83C's Shite-esque Fleet: Fleet Reduction Going Well.

[83C]

Another MoT pass for the Range Rover, so thats the main fleet all done for this year (unless I buy something else). Still got the Mondeo to go, and the bike, hopefully by the end of April. 

[83C]

Been the right weather for some top down action in the Boxster, which was all well and good until the roof wouldn't go back up again. The handbrake switch was also playing up, by refusing to show the idiot light on the dash. I reckoned these two things might be connected, as the handbrake must be on for the roof to work. Sure enough after a bit of dismantling to get to the switch and also making a temporary bridging wire, the roof was back up and the light on the dash returned. 

New switch ordered. 

Now while I've got some of the interior apart, do I go the whole hog and take the two seats out so that the carpet can be removed and hung to dry? In theory it's just the seats left to unbolt. Only downside is that the next day or two aren't looking particularly dry.

[83C]

Now it’s stopped raining for a bit I’ve managed to get more done on the Mondeo. Relative who had it has now decided she’d like it back, so I best get on with the rest of the repairs. 

The remaining pair of locking wheelnuts needed removing first, so it was out with the rough sockets and Hammer Mawr. 

After half hour or so they finally yielded and then it was over to the vice and Hammer Bach to remove the remains:

Do not use the Ugga-Dugga gun on locking wheelnuts, unless you really hate the next owner or the person twirling the spanners on it:

When the Mondeo arrived it was supplied with a pair of new front droplinks as there was some sort of rattle going on. The one on the other side seemed solid enough (but will get replaced anyway), so I wasn’t entirely sure if the ‘droplink rattle’ diagnosis was correct. Turns out it was, just not in the way I was expecting. This is what greeted me with the wheel off:

That would cause a rattle alright. 

This didn’t look too clever either:

Goody gumdrops.

[83C]

In the last few days a couple of parcels have turned up with bits for the Boxster. A new handbrake switch, a complete lower centre console and the correct 5-sp gear knob. Things got a bit spendy because the interior bits really seem to command decent prices - the new handbrake switch is a generic VW/Audi part and cost less than £10 delivered, the secondhand gear knob and centre console were the thick end of £150 plus postage. I did consider using a generic aftermarket knob but they're a pain to make fit properly, and then a new gaiter would be needed too, as well as sticking to the plastic frame that holds it to the tunnel. Bugger that, get the proper one for easy fitment and looking correct.

I also borrowed my sister's dehumidifier and had it set up in the Boxster for a few days with the carpet propped up around the wet area - this pulled a good 6 litres of water out, and there is still wet in the foam under the carpet. The only way to dry it properly would be to remove the carpet, but the weather around here isn't looking too good for the next week or so and I've nowhere indoors to hang the carpet. Still, it's much, much drier than it was. 

Next step was to reassemble the interior plastics around the handbrake, then fit the new lower console (missing when I bought the car) and the new gear knob:

Excuse the mess, it was getting a bit late to be giving the whole interior a full vacuuming and scrubbing. The console side panels don't match (they're Dove Grey rather than the Metropole Blue of this car) but don't clash too badly. If I find a pair of the panels in the right colour for reasonable money they're an easy clip-on/off job. Luckily the carpets were the right colour, as well as the gear gaiter - 986 Boxsters could be specced in some very weird and wonderful interior colours. Everything was cleaned as it went back together, the rest of the car needs a serious clean inside and out to match, but it's slowly improving. As I've hinted before this car won't be here long term, I like it far more than I thought I would but it'll be moving on sometime early in May. I've still got an oil change to do as well as spark plugs and tubes, the hood needs a damn good clean, and having recently got a GoPro, some sound recording stuff and a few other bobbins I'd like to try recording some footage of it and putting some sort of video (maybe on YT) together. There's a couple of people who have expressed an interest and it'll be offered to them first, but if they don't want the car it'll be advertised on here first week of May for around £2900-ish as I've something else inbound that also requires a bit of mechanical help, and space is at a premium around here. Any bets on what I'm buying?

[motorpunk]

6 litres?! 😬

Whats next, then?

[Popsicle]

On 15/04/2023 at 15:17, 83C said:

Now it’s stopped raining for a bit I’ve managed to get more done on the Mondeo. Relative who had it has now decided she’d like it back, so I best get on with the rest of the repairs. 

The remaining pair of locking wheelnuts needed removing first, so it was out with the rough sockets and Hammer Mawr. 

After half hour or so they finally yielded and then it was over to the vice and Hammer Bach to remove the remains:

Do not use the Ugga-Dugga gun on locking wheelnuts, unless you really hate the next owner or the person twirling the spanners on it:

When the Mondeo arrived it was supplied with a pair of new front droplinks as there was some sort of rattle going on. The one on the other side seemed solid enough (but will get replaced anyway), so I wasn’t entirely sure if the ‘droplink rattle’ diagnosis was correct. Turns out it was, just not in the way I was expecting. This is what greeted me with the wheel off:

That would cause a rattle alright. 

This didn’t look too clever either:

Goody gumdrops.

On the plus side 50% less bolts to fight with.

[83C]

19 hours ago, motorpunk said:

6 litres?! 😬

Whats next, then?

The foam under the carpet can hold loads of water. Years ago an early MG ZT suffered blocked drains whilst I had it parked up (because I'd managed to lose the key), only realised when I looked in one day and found the driver's footwell a couple of inches deep in water. Used an old Vax to remove most of the standing water which filled the waste water bucket several times and then I had to hoick the carpet out for a proper drying session that took over a week. Been in the habit of checking drain holes and pipes ever since...

[83C]

Today I decided to redefine pointless and polish the poverty pork:

It’s actually turned out ok for a 10 footer, amazing what a bucket of hot water and various Autoglym products can do.

I also tackled the small spots of green on the hood, some Meguiars stuff seems to have done the trick but we’ll see when it dries properly. Missed a small bit on the rear window in the corner, will try again tomorrow:

And if you’re thinking ‘they look like sales advert pictures…’ award yourself 10 internet points. These (and more) coming to an advert near you soon.

 

[83C]

Tomorrow the ZZR is off for MoT and service, so I thought I'd best drag it out of the shed and get the charger plugged in - it's not run for over six months. I also wanted to permanently fit a flylead for the Noco trickle charger. Pulled the battery out of its cradle and found this:

Sub-optimal. Still not bad given its the original battery so far as I can tell. Off to Halfords for a new one, luckily they're a common battery spec.

[83C]

Been a busy couple of weeks for the 83C fleet. 

Out: the Boxster. Left a few days ago for a new life with a lad doing a motorsports degree.

In: this, today:

Its the MG ZT that RichardK was selling, needs a bit of work.

Started by laying some slabs. At the end of the driveway there is a gap between the concrete and the shed base, and it was just mud. Laid 4 reclaimed slabs after I’d knocked a load of concrete off the bottom of them (they were the floor in a friend’s garage until he had it converted into an extra room).

Makes working around a vehicle at that end much nicer, boots don’t get covered in mud. Next step was to get the ZT in place for surgery:

Next door neighbour was celebrating the arrival of a British motoring classic, obvs.

Went and bought a new set of ramps from Halfords, no need to take the wheels off for the work that is needed and it raises the front of the car to an acceptable working height. 

Based on discussions leading up to buying the ZT, it could have been a couple of things causing the smoking issue. One was a leaky inlet manifold gasket, the other was a leaky turbo oil seal. 

Aye, that answers that question then, wet around the exhaust joint and other bits of the turbo. Oil down the exhaust aiding the Land Rover style application of anti-rust treatment there. 

Time to get stuck in. It’s immediately obvious that there has been someone in here before, going by the exhaust manifold studs/bolts/fresh air:

Still, they’re holding for now so no point in disturbing them.

Bit of spannering later and this is where we’re at with access.

Next stop is draining the coolant. It’s clear the car has been looked after even if there are hints that it’s fallen on hard times recently such as the budget tyres that are fitted. It’s filled with the correct OAT coolant, oil looks okish (but will be changed), and everything is coming apart without too much hassle.

Took the inlet pipe for the turbo off and this came oozing out:

Oil and water mixing inside the turbo is a Bad Thing. Stuck my fingers down the turbo inlet and there’s a good couple of mm of movement on the turbo shaft - the trade term for this is ‘its fucked’. You’ll not see it here and it looks clean because I’ve already wiped all the excess oil off, but here’s the cold side impeller:

That’s as far as I got with this today, I’m watching a new turbo core on eBay for £58 and this is held on to the exhaust housing with something similar to a V-band clamp, so there really shouldn’t be any need to remove the exhaust manifold or unbolt the housing. The core and inlet housing should come off as one unit once water and oil connections are removed, there’s certainly space for them to do so. 

Also in is this:

Triumph Tiger 955i. Wanted a bike that I could go out in all weathers on and be a bit more upright and comfortable riding. This was a bit of an opportunist purchase because it was local and the right price, but will come into use soon, with collection tomorrow. 

I’d already decided the ZZR was going - it did less than 50 miles last year. I don’t ride it if it’s wet, I don’t take it to work because there is nowhere dry to park it, and I’m so busy that it’s just not getting used. It was MoT’d and serviced in preparation for selling, probably won’t put an advert up here as it’s not the sort of thing for this forum. It’s been a blast owning it but it’s time to move on, got more plans to pay for.

Finally this evening the Arnage got a run out to a local car show at High Ercall village hall - in a spectacular fail for a budding motoring YouTubist I only took one photo the whole show and no video at all:

Well recommended to anyone in or near Shropshire, there really was something for everyone there including bikes, cars from 1920-2023, tractors, a couple of commercials, a traction engine and more. 

The temperature gauge on the Arnage seems to be having a bit of a fit - normally it holds at half way constantly. Today I noticed it quickly dropping about 10 degrees and then rapidly rising back to half way, every 5 seconds or so and taking about a second to complete the movement down and up. On the way back it couldn’t decide and held for a while at the lower position and then rose, then fell etc. I can’t find anything odd under the bonnet, rad top hose is hot, header tank is hot, heaters work well (no discernible change in temp whilst the gauge was flicking up and down), no leaks, nothing. I’m wondering if the sender unit itself is iffy, or has a bad earth. I might just try running a jump lead from the engine to a suitable bolt or body-mounted bracket and see if that has any effect. 

It’s all Jolly Good Fun.

[83C]

Got a bit further pulling bits off the ZT:

Plenty of access around the turbo now. I can actually get virtually everything off to get the core out, except the sodding wastegate actuator arm which is under and behind the turbo. One simple circlip is all that stands between me and victory.

Bugger.

[83C]

Success.

Pry bar, hammer and ping, off went the circlip never to be seen again. No major issue, can always get a new one.

A Garrett GT2025LS in all its glory*

It is also buggered. The shaft play needs measuring with a tape measure rather than a dial gauge. It’s not clear on these pictures but look at them and see where the compressor wheel is/isn’t touching:

Next job is strip it down. This leaves me with a potential rabbit hole to fall down, in that there is the opportunity to do improvements.

Improvements like a better wastegate actuator and blow off valve (recirc, of course), replace all the wanky jubilee clips with Mikalor clamps, send all the alloy bits off for media blasting and powder coating…

And now I’m looking at ultrasonic cleaners.

This could get expensive.

[83C]

 

[RichardK]

Sorry I haven't followed up yet, I'm really glad it's getting sorted - the instinct was turbo seals at first particularly with the absolute howler of a misfire it threw at me when moving it here, but I'd not had a hint of oil smoke before - and when I looked for condensation I was finding what seemed to be water but no coolant smell so you can guess why I was confused!

The silicone hoses apparently need swapping away from OAT coolant, but there are no intake hoses? And I suspect that boost controller is fine if you fit the right gauge of hoses rather than either the loose fit currently or clear attempt at PTFE bodges - I wasn't sure the ECU being asked to pull and hold two solenoids in parallel when the Pierburg controller was fitted was doing anything any good at all!

Haven't got a clue what's going on with the manifold, it never looked right but it was so far down the list of things to do...

[RichardK]

What I hope is that the body/sills are as good as they appeared to be to me and thus it's worth the effort because with the plate, a polish and the engine sorted it definitely has a bit of attitude - I liked how it drove when it behaved!

[83C]

@RichardK no problem - it’s a good little project to be cracking on with. I’m largely settled with the idea of really tidying/tarting the engine bay up because in doing so it’ll also sort the myriad hose issues, give me chance to put the boost controller back to stock and get it running well. 

I’ve bought a 15litre ultrasonic cleaner (not just for this project but it’ll certainly help) so all the fixings, clips, bolts and pipes will get thoroughly cleaned. I’ll also switch to either blue glycol or Evans Waterless coolant ready for the silicone hoses. Also got an order going in to Forge Motorsport for a decent BOV and possibly a wastegate actuator once they confirm to me whether the one they list for Disco TD5s will also fit the ZT (both use a variant of the GT2052 turbo). New core ordered, it’s from Melett so should be decent quality. 3 x the cost of a Chinese one off eBay but their listing reckoned the water fitting was M12x1.5 rather than M14x1.5, and I’ve no intention of restricting the water flow with smaller fittings.

[83C]

ZT Progress:

The Garrett GT2052LS turbo is only small and disassembly took just a few minutes. The core, dump valve and wastegate are all for the bin, given the car is supposed to have been remapped it made sense to replace both the dump valve and wastegate to cope with the increased demand for boost. The bits being kept all went in the ultrasonic bath a couple of times to remove all the gunk. Really this amounted to a few bolts, the water fittings and hard pipe, and the snail shell. 

I've been accumulating bits for the rebuild and I don't like putting dirty parts back on. I very nearly went down the route of sending bits off for powder coating but that would have held up progress. I'd really like to get the car back together and check the issues have gone away before taking anything else apart, so I dug out the masking take, the cans of VHT paint and went with black and silver. I was just going to get a standard d/v but then I was browsing the Forge website for something else and found a nice polished billet alloy one. It's very hard to say no to polished alloy bits, especially when they're on offer... I did draw the line at spending £130-odd on a Forge wastegate though, a new stock one should be perfectly good enough.

The shiny parts pile is building nicely. The new turbo core has also arrived, I'm just waiting for a replacement vacuum line nipple (old one snapped off), 3 M6 15mm cap head bolts for the D/V (old ones are scabby and slightly chewed) and I should be good for reassembly. The new wastegate is slightly different to the old one in that rather than being riveted on, its bolt on and they're in a slightly different place to the rivet holes on the snail shell. No major problem, I'll just clock the wastegate ever so slightly and redrill to suit. I also need to order a decent amount of 3mm vacuum hose to replace all the old stuff on the car. 

The bag full of silicone coolant hoses that came with the car have also been treated to a thorough wash and blast through to remove any crud from storage, next job is to build them up into subassemblies (the stock coolant hoses have come off in the same way) to replicate what was on there before and to give me chance to clean the joiners and fittings before reassembly. Tomorrow's job.

[83C]

Today a few parcels & packages arrived so I began to assemble the turbo:

Turbo mid-assembly. I'd really hoped to get the turbo back on the car today and possibly even started to check for oil leaks. However...

I took another look at the miscellany of studs and bolts holding the manifold on, and decided that given how far into the disassembly I was it would be daft to not unhinge the alternator, undo the studs/bolts and swap them out for a new set of proper fixings, and swap the exhaust gasket for a nice new MLS version. It'd also give me chance to remove and renew the studs from the manifold/turbo mounting, and clean all the oil off the turbo exhaust mounting. 20 mins later:

Just as well, as out of the 5 fixings for the manifold to the head, No. 1 was a stud & nut that had come loose, No.2 was also a stud & nut - actually tight and correct, No.3 was an M10 bolt that was too long and had a nut wound down it to tighten up to the manifold, No.4 was completely missing and No.5 was another M10 bolt, this time near-ish the correct length but not exactly tight. 

New studs and nuts ordered, as well as new gaskets.

[83C]

Whilst waiting for the studs, nuts and gaskets I thought I'd preassemble the hoses. The car came with most of a set of silicone hoses (so switching to blue glycol will also be in the plan), an alloy joining pipe to replace the plastic one where the water feed for the turbo is taken off and a few other bits. 

Some of the spring clips that hold the hoses on are a bit grim. they'd probably go in the ultrasonic bath and come up ok with some cold zinc spray but why take the easy/cheap option when all you have to do is spend a bloody fortune on shiny new Mikalor clamps?

Fuck it, it's only money. 

Speaking of which, some more needs to be spent. During the time-lapse I was filming of the hoses being sorted this is around the moment I realised the thermostat was buggered:

And this is why:

That black rubber seal should be inside the housing, fitted to one of the valves. It was already in pieces, I've just fished it out with a couple of picks. It's not 100% complete either so there is a couple of tiny bits of rubber floating around the coolant circuit somewhere. Hopefully they'll get flushed out when I clear the rest of the OAT from the engine and heater. 

Oh well. 

[83C]

Substantial ZT progress:

Turbo fitted and all bolted up with oil feed/drain also done. Alternator bracket also refitted. Next up is a coolant flush and refill, and fill the engine with fresh oil.

[83C]

 

[mat777]

Top work on the MG, and I'm rather envious of the Bentley. Is it the full fat 6.75? I believe these can have their own HG issues at about 80k miles, may be worth keeping a close eye on the temperature behaviour. 

[83C]

41 minutes ago, mat777 said:

Top work on the MG, and I'm rather envious of the Bentley. Is it the full fat 6.75? I believe these can have their own HG issues at about 80k miles, may be worth keeping a close eye on the temperature behaviour. 

Yes, it’s the L410T 6.75 turbo V8. HGF is something I’m very wary of with it, it’s looking like the issue is the alternator failing which apparently causes gauge fluctuations such as what I’m having. Trying to find a new one is a pain, Flying Spares do them as a recon for £354 plus core charge. Usually something else uses the same thing and will be cheaper but so far nothing else seems to use the Delco Remy 140A alternator. West Lancs Auto Electrics will recon the existing one, but it’s waiting for the ZT to vacate the work area at the back of the driveway before I take anything to bits. Can’t find anyone local to me who would recon the alternator, there’s a local mobile service advertised but I’ve had no response from him.

[mat777]

Ahh right, I see!
If all else fails there's a very good place called AM auto electrical, just north of Nantwich. A bit of a trek from Lancs but if needs must.....
https://www.yelp.com/biz/am-auto-electrics-winsford

Is there a part number for the alternator? I'm wondering if, despite your research drawing a blank, its shared with some bit of 60s Yank iron - and if so, I am in a few fb groups that might be able to match it for you.
 

[83C]

14 minutes ago, mat777 said:

Ahh right, I see!
If all else fails there's a very good place called AM auto electrical, just north of Nantwich. A bit of a trek from Lancs but if needs must.....
https://www.yelp.com/biz/am-auto-electrics-winsford

Is there a part number for the alternator? I'm wondering if, despite your research drawing a blank, its shared with some bit of 60s Yank iron - and if so, I am in a few fb groups that might be able to match it for you.
 

Nantwich is about 50 mins from me, I’m in Shropshire. West Lance AE just came up as a Google search for alternator reconditioning. Will give AM a go. Need to get the alternator off to get a part number first, hoping to swap the ZT and the Arnage around on the drive tomorrow once all the clips and clamps are in place on the ZT properly.

[83C]

All plumbed up. Colour coded-ish vac lines, 3mm in orange and 5mm in blue. 

Took it for a test drive and a few things of note: there is loads of oil in the exhaust to burn off as evidenced by the blue/black smoke I was leaving behind me. It doesn’t smoke at all at idle, hot or cold, but under acceleration it’s like a WWII destroyer laying down its own personal fog bank. A second test drive saw a bit of a reduction in smoke, hopefully a few miles of thrash up the dual carriageway late one night will burn the rest of it out.

It also cuts the ignition at 5k rpm, which suggests to me that it is overboosting and hitting the limits of its fuelling. I’ve got a boost gauge to rig up and see exactly what it is doing. Right now the car is running with an aftermarket boost solenoid, so once the boost gauge is rigged up I’ll do a run with it still fitted, and then swapped for the stock boost solenoid. What I’d really like to see is the injector duty cycles but I don’t think my diagnostics machine can do that.

Its good to get it mobile again though, hopefully it’s not far now from being fit to use daily again.

[83C]

This afternoon after the boost solenoid was replumbed I went for another test drive. On the first one the car felt flat and lifeless until 4.5k where it started to come alive, and then hit a wall at 5k where it felt like either fuel or ignition was being cut. Turns out the wastegate and pressure lines into the boost solenoid were the wrong way around, so the ECU wasn’t seeing any pressure from the MAP sensor until the BOV lifted way too early and suddenly it saw way too much and reacted accordingly. 

The second test drive also had a boost gauge rigged up to see exactly what was happening:

Yes, that is clamped under the wiper, but it worked well enough for what I needed. This run went better, boost worked correctly but the car was experiencing a major misfire between 3-6k revs. Maximum boost peaked at 0.9 bar, so definitely a bit more than stock.

Some further research and advice from a Facebook ZT group suggested the spark plugs might be the next port of call:

These Denso plugs were ok but the gap was too big. Spec is 1.0mm but that’s the same for the N/A 1.8, which explains why on the first run there was no misfire until it died at 5k rpm. It was running almost like an N/A with the BOV venting everything to atmosphere early and the wastegate on spring/diaphragm pressure only, but on turbo 1.8s the accepted wisdom is to reduce the gap to 0.6-0.75 so that they don’t suffer from spark blow out. 

Luckily @RichardK had already acquired a set of OEM iridium plugs, so these were all gapped to 0.6mm and fitted. This completely solved the misfire - the car now runs really nicely and pending a longer test drive I’d say is almost ready for the road. It needs two tyres and the rear arch damage sorting, but I’m well happy with progress.

 

[RichardK]

Wow! Someone suggested plugs/coils for the misfire but the turbo failed before I had time to get into it.

[83C]

The dry weather has been great for working on cars but it’s been crap for bodywork, and the ZT hasn’t been cleaned since it landed nearly four weeks ago.

Its not that easy to see in this photo but it’s absolutely covered in a layer of dust and the odd bird turd.

A quick go around with the hose, a bucket and a wash pad gave the following results:

Much shinier. Tyres to sort next week, then it’s on the road. Not finished of course, but one step closer.

[RichardK]

I am so happy you got this. And it makes getting that plate worthwhile if the beast lives