OK, so I wasn't gouing to, but I just had to.
So, project 14. An R-reg 2.5v6 Elite saloon in champagne colour with cream leather, walnut, climate, bose etc etc.
Bodywork very nice condition indeed, virually unblemished. Mechanically, a few issues - hence why I got it.
So, known issues are: Overheating after a run, but not during. central locking not working. Aircon not cold, heater not working. Thats it.
After a brief check yesterday, Mark concluded that the car has had an oil cooler change recently. The clues being soft radiator hoses and a brand new header tank. Plus the radiator full of sludge! So today started the strip down to fix that and took a shortcut by obtaining a known good radiator to exchange for now, later cleaning the dirty one and having a spare.
A
highly dangerous fault was discovered also yesterday with the presence of LOTS of petrol around the back o the plenum. Now, I know the rocker gasksets have been done (badly) very recently. Easiest with the inlet manifold removed. Now, I always undo the fuel flexi pipe couplings on the EGR side of the 1-3-5 bank. But others undo the internal fuel rail connectors instead, the problem being that people forget to do them up again, which I suspect is what is wrong here. Coupled with the excess heat problem of this car at present, this could have been fatal. I will be following this up with the alleged mechanic that did that job!
Today basically stripped down ready to change rads tomorrow. Also replaced drivers door central locking solenoid, which fixed the central locking issue.
Tomorrow I will be stripping the top end down to replace the badly fitted rocker gaskets to eliminate the oil leak which is still present. Then radiator change and flush through, follwoed by cambelt, water pump, full service and job done.
Here are some piccies:
CLICK to Enlarge
OK, project 13....
This is the 2000 w-reg wreck.
Managed to reduce the noise of the engine a fair bit. The knocking sound is a cam follwer which is being starved of oil. Multiple problems on this car already solved included DIS pack, multirams, vacuum hoses damaged, breathers totally chocked with rubbish and lack of oil!
Did the breathers again today because the crankase is pressurising still and is only relieved with removing the oil filler cap.
So, tomorrow it is strip the front off again, including the cambelt to access teh oil pressure relief valve which Mark pointed me to. Appoartently could be stuck and needs a simple clean. Be great if it is that simple.
If so, I will restore this car too. It is mega-miles and looks like it has done every one of its 229,000 miles so far. BUT, it is basically ok to start from. Has panel damage, scratches, absolute tip inside, nothing much works yet and it is a shed. However, oddly enough the aircon is perfect!
I'll make a beauty out of this heap yet. It won't be a real beuty, but will be worth a lot more than I paid that's for sure.
Remember this arrived on a truck as a non-runner for parts. Engine sounded awful when I did get it going. banging, farting and throwing oil out as fast as you could put it in.
Other fault to deal with turned out NOT to be a blowing manifold as I suspected, but the air injection pump one way valve had failed (like on my CDX) and was thus letting raw exhaust straight through thus making a rioght racket.
So, replacemnt air injection system on standby for installing on the rebuild of the front end.
There you have it.
Author
Topic: Ronnie projects 13 & 14 (Read 4484 times)