Alex's VR6

[Alex_G60_Fanatic 0]

Didn't get a chance to work Saturday as was raining quite heavy in Dundee but did get a shot on Sunday to remove the subframe and try to remove the old power steering rack.

 

The second hand rack I have is in good nick but needed a clean, so I got on with that and set up the engine hoist I borrowed off my mate Sambo (on SVAG, thanks Sam!)

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Got the engine up and got the subframe off leaving the old rack suspended by the rose joint on the steering column

 

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Also chose this moment to change the ARB bushes and give the anti roll bar itself a good clean. I Also gave the subframe a de grease and popped some hamerite on the ruty bits.

 

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Cleaning ARB Old ARB bushes

 

I then tried to remove the power steering rack. Now, the rack I have was from an old 16v and came with all of the pipes. However, when it was removed from the 16v they cut the pipe from the pump for some reason, maybe couldn't get it off... Either way I NEEDED to keep that pipe from my rack... guess what i did...

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]47329[/ATTACH]

 

Whoops!.... Soo I've couldn't fit the new rack! I don't have a replacement pipe and time with this borrowed hoist is fast running out. And to further infuriate me a went to lean on the intake manifold and did this to a pressure pipe...

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]47330[/ATTACH]

 

:brickwall:

 

I believe the French have a word that sums up this weekend rather well... "Merde"

[Alex_G60_Fanatic 0]

AGHHHH bloody weather! I could have got the car finished by now! I'm always working when it's nice and it always rains at the weekend! GRRRR

:bad-words:

[dannyboy 0]

alex did you see the youtube video of my g60 with ASD box on mine?

 

[Alex_G60_Fanatic 0]

alex did you see the youtube video of my g60 with ASD box on mine?

 

 

yeah i do remember seeing that mate. How much power is that your running with?

[dannyboy 0]

only about 175-180 bhp.70mm pulley and chip so quite mild. I can feel the top end is pretty choked up,compared to one that has free flowing exhaust and ported charger!!

[Alex_G60_Fanatic 0]

I have a ported charger (stage 4) and 68mm pulley but i doubt it's pulling 180bhp at the moment with it being sat idle for so long. The charger needs servicing too and that doesn't help. I wont be putting my gearbox in until i have more money i think. Want to get the valves re-seated and the charger serviced 1st, then in with the box. Looks good for me doing the same kinda speeds though, not that'll be able to get up to that speed in the UK....

[dannyboy 0]

I know how you feel alex,one step forward,two back.Thats why everyone loves these cars :tumbleweed:

 

I snapped my ABS sensor on saturday, just as i was about to start doing my wheel bearings,got so p!$$ed off i didnt bother doing them in the end

 

---------- Post added at 03:51 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:40 PM ----------

 

Alex just a thought,the nipple on the inlet is very simliar to the ones on the throttle body itself(if not the same). ive snapped one off the throttle body ones before and found it was threaded but still a pain in the ar$£ to get out even with a tap because of the two different metals.

 

Reminds me i need to drill that bloody exhaust stud off my spare g60 head...:mad:

[Alex_G60_Fanatic 0]

Threaded or not I managed to solve it this evening after talking to my dad. He told me to just glue a new tube in the old hole, used a brass section and glued in with epoxy (good for 200 degrees so should be fine) my main worry with doing this insitue was getting metal swarf in the intake manifold.... I did it by using plenty of grease on the drill bit and going very slowly but after doing it I decided there was to much risk of getting metal and grease dropping down into the engine. I'll take off the throttle body tomorrow and give the inside of the manifold a good clean! That should make sure that I don't wreck my engine!!!!

 

[ATTACH]47369[/ATTACH]

 

End of tube is a little crap as well... Will again clean this up tomorrow. The important thing is that I'll get it machined out and done properly when/if I get the manifold and throttle body ported.

Edited June 15, 2011 by Alex_G60_Fanatic

[Alex_G60_Fanatic 0]

Hey folks!

 

Don't have any gasket paper so will have to wait till I do before I remove the throttle body. Can I use gasket paste or should I stick with paper?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250788257403

 

Next; yesterday I cleaned up the hubs ready to g on the car... I wanted to go purple but that will have to just be the callipers now I think.

 

Before

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After

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And then they both got a coat of hamerite (direct to rust)

 

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Made sure I didn't spray the bearings or the hub itself, should keep the grime off for a few years. Not a great job though but I'll never see them anyway! :thumbleft:

 

 

Next I had to give me pal a lift, Dropping of "project rotbox of at the chop shop" (his words not mine!)

this is the car that has had all the brake lines replaced and even the unions have been given a coat of PTFE tape, all the calipers, master cylinder and servo... all replaced with new... and it still has spongy brakes! The MOT was today but i don't know the results just yet... i kinda hope it's failed! I wanted mine working before his!

 

If it does fail he said the garage doing the testing will be fixing the brakes themselves... see what they come up with! :lol:

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[Alex_G60_Fanatic 0]

Hello, welcome to Alex's Country Home Cooking :chef:

Today we'll be preparing some brake and rust soup, delicious

 

First off you'll need approximately 100g of industrial citric acid solution. I got mine from here http://www.carnaubawaxshop.co.uk/detailing/89/bilthamber-deoxc-1kg?return=L2RldGFpbGluZy1wcm9kdWN0cy8xNi9ydXN0LXJlbW92YWxwcmV2ZW50aW9uP3NvcnRieT0= but you can just as well get some from your local chemist.

 

5-6 pints of mineral water (soft water works better than hard)

several good sized rusty components, today I chose to use carriers and some loose screws but you can easily make this recipe with other steel components.

 

Step one:

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place the citric acid and the water on the hob to simmer. I used a little fairy liquid as well to aide de-greasing and make a lovely nice fresh smell.

 

Step 2:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]47541[/ATTACH] add the carriers and other components to the stock and allow the water to simmer for 5 minuets. Notice the fizzing reaction as you add the ingredients.

 

Step 3:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]47542[/ATTACH] after 5 minuets stir the soup and then turn off the heat. Pop a lid on the pot and allow to cool naturally for 30-40mins. for best results i always find it's nice to use steel that hasn't been pre-treated with pesticides or paint... Always choose organic produce if you can!

 

Step 4:

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]47543[/ATTACH] serve with a penetrating fluid vinaigrette to prevent further oxidation prior to painting.

 

It is intersting to note that some like to add fish to the recipe at this stage... often tuna or canned salmon...

 

Don't do this :nono:

 

 

Join me next week when I'll show you how to make a lovely brake calliper casserole!

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[Jim 2]

LOL. Post of the year for me so far! Excellent!

[Alex_G60_Fanatic 0]

On a more serious note, I have replaced the PAS pipes and fitted the new hubs. All I need to do now is fit some new callipers and carriers and then I'll be ready to reassemble the old girl and drop here on her shiny new coil-overs! :D

 

however... the callipers I was going to use (above) are goosed, or at least one of them is. The other one i need to give to a pal for his MOT (the golf above... failed Mwah! :lol:) so i'm on the hunt for new 280mm callipers (gunna keep my carriers, they look fine and have new bolts for them)

 

---------- Post added at 02:39 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:38 PM ----------

 

LOL. Post of the year for me so far! Excellent!

thanks jim!

 

BTW I have an idea for the sprinter I'd like to put by you... I'll pm you later when i get a moment.

[Jim 2]

Great - look forward to hearing it.

[aide 0]

lol alex you're not quite right!

 

as an alternative marinade recommend you check out 'bilt hammer deox-c powder'.

[Alex_G60_Fanatic 0]

lol alex you're not quite right!

 

as an alternative marinade recommend you check out 'bilt hammer deox-c powder'.

that's the stuff I used mate! it's essentially Citric acid with some de-greasing agent thrown in. Next time i'm going to save myself a packet and just get a kilo of citric acid from here:http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1kg-Citric-acid-food-grade-Top-quality-/140426902395?pt=UK_Home_Garden_Food_SM&hash=item20b2187b7b

[Jim Bowen 1]

is that all it is? i bought some of that deox stuff, but not tried it hot yet

[dannyboy 0]

its all fun and games til your missis drinks that funny,brown soup and Alex walks out of the house with a brake calpier embedded in the back of his head :lol:

 

Try hot battery acid next time,sure to bring up decent result!!!!!

[Alex_G60_Fanatic 0]

its all fun and games til your missis drinks that funny,brown soup and Alex walks out of the house with a brake calpier embedded in the back of his head :lol:

 

Try hot battery acid next time,sure to bring up decent result!!!!!

 

trouble with that is that battery acid also attacks the steel. Citric acid only attacks the rust. :)

 

---------- Post added at 10:14 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:14 AM ----------

 

is that all it is? i bought some of that deox stuff, but not tried it hot yet

 

just works allot quicker when hot thats all.

[dannyboy 0]

i was beening funny with the battery acid alex,hope nobody tries to clean metal using hot battery acid :bonk:

[Alex_G60_Fanatic 0]

i was beening funny with the battery acid alex,hope nobody tries to clean metal using hot battery acid :bonk:

 

Ahh, I see. You can use battery acid though if your careful, it's basically sulphuric acid. That's what they use industrially but yeah.... Hot acid wouldn't be fun :lol:

[Alex_G60_Fanatic 0]

This weekend I will mostly be ripping the brake pipes off my car and replacing them with copper replacements. Got all the unions, just need to get some copper and a flaring kit.

 

wish me luck!

[davidwort 0]

good luck :)

 

never actually done pipes myself but Jim assured me once it's quite therapeutic making up the lines :)

 

how cool is that de-ox stuff?! must have a go at that, wire brushing everything to bare steel makes such a mess and although I thought about grit blasting I think I'd make even more of a mess with that :lol:

 

did you roughly wire brush the parts first then cook them?

[CazzaVR 0]

Alex, you need to start a recipe book 8) Was a little disappointed with the lack of ham in your efforts so far though...

 

How good is that citric acid? Will have to get some.

[Alex_G60_Fanatic 0]

good luck :)

 

never actually done pipes myself but Jim assured me once it's quite therapeutic making up the lines :)

 

how cool is that de-ox stuff?! must have a go at that, wire brushing everything to bare steel makes such a mess and although I thought about grit blasting I think I'd make even more of a mess with that :lol:

 

did you roughly wire brush the parts first then cook them?

 

I've made up lines on my old mk4 polo before and it is quite fun if you have plenty of room (like on the polo) not sure how well im going to get of with the G60 though, looks tight round the master cylinder... I'll let you know!

 

Don't be fooled by my wonderful recipe though... That citric acid is good but you do need to do a little prep, other wise you'll be washing it two or three times to get good results. Ideally you need to first remove the worst of the rubbish and rust with a wire brush and then give it a de-grease with some soapy water.

I also went down the home sand blasting route a while back but the efforts didn't come to much. You idealy need a BIG compressor and then a booth, otherwise you'll end up spending all day doing something like a caliper.

 

this bathing technique worked out allot cheaper, gave good results and required allot less work than other labour intensive methods (dremmle drills, wire brushes, rotary brushes etc.) Had the whole lot cleaned in about 1hour.

 

Alex, you need to start a recipe book 8) Was a little disappointed with the lack of ham in your efforts so far though...

 

You could have diced some Ham up and popped that in the stock during the simmering stage.... But that' not very nevué cuisine is it!

 

Recipe book sounds good though, maybe send some nice ones off to the sprinter to publish! :D

[pumbaa 0]

Why couldn't you share your recipe before i wire brushed the hell out of my calipers, hangers and fingers!!!