DarrenHs' GTE16v, second edition

[Ian T]

Re: DarrenHs' GTE16v version 2.0

i just took the heater fan out in my lunch break. i'll try and do a pictorial "stop it from screaching" strip down.

I've been there too. I did what everyone acknowledges is the wrong thing and lubricated the motor bearings with WD40 to free them (previously seized solid) and then some 3 in 1 oil to stop them drying out again.

2 years on now and still working, although I'll admit it's still not running freely enough to start itself up on speed 1. Fine once going, and no screeching noises anywhere.

Ian.

[DarrenH]

Re: DarrenHs' GTE16v version 2.0

not dash out ross, just the centre binnacle. the bit that the cassette trays are in, and the heater controls/ head unit section.

[DarrenH]

Re: DarrenHs' GTE16v version 2.0

some random strip down photos.

heres the motor housing out of the car. to get to this stage you have to take the wiper arms off, take the scuttle panel off, unplug the multi plug on the motor, then remove 2 screws holding the motor housing to the bulkhead (one screw hole pictured)



next you pop 2 large clips on either side of the motor housing and the upper clam shell comes off revealing the motor and turbine







heres the far end of the armature, corrosion, carbon brush dust, rust, all sorts of crud in there



to get the motor and turbine out of the lower half of the housing its just 2 screws with a strap over the motor case.





pop the motor out and you get this, yuck !





since most of whats causing the problems is carbon dust off the brushes and other airborn contaminants, i decided to run half a litre of brake cleaner through the armature. should have seen the river of black liquid that came out the other end. awesome! i gave the motor loads of spins as i flushed it, so that the brushes have a good scrub on the commutor contacts. and soak through the motor axle bushes



i did study the motor and turbine for about half an hour. i cant see any way to separate the parts. i think the turbine is pressed on the motor output shaft at the factory, and the end buttoned over like a rivet. to separate them now would rule out ever being able to reassmble them.

gave the motor housing halves a good scrub too.



right now the motor is in the airing cupboard to have a good dry out over night. all that i'm going to tommorow is put some teflon grease on the commutor and brushes so they can run in again.

as you can see from the first pictures, the stainless motor axle runs in a bronze bush at either end of the motor carcass. bronze is self lubricating, very resistant to friction and seizing so i think adding oil based lubricants will be futile in the long run. probably bake and gum the axle up slightly.

[Ian T]

Re: DarrenHs' GTE16v version 2.0

I agree about the oil based lubricant idea - that's what I thought about mine. Having said that, mine wasn't in functional condition when I had a go at it. I spotted the pressed in look of the parts, couldn't see any way to separate them either.

Thinking about it, without all that crud in the housing, it ought to be slightly quieter and more efficient.

I'll be interested to see if the squeak goes if reassembled with dry bearings.

Ian.

[DarrenH]

Re: DarrenHs' GTE16v version 2.0

i think if it still squeeks i'll have no option other than resort to plan B, drown it in WD40. or plan C, see if the daewoo nexia uses the same motor. (infact i might pre-empt and ask the fella who built the nexia gte)

the biggest culprit for my squeeking is the brushes and commutor to be honest. i could hear it thundering over the breaks. the brushes themselves look ok, i popped one out which was hella tricky getting the spring back in through the blades of the turbine.

[Ian T]

Re: DarrenHs' GTE16v version 2.0

Nexia is rather different...

Kev swapped the bulkhead iirc to get rid of the altered position, which was moer over towards the NS iirc.

Ian.

[DarrenH]

Re: DarrenHs' GTE16v version 2.0

i was just checking his thread. yeah the nexia uses a long lozenge shape motor housing in the skuttle. arse!

[DarrenH]

Re: DarrenHs' GTE16v version 2.0

oh and GM parts list updated. vauxhall have standard cat replacement, rear section/backbox at the factory. germany have 14 of the centre sections. so all in all i can get an entire geniune GM gte16v exhaust which i'm quite chuffed with

ordered the NLS front wishbone bushes from germany too.

engine mounts and strut top mounts are going to have to be pattern parts. not so fussed about the engine mounts as any weakness will be ruled out by me vulcanising the gaps anyway. top mounts, will go down the 1.7 diesel top mounts again from partco. or if not will convert to mk3 setup

[GTE16v]

Re: DarrenHs' GTE16v version 2.0

Ironically, The original back box off that/your car is hanging out of the back of my Dads Champion. I bought it off James last year when he fitted the after market exhaust to yours.

Standard Spec Rocks!

[DarrenH]

Re: DarrenHs' GTE16v version 2.0

yeah its a great exhaust system as standard, dimensions and design. the manifold is where the gains are to be had, up to a certain level of tune imho.

meanwhile, another lunch time mechanics session has the motor back in and humming away lovely, even on level 1 !! i did a vid to prove it which i will post up later lol!

battery was only sat ontop of the tray and ontop of the clamp, and the terminal clamps were finger tight also (i.e slid right off). so sorted that out too

[johnl]

Re: DarrenHs' GTE16v version 2.0

Glad to hear your making progresss.

[DarrenH]

Re: DarrenHs' GTE16v version 2.0

meanwhile, another lunch time mechanics session has the motor back in and humming away lovely, even on level 1 !! i did a vid to prove it which i will post up later lol!

yay !

http://www.astra-mk2.com/0ddball/gte_ver2.0/Movie_0001.wmv

mobile phones have quite a sensitve ear i think. it was almost silent to me, thrum of the blades.

that was on speed 1

[DanDare]

Re: DarrenHs' GTE16v version 2.0

Mmm, interesting reading. I think i'll have to have a go at this 'de-screaching' malarky, lol.

[Dannyc]

Re: DarrenHs' GTE16v version 2.0

Thanks for that Darren.

I'll add this job to my to do list. (which never seems to end)

[DarrenH]

Re: DarrenHs' GTE16v version 2.0

old saint nic' came a bit early today

thats about 75% of my parts wishlist, a few pages back. most expensive items were the distributor cap (42 quid trade club) and rear engine mount (30)



centre section (£31 trade club, all the way from germany) cat replacement (£27 trade club, from UK) and back box (£122 trade club, from UK)



these next bits are quite special. when i came back from my vauxhall dealer with a bunch of N.L.S. parts from my wishlist, i decided to do a random google search on the part number for the missing interior trim piece...



the 3rd result was on a pdf file of part numbers hosted on a website called opel-classicparts in germany. when i navigated to the root website it was a website dedicated to discontinued parts and other services, much like vauxhall heritage over here. anyway, they had my missing bit of trim in anthracite, brand new old stock, also the front wishbone bushes which i bought 4 of to stock pile (2 to use, 2 spares) and lastly some brand new old stock seat rail trims in anthracite. so i made an order last week and they arrived yesterday!!! top site.







the two other remaining parts to find were the front door lever trims. just from this thread alone i got two offers of spares, one from JohnL who picked one up from his local dealer for me, and one from harvey. both are brand new. big thanks to both you guys



lastly, another thanks to harvey for supplying me a full car set of vinyl decals for after my respray and bodywork