Discs only need replacing if worn. You will need proportioning valve.

Thanks VR6-er. My initial concern is whether or not the original internal seals can be replaced before I throw them at a wall!! :)

Z

Hello again. I figure I had nothing to lose by splitting the offending caliper and this is what I found:

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...526_153705.jpg

Looks to me light the miniature doughnut is toast, so I'll need 4 of the little blighters. Suggestions as to where I'll find some would be most welcome.


I finally got around to getting my guide tool made and it fits like this:

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...525_154857.jpg.

It turned out to be a fairly simple job to drill out (hole was just a little more oval than I would have liked) then rebate, tap and fit the insert. With a stud test fitted it looks like this:

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...525_173452.jpg

To my surprise, this turns out to be one of the easier jobs I've attempted.

All the reading I have done points towards fitting bog standard mild steel studs and brass nuts smothered in Coppaslip (like I did last time around to the non-broken ones). Does anyone have a different view? Does it make sense to attempt to replace the other "weathered" studs while I'm there or let sleeping studs lie?

Thanks for looking in.

Z

Well it took a bit longer than I planned(!), but I drove up to Bigg Red in Worcester yesterday and got me a few 11mm diameter 2mm thick grommets. See? wasn't that hard. A few hours later and I've dropped them into callipers (the 2nd one was a bu**er to split) and they're now on the car, as is the clutch slave cylinder, mostly.

The latest problem has come with the front brakes, where I've tackled the "simple" job of replacing the flexible hoses. Right hand side was slow but straightforward but the left is turning into a REAL nightmare: The hard line upstream of the flexible pipe didn't want to separate. Cue lots of penetrating fluid, swearing and a rounded off tube nut even with my fancy Britool tube nut spanners. It's the usual story; the tube nut corrodes on to the pipe just enough to stop them moving independently. Turn the tube nut and it destroys the pipe. Decided I could sacrifice this pipe as it is just a short loop to the ABS unit and my flaring tool is fun and under-used. More penetrating fluid & swearing until the nut gave up, leaving just the simple job of disconnecting the other end of the loop from the ABS.

...

Except it won't move and the current state is that I've cut off the pipe to give better access and left the exceedingly rounded off tube nut sat there overnight to think carefully about its predicament and how much trouble it is in. I'm reluctant to put a gas torch on it given the confined space and proximity to the fuel tank (though there really can't be anything but a couple of petrol molecules left in there).

I'll try and get a picture or two posted - after I've invented some more swear words.

Grrrr.

Z

Forgive me Rennlisters, for I have sinned
 

Wow, really took you some time...;)

On the matter of the tube nuts..heat is your friend. I destroyed two tubes on mine trying to get them to move without heat.

If you don't mind spending money on another tool you might not need all that often, I've had good results with one of these induction heating coils. Safer than using a gas torch near the fuel tank.

Best of luck!

Thanks Badluck! Appreciate the advice - and heat was indeed the answer.

I gave it a half hearted attempt in situ and then decided I didn't like breathing smoking stonechip with me jammed up in the wheel arch.

I promised some pictures. Here's the situation after I'd cut the pipe. The offending tube nut is bottom left:

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...91de8dfa4c.jpg

Next, off with the ABS unit cover to reveal some spaghetti:

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...75a5a6538f.jpg

And out with the bracket, on to the bench where I could point the gas torch with a little more finesse:

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...749b679b89.jpg

...Then finally a brand spanking new pipe fabricated and in place with a smear of copper grease on the threads.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...ee45e1f25d.jpg

I then dug out the rear ARB from a dusty corner of the garage, set to work at it with the wire wheel and put a coat of etch primer on it. Cleaned up the exhaust stud threads and hung the primaries loosely to get them out of my way and see if everything still lines up. Some internet searching led to Roger Harradine's contact details, and from whom I ordered a pair of GRP front engine "tin" pieces; I'm sick of being showered with small pieces of rust from the originals every time I venture near the gearbox and people seem to say nice things about these replacements. Should arrive in about a week or so.

This morning, I shall mostly be putting a coat of black on top of the ARB and adjusting the handbrake.

Some pictures of much improved braking system to follow shortly.


Thanks for looking in; All comments, suggestions etc. welcome.

Z

Quick question:
I have a nagging feeling that replacing the front engine tin requires the power steering drive casing to come off and this needs a special tool. Is that right?

Z

Well its all moving forward albeit slowly.

I found when preparing to put the rear a/r bar back in that there was a broken bolt. After liberal soakings in Plusgas I'd ordered up a pack of M8 half nuts to see whether I could lock them together and wind the bolt out of the back end but there simply isn't enough thread there to get a good lock. Remembering the mantra that "heat is my friend" I borrowed a aluminium tray from Mrs Z as a heat shield to prevent me torching the fuel lines and put the bolt stub though a couple of cherry red heat cycles. Hey presto, the thing started to move and much as I hate using mole grips, these proved to be just the trick get the thing out. Moments later, a/r bar refitted.

Now starting to get the engine tin and plugs back in which has not been as straightforward as I would have liked. I'd taken some of the sealing skirt out of its channel in one of my "let's lose all this oily crud" drives and it seems to have stretched, such that when reinstalled in the channel it is all wavy and won't make clean seal against the tin. One for the future engine drop I reckon; replace the lot. At which point I can attend to the 2 broken tin mounting bolts (not my doing) in the left hand cam housing too...

After this I'm going to torque up all the suspension bolts before moving on to re-hanging the exhaust, which will involve a small bit of welding on the Cat and secondary silencer that I'm not looking forward to.

Nevertheless, its starting to feel like I'm on a downhill section.

Oh - when I went to bleed the hydraulics (I can recommend the Sealey VS08 brake kit btw) I found that there is fluid leaking past the piston seal on one of the rear calipers. Could I have put the seal in backwards I wonder?

Z
PS/ Any opinions on my previous question about the engine tin?

Sorry, can't help with your questions. You might search the forum or start a seperate thread.

Nevertheless I'm looking forward to seeing the replacement for the engine tin. Have you ordered the parts yet?

Keep going, you have come a long way already. ;)

Thanks once more Badluck!
I have ordered the forward 2 sections of tin and depending on the quality will probably order the rear section after that.
From my nosing around at the weekend, it looks pretty tricky (/impossible) to install the ones I've ordered with the engine in situ, so I've taken the executive decision to hold off on these until I (eventually) drop the engine.

Watch this space! :)

Z

Hi again folks. Welcome back to my glacial "return to service".
Many small steps forward, one back.

Let's see. Stuck the ARB back on. I know that the drop links are not supposed to be black but I'll probably replace them with new when I do the suspension properly (Phase 2) so as an alternative to rusty they look OK to me:

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...949463f159.jpg


The sections of GRP "tin" arrived and look like this:
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...e50630ba86.jpg

Whilst they're perhaps not GS America-like, they're well made, represent excellent value for money as compared with the Porsche parts and can't rust. Better still, Roger is the nicest chap to deal with; I can't recommend him highly enough. Shame I can't fit them without dropping the engine: :(


I picked up some rather nice 16mm shank 13mm head stainless steel M5 bolts and spire clips from Speedy Fasteners to secure the wheel arch liners. The parts manual says there are 12 per side but I can only find 11 (3 on the front edges, 2 where the 2 halves meet). Anyone have any ideas where the 12th is supposed to be? I stuck a couple on the oil line inspection hatch because I could.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...057f52fcdb.jpg

I thought I'd taken a picture of the result but can't find it so watch out for a future update.

Whilst I waited for things to arrive I thought I'd have a go at rennovating the grubbiest bits of carpet. Here's a before/during/after in a single piece, after giving it some elbow grease and (more appropriately) some wool friendly detergent and a nail brush. I'm not that impressed to be honest but I'll keep going.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...9ef1b4c49f.jpg


Things arrived. Firstly was the replacement brake caliper seal. Again, thought I had a picture of the damaged one but it is clear to me that some idiot nicked it whilst pushing in the piston. Determined not to be an idiot twice, this time I left the piston in a plastic bag in the freezer overnight, smeared the ring in brake fluid before assembly and everything went together like a dream. Not much to see now I've bled it all again but here's a picture anyway:
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...6ece20aadf.jpg

I know the disks look pants but they're stop gaps (no pun intended).


Included in the next haul are some RS engine mounts that I'm quite excited about.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...83ddddf8a5.jpg



And so on to the step back.

I thought I'd help the car with its self-lightening process and brush off a little more converted steel (rust) from the area in front of cylinder 6. I was horrified to see a small drip of oil starting to form on the pipe as I realised that the brush had actually punctured it. I grabbed the nearest supplies to hand and made this temporary bandage out of a strip of lead sheet and a hose clip.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...4f642c88a9.jpg

Well I suppose it's better that this happens now then when refilled with new oil.

Leave's me in a bit of a dilemma though. I expected to get the car through its MOT test with the oil it has in it and then when I've located any leaks needing attention with some road miles, I'd replace gaskets/seals as required THEN do a full oil change. I can't figure out how I'm going to replace this pipe and retain any oil. Assuming the big nut releases OK (which it may not), I expect to have the crank case and oil tank attempting to flood the garage floor the second it is off. However, I'm instinctively nervous about draining oil and then re-filling the tank with it but can't come up with an alternative. Anyone have any better ideas?

Z

PS/ Apologies about the picture quality size. I'll see if I can do some edits.

Frustrating day. CPS got me a pipe at top speed so I drained the oil down and got to work. The big nut was never going to shift with a spanner so I took a hacksaw to the pipe to enable me to stick a socket on it. Then my 1/2" torque wrench and some heat. Nothing. 75cm of scaffold pipe on the end of the wrench and it eventually began to move. As I suspected would happen, the crank case insert decided it was more keen to rotate than the nut but with everything on the bench at least I could clean this up nicely. I don't think it needs Loctite on the crankcase side during assembly but I'll check the manual.

It seemed a good idea to pop off the flattened pipe and clean it up a bit - while I'm there. You've seen the pictures above, just a little bit of surface rust to clean up with a wire wheel and I could re-paint. WRONG! Bit lump of rust just ahead of the hose pipe to the oil tank shifted to leave Pinhole No. 2; No.3 lay in wait on the inboard side near the P-bracket. I made a half-hearted attempt to fill the 1st one with a blob of weld but the remaining metal was paper thin and just needs replacing. Of course it's a bank holiday weekend here in Blighty so no chance of getting one before I have to head away from home/garage to work for a couple of days.

So, I took the opportunity to remove the oil tank and check its condition. Every hose clip bar 2 was shot and the dip-stick line had no intention of separating. I'm getting through a lot of butane but it does the trick. I had thought that the dip stick line was metal but it's just had plastic. A bit of heat on the nut and the pipe goes all wobbly and separates. It will have to be a couple of mm shorter when it goes back on but no great shakes. After far too long interrupted only by Spa Qualifying (zzz), the tank finally submitted and came out - though not before I removed the sill cover. All in all a horrible, messy job involving lots of catch trays and oily road grime.

Another hour or so was spent wire-wheeling 95% of the paint off the tank. I rather like the SS finish so may just put a coat of high temp lacquer on it rather than repainting black. One of the other builds I've been reading here had his powder coated and pressure tested; do I need to be contemplating this?
With my luck, there's another pin-hole now gestating in the nether reaches of the tank waiting for me to reinstall before beginning its weep. Where do you get an oil tank pressure tested anyway?

I thought I was quite close to getting back on the ground and engine running but not just yet it seems. It's a shame because I think I'll get quite a lift from driving out of the garage and back in again! :D

No pictures because nobody wants to see any more of my rear wheel arches - especially me. I'll take some of the shiny oil tank before it goes back if you like.

Z

Couldn't resist cleaning up the oil tank. Looks pretty good at first:

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...56ab1858d5.jpg

The outboard side looks slightly less good. I'm guessing moisture gets trapped between tank and wing:

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...eca82a9813.jpg

...but it is only when you look closely that the trouble starts:

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...174e424ba8.jpg


AGGGGHHHH!!! Bla***ed pin holes. This one actually weeps a little oil when the virtually empty tank is out its side and I fear that others may do so under a small amount of pressure.

Can this be effectively repaired or am I in for a whole new oil tank???? :(

Z

I am bleeding with you ZG862...but keep plugging away mate..

Just as long as you're not bleeding as badly as my oil system, 4th!! :D

Appreciate the sentiment though. I'd hoped to get to an engine start over the Bank Holiday and it can be a little soul destroying when the tin worm rears its ugly head. As I'm trying to put some money aside for some Bilsteins, I'm contemplating picking up an old tank from ebay but concerned that if from a UK car could be little better than the one I have. There's also the little matter of it taking about 4 hours to strip it back to bare steel to find out.

Nevertheless, thanks for the encouragement!

Z