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[377]

I'll build this up over the course of a few nights, but this is a potted history of how to turn a V6 auto elite into a TD auto elite (the hard way...)

Elite and TD.. soon to be cross bred





pass me my spanners....  :twisted:

[377]

A little later .....

So part 1 is complete, I have engine, wiring harness, exhaust, full fuel system, radiator etc.

Pictures....
Very "Mad Max"  :twisted: , went quite well like this...


Less well like this....


Empty in here....


The bit I need...


With the bit bolted on that I dont...


Ready to go... total weight 3760kg (with a bracket still bolted on that I later find out I need... )


Final flight.... 1320kg of baked bean tins


So on to part 2, on hold because I am struggling to get hold of a TD autobox or a torque convertor and bellhousing for a TD

[377]

Even later....

Act 2 begins.... now it gets scary  :?



Hope to have the engine out tomorrow, and the subframe off... they are different (well have different numbers on EPC)

Even more later, and much swearing....

Sadly not quite out, held up by stuborn exhaust bolts.. pass me an angle grinder  :roll:



and now I have to work, so no further progress until Wednesday.

My plan is to try and get engine and transmission out in one (without putting it through the screen)

[377]

More done...

Out you come...


Thank you    (That was easy)


Top pipe for V6 power steering pump, bottom for TD, this is the only difference in that system


First bit of TD fitted to the car (Air-con pipe)


TD subframe...


V6 subframe, slightly different. Anti roll bars and rubbers the same. Need to drill 2 holes for the headlamp sensor.


Tomorrow, depending on the weather, the subframe gets a clean, and I have some remedial work to do on the chassis legs  whilst I wait for wishbones and engine mounts.

[377]

Nothing much happened last night other than this little repair, which made sense as no subframe in the way



Not to bad a job I thought, well it serves it's purpose anyway


Paint and the TD subframe can go on

Later.... again 

air compessor removed to make room for intercooler... now where do i put that  :roll:




Secondary air pump removed, oil cooler goes in here.




Also cleaned up subframe, which needs 2 small holes drilling in it for the self leveling headlamp thingy.

[377]

And it's in...




Suspect that's the easy bit though, today a bit of plumbing (fuel, oil cooler and water) and might start on the elastictrickery.

[377]

Lots of stuff done, but few photos

Less of a nest of vipers..


Decided to do away with the viscous fan, and use the electric one from the V6, I may have made a mistake with that idea, but we will see (and yes it was a bugger to get off)


Begining to look something like...


Other (hidden bits) done today. Changed the fuel tank... wasn't sure I'd get an diesel filler pump nozzle into an unleaded tank, and I think (according to EPC) that the pump is different, also changed the feed pipe from the tank to the filter under the bonnet, doing away with the petrol filter near the tank, some of the fuel connectors are different petrol -v- diesel.

Fitted the exhaust, well at least to the backbox. Intercooler mounted and oil cooler (first real difference i've noticed in the shell - no mounting bracket for the cooler on the chassis leg)

Now waiting for bolts to mount flexplate to crankshaft and torque convertor, then I can put the autobox back on.

Mostly wiring then, instruments to change and pedal (fly by wire) to put in.

[377]

It's still ongoing... had to replace oil leak tubes as they were perished, only found when I removed inlet manifold (to help with access to starter and wiring) that has resulted in waiting for gaskets (somewhere caught up in VX shutdown)

Fix the gearbox I though, so that's all bolted up, and now I find a major difference in TD bodyshell. The TD gearbox/engine combo finishes about 3" further back, so the rear mount bolts in a different place. Now the holes are there for the bolts, but to save weight (obviously) VX didn't bother with the captive/welded nuts to bolt owt too.... Hmmmm

Of course the other smaller issue is the prop is too long. I have a manual prop shaft, but I think that is even longer.

So not good news.

Later today though the front seats come out and the carpets and dash (or bits) to get the wiring for the fly-by-wire erm wires in and perhaps find a way to mount the gearbox (that may involve cutting holes in the floor  :roll: )

[377]

Things completed now...

Gearbox on
Much wiring sorted, some still to do

and after much problems with earths and immobilisors my V6 petrol ran for the first time as a TD 

Lots still to do

Prop to fit (new short one)
Autobox to sort (wiring and ECU to reprogram)
New instrument pod to fit (with glow plug light)
Shed load of wiring still to sort (Once I got it started it wouldn't stop..   ), the fly by wire wiring is hanging over the wing and goes through the drivers door.
Inlet manifold gaskets to fit and vacuum pipes to route

All in all, I'm in the final furlong   

[377]

Changing this..


to this....

will stop me doing the obvious    



Nice new "diesel" type dash... (facelift)


Lights as there should be (glow plug included)


and no lights and revs 


even the trip computer works as it should (I was suprised as I have a 1996 ECU trying to drive a later computer)


and it revs... so the fly by wire works


shed loads still to do, but it's certainly getting there.... oh and yes that does say 286k... might leave that as it is 

[377]

Tonight's episode...

Just an update, fitted a modified selector lever (shorter) and changed the passenger side engine mount for a new one. Prop refitted, and fired her up.....

Tonight she moved under her own power as a TD auto, all be it in limp mode as half the wires for the autobox still need sorting.

Tomorrow night, rebuild the front of the car and wire in fans etc.

Thursday, sort out power steering and change the coolant

Friday/Saturday finish underbonnet wiring and fit Elite sat nav thingy I have and give it it's first good run.

[PhilRich]

You have my Sincere Respect Richard! That is a damn fine piece of work

[Andy B]

sterling effort  , but I'd have still bought a facelift TD Elite rather than make my own. 

[Dishevelled Den]

What a fascinating project 377 - well done. 8-) 8-)

A very enjoyable read.

[cem_devecioglu]

impressive work done