Iain's 20XE Trackday Nova

Why not, as long as you put it on thick it will self level. Then you wont be spending some much when its at the bodyshop.

Remember its a track car, so you'll have wheels and tools and sh(t in the back again way..

Goodbye poxy Nova, see you in a few weeks (hopefully)

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2/996.JPG

am i going to have a drink of pepsi out of it in a few weeks?

finally seen the light ?

nice to see progress

Ah that pic shows why its good to strap the car down by the wheels..

Glad its off to the bodyshop! Get the engine all built up ready to go...

I did think that yeah but couldn't see how to tie it down at the wheels with those straps. It didn't roll an inch how it was though...

nice work there fella!!

Can't wait to see the pics when it returns :) Good work Iain

Quote:

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Originally Posted by iainel

I did think that yeah but couldn't see how to tie it down at the wheels with those straps. It didn't roll an inch how it was though...

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Wasn't ment like that, just helping my mind think of what i ment.

Could you get a bigger trailer? That one isnt big enough.

oooowweeee cant wait to see this painted

Its about bloody time to!

at least thats all the hard bit out of the way lionel, just the easy lob it together bit to come now :d

Good to see it off your drive! lol

I miss it already! Over a year on my driveway and there's just an empty space with a million paint splats now lol

Realised I forgot to take my grille for painting so have separated my old miami blue one:

One grille:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2/997.JPG

Drill off the plastic welded bits:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2/998.JPG

Left with this, will have to bond it on:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2/999.JPG

Sorted, will drop it in to the painter in the week hopefully (by the way 1000th picture in my WIP lol Mental)

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/001.JPG

On to the bad news, been far too good recently. Started having a poke around the replacement gearbox I got (first F20 casing was missing a big chunk. Second F20 casing I got had damage inside it. This is the third F20 I'm attempting...)

Start with one badly painted box:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/002.JPG

Remove end cover and have a quick look. I'm no box expert but I can see what's wrong :(

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/003.JPG

Removed the circlip for a better look, the missing piece doesn't go beyond the circlip but not entirely happy with using it... :(

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/004.JPG

So plan now - use this F20 casing, and the internals from my first F20 to make one good one? :tard: Or can I simply replace that one bit? I suck at gearboxes and have no idea what everything is lol

that little chip out of it isnt going to affect it, i do wonder how it got chipper though. just make a good one out of the 3 you have

Just use a soldering iron and melt the slats onto the grill where youve drilled!

Good thinking Paulie. Burgo I don't trust the chip as it looks slightly cracked too (can see on the pics) - so I've removed the gear cluster

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/005.JPG

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/006.JPG

Half way removing the diff and I'm stuck on this stupid huge castle nut thing - is there a proper tool to remove it?

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/007.JPG

I found this little how-to guide which has proved useful so far: http://www.mk2cav.com/index.php/page...18fe92e2f79486

hammer and center punch/chisel

Or you can get a special tool

Hammer and punch started rounding a tooth off, felt like it was going to break it before it moved. Is the proper tool just called a 'castle nut removal tool', cos I can't find one?

no sure where you would get one from, or what it would be called tbh

make sure you mark it so it goes back in the same place, and count the amount of turns coming out

Flat piece of steel to fit in the "slots" ?

Will have a go but it seems quite tight. Was going to count turns but imagine the figure will be useless as I have a Quaife diff to go in, so will it need tightening specifically for that again?

Stripped down the old damaged box:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/008.JPG

Internals side by side. Both read different part numbers (left is 90 446 357 & 8415-12, right is 90 142 566 & 8415-8), does this mean they're geared differently?

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/009.JPG

The internals I want to use have play in this part that enters the box - is this a problem? The other set doesn't have any play at all...

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/010.JPG

Can someone maybe do me a how-to to swap over that one broken bit? Is that possible?

Still need a guide on how to change the broken bit over if anyone is knowledgeable on the matter?

Got the diff bearing thinggies out using a big piece of angle iron. Took 5.5 full rotations to come out - can I re-use this setting when refitting my new diff?

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/011.JPG

And out comes the diff:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/012.JPG

Cleaned the gears and inspected them all, none seem to be broken:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/013.JPG

Which was a relief, as I found the broken bit. For info, there's a magnet to pick up metal filings/broken bits inside the housing at the bottom!

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/014.JPG

Interesting read Iain, i would want to figure out what/how that bit got broken off tough my self, as it seams quite odd!

And as Paul said on the grill, i did it to mine.

Scott

You need to clean your fingernails Ian :p

Thanks Pul.

To speed things along I'm bypassing the oil cooler for now as it can be added at a later date. To do this you need one of these, found on most 8v and ecotec Vauxhalls:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/015.JPG

Bolts straight in ready for the filter:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/016.JPG

Whipped off my clutch bearing, just undo one bolt:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/017.JPG

And off it comes. Assume it's those three bolts behind it to remove the input shaft seal? As I think the kit I've ordered comes with a new one: http://www.transmission-rebuild-kits...l?cPath=90_132

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/018.JPG

Box is all clean and treated ready for building back up:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/019.JPG

And FYI the bare F20 casing (with clutch arm thinggy though) is 9kg.

Painting it?

Nah. I've gone over it with Autoglym metal polish to protect it a bit.

After a thread on MIG about diffs containing some helpful pictures and guides, I have cracked on with my own.

Standard diff clamped with crownwheel in a vice (with a rag to avoid damage):

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/020.JPG

Undone all the bolts and trial fitted my ATB:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/021.JPG

After reading DarrenH's WIP from the MIG link above, I thought I'd better check if I'm going to have the same problem as him... So inner CV in standard diff:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/022.JPG

And inner CV in Quaife diff. Yep there's a gap caused by the diff being approx 5mm thinner than the standard one:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/023.JPG

Currently talking to Quaife as to whether I should have the spacer there to take up the gap or not, however they're not really sure what I'm talking about on the phone lol

Going to order a new speedo ring and diff bearings today hopefully also.

thats a rather nice diff that is!!

It does look quite nice doesn't it.

Gearbox aside, got my suspension shot blasted ready for painting:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/025.JPG

Better job of the rear beam I could ever have done myself:

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/026.JPG

Back plates came up like new!

http://iainel.co.uk/images/forums/NovaWIP2a/027.JPG

Quote:

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Originally Posted by iainel

however they're not really sure what I'm talking about on the phone lol

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lol welcome to my world lol

Not plating the arms Ian?

FFS Paul lol No I'm not, was a bit worried about bending something if I crash tbh. Maybe I'll do it at some point in the future when I know the car and it's limits.

good work buddy

im sure that little bit of differnce on the diff wont hurt ???

Not sure tbh, it snaps in to the circlip groove ok but has a few mm play in/out - assumed that wouldn't happen if it was exactly the same width as standard. Apparently someone has had these spacers from Quaife before, but they're saying they don't do any spacers end of lol

http://www.astra-mk2.com/0ddball/gte.../quaiffe03.jpg

More info on the Quaife 'issue' - here's a vid showing the play in the inner CV. (The standard diff has zero play in it.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdLmLaB52qA

Humm... You could ask Dar/Lee if this doff play is the norm, they fitted mine in my gearbox, so tbh i have no idea if it has this same play issue, if it does i can not say i have noticed anything when driving the car etc.

Scott