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GTE valver fast road/track car project

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  • might have to upgrade to a diesel compression tester at this rate

    agree with Laurie, rings would normally give a blue haze under all acceleration, puff on lift off does sound more like vacuum related oil consumption. stem seals, valve guides, possible oil breather system (but obviously not if its to atmosphere)

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    • Head was refreshed the other year with valves seated and new stem seals and I'm getting no oil in the catch tank as I've got the rocker cover breather plate drilled. Got to be piston rings or bores as it's the only thing I've not replaced or had sorted. It's not a major problem as it's only smoking a tiny bit at the top of the revs.

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      • Having not used the GTE in anger for a while and with Blyton Park track looming in a couple of weeks I checked the car over and found a few niggles. First off were the pads I had installed brand new for Mallory track day in May, they had gone wedge shape with more wear on the top than the bottom. Quick fix by swapping inner and out pads in each caliper thus flipping them 180. Helps to balance the wear and they last a bit longer. Just means a bit of bedding in required before giving it large.

        Next find was the auxiliary belt or in my case the alternator belt as that?s all it runs. It had gone slack and on closer inspection the SBD turnbuckle threads were damaged as its an alloy body and was near it?s adjustment limit. Easily fixed with a McGill Motorsport M8x70mm turnbuckle and new rose joints. I cut the steel body down to 50mm and all sorted and back to full tension with the belt.

        Last edited by Harvey; 29-06-2018, 10:22 AM.

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        • Popped up to Blyton Park last Sunday to do the Eastern circuit. It?s tight and technical in places but with fast flowing sections in others. I?d never done the Eastern and really enjoyed myself.



          My mate also attended in his C20XE powered Astra mk4 for his first track day. Unloaded and checked a few bits and pieces before the fun began.



          I?ve never seen so few cars attend a track day there to say it was the dry time of year which meant plenty of space to play.







          This was just after lunch and an already slack turnout got even slacker so at one point I had the circuit to myself.



          Pushing on in the early afternoon I had a spin coming out of K7 which is a very tight left right sequence. I nearly saved it but alas it beat me on cold rear tyres. I came in walked around the car and straight back out.



          Few health checks and all was good apart from a white wall rear tyre after my spin due to the dust.





          At the end of the day the GTE was still going strong with the dead body count climbing so called it a day, loaded it up and headed home?





          ?however, 17 miles from home the Touareg centre propshaft support bearing decided it had enough and proceeded to make its presence known by making a ?thud thud BANG BANG? noise. It went without warning so I limped it back home. Parts sourced yesterday and booked into a local garage on Thursday as I?ve not got time to remove the prop myself prior to VBOA next weekend.

          The air gap around the propshaft and support bracket shouldn?t be there as it should have a rubber bushing and a bearing to stop it waggling around, it's simply vanished!

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          • The wife and I had yet another great weekend at VBOA 2018. You could see all the hard work and effort that was put into the show to make this year run as smoothly as it did. What a great event and we’ll definitely be back next year. It was nice catching up with both old and new colleagues and there were some lovely Vauxhalls at the event.

            Ready for the off loaded with all the camping gear.



            The wife’s Astra mk3 and my mk2 on the VxDC stand.

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            • I’ve booked yet another track day but this time at Croft on Sat 11th August, a circuit I’ve never driven. Last Friday evening on one of the hottest days of the year I got the car up in the air for a full spanner check and fluid freshen up.



              New engine oil & filter, fuel filter plus new front brake fluid.







              Also checked the front pads and they had wedged after Blyton so rotated them 180 degrees to balance the wear. Pics are after I had swapped them round.



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              • Final prep for Croft completed, replaced the manky front bumper sticker for an instant 10bhp gain.

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                • Attended Croft Circuit yesterday with a couple of fellow TSV (Team Shonky Vauxhall) founding members and their Nova?s. Epic day, challenging technical circuit but super fun.



                  Having never driven there I was a little apprehensive on my first outing but soon got to grips with it and by the afternoon was giving it large, as much as I dare. TSV had no car dramas and only one off with the multi coloured Nova shooting through the kitty litter in BTCC style at the end of the start/finish straight. All in all an awesome days fun and frolics at a great circuit. Huge thanks to the TSV photographer and pit crew assistant, my wonder wife Amanda.





























                  Home time, what a great day we all had.


                  Last edited by Harvey; 12-08-2018, 09:39 AM.

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                  • "Let me just quickly check this wiring"

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                    • My pink shoes are amazing

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                      • Jealous! Would love to do Croft and that's just from watching it on btcc and old games! long chalk up to get there :-(

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                        • I was so tempted to book last minute but just couldn't find the time but there's no doubt Croft is the nearest (so now my local) track so its only a matter of time

                          Especially now it comes so highly recommended (y)

                          L.

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                          • After what has been an awesome 14 years owning my GTE I thought it was time for a fresh..?engine rebuild. There you were thinking I was selling, haha. It?s been 10 years since the lump was road worthy and with it getting smokier after each track day I feel now is the time to freshen it up for the coming years of abuse.

                            It?s been sat on my trailer since Croft in August so early November this happened.



                            Project powered car dolly anyone?







                            Final resting place before disassembly.



                            I knew my smoky issue was the bottom end as the head was refreshed a couple of years ago by Andy at Cylinder Head Developments due to a weeping valve and stem seals. As it?ll be in pieces I?ll take it to him again for a clean and new stem seals as I?d be daft not getting it done.

                            Strip began mid last month.







                            My funky baffled windage tray which I?ll be replacing with baffled alloy sump I?ve had sitting in stock for five years!



                            Crank bolt came off surprisingly easily to say it?s done up effing tight so I could get the oil pump off.





                            The issue I believe to be piston rings and going by the vertical bore scoring I don?t think I?m too far off, ouch.



                            Cleaned the piston tops best I could using oven cleaner.



                            Visually checked the rings and nothing obvious but after 10 plus years of hard work with me plus the time in use prior to myself it?s time to fit new.



                            Pistons and rods stripped

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                            • Crank looks good but I?ll get it checked and polished. It still measures up by me as being in STD spec for shells but I?ll see what the exports have to say when I take it in.



                              Big end shells all good but will be replaced.



                              Mains have a few scrapes but nothing too major but again will be replaced



                              With the block fully stripped I took it to AP Racing Engines to get Andrew Parkers opinion on the bore scoring and pistons. He confirmed what I thought and the block was dead if I wanted to keep it at 87mm bore with my pistons looking fine but recommend getting them vapour blasted to fully clean them. I have looked into 88mm bore but it opens up a whole world of pain with having to get the head tickled for clearance, brand new pistons as well as having to use Cometic head gaskets so I?m just not going there. So new block time which I have already sourced but waiting on a few things to line up before I can get my hands on it.





                              Got the cams removed and head ready for Andy at Cylinder Head Developments. Will be dropping it there soon for a freshen up.



                              Tappets had a petrol bath after I split them last week and have now all been oiled and back together working like new. Remember kids, it?s not flat Coke so don?t drink it.





                              Pistons before vapour blasting.





                              As new and looking like they are painted silver after being vapour blasted. If you don?t know what vapour blasting is click me.







                              That?s if for now so will probably have more over the coming weeks and months.


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                              • These pistons look surprisingly good for 10 years...
                                I can share my experience, that block is first item to give up in these engines, I am replacing block once every two years, I have omega 86.5mm pistons. Middle and lover part of sleeve obtains ellipse shape.

                                Has anyone some information how c20xe sleeves were made? Does sleeve metal gets softer as you bore to bigger size?
                                Somewhere in depths of internet there was mention that X20XEV block would be better choice, but when I actually compared them there were several differences in oil pan, which made me to use regular c20xe block instead. This got me thinking, has x20xev actually more durable sleeves, or are they considered better just for their girdle?

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