GTE valver fast road/track car project

[Harvey]

If you?re a regular reader you?ll remember I wasn?t happy with my new seat bases as I felt they didn?t support thighs and were rather flat. I received a txt to say my modified bases were ready so popped over to Cube Camper Upholstery and I wasn?t disappointed.

Original seat base on the left with new modified on the right with extra thigh support built-up.



I?ve had both drivers and passenger bases done as below. I did contact Cobra but they can no longer supply this version base with the crutch strap front slit and only offer the ProFit cushions which I didn?t want as I liked these earlier versions.



The part your bum sits on is original fabric as is the underside as it used Velcro to secure it in place. The rest is completely new and a perfect match for the original fabric, even the original silver/white stitching was replicated.

[Ian T]

Nice work as always. Too easy to forget that these upholsterers are out there working such magic in repairing and replacing OE stuff in ways that you can't tell from original.

[Harvey]

I moved my top mount positions to give me more camber so this wasn?t all done via the new adjustable arms as this could put extra stress on the CVs. It?s a good starting point come the time I get the alignment done. I?m hoping to get 2 degree of camber and going by a friends setup around 4 degree of caster. The top fixing bolts are temporary until it?s fully aligned and then I?ll swap back to upward facing thread locked bolts and nuts.





A job I?ve put off for way to long is the drivers side heater vent hosing. Since fitting the Corsa C EPAS I had to butcher the plastic air feed as it didn?t fit and I only had 100mm alloy ducting to hand at the time. This was slit down its length and botched into place. I?ve now purchased a 1m x 45mm diameter silicone air feed.

I had to cut the old feed out as it wasn?t playing nicely.



I used a mix of duck tape and 50mm insulation tape as well as trimming yet more from the OE plastic ends. Due to the through dash cage the vent backing on the drivers side got modified long ago and was still holding up and working percectly. As the new hose is extremely flexible I?m able to install and remove it in one piece which is handy should I even need to.







Painted some new centre caps for the OZ wheels and I?m rather pleased with them as they came out well after 2x primer, 2x top coats and 2x lacquer all from rattle cans with no extra finishing.



The gearbox hasn?t been overlooked as I purchased a Quaife 0.958 ratio 5th gear a few months ago that I spotted going cheap on eBay, it was a very lucky find if I?m honest as these go for over ?300 new. My existing 1.040 5th will be a bit short for Snetterton back straight as I?m hoping to do the 300 circuit later this year. If you recall a few years ago I did fit a 0.870 5th bit this was horrible for circuit use as it dropped the rpm below the power band from 4th to 5th so it got removed and sold on. I?m hoping the 0.958 5th will be a nice compromise so I?ll find out when I use the car next.

Theoretical speed examples at 7,000rpm for the different 5th gears using a 4.2 final
1.040 ? 108.1mph
0.958 ? 117.4mph
0.870 ? 129.2mph

Box ready to have the end cover removed.



Existing 1.040 5th prior to removal.



5th gear removed.



The new 0.958 5th ready for fitting. Yes the machining on the left gear is correct, no idea what it?s for but all Quaife 5th are all like that.



Fitting is reversal to removal so I didn't bother taking anymore pictures.

[DarrenH]

mega update! i got all sentimental and thought about offering to buy the block back (because theres always 87.5 or 88) but have 2 engines as it is

that weird spiral groove on the 5th, wonder if its some kind of helix oil slinger for its clutch/hub.

[Harvey]

Slow and steady progress has been continuing as I collected the block after it?s re-bore and hone to 87mm a couple of weeks ago.





I then found this on my shelf which I use on calipers, perfect.



This was after one coat, I?ve since added a second covering and it?s looking good.





While the block was getting done I had the crank polished and my measurements double checked by Manx Engines and it?s still within STD tolerances, so I order the bearings which arrived the other week.



The inlet manifold was looking a little tatty in ?race red?.



So I stripped it using a wire brush and drill attachment wire wheels.





It then got masked off, a couple of etch primer and satin black top coats and looks loads better in ?motorsport black?.

[1800turbogte]

Nice

[Harvey]

I popped up to Noble Motorsport the other week to collect my bottom end moving parts after having them all dynamically balanced and weigh matched. It?s not something many home engine builders would bother doing but as it?s me I thought I?d do things properly.



The block finally got bolted to my engine stand for its build to begin.



The rods, pistons, pins, clips and new rings all get set matching during the work at Nobles so I grouped them into cylinder no.1, no.2 etc and checked the rings gaps for each and every new ring in its new bore. The top and 2x oil rings all measured 0.30mm (0.012?) with the 2^nd ring measuring 0.60mm (0.024?), that?s for each new ring pack per bore so all spot on.



My rings came with this guide to help you identify and install them correctly. For my rings the top had no markings and no inner bevel so can go either way round. The 2^nd ring had markings stamped as per the picture so goes stamps facing upwards. The upper and lower oil rings go either way round as mine were the 3-piece Nifflex type.





An important note goes to the ring gap locations when assembling and before install into the bore so I used this guide as a help. The ring gap locations are on the last page.

It was then the exciting crank installation work with the new shells fitted and doused with engine assembly lube which is mega sticky



Main caps installed and again lots of assembly lube.



Oil pump and water pump next with a new front crank seal fitted.



Then the crank bolt got torqued to its 250Nm and 45 degrees using my massive long bar!



As I got covered in running in oil I didn?t get any pictures of the rod and piston with new rings being assembled but rest assured it got very oily and slippery. You use running in oil to lube the bores and piston rings as assembly lube can stop the rings bedding in correctly.



I dug out a proper baffled sump I had made way back in 2013 so dry assembled the windage tray, Z20LET modified oil pickup and sump to make sure the pickup cleared the sump and the good news is all is fine down there. That?s it for now folks with more to follow soon.

[AndyGee]

Fantastic work Harvey, massive attention to detail..
A wee question if you don't mind, you mention "Running-In" Oil, how do you Run-In a Track Day Car Engine?

I have never been on a Track day, but it all seems to be a Balls Out thrashing on the Engine from the minute the flag goes down..

Good luck with the rest of the Engine Rebuild..

[Harvey]

Very good question and to answer I have a couple of options. Providing I get it built in super quick time I can get it on the road as it is road legal & has an MOT until late next month. Option two, my preferred option, is to get the bedding in done on a rolling road. We'll see what happens when it's all together & hopefully working!

[Harvey]

Finally got my head back from CHD a couple of weeks ago so cracked on with completing the build. ARP studs and Elring head gasket going on.



Andy did a sterling job with the head and it was that clean I would have happily of licked it all day long but I had an engine to build and fit.



Exhaust ports all looked perfect as did the inlet.





Ultra clean prior to the cams going in.



To save boring you with loads of needless pics, check back in my previous posts for them, fan fair please?the engine is built, timed and ready for installation.



The following day I got cracking and mated the gearbox to the engine on a wheel dolly before wheeling it out of the shed and under the car. 10 minutes later all the engine mount holes lined up and bish bash bosh it was in.





A few hours later and it was all connected and plumbed and fired straight up after priming the oil pump to get oil pressure.



It ran lovely and all was going well until the following day and I noticed an oil drip which turned out to be a tiny crack at the rear of the sump just above the drain bold where the baffle was welded in.



I tried having this fixed in position but alas it wasn?t having any of it so last Friday it got removed and I borrowed a mates spare baffled sump so I could get the car to the wheel alignment the following day. So there I was at 21:30 finishing off fitting the replacement sump on the Friday evening.

[Harvey]

Last Saturday I trailered the car to MG Auto Motorsport for the wheel alignment. Having the eccentric top mounts meant we could adjust the camber using these and left the front Rose Joint (RJ) set as they were. I was aiming for 2 degree camber and 4 degree caster but as the RJ for the caster on the passenger side was wound all the way in a giving exactly 5 degree we opted to move the drivers side out to match and I ended up with the figures below which I?m more than happy with.





I taxed the car Monday this week and popped out for my first drive with the rebuilt engine to help bed the rings. All was going well so I decided to pull over and check all was good under the hood. I then noticed a puff of smoke from the front and glanced at the oil pressure/temp and all was good. Having pulled up into a layby as planned I smelt oil and then saw this, see below. I quickly turned it off after glanced at the oil pressure/temp again which looked fine.



Closer inspection I noticed the Mocal oil thermostat securing nut had ground on the drive shaft now it had been moved forwards a few mm with more caster. Must have happened after I had careered around a sharp left meaning load was on the right-hand side of the car. With oil everywhere I called the wife to drag me back home on the fixed bar, she was very obliging and get a box of Maltesers for her valiant rescue effort.



Tuesday night I removed the Mocal sandwich plate and you can see the damage to it below. After draining all the oil I had 3.5L left in the engine so around 1L had squirted out the tiny hole and covered everything in sight helped by the spinning driveshaft. I?m very lucky I?ve not damaged the engine rebuild as 3.5L is the lower limit you can run the engine with plus the oil pressure/temp were good when I turned it off.



I stripped out the remaining oil cooler parts and have opted to bed the engine in without a cooler over the next week before the MOT. Not running the cooler will be perfectly safe but I have a plan to replace the Mocal sandwich plate with an OE later version which is slimmer off an Astra mk3/Cavalier/Calibra so watch this space.



All in all a very busy few weeks on the GTE and it?s running fine, drives nicely and I?ll soon have the few issues resolved and another track day booked, hopefully this time with less smoke.

[Harvey]

It?s been a few weeks since my oil slick disaster but rest assured I?ve now fully recovered after receiving counselling sessions from my wife. After removing the oil cooler I managed to get in just over 100 road miles prior to the MOT, which incidentally it flew through. Huge thanks to Matt at Betta Fit Auto Centre for the MOT, a proper garage I know I can fully trust.



Next up was to sort an OE oil stat so massive thanks to Iain, whose Nova is always a right faff, for the free donation. May I present a later spec Astra mk3 sandwich plate on the right as these are a more slim design than the early Astra mk2 version. Note the rear fitting stat as opposed to the Mocal side fitting stat which points directly at the drive shaft.



I them popped to a local hydraulics company and sourced myself M16 to 1/2BSP adaptors for my oil cooler pipes.



Oil cooler kit ready for refitting as I?d covered over my allotted 100 miles of ring bedding in. I also dropped the Millers CRO oil and popped yet another new oil filter on and sploshed in Millers CFS 10w60.







Loads of clearance from the oil stat to the driver shaft now. This is on full left lock but not under drivers side spring compression.



Next job was to tackle the front inner rim rubbing on the new RJ arms as the drivers side was cause for concern so I nibbled a few mm from the fitting. The wheels will always touch the arms square on until I sort the lock stop (plan formulating) but the drivers side was scraping the front to rear arm fitting.

[Harvey]

I?ve got my sump repaired by the mystical guru we all know as ?The Steg? so a massive thanks to the welding genius, chewing gun springs to mind. It?s not pretty, it?s not fancy but it is practical and a water leak test has proved it?s good to go so I?ll refit it when Iain moans he wants his spare baffled sump back that I currently have fitted.



I?ve had a few issues with my battery so decided after running my current PC680 for 5 years I?d upgrade to the PC950. Both are similar sizes with the PC680 weighing 7 kg and the PC950 9kg but has over twice the cranking power. Weight isn?t a concern for me but we all like facts and figures, more spec info here.

Out with the old.



Side by side comparison.



Fitted using new rivnut locations on the rear of the passenger foot rest. The wiring was just enough to not have to mod anything.



Not related to my battery wows but I noticed the alternator I fitted 7 years ago wasn?t pumping out 14v on idle with no load that is was when fitted. I tested and it only reached 14v from 2,000rpm and above but when load was added such as the headlights it dropped to 12.8v so barely topping the battery at any rpm above 2K. Below 2k with load it was actually reading 12.3v so supping power from the battery. A fully charged Odyssey battery is 12.6v being the same for both my old and new batteries. Researching further I believe the issue is the rectifier as the diodes can become damaged from heat over time, I?ve got a brand new spare rectifier but also had a brand new 45amp alternator so the decision was made to replace and not fix. I sourced the 45amp version shortly after I bought the 40amp as both were silly cheap.

Suspect 40amp on the left with brand spanker 45amp on the right. You can only just make out the 45amp is a teeny weeny bit larger if you squint.





Being so tiny I was able to squeeze the alternator with its mounting bracket attached through the gap from the top of the engine so a rather painless exercise to replace. This is the 45amp going back in.



All fitted and ready for testing. I just managed to fit the 4pk805 belt used on the 40amp on the slightly larger 45amp but ideally I require a 4pk815. In multi rubbed belts 4pk meant 4 peak and the next number 805 is the total length in millimetres.



I fired the car into life and let it settle for a few mins so the bushes on the new alternator could settle in. Straight away I could see it looked better as the dash LCD voltage monitor was showing above 12v. During testing I found anything below 14.10v and the LCD would drop to show 12v.



This is idle voltage with no load applied.




This was at or above 2k with no load.



This was full load above 2k with headlights, rear fog lights, interior light, rad fan and heater fans on full power. I?ve not got many electrics in the car as that?s it!



Full load at idle, as expected its supping battery power but not by much below the 12.6v fully charged state for the battery. I?d never be running full load at idle anyway and with one or two items turned off it was showing above 13v. A wise decision to change the alternator now and not to get caught before it became a major issue and wasn?t charging at all.



Last but not least I?m a happy bunny, no post Easter pun intended, after running a hot compression test now that it?s run in. About bang on give or take a few PSI in all four cylinders and feels so smooth once up to operating temps.

[DarrenH]

according to AC delco sheet the 3rd sector on LCD dash marked as 12, represents the bracket of 12.7 volts through 14.

cylinder pressures look very healthy, and even !

[Harvey]

Curiosity got the better of me so I stripped the suspect 40amp alternator to find the rectifier had a rather crispy diode. I had a spare known good rectifier so after repairing a couple of wires coming from the stator and replacing the failed part I tested it on the car and it?s kicking out 14.10v idle with no load and 14.51v at 2k with no load. Decided to leave it fitted knowing it?s fixed and I have a fully working spare should it/when it goes faulty again. Digging around I found a brand new replacement rectifier for ?12 delivered on fleeBay so they aren?t mega expensive if I had required a new one. For my info the rectifier is 83mm OD and part no.INR723 for the 40amp and 90mm OD and part no.INR724 for the 45amp.