3 months later....04/10/12
I'm just starting to get project turbo Minx back on track and to inspire myself today I tried on a new set of wheels to rekindle the passion.
These are meant to be for the mk2 estate but I'm not sure yet, although I have just put a brand new set of Toyo Proxes on my retro star alloys! I've been a bit disappointed with the Minx this year. I've done less than a thousand miles with the XE in and 500 of them was going to Duckfest (aka Billing) in July. It is smoking like a fecker and desperately needs the rings doing. I've started to replace the parts on the C20LET engine that I took off to get the XE running. So got new bonded oil baffle plate, replacement fuel pressure regulator, new sump. I bought an F20 to put on unstead of the F28 but have changed my mind with that and going to persevere with the F28 and install an f20 speedo ring to make the speedo read true and I've got some equal length shafts to install to.
10/01/13
new year and new beginnings for the Minx.
I've pulled out the XE
so now my engine bay is looking a little empty
I've taken the F28 off the XE. my next job is to fit an F20 speedo ring so I haven't got to drive slow when I forget to take my Tom Tom out with me. The f28 gearbox speedo ring only read correct with the calibra 160mph clocks.
can anyone tell me where I need to split the F28 to get access to the speedo ring? is it just the end cap or where my finger is?
I also need to replace the oil level plug because it is rounded off to feck. Apparently Vauxhalls say that they have replaced the hex plug for the top filler one. As long as it fits, I don't care!
This next picture shows a brief history of the Minx....
Left is 18E, Right is C20XE and top is C20LET.
13/01/13
I managed to get the mangled oil level plug out of the F28 with a little help from super Dyl (thanks darling xx) and a stud extractor.
I'm just waiting for my "Stag Wellseal" zero tolerance sealant to turn up in the post before tackling the speedo ring because apparently blue hylomar will not suffice when putting the gearbox back together. I'm also waiting for the f20 speedometer drive gear which I didn't realise I needed before doing a little more research.
I recieved another package in the post the other day
new oil temp gauge, oil pressure gauge and oil pressure sandwich plate so I can keep an eye on what is going on under the bonnet.
I decided to swap the flywheels back over for the f28 to go back on to the turbo engine.
and fitted my shiny new oil pressure plate.
Ignore the new dented oil filter, I'll replace it.
That's all for now...
26/02/13
Turbo motor now in place
Still got loads to do but slowly getting there!
10/03/13
I've been slowly plodding on with the Minx. I didn't think the way the oil cooler was mounted on the donor car was ideal...
so set about making a bracket.
It's now a little bit more secure than a tie wrap.
I want to put some new dials in so I can closely monitor oil temp, oil pressure and turbo boost. so I've been messing about with finding a place for the sender units and gauges to go. originally I was going to fit the new senders into a sandwich plate that bolts under the oil filter but I'm having a problem fitting them with oil cooler pipes, driveshafts, etc, etc being in the bleeding way. So I'm only fitting the oil temp switch on the sandwich plate and waiting for an m14 to 1/8 npt adapter to put the new sender in the original hole on the back of the oil pump. In the mean time I've been making a dial pod for my new dials.
I only bought a new pressure and temp gauge because I remember getting a turbo boost gauge with the donor car. SIX hours I spent looking for it yesterday amongst all my curse word just to find the bezel was rusty and slightly smaller :mad: so I'll order a new one tomorrow.
Anyway scrap heap challenge begins.
I didn't want the gauges to stick out too much so A pillar pods were out of the question so I raided my spares room and decided to cut up a rear quarter panel to use the matching colour vinyl.
chopped off excess board, made a frame out of an old cooker hood extractor cover
a few pop rivets and bolts later...
I have a colour matched dial pod sitting above the centre console.
19/03/13
Tonight I'm mostly playing with wires.....
20/03/13
Managed to get the dials and EML all wired up...
I decided to tackle the pipes. I don't like the idea of red pipes on a blue car but I'm not prepared to pay £300 on new pipes until I know the engine is decent so I decided to try and wrap them with this...
Yes it's horse bandages :lol:
before...
after...
now fitted on car
Next job was to fit the exhaust.
It seems to be a very good quality one that fits perfect. bends nicely around the sump, gear selector and is flat where it needs to be
It does make me smile having a thug of an exhaust hanging below a 1200s badge.
Hopefully have it up and running soon...
09/04/12
A little vid for you to watch.
Oil pressure sitting nicely at 4.5 bar. Nice to have warning before the engine going POP! I was getting so fed up with fecking with cars and feeling like nothing was going right, but there now seems to be light at tunnel!
14/04/12
I've been tinkering again and managed to get the interior, radio back together and tightened up all the steering components. It amazes me how low it seems because it's been sitting on Axle stands for the last 6 months. I can feel my back aching already at the idea of having to work on the engine in the car!
Here's a vid and a few pics for you to look at, sorry about the wind noise in the vid!
I'm going to get some plain black hose to replace the wrapped blue pipe that goes from the expansion tank across the back of the engine because it is getting in the way of the plastic turbo panel that bolts to the top of the engine.
Also I'm in need of a shorter accelerator cable which I've seen fitted to other peoples cars.
I've still got a few final touches to do such as seal and higher the back box on the exhaust, adjust the clutch cable and brake linkage, clean up and paint the plastic turbo engine top panel, etc... Thats enough for now to keep me out of trouble.
15/04/12
I has a sh!t eating grin on my face for 10 minutes after taxing it but it then it stopped boosting. Further investigation needed...
03/04/14
Just thought I give you an update on my turbo problem. I first took off the turbo oil return pipe to check if there was evidence of oil because the strange noise it kept barking at me sounded a little metallic. On inspecting the pipe it obviously hadn't seen any oil since the rebuild. So we took the feed off and cranked it over without the coil connected but no oil came out. I took it off to fine it was totally blocked which was a surprise because I had it custom made last year :mad:
We put the old standard feed pipe back on and hey presto, the metallic sound had gone but a smoke screen appeared behind the car
I took the turbo off to be greeted by this
I managed to source a decent secondhand unit, so armed with a shopping list, a road trip was in order.
It's all now back together but further fine fettling is needed to get it running right. I may have a boost leak or something, further investigation is needed but at least it's running.
05/05.13
We managed to fix a big boost leak on a vac pipe between actuator and amal valve.
First run vid...
Not the best vid but wanted to go and play instead
06/05/13
Fitted the the turbo engine cover today to finish off the engine
Being driving around alot enjoying the sun and finally enjoying the whoooosh tish!
Here's a couple of pics of my retro fleet in the sun!
05/06/13
Another little update....
I've been slowly continuing working on the Minx but it's hard when you just want to drive it and cry whilst paying for fuel!
I've removed the sandwich plate because it was leaking and I only had a oil temp gauge sender plugged into it.
The new plan is to get the sender tapped into this blanking bolt
like so...
the old speakers were low powered component jobbies so the new 2/3 way (what ever they are) are alot better.
now fitted into place with a little more fettling...
I've made a mounting strap for my amal valve to stop it rubbing the paint of my strut mount.
I was totally fed up with the poor colour match on the drivers door so decided to get my spare smoke blue door out and tart it up for fitting.
As you can see it is a much better match. I was getting tired off saying to people "can you take a pic of the other side because this side looks SH!TE!"
Out came the sand paper and rattle cans...
Painted up a spare handle
Whipped the bad door off...
and on with the new!
I decided to change the original mirrors because the drivers one whistles when you go over 50 MPH (which is often) I fancied Englemans Euro style jobbies but when I was told they get screwed through the door itself I decided to start working on a set of Nova jobbies to see how they would look.
The drivers glass was smashed so I got my next-door-neighbour/friend who makes stained glass windows to cut a mk2 glass to fit as a replacement.
That's all for now, I've still got the glass to put back in the door, mirrors to finish and Friday the Minx it booked in to get a custom back box made that is a little less "IN YER FACE!"
07/06/13
Took the Minx to the exhaust builders this morning. He came highly recommended by a few people I know or have met. He is a total Ford nut and has a Sierra Cosworth, Capri 2.8i, mk1 Escort with YB in it and I counted at least 3 mk1 shells and a mk2. I parked up in his drive next to a couple of customers cars.
I left the car there for the morning with the instructions to make it nice and quiet with a plain finished pipe. I was told to come back at 1.30. It felt like I can only imagine it would having to leave a child in the hospital! :lol: When I got back it wasn't done due to everyone and his dog visiting him so I got to watch him finishing the exhaust. Here is some pics...
I'm absolutely Chuffed with the finished product and it the quietest exhaust the Minx has every had!
Here is a little reminder,
Before....
After....
So I now no longer need these
A little vid of it starting up
21/06/13
I've been cleaning up the Minx ready for the shows. I've put under bonnet sound deadening on.
I've taken the Vet wrap off all the top hoses because it wasn't very heat resistant and curse word stuck to it like ermmmm, like curse word does! I'd rather the hoses were red than frayed and dirty.
24/07/13
Here is a few recent pics of the Minx on the way to a car show at Bodelwyddan Castle last Sunday
This is what makes it all worth while