My Rally Project

No updates for ages and I come up with a boring one!

I've been suffering from low oil pressure on bends and under breaking a lot more recently. Just as a test, I tried accelerating whilst the light was on.... just to test my theory. Sure enough, the familiar big end death rattle. :(

So I whipped em out today and put in a new set. What a tedious job, the sump is the worst bit by far, the rest isn't too bad just repetitive and messy.

Considering the engine has done 200,000 miles with no rebuilds etc they aren't as bad as I expected. :blink:

Okay so maybe that's a bit of a lie, there was a huge amount of pitting on every bearing, as well as plenty of other damage.

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This is the first time I've attempted this with the engine still in the car. What a mess! Almost impossible to keep anything clean, grit flying everywhere.....yuch. Not something I wish to repeat.

I've taken it gently round the block, thrown it round a few sharp junctions with no notable loss of pressure. Pressure is also higher at idle too. The engine sounds and feels sweeter too, so it was worth doing even if it only settles my nerves for a few thousand miles.
 
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I had the aperture set incorrectly, taking pics in a hurry. I'll get some better ones in the morning. Some of the shells show heat/lack of lubrication damage, and some are heavily pitted.

Rally? Ha, it's hard enough keeping the bloody thing running lately.
 
well if changing BE shells is your thing, why havn't you got an S13 yet ;)

plenty of bits kicking about to do the silvia front end conversion too !
 
chopchop said:
big ends without a crank regrind? is that wise? or u just doing it as a "bodge" ?
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Bearing tend to be softer than cranks though. New big ends on a worn crank is certainly going to be better than worn big ends on a worn crank :p
 
Simon said:
Bearing tend to be softer than cranks though. New big ends on a worn crank is certainly going to be better than worn big ends on a worn crank :p
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Exactly. The oil pressure light at every hint of a bend was just getting too much for my nerves.
 
Simon said:
Bearing tend to be softer than cranks though. New big ends on a worn crank is certainly going to be better than worn big ends on a worn crank :p
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after 200k id expect the crank to need some work. and yes i know new big ends will be better than nothing, its still a bodge tho :D
 
chopchop said:
after 200k id expect the crank to need some work. and yes i know new big ends will be better than nothing, its still a bodge tho :D
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It's a £300 car though. Of course, if I wanted to I could take the engine out, dismantle it, spend a fortune having the crank reground and so on.... but in reality, it will probably not do more than another 20-30,000 miles so what would be the point? For now, a set of new shells has restored the oil pressure and if it last 10,000 miles for £30 I'll be happy.
If it lets go it lets go, I'll buy another engine for £100 and fit that.

EDIT
No pitting on the crank journals by the way, I didn't check for ovalling, but unless you've spun a bearing (I haven't) it's very rare.
 
Can I get a REEE-WIND!?

Well here's a blast from the past.

Basically, in the last week my car world has been turned upside-down. :(
Here's the condensed version of events from the last few months.

MAY
The 205 is due for MOT. It has a small rust hole that needs patching on the inner wing, and the rear drums need rebuilding. I make a half-hearted attempt at the rear drums and lose patience and decide it will be easier if I just MOT the Mondeo and use that instead.

JUNE
I reverse the 205 into my rented garage and basically forget about it over the summer

SEPTEMBER
Big life changes. I quit my job, get a new job in the Midlands and buy a house with Kate. I hastily pack what I can but I don't have a trailer etc so can't really bring my cars up to the Midlands at this time

JANUARY
I sell the Mondeo to DRZ and spend the money on a Supra which I promptly blow up. Luckily I am given a free Civic so at least I can still get to work

FEBRUARY
This is when it all goes wrong.
Supra does not fit in garage. So I have to work on it outside, which is demoralising because it's cold and raining. Progressing slowly but I haven't got the head off yet because the turbo needs disconnecting from below and the Supra is on gravel - I'll need to push the nose into my garage to get it jacked up and done.

In the mean time the woman I am renting the garage from back in Wales chucks a mental with no warning. She wants both my red 205 GTI and my black spares car (which still has a cage in it) gone - ASAP or else she's phoning a scrap wagon to take them away.

Arse.
Arse.
Arse.

I could really do without another project thrown at me right this second in time.

Luckily a good mate can store the 205 in Wales for me but I still need to go back there to get it started and give him the keys etc.
Then I need to cut the cage out of the black car and remove as much stuff as I can from the rented garage, cram it all in the Civic/Mondeo and cart it back to Wales.

AAARGH! Why does everything happen at once? I just wanted to get the Supra and leave the 205 for summer and now it's all got to be done right now.

Kids, do not buy cheap fast cars :D
 
Eeeew - feel your pain Lopears :(
Would offer to help (especially if it invloves use of an angle grinder) but im banned from driving atm (medical....NOT speeding) so im no use to man nor beast, hope you get it sorted dude
 
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