Jim Bowen Corrado VR6 - New engine build

[Jim Bowen 1]

Making slow progress with the bodywork, is either too hot or too windy to do much.

 

Did a sill over the weekend

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jim 2]

Very nice!

 

Any engine news / updates?

[Jim Bowen 1]

Nope, Stealth have had it about 7 or 8 weeks now, last time i rang they hadn't looked at it yet. I did say i was in no rush (as i want to seal up all the bodywork before using it again). Not really sure what the outcome of that will be. Keeping an eye out for a 2.8 block with crank as a backup incase they advise not to rebuild that new block i bought (either way i'll be taking that back and getting it all checked out by an engineering firm near me. I can't really believe its warped.

 

Am considering just putting the engine i took out back in and thrashing that about and maybe get a new engine built up (not sure if i'll use stealth for that yet)

[Jim 2]

Nope, Stealth have had it about 7 or 8 weeks now, last time i rang they hadn't looked at it yet. I did say i was in no rush (as i want to seal up all the bodywork before using it again). Not really sure what the outcome of that will be. Keeping an eye out for a 2.8 block with crank as a backup incase they advise not to rebuild that new block i bought (either way i'll be taking that back and getting it all checked out by an engineering firm near me. I can't really believe its warped.

 

Am considering just putting the engine i took out back in and thrashing that about and maybe get a new engine built up (not sure if i'll use stealth for that yet)

 

No progress at all. Sucks :( I guess it gives you time to save up for the potential bills though.

[Jim Bowen 1]

My runaround also died on Thursday, had the timing belt done as a precaution about a month ago, the tensioner stud pulled out the head and timing has slipped, so got two quite badly broken cars now.....Only just fitted a new turbo, wishbones, ball joints to it as well :(

 

Pinched an astra van from work for the time being.

[Dox 23]

My runaround also died on Thursday, had the timing belt done as a precaution about a month ago, the tensioner stud pulled out the head and timing has slipped, so got two quite badly broken cars now.....Only just fitted a new turbo, wishbones, ball joints to it as well :(

 

Pinched an astra van from work for the time being.

 

Is this the A3? 8 or 16V?

[Jim Bowen 1]

Yeah 2006 audi a3, Is the bkd 16v engine.

Should find out tomorrow if it's damaged the internals.

[Dox 23]

Yeah 2006 audi a3, Is the bkd 16v engine.

Should find out tomorrow if it's damaged the internals.

 

Highly likely on a diesel.

 

I have a spare 8V PD head, but no 16V stuff.

 

Fingers crossed for you

[Jim Bowen 1]

The mechanic has been today to fit a new stud and new timing kit, not got home yet but i've had a message to say its good news and i've been lucky, so hoping i got away with it, won't hold my breath until i drive it though.

[robrado974 1]

Hope you escaped severe damage Jim . Lucky man indeed . I had a cam belt go on idle , snapped the cam shaft in to three pieces .

[Jim Bowen 1]

Got home and tried it and seems ok, he had a test drive earlier, but I'll go out later this evening. I have only idled it and given it a quick rev and it now has top end tap (much like the famous vr6 tap).

 

Feel quite lucky really. I was going slow and noticed something didn't feel right, i reckon it stalled just before the timing slipped.

[Jim 2]

Think that's karma - after all the woes with your VR, you certainly didn't deserve your daily blowing up as well!

[Jim Bowen 1]

Wasn't too happy with the tapping on the audi so had a look and found the reason why, i only drove it 20miles and thought it was too bad to just leave.

 

Just above the spot of my blood :lol: the little rollers on the rocker arms have snapped off, found two of them snapped and another two that need replacing

 

Cams out to access them

 

 

Got away lightly really, the timing had totally slipped, the belt wasn't even touching the cam sprockets

[seanl82 23]

Well that was a lucky escape! Well done for investigating so quickly, I'm sure many would have written off the engine after suffering similar to this.

[Jim Bowen 1]

I literally just spent nearly as much as the car is worth on it, fitting new turbo and some other bits, so felt i had to stick with it. Wishing i hadn't had the cambelt changed as it wasn't due for another 10-15k, i just thought 100,000miles was a nice round number to replace it at :lol:

[Jim 2]

I literally just spent nearly as much as the car is worth on it, fitting new turbo and some other bits, so felt i had to stick with it. Wishing i hadn't had the cambelt changed as it wasn't due for another 10-15k, i just thought 100,000miles was a nice round number to replace it at :lol:

 

I thought a garage had looked at the motor for you! Sounds like they didn't do a thorough job!!

[seanl82 23]

I know what you mean mate. Not to the extent of yours, but just spent almost the purchase price doing a full service, cambelt and front pads on the crappy Pug I bought! I can't use it now either for a few days and I'm having to use the Corrado for commuting as when I replaced the drive belt, the slight bit of extra tension caused the idler pulley to start screaming like a pig! ECP/GSF etc want £80 odd for it! Febi one on ebay for £31 but wont be with me til Wednesday.

[robrado974 1]

Definitely more luck than me . Glad you got off lightly .

[Jim Bowen 1]

Waiting for parts for the audi now, so back onto corrado.

 

Took one of the wings off again, never really finished it properly last time so rubbing down the lip of arch to do it properly. Inner wing all looked good still though.

 

 

 

[Jim Bowen 1]

Had the rattle cans out and sorted out the wing, need to polish the whole thing still (hence the rest of paint looking matt)

 

Also rang Stealth up today and not too bad news on the engine, needs one rod, some bearing shells and rod bolts, not sure why its happened but was cylinder 6, so maybe just oil starvation somehow. Stealth are going to put engine back together and i'll take a chance (hopefully it won't happen again). They have salvaged the crank. Not too bad considering i drove it about 20miles homes after it let go, i was expecting everything to be chewed up.

 

Asked them to fit the metal headgasket this time, i didn't know it was an option last time round.

[Jim 2]

Good to hear that some progress has been made with the motor :)

[Jim Bowen 1]

I know, quite a weight off my mind, was preparing for a total rebuild and £2k-£3k bill, so quite glad i'll be hanging onto that money as seen a new car i want to replace my audi with, its a VW and its twin turbo :D

[Jim Bowen 1]

Bit more painting done, must have painted this bit about 3 times in the past but never been happy with it so sanded it all back and painted it body colour, was previously POR15 paint that came out lumpy

 

 

 

 

Primed with the rust encapsulator paint

 

 

 

Painted and lacquered (not the best finish but gets hidden under the scuttle trim

 

[Jim 2]

Sterling work as ever Jim - impressive results can be achieved with rattle cans it seems. How long does it take you to fully re-do a wing for example?

[robrado974 1]

Great work Jim . Well done Sir .