E85 isn't something I'm planning on using, there's zero talk of it being supplied in the UK - at the moment, the only debate is the description on fuel pumps to clearly show the %-age of ethanol content in the regular fuel...and nobody's even seen that yet! (it's set to increase from (iirc) 5% to 10% at some point in the future, but the Government is aware of the implications on older cars, so like anything, it's slow moving...thankfully)

If/when E85 ever happened, at that point I'd have to re-work the entire fuel system with larger bore hoses, bigger pumps....and even then, I wouldn't expect it to be a problem selling the Injector Dynamics 1050x's...they're so nice that there'll always be somebody wanting a set.

Hi Spencer, and then they are maybe sufficient also, no need to replace them with this new version! :)

Ok, update time....

The weekend just gone had been scheduled as the worst-case "big day" for getting the engine back into the chassis. There were something like 4 alterations to the plan, to get availability in peoples diaries, and so on. At one point I was looking to get it in midweek the week before, but work commitments dictated otherwise.

Saturday was spent finishing off those niggly jobs, the stragglers at the bottom of any To-Do list that hold no appeal whatsoever. As is always the case, it's actually a useful exercise just going over everything and double-checking. Of course, I'm hoping I've caught all of the small stuff, like boost hoses that were now a little too tight against the coil electrical connectors. One job I had on the whiteboard was to finish the oil pressure/relief spring checks; I'd deliberately left both loose while I went away to find the definitive description on which spring goes into which hole. I also dug out the little spacer now used on the longer, vertical spring. A dip into John's excellent Ultimate Oil Pressure Relief Valve Thread gave me all the reassurance and cross-checks I needed! (thanks Mr C!)

A full-on day just tinkering, very productive rather than frustrating. An early night finish in anticipation of an early, full day on Sunday.

Working solo on Sunday morning, first order of the day was to get the car out, then the engine through from the workshop into the garage (with the engine rotated vertically on the stand and only 2mm clearance to the brickwork!)....then the scary bit, lifting the engine off of the stand. I don't know about you, but seeing mortgage-levels of engine dangling 3ft off the ground, and wrestling the P201 basket off from the engine stand, is terrifying and needs a few brave pills. The one piece of garage equipment I don't have, is a lifting bar with the screw thread, that you can adjust the angle of.

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Anyway, t'was done, and seeing the engine safely sitting on the ATV hydraulic jack meant I could take a well earned coffee break (no beers yet...). P201 removed, new flywheel bolts torqued up and the clutch back on, next job was the piece of tinware that sits above the 1-2-3 oil scavenge pump; with the P201 installed it simply won't allow you to install it. Oil scavenge pump return line also fitted, everything routed out of the way from the throttle linkage (harnesses mainly) and it's time to get the transmission mated.

It was at this point that my Brother happened to pop in on his way back from golf. Silly boy. Things are starting to get really heavy now, so another pair of hands to manoeuvre everything was very useful. The next 4 hours were spent carefully orchestrating each piece of equipment, in exactly the right order, to get the engine/box back in 5mm at a time (I kid you not).

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Driveshaft clearance is the usual ballache, clearing the transmissions CWP housing, while making sure the stabilising arms don't foul the clutch line that crosses the transmission tunnel. Lots of "spinning plates" to keep an eye on, so Ollie's help was truly invaluable. Despite this, I feel like I had a 12hr HIIT workout throughout the day and only today am I really feeling the effects of it!! I must've smacked my head on the bloody bumper support brackets (sharp) more times that I can remember.

And that was pretty-much it for the day. Exhausted, hot but pretty jubilant that nothing had gone wrong, no cock-ups and the car is now getting back towards it's correct stance. It always amazes me how different and small it looks when sitting correctly rather than at SUV height, "sans drivetrain".

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Bumper, heat shields and covers will remain off the car until after all the hub dyno calibration work is complete; makes no sense to fit it all back only to find it needs removing to nip something up, or replace a part, with the dyno facility clock ticking.

However, lots of plumbing and hooking-up of stuff to now be done before I can get Sam down here to build a base map to fire the engine up with, run it in and perform any snagging fixes. I'm aiming for three weekends time for that; this weekend is too close, the following weekend Lucy and I are off to finish our PADI Open Water, do our Advanced OW and also our deep diving certification...so that should give me plenty of time to get it done, interior back in and ready to go.

Great Spencer!

I am disappointed, me who considered in you obsessive on the cleanliness, you have not still had time to clean all the metallic shavings? :D

Haha!! Yes, that is slack of me not to have cleaned the lathe after I last used it...think of it as being more authentic!

(As an apprentice at college, nobody in the machine shop would be allowed to leave for the day until every single tool had been returned to Stores, and every machine was immaculately cleaned and re-oiled. "Old habits die easy"....er, no, that's not the saying, is it...)

I assume you were using the Beck's as a cutting fluid.

Lol! Nah, I drink the cheap stuff, and only use the good stuff for suds ;):D

Hi Spencer, no news for a little while, I hope that everything goes well! ;)

Pat

Hey Pat, yes, sorry, been busy with many things the last few weeks, not much opportunity to update the thread.

Things are moving along steadily. After getting the engine and transmission back in, I didn't have any time to play with the car for a couple of weeks; work commitments, diving trip, projects on the other cars...

A couple of weekends ago I was able to do a lot of the "top side" plumbing in the engine bay - connecting all the oil breathers, vacuum lines and so on. The A/C is now back on the engine, plumbed in, as is the power steering pump. I still need to connect the throttle linkage and the air intake snorkel & filter.

As I predicted, it's only when you get the engine installed that you can accurately know which plumbing fittings would be needed for the water cooling circuit, and so it has proved to be. Only two changes required; the first is a 90º fitting for the header tank outlet (I had a 135º fitting, but this pushes the hose too close to where the air intake will sit). The second fitting is an M14 > -8AN male/male adapter for the turbo centre housing. I previously had a banjo connection mating to the extension piece I made, but this fouls the exhaust system (LH silencer tailpipe). All easy stuff to fit.

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Last weekend I spent a day or so removing the oil tank; it's not a job I forgot to do, more a job that I kept putting off! But it needed to be done so that I could flush out any last remaining dregs of oil. A good job now done, the whole oil circuit has now been flushed through in readiness for the new oil.

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Last night I had a kick-up-the-bum phonecall from Chris - although he doesn't know it was a kick-up-the-bum call, it was a great chat to catchup, but somehow after we speak I always feel completely motivated to get back out into the workshop and get stuff done. In that remaining 3 hours or so of the evening, I think I got more items crossed off the list that I did the previous weekend!!

-Starter motor connected
-Reverse switch on transmission connected/routed/tethered
-Transmission tail stabiliser bars connected
-Water cooling circuit bleed hose cut to length and fitted
-RHS traction control timing wheel fitted, and driveshaft connected/torqued
-RHS sharkfin re-fitted, inner arch installed
-Oil feed and return lines fitted and P-clipped
-Hot air hoses for the HVAC fitted (the rear pipework, not front)
-Clutch slave cylinder pipe attached to transmission mount

Tonights job is to finish the HVAC hosing, connect the gear linkage, LHS driveshaft/TC timing wheel/TC hall effect sensor, then get the car lowered so that I can continue the engine bay work.

After that, it's time to route the ECU harness in the cabin under the carpet, make a new mounting plate for the ECU (and other parts of the system), then refit the interior...finally. I can then get the passenger seat out of my house! Dare I say it, but then I think we're really close to the car being ready for Sam to come and build a fire-up map. Gulp.

Good evening Spencer, ah, I am reassured! :D You very well moved forward on your work, your car is going to be great!

Hallelujah! THIS is great news!

:D:D

Hoping that the clement weather predicted for this weekend will enable me to get the car down and out of the garage, to get the interior back together.

My next trick will be to try and get the car up to where the dyno is. Should be easy, yes? Oh no...UK legislation means that I need to commission somebody who holds an "O License"...basically somebody who is allowed to transport vehicles that aren't MoT'd and have roadtax (ie mine, until its mapped and we can get it through the annual roadworthyness checks, emissions, etc). The big low-loading trucks that are EVERYWHERE are only allowed to transport road legal, crashed or broken down vehicles. FFS. Bloody red tape.

Or speak to a mate very nicely and see if they can trailer it there and back....riskier, but said mate is extremely experienced with doing such things (I'm not, I've never towed anything before).

So, this is going to be a logistical headache, but sure we'll get there somehow.

Quick update, no need for any pics.

All the underside work is now done, apart from installing the transmission tunnel cover and the plastic transmission cover; we'll keep those off for inspection when firing it up.

Unbelievably, it took most of yesterday to route the 5 sections of the chassis harness to the right places. Tremendously difficult when you can neither sit up properly under the car, nor lie down - perhaps the best abs workout I'm likely to do! Routing things around, up, over, under and through places that are now being filled with big lumps of aluminium just takes care and attention. Deliberation on various options to ensure that nothing will abrade or get pinched.

All 4 wheels now have their traction control harness fixed in place, the water cooling circuit is connected and power from the starter +VE is hooked up.

The cabin section of the harness is all now in place, discretely hidden under the carpets and running through channels I've made in the sound deadening.

The car is now back on it's wheels, and after the coffee that's currently brewing, some of the rear trim will go back in.

The final water connection from the header tank to the circuit will get fitted later as well - this could be tricky, doing it in-situ - the push fit connections are not the easiest to get on even when you have everything on the bench; we'll see.

Throttle cable is now reattached - a lot easier than I was anticipating, as you can't even see it under the intake runners.

In other news....

I've made progress on transportation; a recommended company (independently recommended by 2 separate friends) has come in very reasonable, and only need 3-4 days notice and use an open low-loader truck. A second Google hit for a local(ish) specialist have also got back to me, about double the price, but will transport it in an enclosed race shuttle trailer. Hmmm...

Also, as of this evening, Sam is now scheduled to come down here on Saturday for first fire-up!! Beyond excited.

Sounds like a brand new chapter for the book.You must be over the moon with excitement.I can't wait to hear about the next update.

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Cheers Kevin, yes, it's equal parts excitement mixed with sheer terror, lest the same thing happen all over again. No reason why it should, completely different parts, but there's always a nagging doubt at the back of my mind.

Hi Spencer, I understand your state, it is an apprehension because you enormously worked on your car, everything is fine take place, I wish it to you and we wish it all on this forum. ;)

[QUOTE=Spenny_b;10041982]:D:D

My next trick will be to try and get the car up to where the dyno is. Should be easy, yes? Oh no...UK legislation means that I need to commission somebody who holds an "O License"...basically somebody who is allowed to transport vehicles that aren't MoT'd and have roadtax (ie mine, until its mapped and we can get it through the annual roadworthyness checks, emissions, etc). The big low-loading trucks that are EVERYWHERE are only allowed to transport road legal, crashed or broken down vehicles. FFS. Bloody red tape.


A few years ago, we tipped all of your tea into the sea because of "English red tape"!!

Figured you guys would have had enough of that BS by now.

That's more like yellow police tape.WOW.

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[QUOTE=m42racer;10046639] Ahh, you see, there's too many idiots in Whitehall making very nice salaries on the back of meaningless and obstructive legislation. And tax.

Slight change of plan; Simon from Sileck said he'd like to be here for first fire-up, entirely makes sense just in case there's a wiring input/output that needs swapping over to a different channel, or other such adjustments.

So, a quick change of plans to align diaries, and it'll now be this coming Sunday.

The final connection to the water cooling circuit has been made; so much for doing it in-situ - no hope, requires far more pushing/shoving than you can do with the hose connected. Don't know why I didn't just take it off to start with, far easier.

During the week I spent a few evenings refitting all of the interior trim, sticking the carpets back down again, replacing tired trim screws/cups with new ones I bought 6yrs ago. It's come up nice! I've not replaced the LH passenger seat yet; still need to make a new mounting plate for the ECU, but will leave it out until we're sure we don't need to tamper with the harness.

And that's about it for the time being.....nothing much else to report until next weekend.