Scruffythefirst

My dad bought one a few weeks ago, its worth going for the facelifted sport version, you should be able to get one for 12k. 6 speed box, leather and 16 inch wheels. Pretty slow car tbh but absolutely stunning to drive - body and wheel control is out of this world. Just watch out for bubbling of the alloys and a dodgy clutch, most have been fixed under warrenty but they need to replace the flywheel, clutch and cover i think. You basically get judder setting off and some nasty noises. And you can get a lot more in the car than you'd think, dad got a full weekends camping and diving kit in, including the air tank.

Powder coat, Don't really know why anyone paints anything these days.

Mums bmw had a free bottom end replacement after 116k after I kicked up a fuss about the nikasil, and all the horror stories I hear of RS engine re-builds (tuned to buggery tho). VR6's are pretty good engines, but all engines wear eventually, its just the price you have to pay for squezing 2.9 litres into a C, as its those packaging compromises that mean it won't do 250k as easily as some other engines.

For a track engine you'll want ARP rod bolts, big cams, as much headwork as you can afford, carbs - twin webber 45's or throttle bodies for FI, mappable ignition and fueling if going for FI. Super Light flywheel and clutch will help as will sticky tyres and a good suspension set up. The best thing you can do for improving lap times though is to get some tuiton. Worth at least 50bhp for the first session :)

Are you tuning the engine with the sensor in the tail pipe :shock:

Thats wrong Kev. Sorry. Cooler running doesnt actually lead to a set amount of fuel its the ammount of fuel that affects the running temp. Having the cylinders on the ouside edge won't make much difference to the temperature of the burn which is what causes problems. Extra fuel in the cylinder reduces det / pinking and acts in the same way as water injection. I suspect its mainly to do with the flow charachteristics of the manifold - giving a smidge less air. It may have been equal on a flow bench but the design of the head and the intake is going to lead to variances between cylinders, which may not matter in the short term but over 100k will add up. The cossie has problems on cyl 3 for exactly that reason - the OEM manifold gives it extra air which at high boost can lead to it going lean. The leaner you run the hotter and faster the burn of the charge will be, leading to higher temps and eventually pinking and det followed by a melted engine. Running rich means the extra fuel in the cylinders that left after combustion dilutes the oil (note how garages clean oily parts with petrol) which increases wear on the bores. It won't take much to cause this effect over 100k and you'd be hard pushed to measure it without very special eqpt. It doesn't. There's nothing you can do about it either, short of spending thousands and thousands.

Ahh, in that case I would suggest in adition to my previous comments that 1 and 6 run a little rich, which obviously leads to mild borewash which over the course of 100k will cause the rings to eat into the cyl walls as the oil film is diluted.

First port of call would be a compression test to rule out anything really nast with the engine. If you do it yourself do it with the engine warm, WOT and then repeat with a squirt of oil in the cylinder. Post the results for each cylinder, both with and without oil and we can see if there is anything major wrong. If you get a garage to do it it shouldnt cost more than £30

Dont forget that with a larger diameter piston (2.9) the forces involved with regard to the piston rocking in the bore will be exagerrated a little compared to the 2.8. The fact the the balancing of the engine is critical with the design of the vr if its a little out then the wear will be exagerated due to the narrow angle which will affect the end most. Thats why the wear will be more on the 2,9 than the 2.8. Probably :)

Sachs and LUK make most of the OEM clutches around. Even ap racing clutches are made by LUK and its what I've got in the cossie. Clutch problems can also be caused by the release bearing or a worn spigot bearing / input shaft. I didn't look at Dinkus' engine when I took it out earlier cos I didn't have time, should have done really.

Dinku's 94 vr had a full size spare. Still got the carpet that allows it to fit too.

They just slide backwards and pop off

The cat does actually generate a lot of heat and pushes some of it back up the downpipe, and I was speaking to the guys at dax about their new Toj, and it seemed they had to play about with the position of the lambda sensor to get it to read properly.

What colour? Black, Blue or White? Black - Running rich Blue - Oil problem (rings, stem seals or blocked breather) White - Not been run upto temp for a while / Headgasket / Cracked Block / Head

Yep, or you can do the whole lot in the air

I know where I'd rather they spent the money. otherwise everyone would be driving range rovers or mercs :roll:

You should be able to get the correct tool online somewhere I'd have thought. A quick google will no doubt help. You probably can change the wishbone without taking the wheel off but i'd be more work than it needs to be. You'll have to get the lockign wheel nut off at some point anyway.

might need a wash tho

I'd reccomend 245/45 x 16 on a 9 inch rim and T1r/s are pretty good for a road tyre. R888's or yoko a048's are what you really want tho

You still would though

Its most likely an eltertical problem, check all of the earths are sound as a good starting point.

I picked up an impact wrench, hose and massive 3 pot compressor for under £100

Tell me about it, its going to be a nightmare to get back within tollerances. The floor is so bent the car wouldnt sit level on the axel stands, he's split the seam along the inside of the drivers sill, shattered an engine mount bracket with the subframe. Lucky boy indeed

I'll use mine then, at least the auto focus works. :oops: We can take new pics at lunchtime - I doubt i'll be doing anything more to the shell itself untill monday.

Yeah, can you upload them and post them for comments before i take it any further Think i'm going to wait until the engines out as the wiring needs sorting and pipework etc and it'll be easier if i can get to the back of the engine bay.