BigErn

As some of you know I have recently purchased another cossie so once I give it a good once over, and maybe a rebuild too, Ill be out and about with my arse hangin out.






Its a straight genuine motor but its bodywork is a bit rough. I bought it knowing it needs a head gasket but thats not a problem as Ill do any engine work myself.

Updates will follow once I start messing with it.

jacko

i spy with my little eye a rather large t4 turbo lol

BigErn

Well, I had to put the exhaust back on after it wouldnt go on the truck and got removed. Its sitting just off the ground though as the bloody car is so low.

It has coilovers on the rear, not sure of make but they are blue and yellow from what colours I can see left on them, unsure of springs and it has Koni adjustables up front.

Started it up and it was a little missy on number 3 for a few seconds, after that it seems sweet. I let it run for a while and it used a little water but there was no smoke or steam, fans cut in and out as normal and there is no pressure in coolant and no oil/water mix.

Ran it round the block and it doesnt drive too bad, the tyres are a little low on pressure so didnt go far.

It needs some loving touches but nothing that cant be rectified.

Its chip just has a tatty printed label saying Cosworth stage 3. Not sure if Im convinced its a real one or not. I know its the software thats important but the chip just "looks" shit.

BigErn

If it gets a rebuild then that engine bay is getting tidied up, it looks awful on those pics.

Not much better in real life.

Nothing flash, just tidy and practical.

BigErn

Jacko

coswurv

iTrader: (8)

im sure a few hours with some spit and polish and you'll get there,

BigErn

Couple more pics of when I got it home

coswurv

iTrader: (8)

BigErn, you havnt got enough room on your sig for another one, must admit though your old grey one does look sweet in those pics what happened to the rims off it they would look good on this one

fezzajsy

iTrader: (9)

nuttynil

iTrader: (3)

nice whats instore for her ,,,,,,

Sticky.

iTrader: (4)

lawnsy

iTrader: (1)

lol............and the best bit is ive had it out giving it some death.......

I was impressed with the way the backend slid with the coilovers on.....

So when ya changing ya insurence over/???????

BigErn

Lol, all in good time mate.

Its time will come.

nuttynil

iTrader: (3)

sorry but gotta ditch the rims ........

BigErn

Engine is priority first then Ill make a start on the cosmetics.

I wanna use it instead of it being sat on the drive lookin pretty but goin nowhere.

coswurv

iTrader: (8)

lets hope you keep finding these water leaks so the reason she was losing water is shitty joints etc, will be a right result mate

rog

iTrader: (2)

NICE, good luck with this, i saw it for sale a little while ago, looked like a barain, a lot of nice parts on that car, just needs someone to give it a tidy up.

BigErn

I got it for a bit less than it was up for.

I knocked Ł500 off it and toldhim he could keep the wheels but when I went to pick it up he said "fuck it, you can have them with it"

BigErn

Well I insured it earlier and took it for a run about, it used/lost about 500 ml - litre of water, I topped it up and drove home. Used a little more and I checked the coolant when I put it away and......... little bits of brown sludge in the coolant.

Looks like its head off time, but now Im having a dilemma.

Do I........

1. Take the head off , check for visable failure and put a gasket on it?
2. Use this as an excuse for new rings and shells and oil pump too while the engine is in bits?
3. Go the whole hog, head off, pressure tested, top end rebuild, bottom end stripped and pressure tested, full bottom end gaskets and seals, bearings, high pressure oil pimp and pistons machined. Everything painted or polished and have a fresh healthy nice lookin engine.

Number 3 is a plan for the winter really but I may do it now. Although money is tight at the moment and it would mean having it of the road for a good few months, 4 at a guesstimate.

Hmmmmmmmmmmm, help guys.

rog

iTrader: (2)

Hmmm tough choice, does the bottom end need done?????? or are you just using the head gasket replacement as an excuse to do the rest????
What would you do if it DIDN'T need a gasket ustnow and it was ok????
And most importantly, if you have a wife/gf, what does she say............

BigErn

Id be using the gasket as an excuse to do the bottom end. My biggest concern is that I put a gasket and head on a previous one and it turned out to be a cracked cylinder liner. Hence the reason Im swaying toward doing the pressure test and rebuild on the bottom end too. The other half doesnt have a choice really, she knows my cars come first.

coswurv

iTrader: (8)

pull the head off, check the gasket if it shows signs of a failure then good, check the block deck for trueness then have the head looked at, might need a slight skim, then put it all back together, could of just been cooked with all those leaks mate, if you cant see any probs with gasket then i would have it pressure tested.

BigErn

Been using it again today, no contamination in the coolant, and I think I have found another leak, this time its from the base of the expansion bottle, I think it has a hairline crack in it. Gonna put my stainless one on and see how it goes from there.

BigErn

Well just before I was gonna go whip the head off I noticed coolant on the floor near the bulkhead area so after a good old inspection I found......... the pipe that runs round the back of the head from oil cooler to heater matrix has a hole in it, about the size of my thumb nail. A quick chop and piece of pipe fitted it was ok. Fans in and out as they should.

Driving over to Lawnsys I gave it a bit of throttle and.......the pipe popped off.
The jubilee clip hadnt tightened properly and it had been slack.

Another jubilee clip fitted and its fine again, but I havent dared give it any decent throttle. Im changing the pipe tomorrow so Ill see how we get on then.

Also I have had the problem of it not pulling on after about 14psi, but when messing on earlier I noticed the dizzy seems to be pointing off the wrong way. Im gonna check that out tomorrow too and fingers crossed its causing a weak spark and blowing it out at boost.

Glenn_

iTrader: (1)

Fingers crossed then mate it would be nice if it was just something simple.

nuttynil

iTrader: (3)

im glad u sorted the water prob out so no head off...

BigErn

Well, Ive drove about for the past couple of days and it doesnt appear to have used/lost any coolant. Im only running 12 psi at the minute but Ill be upping it in the next day or two and we'll see how it goes then.

BigErn

Running around in the car it always felt as if it was hesitant. Has a glimpse at the ignition side of things and... the phase sensor was well and truly fooked. Wires were bared back and touching each other and the distributor housing. Rotor arm was more or less burnt out and the dizzy cap was shot too. All renewed and a fresh set of plugs and its a lot better now.

Its next outing will be Scotch Corner at the end of the month so lets hope it goes well.

BigErn

It has now developed a terrible missfire at low revs light throttle and high revs hard throttle. But is fine between 2k - 4k rpm at half throttle. I spent a lot of the weekend fiddling with it on the street in the snow, checking this and that, but no joy. Then to top it off the clutch cable snapped about 15 miles from home.
Driving with the miss/hesitation, blizzard snow and no clutch was hilariously unfunny.

It is getting one more chance then if it wont play thats it, Im hanging my Cossie hat up for good!!

rog

iTrader: (2)

You tried the crank sensor aswell then i take it????

BigErn

yip, I was out in the snow on the street, Saturday night at 10pm, changing it on my back. No difference.

Changed coil too, no difference. Im going to try another new set of plugs just in case. I have a funny feeling it may be that simple.

Glenn_

iTrader: (1)

You dont have much look do you. Could it be a faulty water temp sensor by any chance.

paul16v

What plugs have you got in it? 071's by any chance a few people have been having problems with them of late.

BigErn

Im going to do a full sensor check in the next few days.

Im running NGK BPR8ES plugs as always mate.

BigErn

Well last week or maybe longer, I was driving from Lawnsys in the snow with the missfire and...... it snapped the clutch cable.
There followed soon after a MASSIVE tantrum with plenty of shouting and swearing.

So after losing interest I decided to go out tonight and change the clutch cable for an old one that was lying around just to get it mobile again. Surprise surprise, its the wrong cable. God knows what its off but its not a cossie. So Im giving it one more chance to work now, new cable tomorrow hopefully and a set of plugs and I might get to drive it this weekend.

If not, well its out of tax at the end of the month so.......... changes are afoot.

BigErn

Well, I regained a little interest the other day and put the right cable on it and chucked a set of plugs in. Once the jump leads were on she fired straight up with no knocks taps or noises.

I drove it to work to live for a while as its out of tax, just steady away though as it hadnt even been looked at for 3 weeks never mind started and driven, and it drove really nice and I wanted to play again. Lol.

But its living there for the forseeable future and its bodywork is going to get a bit of tlc as its a bit shabby. Unsure of timescale to have it done in but Ill keep updating as and when bits and pieces get done.

Heres a few pics of its scabby areas. Excuse the quality as they are only from my phone.

Bootlid under centre stand for spoiler


Under n/s tail light


Someone has previously painted the C pillar trims and they are flaking off now


Saggy front bumper with a couple of scuffs on


Previous paint work flaking off


O/s rear arch


N/s rear arch



It also has these things in, both doors and bootlid


How its currently sitting





And so it starts.................

Dicko&Vacant

iTrader: (3)

awww poor car, reminds me of how ours looked ( sort of ) when it went in the bodyshop!

Once its out PLEASE get some new wheels!

Sarah

BigErn

Wheels will be seen to all in good time my friend.

One thing at a time, Im not made of money you know.

fezzajsy

iTrader: (9)

worth doing,gonna be mint when done

BigErn

Took the side skirts off when I had 5 minutes today, I had a look under it when I first got it and it looked solid enough, well when they came off............ I was right. a little bit of rust on the rear of the sill but it only looks surface.

Had a prod at the scab on the nsr arch with a screwdriver while I was on and.......


I also had a good stab at the sills and fortunately they are solid.

Hopefully more work will get done this week.