Project The Red Rocket ... Moogs Motahs

[Broadsword]

Bad luck with the Rover. Bound to be a very minor malfunction though. Looking forward to seeing the dream car!

[gm]

Boo, that sucks donkey dick  

still, it manages to remain a handsome motor, even on the hard shoulder with the bonnet in the air

[Jamie]

thats my junction - you should have gone in that dodgy trader behind you for some assistance* 

 

hope you get it sorted

[The Moog]

It's annoying as it was all set for pastures new but I can't move it on when I am not sure it is running right.

I am tempted to get it running, change tyres, scrub it up well, nice photos and then stick it up for £1k on eBay classified.

[Six-cylinder]

Somebody left a MX5 wing and console in the Field of Dreams for you after the FOTU.

 

[The Moog]

Somebody left a MX5 wing and console in the Field of Dreams for you after the FOTU.
 

That's good to know. I think the new owner may want them. Will let him/her know.

[The Moog]

How much is a Dacia Pcp?

Last two days have made me question my car bothering.

Today I decided to fettle BAL in preparation for it going to the new home at the weekend. Battery was flat so a jump start got it roared into life.

Took him out for a spin with the supergun exhaust. It is fun but gets old quite quickly.

Back from the brisk test drive, I left the car idling whilst I vaccumed the car out and got it ready. I noticed the car was getting hot but no fan action.

Bridging the contacts made it run so next up was the sensor.

AHH bugger


Unwound and it has rotted through


Took housing apart


Double bugger


The bolt had welded itself to the ally housing.

Luckily AVOs engine is still at Mr N Monkeys so a swift wander over got a new housing


Got back and had a go at getting the stub out, resorted to drilling which wasn't successful.



Many swears. I am going to have to take the whole housing off AVO which entails removing timing belt to get access then do the same for BAL. Fun times ahead.

[The Moog]

Why I prefer working on mx5s part 10. Some trash on TV missus Puss was watching so thought I would crack on with stripping BAL.

Within 15 minutes rad out and acces to front of engine.


Power steering belt off and water pump pulley bolts loosened.

Took the opportunity to flush the rad and it is all clear and runs through well

[hairnet]

37 minutes ago, snagglepuss said:

Some trash on TV missus Puss was watching 
 

isnt that how all car hobbies start

[The Moog]

This morning I popped over to northern monkey motors - finest garage in fence.

He was busy swearing at a car on the ramp followed by eurocarparts.

I needed to take off the thermostat housing from AVO engine.

There she lays


Camcover off


Considering the engine had done over 100k and been used as a track toy for the last few years, it looks minty inside.

Slowly stripping bits off to get timing covers off


Luckily the use of an air gun got the crank pulley off easily enough


Building up a pile of bits to take


All of this for these two bolts


And off


Cam cover lobbed back on and left to rest again.

[Matty]

I never knew there was a garage in fence. Id always figured that folk who could afford to live up there just played the stock market! ? 

[The Moog]

Game of two halves today. After a bit of rain this morning a load of packages arrived including a coil, fuel filter and crankshaft sensor for the Rover

Cool swapped over


Didn't make any difference. Fuel filter swap

Still no start

So just the crank sensor. After much head scratching I found it after jacking up the car it is right at the back of the engine and you have to reach throught the exhaust. Even then it was proper fiddly. To get the bolts off required all my ratchet extensions and to go in through the wheel well.

Just this took ages with rust raining in my eyes. Then came the frustration of trying to fit the new one. The old one had a spacer that was stuck which once I worked that out made things easier. After many swears and lots of time I gave up. The new sensor feels a little bigger and looks different to the old one.

This was coupled with finding rust around the sunroof in the rover.



This car has taken my mojo for it .. currently finger is hovering over car take back.

[The Moog]

Giving up on the rover and leaving it in the naughty corner I turned my attention to the mx5.

It's needs a thermostat housing which I stripped off the old AVO engine.

Starting off


Camcover off


Stripper vicar


All that for this

Removed


Old versus new one


Definitely a bit crispy.

I also kept all the pulleys and the timing belt off AVO. It was a good job as the tensioner and idler sounded fucked.

Belt wise on BAL was a Mazda belt but had little cracks where as AVO has a dayco in good nick so swapped them over.

Getting the timing tensioned write but a quick WhatsApp to Northern monkey saw belt locking tools employed


Putting back together I tried to use the good bits of each one - the lower timing cover on BAL has been chewed away so swapped that out.

Reinstallation is reverse of what you did previously.

Still few more bits including fitting rad etc tomorrow and then I get the nervous first start. I cranked it over a few times by hand so nothing should be out but still nervous time

Tbc

[The Moog]

Sun was out so time to finish of BAL ready for its new owner.

 

Lots of fiddly steps.

 

Thermostat in. The gasket was kaput so black gasket goo was used

Cross pipe back on and rad back in. I am a real convert to spring clamps when you have the proper tool. Makes it quick and easy to fit them, no worrying about whether it is water tight and less sharp clip edges like you get with jubilee clips

 

Rad filled with water for first start and then turned over. Always that heart stopping moment but everything seemed ok.

 

There were some odd noises, one I tracked down to the lower cover rubbing. The old one was worn and I think the new one will end up the same way. The lower mounting bolt is rusted and broken so I think it pushes the cover forward.

 

The other noise I tracked back to a sticky tappet. Some full bore testing runs sorted that out.

 

I reset the idle speed

 

Then after some motorway and fast b road followed by idling till fan cut in I drained the water and replaced it with dragon's blood

 

 

So BAL had the following from the old AVO engine

 

Timing belt

PAS belt

Alternator belt

Idler

Tensioner

Thermostat

Thermostat housing

Timing belt covers

Crank pulley

Water pump pulley

PAS pulley

Wing mirrors

Undertray

 

Previously it has

HT leads

Drivers seat

Rear boot lid

Lsd

Propshaft

Driveshaft

1.8 brake upgrade on front with calipers and carriers

Door cards

 

New it has got

Coolant temp sensor

Coolant pipe

Fresh antifreeze

 

Previously it has

TR lane roll bar

Brake brace

New rainsport 3 tyres

Refurbished alloys

Poly bush drop links

421 header exhaust stainless

De cat stainless

Straight through exhaust - loud!

Ball joints at front

New hood

New discs front

New pads front

065 battery tray and battery

 

 

Jobs for the new owner (so they know what they need to do)

PAS cooling pipe is probably worth looking at as it is going a bit crispy at the front but probably can be ignored until it leaks

Dampers need changing as they bang a bit/a lot

Stereo if they want one

Door speakers

Oil change

New sparkplugs

Relay change for the headlights popping up or swapping in new stalks (have got these spare)

 

I love working on Mx5s they are so simple and quite a lot of room to fiddle with.

 

Sort of update.

 

BAL is off to its new home tonight I think in a sensible car swap.

 

The Rover we don't talk about. It's time with me is up but negotiations are ongoing about its future.

 

The Golf will be cleaned and prepped for sale then going on autotrader at £995 as soon as I get the new sensible car.

 

Smart is staying and will get new tyres fitted in the next week or so.

 

New car may be making an appearance in a few weeks. I iz excite.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tickman]

Proper war going on with your cars.

That unmentionable car is a truly ungrateful bastard.

 

[Broadsword]

Oh wow I didn't realize you were getting rid of the MX-5. I kind of assumed it was a keeper in one way or another due to the amount of work put in.

[The Moog]

Oh wow I didn't realize you were getting rid of the MX-5. I kind of assumed it was a keeper in one way or another due to the amount of work put in.

It was to be a keeper. Aside from a tiny bit of welding it is a really straight car.

As is the way with this place there are others that turn your head. It is going to a good home and. A bona fide shiter is having it so wanted it all fixed before they take it.

[Jim Bell]

Rover is a twott. Great work on the Mx5 man. Improved greatly just before sale. Mark of a gentleman. 

[The Moog]

Waved bye bye to BAL


You can see the new* car in the background


BAL has gone to a good home with a very smiley shiter at the wheel

In its stead is the epitome of Dog car ...

It's got a few issues but that makes it more lovely.

[Broadsword]

Good to see BAL go to a loving home. I hope it becomes bright shiny red at the end of all the hard work on the oily and sparky bits! Now then, is the Volvo a turbo? 850s a very cool cars in their way.

[The Moog]

Just the 2.5 20v but will be ideal as daily/dog wagon. Currently got abs/trac control light on that needs sorting, could do with set of tyres, rear door trim is missing aside from that it is ace.

My intent was to keep the shabby outside of BAL including the brilliantly rust covered windscreen wiper blades and make the car handle/go supremely.

I think the new owner will probably get a bit two bucket wrongun although really it needs a respray to get it anywhere decent.

[Wingz123]

A good mop would transform that mx5...

Wouldn't even take that long. Bit of g3 and a couple of hours.... 

That volvo looks nice...done many miles? Auto?

[The Moog]

Yep auto

Speedo says 112k I think but odometer doesn't work. Gr8 for limited miles policy.

Took it for a spin and forgotten how much I like these beasts.

Need to get dog guard for it in due course.

[Wingz123]

Just now, snagglepuss said:

Need to get dog guard for it in due course.

That's the sort of thing that gets listed for 99p on ebay in an auction and you end up winning it for 99p!....

[The Moog]

Looks like some warranty work will be needed. It's either the water pump or thermostat housing.

Either way everything probably going to have to come off again - getting good at this!

[Andyrew]

Man that sucks a fat one. 

 

[The Moog]

Man that sucks a fat one. 
 

My fault really. I didn't replace the o ring thinking it would be ok and was in a rush to get it back together. O ring ordered and will get it back to fix it.

Not the end of the world.

[The Moog]

Fitted new rubber to the wee smart today. It had been getting the traction control kicking in a bit to easily.

There is the choice of 135/70/15 or 145/65/15. I went for the 135 to give a bit more sidewall for bump absorbing. Tyres were ordered from Tyre leader for under £100.

Northern Monkey lets me borrow his tyre machine ( I am only on stage three of my training to use it)

Date codes on the old tryes ranged from 04 to 11.

Also a bit worn



New rubber looks a bit better


Made a huge difference to the car, better grip, less crashy and a nicer place to be.

The rear wheel bolts were smoothered in copper grease - not a good thing to do kids.

All cleaned up with brake cleaner and put back in.

[Wingz123]

Why not good? I whack a bit of copper grease on the wheel bolts. I dont smother it but just whack a thin layer....

[The Moog]

Torque specs are based on dry bolts from manufacturer, Putting lube on them changes this.

You can put copper grease on mounting face to stop it seizing, but always been told never on bolts.