MadManMike Posted February 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2017 So, I did a bit of work on the new engine today. Took off the cam cover to access the cam belt and the cam cover gasket looks almost brand new. As does the cam belt. Decided to leave the belt as it is, rather than fit the new one as time is not on my side. I did fit the new cam cover gasket though, as I was there... I fitted the new clutch too, including pilot bearing, which was way easier than I expected. I've gotta take it all back off though, as I'm going to fit a seal in there - I didn't think about it at the time, but it probably needs one. Silly not to whilst access is so easy. Final task for the day was to change the plugs - easy, right? Nope. The three I managed to get out were f0cking tight - needed the "big b*****d" to release them, which is normally reserved for huge, rusty bolts. Was a little worrying, to say the least. What about the fourth one? Well, that was covered by some weird melted plastic / rubber. We tried hooking it out, we tried to melt it. Having no plier type tools long enough to get in there meant that the b*****d is still there. The three I did get out were totally ruined, so they've obviously been there a long time. That aside, the engine looks pretty clean, it just needs some new seals to stop the minor oil leaks it appears to have. Jobs left to do: Rear oil seal Cam sensor oil seal Remove b*****d spark plug General degrease / clean up Then it's good to be dropped in Pretty pleased with the progress I'm making on this car, I'm far from a mechanic and until a couple of years ago I didn't get my hands dirty at all. Once this is done, that's almost the whole car rebuilt. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Posted February 12, 2017 Report Share Posted February 12, 2017 I would say get the engine nice and hot before you try remove the plugs but that ain't gonna happen. I hope for your sake that the threads in that last plug are ok and it hasn't been bodged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke Rainbird Posted February 12, 2017 Report Share Posted February 12, 2017 May be something as simple as the rubber insert from a spark plug socket having been left on that plug and since melted. Doesn't help you to get it out, of course, but might explain the source of the melted rubber/similar. Is it the fact that that's on there that's the tricky part of removal at present (ie. you can't get the normal socket on at all)? Hopefully a bit of PlusGas should sort out any seizing of the threads if you can get past that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamR28 Posted February 12, 2017 Report Share Posted February 12, 2017 I'd probably pull the head, will make removal a LOT easier since you can then heat around the siezed plug. New gasket is ~£20 and you can re-use the bolts. It's a scary job first time but as long as you are methodical you'll manage it no probs Mike! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadManMike Posted February 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2017 We're almost there with it, so I don't want to go to that extreme if I can avoid it, Ad. To clarify, we can't get a socket over the plug because of this rubber / plastic - I suspect it's an insert from a socket, yes. An insert that has, over time, become moulded on to the plug, hence the difficulty in removing it. We can now almost freely spin this rubber / plastic, but can't get enough leverage to remove it. The plug, as far as I know, is probably in the same condition as the others I removed. I need some super long pliers and I could pick it out, but we didn't have any today... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dann2707 Posted February 12, 2017 Report Share Posted February 12, 2017 First of all, the pedal box is in! I attempted at welding some box section in for a support but that went absolutely tits up as I blew through the floor a bit and set a bit of underseal on fire. My h&s head kicked in and realised I shouldn't be doing this in the garage underneath the house so I resorted to m8 nut and bolting it. Then got a 3mm sheet of steel on top as a base for the pedal box. Held in with some alu stand offs it's absolutely solid. Tried pushing it with all my force on it and it didn't budge only gave my seats a f**king horrible creaking sound. Going to tidy it up with paint obviously but in terms of position it feels good Abs rings fitted to the driveshafts with copper grease Brake pipes fitted under neath the car for the rears Then began dismantling the fuel pump to fit the uprated one. Had to Dremel three ribs out, one already done on the picture. Got through a few bits and bobs now. Next job is to fit all the parts back to the engine apart from the side covers for the belts to be accessed. Then mock fit the clio engine harness and sort out any issues there. Makes it a million time easier than doing it on the car! Also drilled my bumper and fitted a sticker plate which I think, despite being the same size as the 3/4 plate, looks wayyyy too big so that'll be going smaller I think. No loss though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke Rainbird Posted February 12, 2017 Report Share Posted February 12, 2017 Good to see progress, but I still think you should keep the old plate in the recess for daily use but on removable mountings (quick links, velcro etc) to expose the holes for track use. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadManMike Posted February 13, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 Nice progress Dan. This thing will be savage once it's done - passenger ride at TFTD3 plzzzz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Posted February 13, 2017 Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 Yeah that side mounted numberplate just looks poo. Put it back where it should be but perhaps as above make it removable for track days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dann2707 Posted February 13, 2017 Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 Cheers guys. Nah it's staying to the side just going to get one smaller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forteh Posted February 13, 2017 Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 12 hours ago, MadManMike said: We're almost there with it, so I don't want to go to that extreme if I can avoid it, Ad. To clarify, we can't get a socket over the plug because of this rubber / plastic - I suspect it's an insert from a socket, yes. An insert that has, over time, become moulded on to the plug, hence the difficulty in removing it. We can now almost freely spin this rubber / plastic, but can't get enough leverage to remove it. The plug, as far as I know, is probably in the same condition as the others I removed. I need some super long pliers and I could pick it out, but we didn't have any today... Long wood screws, screw a couple down into the rubber and extract with normal pliers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkeyseemonkeydo Posted February 13, 2017 Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 How does the pedal box work out height-wise? Looks like it's designed to be floor mounted so your heels would be level with your 3mm plate but they're now elevated by 2" or whatever does it put them a bit high? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forteh Posted February 13, 2017 Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 Dan8488276494 wears platform heels so he is ok with the riser steel in there 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamR28 Posted February 13, 2017 Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 18 hours ago, MadManMike said: To clarify, we can't get a socket over the plug because of this rubber / plastic Ah, I need to learn to read Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadManMike Posted February 13, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 6 hours ago, forteh said: Long wood screws, screw a couple down into the rubber and extract with normal pliers We tried this, no luck. My friend now has a grabber type thing that we're going to try later this evening Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke Rainbird Posted February 13, 2017 Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 Good luck. Any more and you're moving into the territory of needing either something that can contract around the top of the plug, or needing to adhere something to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dann2707 Posted February 13, 2017 Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 5 hours ago, monkeyseemonkeydo said: How does the pedal box work out height-wise? Looks like it's designed to be floor mounted so your heels would be level with your 3mm plate but they're now elevated by 2" or whatever does it put them a bit high? Yeah mate. Going to be making a foot rest out of carbon sheet to raise my feet up a bit. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamKidney Posted February 13, 2017 Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 Really cracking on Dan, will be a right beast when it's done! Hopefully the final week of waiting for me before I can drive mine. Bonnet/bumpers are away being painted as of today, and my exhaust should be back from the fabricators on Wednesday. Just an o2 sensor to wire in and its play time! I swapped my Yokohama AD08R onto the wheels I'm using tonight, and messed with the tracking/camber set up to as close as I can without going for a full laser alignment. All pretty neutral for the time being. Keep meaning to fit the rear arb links too... but I'm thinking I'll change it to a DC2 item. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dann2707 Posted February 13, 2017 Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 Cheers Sam, the garage you work at looks so tall Sam! What's the plans for the crx? I've lost track haha Assembled more of the engine tonight. Really happy with it. Tomorrow I'm going to paint the box and do some wiring work. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamKidney Posted February 13, 2017 Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 (edited) CRX plans backfired as I'd assumed I was getting a Mk1... it's actually a Del Sol CRX VTi. Still 49k miles, B16 and all that jazz but not too sure what to do with it all.. likely break it for parts. Yeah its a tall workshop! It's the old mill boiler house, had 3 or 4 Lancashire boilers in there when it was a working mill. Edit: If anyone's interested in some photos of the surviving mill engine next door I can grab some... seriously impressive engineering! Edited February 13, 2017 by SamKidney Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Posted February 14, 2017 Report Share Posted February 14, 2017 If the sol really is rust free just sell it or drive it around for a bit with their comedy handling. Is it a transtop? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadManMike Posted February 14, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2017 Right, TF crew, fountain of all knowledge. Engine swap is coming ever closer, so I need to think of anything I've forgotten. When we come to start the swap, I have no time to be ordering additional parts, so we need to think of all the little bits & bobs. I've done / have on order: Cam belt Water Pump Cam Cover Gasket Clutch (Including pilot bearing and the one that goes the other side, which I forget the name of...) CAS O-ring Rear oil seal Oil filter Oil Coolant Spark plugs (All four now! We bought a surgical tool for extracting body parts, it did the job perfectly!) Alternator Belt Power steering / A/C belt So, anything else we're missing that might be crucial? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jolfa Posted February 15, 2017 Report Share Posted February 15, 2017 Spare exhaust studs/nuts, exhaust gaskets, threadlock, 2 of each tool in the world, beer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete.M Posted February 15, 2017 Report Share Posted February 15, 2017 Multiple 10mm sockets. My engine swap mysteriously consumed a few sockets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Posted February 15, 2017 Report Share Posted February 15, 2017 A decent selection of nuts/bolts/fasteners Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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