aide

ah man that's good news, my existing head doesn't have that cast mark so was fearing the worst.

Currently replacing my head gasket, this picture is from a spare head I was going to rebuild, does this look like a cast mark or a crack? I think its a crack, but hoping someone familiar with vr heads can tell me different :/ EDIT: I mean the crack/ mark bridging the runner :)

- filled and prepped the rear seam, ready for top coat now. - removed the cylinder head. gasket in bad shape but appeared to be holding, cleaned up the block surface ready for refitting. upper chain tensioner pad in better condition than i was expecting, but that's a job for next winter i think, and surprisingly the upper guide isn't busted! THE BAD NEWS is i have bad pitting on the existing head surface so i think that's unasable, AND i think the spare head is cracked across one inlet runner? - off topic; did the rear pads and discs on my daily, and then checked out the 'exhaust repair' on my daily... and i thought my welding was bad!

you can pick them up for £20 - £30, but you don't need a new one, you just need to sort the original issue and then correct the co2 via that screw. the 2ltr's have a red/ yellow fixed bung on top of the screw, the 1.8's are freely accessible. the problem you're gonna have is id'ing the original issue whilst the engine is hunting.

co2 adjustment on a 2ltr is done through a magnetic actuator on the side of the metering head controlled by the ECU, the metering flap adjustment screw is *tamperproof* for that reason, unlike the 1.8's. am afraid you've likely added a problem to the one you already had!

two 16v's, 1st one never let me down, 2nd one let me down once with seized rear caliper. two vr's, first one cost me £5k was meticulously maintained by previous owner and let me down consistently, second cost me £1,5k and has not let me down yet. price won't guarantee reliability.

can't answer fully rob, except to say that the actual sensos colours and i think the pin numbers changed between early and late vr's due to fan speed, have a look at dinkus's first post on the 'definitive VR cooling thread' as that runs through the changes.

i don't think boot lights have that black switch thing.

how much did they quote you out of interest, am sort entertaining the idea myself as an interim respray measure? & don't let that vrt go anywhere... except for maybe me when i win the lotto :)

cheers kip, my welding still isn't up to much though :) unfortunately the previous owner let it develop a bit too far, surprising what paint covers up, still its getting sorted now!

- built up some more coats on the filler repair, sanding back inbetween coats. - cut away the rust on the rear seam and have that welded with new toy and part filled now :)

the fact it's intermittent would suggest fuel delivery - i.e. either the lift pump (tank) or roller vein pump (under car), a new fuel filter is a good start, once its off cut it open and see what sort of gunk you have in there! the cold start injector is controlled by a thermotime, so it only ever operates for about 15 seconds when the block temp is below 60degrees iirc. if it was overpriming/ stuck on there would be a strong smell of fuel? if you're gonna keeo the car you really should invest in this book - helped me out loads on all my valvers http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/shopcart/STUF/POR_STUF_BKHOWT_pg9.htm

our friend from sunderland will be along in a minute with that thread title lol

all of the above plus check out the intermediate shaft bearings, always forgotten about and have seen then disintegrate badly, you cant change them when the engine is in the car either. its definitely do-able to gasket match, and then remove imperfections and smooth the valve runners, heavy porting best left to the pros though.

/\ completely agree, a cheap torque wrench just leaves you questionning whether its accurate and your car is safe, one tool i wouldn't skimp on.

mate the work you're doing is great and largely goes unacknowledged here, keep it up.

nice rims, not sure about the colour though! sweet looking motor all the same.

its a window/ lock control unit

from marshals thread; DG would have checked the mixture when they set it up, how'd you know its running rich?

yeh injectors are best replaced when getting old. there's no lambda on the 1.8's, only a warm up regulator which leans of the fuel supply as engine temps rise. the cold temp sender can cause rich running if its leaking.

i've read this thread loads but never replied, I can only dream to get my motor anywhere near this level, credit to you. i like the carbon weave look, i'd leave it, or sell it to me lol :)

nice thread ressurection :)

good work there, timing would give rough running/ high temps, rich running would be the injection side of things.

very nice andy, finish looks excellent, i quite like the moody wheels but a shade lighter would be nicer again.

i've just today dealt with some rust in a similar area due to what I think is a leaking sunroof pipe, maybe try and see cause so you don't have to revisit it again once sorted. i've been using the krust stuff and hammerite rust prrof primer with good results so far btw.