It looks so right on those wheels too. I miss our (larger) e34 wagon. Great shape these cars. Thanks!  I love those wheels too. For a long time it was meant to be running the cheap cross spokes as they had some nice dish and a bit of poke. When we put the new sump and suspension on it quickly became apparent that it needed bigger wheels. I have looked at these wheels so so many times but never come close to justifying them. These coming refurbed with semi slick tyres and the sale of three other sets of wheels I wasn't using just about justified them. Very cool build, looking forward to seeing more on this! Hopefully all goes well today! Cheers, really glad you're enjoying it. Sadly, things did not go well! Still, we will get there. It's all coming together! Just little snagging stuff like the clutch pushrod (nice fix btw). Yep, it's getting there. As you say, just the snagging stuff. Lots and lots of snagging to do. To be fair, with what we have done to the car it is to be expected. This does look epic. Tantalisingly close now Thanks, it really is so so close! Has actually been driven about 30 miles so far. Not by me sadly, I can not wait to get up there and have a go in it. |
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Sept 10, 2022 23:24:19 GMT
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Since the last update we've had three attempts at getting the MOT sorted and getting it running smoothly. With various things thwarting progress!
I am now on my sixth rebooking of the train ticket up there Fun and games so far: Brake pedal not returning but brakes working fine. All the usual things were checked although almost all of it is new. Brakes were re-bled several times, master and slave cylinder checked, return spring and piping gone through. Turned out to be some hidden adjustment on the pedal that was stopping it coming back up.
No spark at all, had been spot on before. Went to the MOT centre and died. Would not start despite best efforts, back it came on the transporter. Turned out to be a break in the wiring loom. Another loom was sourced, stripped and made ready to go. But not before all the wiring had been pulled out and gone through to check.
With it now running and MOT'd the car showed up an EML relating to the Lambda sensor, a nice easy problem. Now sorted.
Next after a few miles of test runs a (new!) oil leak appeared at the back of the engine.. Turned out some stress cracks had appeared. Back apart it all came and off with the gearbox. New parts sourced, cleaned and painted.
Back together it went. Ran well, sounded great. Was taken for a 20 mile test run today ready for me to catch the train early tomorrow and bring it back down South. Described as being very lively indeed despite keeping the revs down. One roundabout away from being called a success and put away for the night; the power steering pump (from a 9-5) gives up the want to live. Game over for Sundays plans and back in the workshop it goes.
/sigh
Thanks for reading this far and just to finish on a more positive note; here's the finished engine bay as it sits today.
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Sept 15, 2022 19:50:50 GMT
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This car is fighting us all the way. New power steering pump fitted and fine.
Car rolled out and was then given its first big test - Rob took it home on Tuesday night and drove it back it on Wednesday morning. When he sent me a text to say he’d done that I was over the moon. Finally we had turned a corner and it was all coming together. What a great way to start the day.
One hour later:
Now running lumpy and not revving. Fuel filter is full of rust and the petrol coming through does not look healthy. This is doubly annoying as the tank had been out and a good attempt over two days made at cleaning it of the stale fuel and any debris inside. Outside looks just fine.
Sadly this means a new tank (£400 upwards) and a seventh (!) re-booking of the train ticket.
Really genuinely gutted at the moment. It’ll have to be put to one side for a few weeks until I can arrange that. Will be most of the way to a new car the way we’re going!
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Sept 16, 2022 8:28:01 GMT
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well done for persevering. this will be amazing
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Sept 16, 2022 8:55:33 GMT
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Oh man, this is brutal! So close to glory though!
Will 100% be worth it. The shakedown stuff on custom builds like this is always going to throw some hurdles up, but it should be nice and sorted and ready for abuse once done.
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well done for persevering. this will be amazing Thanks! I suppose I’m that far into this now quitting ain’t an option! Oh man, this is brutal! So close to glory though! Will 100% be worth it. The shakedown stuff on custom builds like this is always going to throw some hurdles up, but it should be nice and sorted and ready for abuse once done. So true. There have been so many custom parts and replacement bits needed we were always going to run into issues. I can not wait to drive it now and see whether it’s been worth it. Plan is to get it run in nicely then maybe Bedford for its first time in anger. |
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Following on from the fuel tank problems we ordered a new tank, cleared out all the lines and checked the injectors. All seemed okay although the Walbro pump was a little noisy. The old tank absolutely stank!  So in went the new one. An annoying cost but hopefully good for many more years.   This was back on the 6th/7th of October and I was due to pop up on the 8th to collect. At just after 2.00am I got a message from Rob to say he’d just been dropped back at the unit by the AA! The fuel pump had thrown its toys out of the pram after the manky tank episode so a new pump was ordered and the train re-booked again… |
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Which brings me up today. The new pump is in. The car has been out for several days and had a decent amount of road testing, the engine has had a final clean up and check for leaks and I am on a train!  Got up very early this morning to be met with this   And then saw this lovely piece of history   I am now sitting here on the train feeling full of nervous anticipation. What will it drive like? Will I get home in one piece? Will it all end the first time I wind up the boost? |
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Brigsy
Part of things
Posts: 617
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Great to see a positive update. Fingers crossed all the teething issues are ironed out.
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I love those wheels too. For a long time it was meant to be running the cheap cross spokes as they had some nice dish and a bit of poke. When we put the new sump and suspension on it quickly became apparent that it needed bigger wheels. I have looked at these wheels so so many times but never come close to justifying them. These coming refurbed with semi slick tyres and the sale of three other sets of wheels I wasn't using just about justified them. 
