So ive owned the car just over 6 years now, and in that time, not spent much on it, its not needed it, only really putting just over 6k on it in that time. Tho i dont do many miles anyway, hence the V12 as a daily

This year the plan was to use it more over the summer, for a few faily trips, so wanted to get the sump oil leak sorted, raise the car an inch, as was i belive sitting on 60mm lowering springs. And more rev counter was a bit eratic, and looking at the 30years old engine loom you could see copper wire through cracked insulation everywhere.

I started a few weeks ago, and wanted it soted by easter as off to Lanzarote for 2 weeks, then once back home would tax it for 1st of may and use it ( well the holiday aint happening due to some small bug going round! ) So a bit more time on my hands to sort other bits and bobs now

So out with the 30year old loom wasn't too hard, and nothing cut into over the years ( alrms / imobilisers etc )



And in with the new Auto Dynamix, which wernt to hard either to get back in.



Only issue i had, was wern't sure what to do about the 5 wires i needed to conect to the car loom, was looking for a multi plug connecter?



So I emailed Auto Dynamix to see what they do about 5pm on a friday and has this reply mins later "The plug is a prone weak spot, so we cut them off and solder connect to the chassis loom. "

So



Had to add i wire from the looms relays to my fuel pump relay, re-connect the battery and fired up first time, with a nice smooth revcounter too

Thanks to James at Auto Dynamix for the loom and email help.


Onwards to the oil leak!

 

So two options, the easier one to get the sump off would be to lift the engine out? But as i wanted to change the suspension springs, I went with support the engine from above and take the crossmember off.




Sump off , removed a sump gasket? 4x4s should have one should they?, cleaned up and resealed with somevictor reinz reinzosil and half moon rubbers that i got from PJ motorsport.






and on with some bajoo spec 25mm lowering springs from Burton


Now as my car was soo low, it was running the longer xr4x4 shafts, so have gone back to the standard cosworth ones, about 20mm shorter. Cheers to Gary Sands for supplying some at a decent price too. And whilst they were off it would be silly not to fit new boots, so 4 new boots ordered form Matt Lewis Motorsport.




Time to bolt it all back up, wasn't looking forwrad to getting the ARB back in, as allways strugle with this? And i did out by 50mm!




A quick ask on facebook, and ratchet straps with the prefered method, screwfix have them, but we are now on lockdown! So amazon for some cheep chinese crap!




cant belive how easy it was to pully it all in and bolt it back up!

Whilst I was in there, looked at the brake pads, still a fair amount left, but had a look through the history, and were fitted back in 2004, So thought they got there moneys worth of life , and new ones were ordered from Burton power.






All fiited and car back on the deck, new oil, new diff oil, and run up to tempature, no leaks soo far, drove it around the garden ( 3 point turn ) to start on the rear end.

 

No sump gasket on 4x4 as you don't want any flex with a diff in there I think mate

 

So for the rear suspension, Ive read thats its drive shafts off, disconnect brake lines? And Im sure i never done this, when I did a sierra before, 22 years ago! But couldn't remember, so ill give it ago!

Day 4 of home schooling, how to undo wheel nuts


So unbolt diff, ARB, lower strut bolt, support it with some wood, and undo subframe bolts, and we have one spring out!



And with a bit of wiggling, one new one back in



So no messing about with undoing those well crudded up brakeline fittings! Or so I though, found a large hole in the rear chassis leg




My welding skills are err poor. So have bolted all the rear end back on for now, as not going anywhere soon, plus need to turn the car round to make it more accessable for welding

Bit the bullet and ordered some rear braided lines from goodridge ( fronts are alreaded braided? ) Not sure when they will turn up, but again no rush at the moment.

Will drop the rear end off fully, clean up the chassis leg, and have a professional ( whose a mate ) come round and sort it for me . Tho again, who knows how long it will be untill that can happen?