Project Domes shonky autos - Manta progress!

[dome]

It's still dripping oil this morning after I got to work in it, a very quick nosey and it looks like it might be from a different part of the sump than the bit I sealed last night though. 

My back is in agony though so it can wait before I go crawling under it again!

 

Bloody hell, that Devcon stuff isn't cheap! If the chemical metal I've got doesn't work I'll just bite the bullet and fit a sump!

 

Edit: just checked again and it's dropped less than it usually does. Will persevere.

[big_al_granvia]

this stuff should do the same job as the sump isnt under high pressure https://www.halfords.com/motoring/paints-body-repair/adhesives/evo-stik-hard-fast-metal-epoxy-putty

[Matty]

I thought that until we got a Mk7 Tranny Van

I was thinking that myself. All the dropsides we've had at work exit under the pickup just after the cab

[dome]

Well, despite my attempts with a catering size tin of chemical metal yesterday it still leaks. Worse than ever. New sump ordered but I'm going to carry on trying to patch it in the meantime as I'll need to drop the front diff out of the way to change the sump. That's not happening soon.

 

Ideally it'll happen when the MR2 is on the road but a dodgy back prevented any progress yesterday. Sigh

[Fraz]

I’ll come over and do the heavy lifting dome.

[Split_Pin]

Happy also to help with lifting and shifting of bits.

[dome]

Time for a brief and not very exciting update. Not that my updates are often exciting but hey ho

 

Car fixing Mojo has been low, my back has been agony and despite the clocks going back the weather has been shitty here in Fife until the last few days.

 

Yeah I know, excuses excuses

 

Exploder

 

I've been plodding about in this but the oil leak from the sump has got worse, despite my chemical metal attempts. It didn't help that I was trying to apply it upside down and that I couldn't get it properly clean as oil kept seeping out as I was working.

 

I'd ordered a replacement sump which arrived on Monday however I was told I needed to drop the front diff out to change it. The sump I received is very shallow however and it turns out there's two parts to the sump, an upper and a lower. It was just the lower that was leaking so last night I dropped the old one off. Very easily as it turned out...

 

 

The chemical metal I'd applied just fell off. The oil came out pretty clean and what I can see of the bottom end looks very clean for 146k.

 

Of course I wasn't ready for that coming off so easily so didn't have a gasket, oil or a filter to stick it back together with... I'll pick up the bits from Euro to do that on the way home tonight. I went for the same instant gasket stuff that the MR2 uses as I couldn't get a gasket locally

 

I also tried to fit a new Aux belt yesterday, the old one is starting to split. Of course I'd got the wrong one that was too short so I'll need to return that and get another one. There are a few sizes listed for it, I'd went for the shortest but it was too short! Arses. Old one back on for the time being.

 

MR2

 

Got a wee bit of mojo back for the MR2. Driveshafts are in after having to remove a driveshaft seal on the gearbox to fettle it and the suspension is assembled with the uprated suspension off the black car.

Work so far

coolant pipes in place

Gear Linkage on and working

Fuel line connected

It’s been a bit of trial and error-I’ve had to remove things I’ve fitted to route them round things I’ve still to fit. Half the trouble is a remembering what went where on the MR2 (I took pictures but not enough!) and also adapting 2zz things to fit the MR2

Still got some gubbins to sort out before I can give it some fluids, fit the battery tray and connect everything up and see if it’ll run.

[Exiled_Tat_Gatherer]

GIMME MY SUSPENSION BACK!!!!!  says I …….. I'd be interested to know how good your set up is..... I'm still researching what to go for for the black beast.

If you need info/photo's of anything - it's parked outside right now. Just let me know and I'l lgo snap some and whatsapp them over...…….. Drop me a line if needed dude.

[dome]

GIMME MY SUSPENSION BACK!!!!!  says I …….. I'd be interested to know how good your set up is..... I'm still researching what to go for for the black beast.

If you need info/photo's of anything - it's parked outside right now. Just let me know and I'l lgo snap some and whatsapp them over...…….. Drop me a line if needed dude.

 

 

Lol, cheers! I've been busy sniffing about online for pics so have a fair idea what I need to do. I just manage to overthink things a lot, especially when researching things online  googling the shit out of something. See also-nearly dropping the front diff out of the Exploder when you don't need to...

 

The suspension going on on it/coming off yours (Tein springs/KYB shocks) is about as good as you'll get on a budget.

 

Coilovers would be the way to go but these have struts at both ends so cheap ones don't exist-you're looking at a minimum of £700 for a set    Our setup was less than half that but hopefully not half as good!

 

These are very well regarded and would be our choice if we wanted to treat ourselves.

 

https://www.kamracing.co.uk/car-tuning/toyota/toyota-mr2-mk3-zzw30/suspension/meisterr-toyota-mrs-zzw30.html

 

I've not had a run in a car on coilovers to compare but I imagine they'd be a lot better on the track and a bit worse on the road.

[Sir Snipes]

The top mount camber adjusters are a nice thing to have. They're also adjustable where the strut bolts to the hub but the older SW20 have clearance issues with the wheel/tyre if you dial in too much negative.

 

Meister R were always well regarded.

[dome]

The top mount camber adjusters are a nice thing to have. They're also adjustable where the strut bolts to the hub but the older SW20 have clearance issues with the wheel/tyre if you dial in too much negative.

 

Meister R were always well regarded.

 

 

Yeah and if you factor in the cost of new standard top mounts for the MR2 (which are not cheap) then coilovers can start to make sense when they come with adjustable ones as standard.

[Sir Snipes]

Just not the Tein ones with their shit 3-position top mounts. Want to fine tune that camber? Tough luck.

 

Again, refering to SW20. Didn't see so many ZZs.

[dome]

Picked up oil, filter and proper instant gasket type stuff on the way home.

 

Think that was due changing...

 

 

New sump on and torqued up, then filled it with oil so it's back in the game

 

Bonus boop

 

 

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[Bren]

Explorer is one of the best looking 4x4's.

[Fraz]

Explorer is one of the best looking 4x4's.

Maybe not domes tho

[Rod/b]

Explorer is one of the best looking 4x4's.

Errr....

[Jifflemon]

If you need info/photo's of anything - it's parked outside right now. Just let me know and I'l lgo snap some and whatsapp them over...…….. Drop me a line if needed dude.

 

Also this. Mines outside if you need any photo's/advice/where does this go? type of stuff

 

Help is just a PM away

[dome]

So, finally today a small, red mid engined thing roared into life at Dome Mansions

 

 

 

 

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[dome]

Oh and this happened too...
 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtccXGogBH8

 

 

[The Moog]

Get in ... Coming to a track near you soon ..

[Exiled_Tat_Gatherer]

Excellent noises fella - you must be chuffed! Well done.

[spartacus]

Nice one, that'll surely boost the mojo!

[dome]

So, yeah, finally some progress

 

This morning I filled the MR2 with fluids, checked everything, checked it again and then cranked it over with the coils off to build up oil pressure

 

Then, as in the video above (which I can't get to embed for some reason?) , it fired up and ran a hell of a lot better than I thought it would with a bodged up MAF setup and some vacuum lines not connected up.

 

It seems to be holding fluids OK but I haven't ran it for long enough to get it up to temp, it's somewhat lacking in exhaust department at the minute and my neighbours likely wouldn't approve.

 

It's running on the 1zz ECU at the minute as that way i rule out any problems with the immobiliser transponder swap that I'll need to do to run it on the 2zz ECU. Now it's running I can swap that over, I have all the bits I need.

 

Next up, order up hoses and a cone filter for the intake then measure up the exhaust to see what we need-basically a selection of bends to make a cat and a silencer fit in the space between the engine and the number plate which is not very big.

 

A visit to a scrappy allowed me to rob a couple of bits from an MR2 and take some photos to remind myself what goes where. We also treated it to a set of facelift rear lights, for no other reason than we like them

 

 

Also, I plodded about in the Explorer today and it is much more enjoyable to drive when it's not leaking oil onto it's exhaust. Small victories and all that.

[dome]

Bought a battery for the MR2 today from Euro, got it home and discovered the terminals were the wrong way round.

 

I also got it to run on the 2zz ecu. Next up is induction pipework and an exhaust. I'll also reassemble the rear suspension and fit the new parts to the front too.

 

I gave the rest of the fleet some attention too, the machine polisher was broken out followed by some wax for the S4. I haven't waxed the Exploder yet but might treat it.

 

 

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[big_al_granvia]

the old ford is looking alright, see you have the issue with monobloc driveways, it shows up every drip of fluid... i like my old tarmac, hides where one of flat4's cars has been

[dome]

OK, some more progress has happened

 

It turned out that getting the wrong battery was a good move. I had the 063 battery off the Locost in the garage and it fitted perfectly in the battery tray, better than the standard MR2 battery which is taller and slimmer. After a bit of online battery sniffing I headed to Euro and swapped the wrong own brand battery for an Exide 065 which is higher rated and also got £10 back. Winner.

 

Air filter and gubbins arrived so I mocked everything up-the filter will get its nice, cold air from the passenger side vent.

 

 

With that sorted I had a look at the exhaust. We chopped up the Corolla system and mocked everything up in the bay to work out what we need to buy. The Corolla cat will see us legal and the mid box will be all the silencer we need. Hopefully...

 

 

 

Space is tight but we can do something here. A selection of Jetex bends has been ordered up which should arrive next week when I'm on holiday.

 

Onto today and some shiny parts were lined up for fitting...

 

 

[dome]

I set Duncan loose on fitting the front struts while I did some underbonnet fettling-I mounted the dipstick and sorted out the one engine mount that isn't standard. 

 

I then went underneath to fit the underchassis brace. Thankfully this time all the bolts came loose so that went OK. We then went round and tightened up the suspension bolts up and fitted the original wheels which we've fitted a set of track tyres to and Duncan had painted gold.

 

Finally, for the first time in months it was looking like a car. 

 

 

I'm off to do the North Coast 500 today in the S4, looking forward to that! The S4 was chosen because of working aircon and great lumbar support more than the power, it's not going to be that kind of trip.

 

The MR2 was meant to be our transport but sadly it wasn't to be. Still, next time!

[dome]

My sump sealing on the Exploder leaves a bit to be desired-I used (correct for this task) sealant due to lack of availability of a gasket.

This was fine for a week or so but it's starting to leak again from one corner where I may not have used enough sealant.

I suspect I'll have to buy the correct gasket which is a bit frustrating.

 

I did however buy a tyre paint pen to redo the writing on the tyres. Because, well priorities, right?

 

 

It's also had the knackered tint film removed from the windows but i need to remove the residue. I'm building up to that though, it looks like an arse of a job. New auxiliary belt fitted too, the old one was starting to split.

[Split_Pin]

Autoglym glass polish should get the residue off.

[beko1987]

That and Autosmart tardis is how I got some tint residue off the windows of Joe's Pleasure wagon at shitefest 17,wasnt too tricky either, the trick was to just rub gently until the glue broke down then it wiped off