Project: Gold Snowplough Turbo

[Nova_Tek]

See all the mechanics that I've seen fill a Vauxhall diff with oil is via this plug as when it overflows it means it's got the correct 1.8/1.9 litres of oil. Apparently the selector housing hole it just a breather. either way works so don't really bother me.

May be something I will just make when everything is sorted as it's not urgent.

I had a 32mm socket but that only covered the inner metal section of the seal and bashing it bent that section. May have to find a metal pipe like you said Benn.

[Nova_Tek]

UPDATE

Nothing major but I've sorted out the sandwich plate. The oil pick up threaded tube I got was the wrong type (that was to use with the standard sandwich plate). So on the phone to Autovaux yesterday ordering a standard non-oil cooler threaded tube and it arrived today... swift!



And all the relevant bits now fitted to the oil pump... yay!


That is all for now...

[Nova_Tek]

UPDATE

Busy week at work... keep forgetting to arrange a day to drop the engine off to my mechanic mate and now I have man flu... feel totally bushed!

I got this today dropped off by the courier guy



Millers Fully synthetic 10w-40 for the LET. I got it together with an aluminium portable Toshiba 500GB hard drive for £11 (thank you Amazon e-voucher!)

Still waiting for the oil seals to arrive for the gearbox... at least the weather is starting to get better (now that I'm ill )

[BRoadGhost]

My gearbox plug is like that too. When I first removed it there was some pickup on it

[Iain]

Yeah that magnet in the level plug is normal. Being at the top of the fluid level I guess it picks up anything metal that floats? Filling via the breather hole and checking the level with that plug is easy really.

[Nova_Tek]

Cool... infact if you remove the breather nipple from the selector housing you can fill the box up quicker

[Nova_Tek]

UPDATE

It's been a while so I thought I'd just update everyone on what's happening right now.

I've slowly been doing the usual parts look out for little bits and pieces I need for the build. Being married for 4 years, priorities change to which they have. Decided that buying a house is one of the most important things currently... so I've been saving as much of my wage up as possible to be able to afford a down payment for my first place. This has no doubt slowed the project down.

Work has been full on, which I actually don't mind as it gets me closer to affording a place and in this day and age more work isn't a bad thing. I did actually manage to have a few days off in a row back in July, which I arranged to go down to south London to drop the engine off to a good mate to get it built (like I mentioned in the last few updates). I was certainly feeling good and excited. Got the LET in bits into my brothers Cav and headed down. Took 50 mins to get there

Met up with the fella and he come to sort out some details with what was what etc. He took one look and the block and started shaking his head. He said that the bores had uneven wear and would be better off getting it re-bored or changed. To say I was p*ssed off is an understatement, as I said to the engine shop to let me know what was needed. They said a 'light hone' would be fine. The mechanic did say that he could quite easily rebuild it in its current state and it will run ok for a short while but it would use up oil like nothing else and that I'd be back in not much time after. He felt very uncomfortable knowing the condition and for him to go ahead and rebuild it. He had a couple of his colleagues take a look just to get other opinions.

Decision time:

Change block? or Re-bore?

I've opted to go for re-bore and oversized pistons as I didn't wanna risk buying another block and for that to need honing or boring etc.

40thou rebore (1mm) to increase to 87mm together with 87mm pistons. Looking at pistons, there isn't a substantial difference in price between 86.5mm & 87mm. Boring of the block costs the same for both sizes. Spoke to my other mate who spoke to his mate who owns the engineering shop that did the honing. He had a 'word' with his staff and said that he'd deduct the price of the hone off the re-bore - result!

Block is at the shop, which I dropped off before I went on my holiday for it to be checked out. I'm just waiting for the Omega pistons to arrive for me to take it to the shop so they can start on the re-bore. Only problem I have is I need to try return the 86mm Mahle piston rings back to AutoVaux.

That's where the project stands...

[Nova_Tek]

UPDATE

A bit more productive this time...

Went and met Steveboyslim in the morning to pick up my new pistons... we're about 5 miles apart so to save time and postage fees a quick trip to him was best.

He's a top bloke with plenty of knowledge and sense... picked up these beauties








Pure engineering Pr0n- 4 new Omega pistons with rings, pins and clips.

Then went and had a spot of breakfast and dropped the pistons to the engine shop to measure up and bore to the exact size.

Should get the block back in the next few days...

[brainsnova]

Does Steve look like his brother fatboyslim

[Nova_Tek]

not quite