Poll250s VR Turbo

[OllieVR6 0]

Oooh another turbo, sweet! I love turbo projects!

Tis actually a supercharger dude, although I'm sure you'll love a surpercharger thread too!! :nuts: :norty:

 

Interesting........It must now be obvious that I have barely started reading the 75+ pages of the FI thread :lol:

[mrbeige 0]

Oooh another turbo, sweet! I love turbo projects!

Tis actually a supercharger dude, although I'm sure you'll love a surpercharger thread too!! :nuts: :norty:

 

Interesting........It must now be obvious that I have barely started reading the 75+ pages of the FI thread :lol:

To be fair though, if you aren't familiar with the Rotrex brand, that picture could quite easily lead you to thinking it was the compressor side of a turbot :)

[herisites 0]

To be fair though, if you aren't familiar with the Rotrex brand, that picture could quite easily lead you to thinking it was the compressor side of a turbot :)

 

Yeah it's essentially a turbo compressor housing with supercharger gearing and back end attached!

[poll250 0]

I'd be interested to know more about the rattles and how you found them and fixed them. Quite often I find I have a rattle that I can't locate let alone fix.

 

Also, the windows rattling, I didn't realise that a re-grease could fix that, could you provide some more info?

 

OHH the rattles! It's been an ongoing project for a while really, just going round the car seeing which bits are wobbly or have broken clips. You can normally hear where a squeak is coming from TBH so that narrows it down, I've just found some sticky back foam at my parents so I've been sticking that anywhere it'll fit too. The Plastics on the boot lid are a big source of squeaks... Trouble is you fix one squeak and then notice another!

 

I only read about how to fix the windows on here the other day, as apparently new rollers are now obsolete. I just took the doorcard off, put the window about 75% down and just grease the hell out of the rollers and runners and anything else you can find. Seemed to work for me!

[OllieVR6 0]

Thanks for that, I will have a look at the rollers on mine.

 

I have a really annoying 'squeak' when turning the steering wheel, sounds like plastic on plastic, a horrible noise!

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Picked this badboy up, as well as 3 boxes of parts to go with it:

 

 

I like snails :D

[mattnorgrove 0]

The VR looks very nice indeed, it'll be even better with that Rotrex fitted!

 

I have a really annoying 'squeak' when turning the steering wheel, sounds like plastic on plastic, a horrible noise!

 

Mine has recently started doing this too, very annoying, sounds like a plasticky screeching. Gonna have to have the cowling off and have a look i reckon.

 

The steering wheel nut is 24mm I think??

[poll250 0]

Must say that since going around the car with the foam it's a joy to drive on rough roads! I turn the stereo down now just so I can appreciate the lack of horrrible bangs and rattles. Would deffo recommend it!

 

Had a busy weekend: Started stripping my spare engine after picking up an engine crane from Alex (G60edge) Got the inlet, wiring loom, fuel rail etc off no problem. Then took the box, clutch etc off. Wavetrac diff arrived today so that's going off with the box to mate to fit. He works at a motosport transmission company and one of the guys is going to stick it in after work one day :D

 

Couple of pics:

 

 

Had a bit of 'mare yesterday though:

 

After having a good play with the new engine at the weekend, I thought I'd take a look in my engine bay and work out if there were any parts which I didnt know how to remove. Upon looking down the back of the engine, I noticed that one of my O/S driveshaft bolts was fully sticking out!

 

Obviously I was pretty shocked, I pulled the bolt out by hand (not even on 1 thread!) and drove the mile to my parents gingerly. Once there, I got the car up on stands and every single bolt on the drivers side was finger tight! OMG! Luckily, I bought a spline set at the weekend and had it on me, so did the bolts up as best I could. Had leaked a fair old wack of CV grease over the place, but as the whole lot is coming out next week I won't worry too much.

 

Just thankful of a lucky escape, Will get a touch of loctite on the bolts when I swap over. :D

 

Anyone know the part number for driveshaft bolts?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Yeah a rattle free interior makes a massive difference to enjoying these cars doesn't it? :D

 

Good spot on the CV bolts! I've had one or two come loose on me before too. Should really retorque them after 500 miles really, but out of sight, out of mind and all that!

[poll250 0]

Bit of an update and a few graphic engine shots :D

 

Weel, while the Wavetrac is away being fitted, I cracked on with getting the replacement engine apart today so I can fit the 262 cams, Spacer Head Gasket and ARPs. Took a lot of the ancillaries off the other week and got the engine mounted on the stand ok.

 

Today I got the head off :) It's a good feeling getting it off. Just the hard part of putting it back together properly tomorrow. a few photos for the records:

 

Graphic cam shot:

 

Bit of gasket stuck on the block:

 

Block:

 

Being the idiot I am, I layed the head down flat after taking it off,Will I have done any damage here?

 

A lot of gasket stuck to the upper chain cover:

 

Really happy to have gotten this far myself.

 

What's the best way to clean the gasket off the head, block etc? I read somewhere about using a scotchbrite (?) pad on a drill, but then should I cover all the holes around the pistons to stop stuff being thrown into the block? will white spirits be ok to clean it all up?

 

Sorry for all the questions, I've never done anything to do with engine internals before!

 

Thanks!

[coullstar 0]

Good job so far. Fair play for taking it on yourself. Things like this are rarely as difficult as first thought. Its just knowing the little tips and tricks before doing.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

I assume you mean you put the head valve side down on the floor or something? Clamp the head in the work bench and turn the cams by hand to see if any of the valves got bent? I doubt it, but worth checking before it goes back on the block if you're in any doubt.

 

I soak the old gasket stuff in a solvent (glue thinners) for a while and then scrape it off with stanley knife blades, or you can get proper plastic window scrapers with stanley blades in them too if you're worried about Freddie Krugering your fingers off....

 

For surfacing the block, a decent sanding block with wet and dry works well. I use grease in the bores and holes etc to trap the dirt and then wipe it out afterwards.

[poll250 0]

Yep, I took the head off and layed it on some cardboard on a table without thinking! DOH!

 

As the cams are locked I assumed the valves wouldnt be able to move, so everything should be ok!

 

What kind of grade wet and dry should I use? Have also read that a green scotchbrite pad would work well, have to see if I can find some later on.

 

Cheers for the tip on the grease, was wondering what I should use, I guess just clean it out with some kitchen towel and then degreaser, the lightly oil the bores?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

It depends how far out the valve is, the weight of the head leaning on it could bend the stem :? I've done the same before and did bend a valve, but I could visibly see it was bent though!

 

Yeah Scotchbrite pads might work. You can get a big pack of them from Bodyshop supplies and they're a lot bigger and more robust than kitchen scourers!. The block and head don't have to be clinically clean, just flat and no oil or other residues etc :D

 

Yeah it's up to you how you keep crud out of the bores etc, just don't let any bits of sandpaper etc drop down into the piston/bore gap!

[poll250 0]

Have a week off workleading to my remap at stealth next Monday, got a heck of a lot to do:

 

finish rebuilding new engine with spacer, Arp head and rod bolts, and 262s

refurb my spare subframe with shiny parts

take old engine out and clean bay a bit.

put new one in and get it running!

Fit charger, 2 oil coolers (one for rotrex, one for engine) and water injection

Also got some mk4 rear calipers ready to put in with new handbrake cables. See if I've got time for that though!

 

I spent today cleaning the surface of the head and block, fitting the spacer, head and Arp bolts.

 

Took a while and it's not perfect, but definitely a lot better than when it came apart - I guess we'll see if I messed anything up soon enough :cuckoo:

[poll250 0]

Bit of a quiet afternoon at work, so what better time to update this a bit.

 

When I left off, I'd just finished cleaning up the block and head, well I soon got the Mk4 Headgasket apart and stuck a 8.5:1 C2 spacer in the middle. Also stuck the ARP head bolts in at this time:

 

 

Put the head on carefully and did the studs up in the correct order, then it was time to swap my Autotech 262 cams in:

 

 

Old cams came out pretty easily, luckily I had a new sender and sprocket wheel for the rear cam so didn't have to faf around with taking that off! Have heard it can be a real nightmare.

 

Putting the cams back in took some jiggery pokery as the lobes were at funny angles, but managed if after a while and got the chain back on easily enough. All the timing marks I'd made lined up perfectly too: BONUS!

 

 

Turned the engine over on the crank pulley and everything seemed nice and smooth. Fingers crossed I haven't fudged anything.

 

Next I flipped the engine over and removed the sump to fit my ARP Conrod bolts. Sump gasket looked ok but had a replacement so would be rude not to use that. This is where I got a nice little suprise:

 

 

One set of ARPs rod bolts already in there! Seems a bit weird as it had standard head bolts, but I'm not complaining: sold my set within 2 hours on the forum! :D

 

WIth the engine back together, I turned my attention to my engine bay:

 

 

 

 

 

With the engine out, I then took the subframe out, and swapped it for my rebuilt one with new ball joints, bushes etc I forgot to take any photos so here's one of the subframe back in!

 

 

To top it all off my MOT is due soon and I've had a whirr from the rear bearings, terrible handbrake and then my ABS light on lately: cue MK4 rear calipers, new bearings and handbrake cables:

 

 

That brings us up to last night!

 

My gearbox is currently at a friends work in Leamington: they desgin/build motorsports gearboxs (new McLaren road car for example!) and one of the techs is completely rebuilding by box while putting the Wavetrac in: All for £100 quid! :D

 

Got my remap booked for 1st June at Stealth, so that's a definite deadline for everything to be finished.....

[KADVR6 0]

strange it had arp rod bolts in there, but hey i did tell you it had a re-build not long ago and that just cements my comments.

 

getting there mate.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Top work my man and an unexpected Brucey Bonus to boot, a good way to start the weekend :D

 

I've heard of standard rod bolts coming loose / letting go on standard engines (ask Vince when you see him!) before, so sticking ARPs on seems like a good cure. Or it could have seen boost in a previous life :D I've also heard that ARP rod bolts are cheaper than standard ones, so could be another reason.

[poll250 0]

Progress!

 

Getting there now and hoping to get it started up later today.

 

Just a few wiring questions, as I seem to have a few spare! Anyone have an idea how these mount/ what they connect to?

 

 

 

 

 

This comes from the same wire that goes to the bottom of the rad, its yellow/white. No idea where it goes to!

[Purple Tom 0]

The bracket in the top picture mounts on to the back of the head, roughly above the water output flange for the heater. It'll fit one way only and should be fairly obvious when you get it in the right position.

 

The bracket in the second picture bolts onto the top of the O/S/R engine mount and is the holder for the rear knock sensor and lambda sensor plugs.

 

I'm not sure about the other two to be honest, it's been a couple of months since I put my engine back in.

 

Nice project though, good luck getting it running! :)

[poll250 0]

thanks Tom!

 

Any idea on the wiring for the starter motor too!?

[poll250 0]

Got it all together and running! :)

 

BUT it sounds like a bag if nails. There's a bit of a leak from the decat and possibly exhaust manifold at the head, but the engine noise is more worrying:

 

what do you make of it? Sounds rough :(

[coullstar 0]

Did you get the head properly checked after you set it down?

[ANDREW 30 0]

Did'nt i read somewhere you need to build oil pressure for the chain tensioner to work, or was it the hydraulic lifters?

You did put oil in did'nt you????

[poll250 0]

I didn't get the head checked as everything looked ok, when I se it down it didn't visibly move as if a valve were bending or anything.

 

I put about 7 litres in I think, I kept the tensioner bolt in oil all the time it was out too. I unplugged the coilpack before starting the first time to get some oil around, might try doing it again in the morning and see if it's any better.

 

I should note the engine wasnt run for at least 6 months before I got it, could this have anything to do with it?