mintwth

What could be more environmentally friendly than flying to COP and picking up some chod to reuse? 

@barefootYour boss' cunning plan is for people to get inside, take out and use the fleet?
Best keep your boss away from your daughters. 

Aren't modern's great*? Modern's boot latch that won't has made me proper grumpy. 
 
Go out to car, unlock, open boot to put stuff in it, go to shut boot and nope. It's not having any of it. 
Double check nothing is stopping the boot shutting. Nope, that's not it, must be the latch. Of course latch and latch bar bolts are hidden behind trim panels and almost totally inaccessible without dismantling the boot. 
Take the boot apart, check the latch and latch bar haven't worked loose and gone out of adjustment. Strange, everything is tight and turns out there is no adjustment. Check the rubber bump stops aren't stopping the boot closing because they're out of adjustment. Nope no adjustment there either and taking the bump stops off entirely makes no difference at all. 
Manually operate latch? Nope, everything that opens the boot is an electronic microswitch and there appears to be no manual override.
Realise I'm now running very late so tape and zip ties deployed to keep the boot from springing itself open on every bump. Of course, that is only after removing all the remaining boot trim to find something I can actually zip tie onto. 
 
Fixed* right?
Nope. Being a modern car, it's clever and knows the boot latch isn't latched. So it beeps all the time you're driving it to helpfully remind you the boot is open. Except I already know that I can't get the latch to latch as I've just spent ages trying to make the hateful thing behave. 
OK, let's lock it up and leave it in the naughty corner to think about why it should behave. 
Nope. Car detects the boot latch isn't latched so the car alarm starts going almost as soon as you lock it. Bugger. 
Leave it unlocked while we ponder next steps. 
Nope. It's a modern so it locks itself after a few minutes if left unattended with the key out of range. As soon as it locks itself it detects the boot's not latched shut & the car alarm goes off continuously. Poop sticks. 
Decide I've had enough, pop the bonnet and disconnect the battery. Problem solved?
Nope. Can now only lock the driver's door manually, the others have to be locked electronically. Carp. 
Reconnect battery, lock car, alarm goes off instantly because bonnet is open, disconnect battery, shut bonnet.
 
Success* at last, a locked and quiet car that may still have enough battery to start when I get back to it. 

Kolleckshun is Kolleckshunned! Huge thanks to @marky-mark- it was a pleasure to meet you. Car seems like a goodun and ideal* for winters in North East Scotland. 
The obligatory pez station shots and then an earlyish night for me, though may drop in on the AS meet for a while.
Will continue the story tomorrow,  but likely to be far less updates unless it all goes horribly wrong as I will have to be stopped to post updates.
Anyhoo, pez shots
 

That’s the weekends plan. Concrete anchor in and fix cover to the ground.

Aren't modern's great*? Modern's boot latch that won't has made me proper grumpy. 
 
Go out to car, unlock, open boot to put stuff in it, go to shut boot and nope. It's not having any of it. 
Double check nothing is stopping the boot shutting. Nope, that's not it, must be the latch. Of course latch and latch bar bolts are hidden behind trim panels and almost totally inaccessible without dismantling the boot. 
Take the boot apart, check the latch and latch bar haven't worked loose and gone out of adjustment. Strange, everything is tight and turns out there is no adjustment. Check the rubber bump stops aren't stopping the boot closing because they're out of adjustment. Nope no adjustment there either and taking the bump stops off entirely makes no difference at all. 
Manually operate latch? Nope, everything that opens the boot is an electronic microswitch and there appears to be no manual override.
Realise I'm now running very late so tape and zip ties deployed to keep the boot from springing itself open on every bump. Of course, that is only after removing all the remaining boot trim to find something I can actually zip tie onto. 
 
Fixed* right?
Nope. Being a modern car, it's clever and knows the boot latch isn't latched. So it beeps all the time you're driving it to helpfully remind you the boot is open. Except I already know that I can't get the latch to latch as I've just spent ages trying to make the hateful thing behave. 
OK, let's lock it up and leave it in the naughty corner to think about why it should behave. 
Nope. Car detects the boot latch isn't latched so the car alarm starts going almost as soon as you lock it. Bugger. 
Leave it unlocked while we ponder next steps. 
Nope. It's a modern so it locks itself after a few minutes if left unattended with the key out of range. As soon as it locks itself it detects the boot's not latched shut & the car alarm goes off continuously. Poop sticks. 
Decide I've had enough, pop the bonnet and disconnect the battery. Problem solved?
Nope. Can now only lock the driver's door manually, the others have to be locked electronically. Carp. 
Reconnect battery, lock car, alarm goes off instantly because bonnet is open, disconnect battery, shut bonnet.
 
Success* at last, a locked and quiet car that may still have enough battery to start when I get back to it. 

Aren't modern's great*? Modern's boot latch that won't has made me proper grumpy. 
 
Go out to car, unlock, open boot to put stuff in it, go to shut boot and nope. It's not having any of it. 
Double check nothing is stopping the boot shutting. Nope, that's not it, must be the latch. Of course latch and latch bar bolts are hidden behind trim panels and almost totally inaccessible without dismantling the boot. 
Take the boot apart, check the latch and latch bar haven't worked loose and gone out of adjustment. Strange, everything is tight and turns out there is no adjustment. Check the rubber bump stops aren't stopping the boot closing because they're out of adjustment. Nope no adjustment there either and taking the bump stops off entirely makes no difference at all. 
Manually operate latch? Nope, everything that opens the boot is an electronic microswitch and there appears to be no manual override.
Realise I'm now running very late so tape and zip ties deployed to keep the boot from springing itself open on every bump. Of course, that is only after removing all the remaining boot trim to find something I can actually zip tie onto. 
 
Fixed* right?
Nope. Being a modern car, it's clever and knows the boot latch isn't latched. So it beeps all the time you're driving it to helpfully remind you the boot is open. Except I already know that I can't get the latch to latch as I've just spent ages trying to make the hateful thing behave. 
OK, let's lock it up and leave it in the naughty corner to think about why it should behave. 
Nope. Car detects the boot latch isn't latched so the car alarm starts going almost as soon as you lock it. Bugger. 
Leave it unlocked while we ponder next steps. 
Nope. It's a modern so it locks itself after a few minutes if left unattended with the key out of range. As soon as it locks itself it detects the boot's not latched shut & the car alarm goes off continuously. Poop sticks. 
Decide I've had enough, pop the bonnet and disconnect the battery. Problem solved?
Nope. Can now only lock the driver's door manually, the others have to be locked electronically. Carp. 
Reconnect battery, lock car, alarm goes off instantly because bonnet is open, disconnect battery, shut bonnet.
 
Success* at last, a locked and quiet car that may still have enough battery to start when I get back to it. 

@barefootYour boss' cunning plan is for people to get inside, take out and use the fleet?
Best keep your boss away from your daughters. 

Wow! You must have BIG rats! 😳

Aren't modern's great*? Modern's boot latch that won't has made me proper grumpy. 
 
Go out to car, unlock, open boot to put stuff in it, go to shut boot and nope. It's not having any of it. 
Double check nothing is stopping the boot shutting. Nope, that's not it, must be the latch. Of course latch and latch bar bolts are hidden behind trim panels and almost totally inaccessible without dismantling the boot. 
Take the boot apart, check the latch and latch bar haven't worked loose and gone out of adjustment. Strange, everything is tight and turns out there is no adjustment. Check the rubber bump stops aren't stopping the boot closing because they're out of adjustment. Nope no adjustment there either and taking the bump stops off entirely makes no difference at all. 
Manually operate latch? Nope, everything that opens the boot is an electronic microswitch and there appears to be no manual override.
Realise I'm now running very late so tape and zip ties deployed to keep the boot from springing itself open on every bump. Of course, that is only after removing all the remaining boot trim to find something I can actually zip tie onto. 
 
Fixed* right?
Nope. Being a modern car, it's clever and knows the boot latch isn't latched. So it beeps all the time you're driving it to helpfully remind you the boot is open. Except I already know that I can't get the latch to latch as I've just spent ages trying to make the hateful thing behave. 
OK, let's lock it up and leave it in the naughty corner to think about why it should behave. 
Nope. Car detects the boot latch isn't latched so the car alarm starts going almost as soon as you lock it. Bugger. 
Leave it unlocked while we ponder next steps. 
Nope. It's a modern so it locks itself after a few minutes if left unattended with the key out of range. As soon as it locks itself it detects the boot's not latched shut & the car alarm goes off continuously. Poop sticks. 
Decide I've had enough, pop the bonnet and disconnect the battery. Problem solved?
Nope. Can now only lock the driver's door manually, the others have to be locked electronically. Carp. 
Reconnect battery, lock car, alarm goes off instantly because bonnet is open, disconnect battery, shut bonnet.
 
Success* at last, a locked and quiet car that may still have enough battery to start when I get back to it. 

Aren't modern's great*? Modern's boot latch that won't has made me proper grumpy. 
 
Go out to car, unlock, open boot to put stuff in it, go to shut boot and nope. It's not having any of it. 
Double check nothing is stopping the boot shutting. Nope, that's not it, must be the latch. Of course latch and latch bar bolts are hidden behind trim panels and almost totally inaccessible without dismantling the boot. 
Take the boot apart, check the latch and latch bar haven't worked loose and gone out of adjustment. Strange, everything is tight and turns out there is no adjustment. Check the rubber bump stops aren't stopping the boot closing because they're out of adjustment. Nope no adjustment there either and taking the bump stops off entirely makes no difference at all. 
Manually operate latch? Nope, everything that opens the boot is an electronic microswitch and there appears to be no manual override.
Realise I'm now running very late so tape and zip ties deployed to keep the boot from springing itself open on every bump. Of course, that is only after removing all the remaining boot trim to find something I can actually zip tie onto. 
 
Fixed* right?
Nope. Being a modern car, it's clever and knows the boot latch isn't latched. So it beeps all the time you're driving it to helpfully remind you the boot is open. Except I already know that I can't get the latch to latch as I've just spent ages trying to make the hateful thing behave. 
OK, let's lock it up and leave it in the naughty corner to think about why it should behave. 
Nope. Car detects the boot latch isn't latched so the car alarm starts going almost as soon as you lock it. Bugger. 
Leave it unlocked while we ponder next steps. 
Nope. It's a modern so it locks itself after a few minutes if left unattended with the key out of range. As soon as it locks itself it detects the boot's not latched shut & the car alarm goes off continuously. Poop sticks. 
Decide I've had enough, pop the bonnet and disconnect the battery. Problem solved?
Nope. Can now only lock the driver's door manually, the others have to be locked electronically. Carp. 
Reconnect battery, lock car, alarm goes off instantly because bonnet is open, disconnect battery, shut bonnet.
 
Success* at last, a locked and quiet car that may still have enough battery to start when I get back to it. 

Sure it wasn't V4JZL? 

Wow! You must have BIG rats! 😳

157k miles and look at that MOT history 😳

Wow! You must have BIG rats! 😳

I thought for a minute you were planning to fit one of those new fangled motorbike banana holders......then I looked up thread and all became clear

If only the seats were velour 

Wow! You must have BIG rats! 😳

157k miles and look at that MOT history 😳

157k miles and look at that MOT history 😳

Wow! You must have BIG rats! 😳

Sure it wasn't V4JZL? 

The last parts I needed arrived today so I set about reassembling everything. With the front bumper and radiator support bar removed it was quite an easy job. I had cleaned up the mating face of the cylinderhead with an aluminium oxide sanding block so it was smooth, located the new gasket on the two studs on the bottom edges, below cylinders 1 & 4 and then turned my attention to the manifold.
I’d taken it to my local engineering shop and they had cleaned up the mating face on their belt sander, I asked about having it skimmed, but they were concerned that the material wasn’t very thick, and also that it would be hard to clamp into position without making up a jig so I tidied it up and this was what it looked like

There were some dips around the pipes, but I hope that the gasket would sort them out. Next I tidied up the threads of the two captive nuts with a tap and some light oil, one was Ok but the other was a bit crusty.

I would the new spring bolts into place to make sure they fitted correctly. All good here. Next I fitted the new conical crush gasket which was a right old carry-on. I had to nip around the edges to get it to fit over the tail end of the manifold, then tap it into position with a small hammer. its quite a lot bigger than the old (crushed) crush gasket, which would come back to cause problems later.
With this done, I could wiggle the new manifold into position and loosely fit the nuts and bolts holding it to the cylinderhead. I used new nuts & bolts from Toyota for this to be on the safe side.

I refitted the lambda sensor connector then started to fight with fitting the centre section of exhaust to the manifold. As the crush gasket was uncrushed, this was a right old war, the gasket was too big, so I couldn’t get the threads of the spring bolts to engage with the threads of the captive nuts in the manifold. I eventually managed to use a small g-clamp to pull the flanges together enough to get the threads to engage and tightened them up, though I’m not happy with the right hand side one and will likely remove and refit it tomorrow with a washer to make it pull in straighter. Maybe it’ll crush down better when its been heated up a bit?
I started the car up to see if it leaked and was pleased to hear it less noisy with no visible or smell-able combustion gasses at the engine end. I couldn’t let it run very long as I was in the garage with the doors closed but initial impressions are good.
I also took the opportunity to top up the gearbox oil. I’d put about 2 litres into the box when we’d refitted the driveshafts a few weeks back, but it wasn’t full to the fill point so I syringed in about another 250ml until it began flowing back out, taking it up to the ~2.3 litres it should have.
I’ll take it for a run tomorrow to see how it behaves and if the smell of exhaust has gone when stopped in traffic.

Best view of Portsmouth.........seeing it grow smaller in the distance 

Best view of Portsmouth.........seeing it grow smaller in the distance