Sonicriot13

Sorry matey!... :lol: But they are wicked fun and soooo easy to work on. I don't know about a 2.0 bottom end, I'm struggling to resist the urge to drop a VR in there! 8) This is the second time I've done a head gasket. I've taken all the manifolds and stuff off just so I can give everything a good clean and renew all the gaskets. When I first got the car the cam cover gasket was shot and everything is caked in oil and it has kind of seeped into the manifold gaskets. There was a little pond of oil sitting in the inlet manifold where it curves over. Where the head gasket has leaked down the back of the engine everything down there is a real mess too. Whilst I was under the car undoing the downpipe nuts I was dodging drops of coolant and oil. :pale: So that needs a good clean as well. Now the clocks have changed I can do a lot more in the evenings so I'm hoping she'll bee back to life by the end of next weekend. :D I know mate. I don't know if it's just because I have a slightly better idea of what I'm doing this time round but I've found this so much easier than last time. :D

Um, oh dear.... :lol: We've only had one race so far lest we forget. I have confidence that Massa can pull it around. :D Edit: At least I hope he can. He's the only person in my team!!! :lol:

One cylinder head sorted. :D Just hope I can remember how it all goes back together.... :scratch: :lol:

Awesome! Wish I had the know how to do this! :D :salute:

The cylinder head is off. And just in the nick of time by the looks of things! Here are some pics of this morning's work: Good job I have understanding in-laws! :lol: A heart warming sight: Oh look, I win! :D What's inside cylinder number two? And I owe it all to Sonicriot13's patented cylinder head loosamajig. :cheers: Gonna start stripping the head down this afternoon. Then it's off to be checked over by a professional and skimmed.

I suspect you may have me there. :lol:

Wish I hadn't just read that post! Haven't watched the quali yet! It's really weird. Some people might be tempted to think that Hamilton's success was all down to the car he had last season and not his driving ability.... :lol:

Er, don't they go forward? :wink:

That blue Mustang at 1:30 is lush! :luvlove: If you put me in there with all the keys I would stand there stuck on the spot for eternity because I would never work out which car I'd drive first. :D

Button may be a turn up for the books by the sound of it this season! Hamilton sounds a bit annoyed with the McLaren car too. That's a real shame! :cheers:

Nail hit firmly and squarly on head.

Hmmmm... I wonder why that could be! :lol:

I've never had a fight with a man in a wooly jumper... You don't normally have an exposed chest either. Exposed ass is a different story however.... :lol:

Man, there was some fancy ass editing in that clip! :lol: But I get it why he is so popular now. He is an expression of all your deepest and most repressed homo-erotic thoughts. How else could you describe something that involves a man with an exposed chest rolling around in the dirt with another man wearing a jumper that was knitted by his grandma? :lol:

FFS! Who the hell is this Chuck bl**dy Norris bloke everyone keeps banging on about?!

Joking about what? Getting ID'd or how I look? Or being 30? Can you not believe that I am that old yet that childish? :grin: The way you look. You really do look like that around the house having seen your Facebook profile. Must admit I've never seen you "represent" before though. :lol: And does that photo above contain an image of Toad having his breast groped by a human female?!

See, most of you are reading Corradude's post thinking he's joking... But he really isn't.

Thanks for your input kip. I'm gonna grease up my mechanism and replace my fluid and oil over the next week and just see what difference that makes but I think you might be right about the clutch. I'll keep you posted. :D

Timing an 8v gti engine is really easy and not scary at all. You just have make sure you set the proper tension when put the belt back on. Always set TDC using the timing marks on the sprockets before you take the belt and cylinder head off and you're laughing. I love doing this sort of thing, it's very satisfying when it's all back together and (hopefully) running again. :D

It's a total pain in the ass mate. I've stripped it right back and I'm now at the point where it's time to tackle the exhaust manifold nuts of death. Had to leave it there though as had to visit my mum. If I don't spend tomorrow with Lucy I will probably be killed so doubt I'll have any time to spend on it and then I am at work until next Sunday. My mate (who just so happens to be one of the best mechanics I know) has very kindly offered to come over and help me next Sunday though so all should be good by the middle of week after next. Here are a few pics from today's adventures: I'm so glad I have a garage. That huge oil stain was from when my girlfriend's dad changed the oil in his Landrover by the way.... Mk2 Golf GTi Hellman's edition: The crankcase ventilation hose was full of Mayo as well. :gag: Space!

Not sure when the fluid in the clutch was last changed but at a guess I'd say not since the cylinders were renewed so will do that pronto. I bled all the brakes when I did the brake lines but didn't do the clutch. :roll: As for the gear box oil God only knows. Probably not going to like what I find when I change it.... I like your WD40/CL grease tag team effort. Will defo give that a go and see if it makes any difference before I start replacing major components. :D Just hope I can get it running better for the trip up to the AGM in a couple of weeks.

Probably very old. Haven't noticed anything in the history to suggest when it was last changed, if ever. Could it be the release bearing and/or associated components that are making the creaking noise? It appears to be coming from the base of the slave cylinder.

It was my understanding that you could make mid season changes to your team. Could be wrong about that though. I wasn't paying much attention.... I'm sure Jim will clear it up soon. :salute:

Took the Rado out today and am not at all happy with the clutch and gearbox. The clutch has always felt heavy compared to other cars I drive but today it felt really bad. Going through the service history it had new clutch master and slave cylinders in November 2004. Is it possible one or other or both are shot again? When you depress the clutch pedal with the engine off (and are able to hear anything other than the engine running) you get this horrible creaking noise. Sounds awful. Is it worth giving it a bleed to see if that helps? Also the gear change itself is really notchy. It's fine as you set off but gets worse and worse as it heats up. Is this likely to be the result of old oil or something more sinister?

Yeah, I'll give you that one. So we need a fuel factor and a pie factor adding. :lol: