WideSam

Finally got to drive it again! Went for a decent drive with a variety of roads, 30 miles later all is well. No leaks, no steam, no misfires! I just need to sort this p0420 code and put the exhaust back on the hanger I missed end of the month and all should be well ready for the MOT at the end of the month.

Fitted the new top hose, went to start bleeding the system so fired her up and got a misfire CEL. Plugged it in and it was on cylinder 1. After a bit of faffing, swapping coils and plugs etc, still couldn’t find the issue. Did a bit of reading and discovered it could be the front O2 sensor. Unplugged it and got the solid CEL, not the blinking for a misfire. I’ve got a spare sensor in the garage somewhere, I’ll swap it over tomorrow and see where we’re at. For now, I think a beer or 5 is in order 😂

I broke it again 😞 Driving up the m5 and the top hose blew coolant all over the engine! Haven’t had time to inspect it properly yet but I think the clamp on the engine side wasn’t seated properly. Annoying time for it to happen but there we go.

Try importcarparts.co.uk

She’s alive!! New battery in, started right up. Still had a misfire, diagnostics showed cylinder number 4. The clip wasn’t on properly. Now running like a dream 😍. Do seem to have a slight oil leak from somewhere around oil filter/cooler so will have to look into that.

The car’s nose first in the garage, annoyingly. Fuel pump’s definitely priming. Haven’t checked the spark, purely down to the fact it started yesterday. It did keep cutting out due to the misfire (and me getting used to the new clutch if I’m completely honest 😂) so probably had to start the car a number times in under a mile so it’s taken a bit of a hammering...

I’m going to get a new battery tomorrow and try that. It’s the only thing that makes sense as it ran yesterday.

I don’t think so, would that not give me a fault code?

Still failed to get it running!! Did start it yesterday, ran terribly, re-checked the timing and it was off. Reset it today and all is well, however it cranks but won’t fire. No fault codes, however the battery voltage is only just over 11v. Is it possible the battery is strong enough to turn the engine over but not get it to fire?

Unsure on the starting issue, however when I took my starter out the other day I had the same issue with out getting stuck. A bit of brute force is the answer really, it’s just the mating surfaces sticking together. An old flathead and a hammer did the trick, if you’re replacing the starter a whack with a mallet on the body of it might be enough.

Very nearly got it running, bar 2 small issues. Firstly, I’ve put the new fuel lines on the wrong way round 🤦🏻‍♂️ Secondly, the new japspeed radiator didn’t come with a drain plug and the one from my existing radiator doesn’t seem to fit. Of course I didn’t notice there wasn’t one there until after I’d starting putting coolant in!

Spec b should be the same, as it uses the bilstein suspension. Alternatively, have a look on importcarparts.co.uk, you can shop by model then.

The booking for this has been extended... are people still interested?

Ooh that’s a stunner! Was never 100% sold on the hatches, but this could certainly change my mind!

Welcome! In my blob I tend to use 5w40 (as recommended by Opie oils, there’s a discount code for the club on the forum somewhere). I go for millers purely due it to it being a very good price and I keep my oils changes frequent. Spark plugs should be PFR6B Id refer to Opie oils again for your transmission oil. With your brake fluid, it largely depends on what you’re going to be using the car for, road/track/mixture of the two. Personally, I use Mahle oil filters. Air filters, stick to to panel, k&n and cosworth offer nice upgrades for these. Obviously this applies if you’re running standard, if you’re staring to add power and performance upgrades, these things start to change.

I’d be interested definitely! Ill try not to take the car apart the week before this one 😂

Haha, there was two of us working on it already, stuff just wasn’t working in our favour. I’ll see you tomorrow anyway!

Well the engine’s in the car, but nothing is connected up 😂😂.

Sorry guys, another drop-out for the stand ☹️. Car just isn’t going to be ready in time. Still coming up for the show so I’ll drop by and say hello

Jeez!! Will be interesting to see what the piston’s like

My thinking exactly. Plus the other half is away this week so I can get it all delivered and on the car without her knowing a thing 😉

My fairly straightforward “just pop the engine out, change the rocker gaskets, cambelt and pop a new clutch in” has turned out to be anything but! It was all going well until we went to undo the engine mounts and discovered one of the nuts had been rounded off!! Still wouldn’t budge with a chisel taken to it, but now have some of those sockets that supposedly grip onto rounded nuts and bolts. Managed to get the engine out by undoing the mount from the block. Along the way there was also a couple of vac lines that are completely disintegrated and so started the shopping list! I’m now waiting on some new blue silicone lines, downpipe gasket and while shopping I came across a reasonably priced japspeed alloy radiator- now on the hunt for a header tank to match. Tonight I’ve been down to the garage and cleaned up the subframe and stonechipped the front u-frame to smarten things up a bit. Now I’ve got 4 more evenings after work to get her up and running ready for Japfest on Sunday 😂.

Once a speed sensor fault has been detected it’ll put the car into limp mode. It could be one of 2 things: 1) Your speed sensor is knackered 2) The gubbins that converts the speedo from kmph to mph is playing up. This seems more likely because it involves splicing things into wires behind the clocks. Apologies for the vagueness, electrics really isn’t my forte 😂

Code 33 is a speed sensor issue... Has your speedo been changed to read in mph?

This is purely an idea, but if you took your bumper off, you should find that the grille is clipped on from behind. If you can remove it, you should be able to reform the shape, then re-attach it. On the up side, at least it’s done it’s job and kept your a/c condenser and radiator in one piece!!