1989 gte rebuild

[Vinci]

Re: 1989 gte rebuild

Yikes! I've got one too, glad I replaced the porous hoses on the set two days ago!!

[BenH]

Re: 1989 gte rebuild

Backfires only happen when the torch is too hot, you need a bigger size tip and less gas pressure probley. Do you have the arresters on the torch or bottle, should be on the bottles really incase a hose gets damaged and flash's back.

The oxy set does a wonderful job on creme brulee, yum

[DarrenH]

Re: 1989 gte rebuild

ive not owned or used one, never really thought about it before, so acetylene is still catastrophically flammable in normal "air"? pure oxygen is just used as accelerant in those sets ?

[tonka666]

Re: 1989 gte rebuild

I would love an oxy set its the only thing i am really lacking now in terms of metal working. It makes rusted and broken bolts no longer a challenge too. If it gets to the point when it can pay for itself then it will be part of my kit but can't justify it just for mucking about with my own cars.

[BenH]

Re: 1989 gte rebuild

Well mine was £50 all in! With a full large oxy bottle and a half full large acetylene bottle!

If you are just cutting and heating you can use oxy-propane, will be cheaper I keep meaning to get a propane hose and reg to save the acetylenefor welding only. The thing with acetylene is that it burns clean and only makes Co2 and water so it shields the weld, yes acetylene is that flamable though any gas could of done that.
The trouble with acetylene is that it can detonate and flash back into the bottle apperently, hence the flashback arrestors on the reg.
The acetylene in the bottle is stored in a honeycomb matrix dissolved in acetone to make it safer, as it can explode under pressure hence why if you have a fire they have to evacuate a large area around the bottles.

They say you should treat a acetylene like a person in a fire and evacuate it to a safe place, in a way I would prefer smaller bottles but it's what mine came with. I used to have a small porta pack in my works van though that was a touch too small really, but with a small propane cylinder for cutting and heating would last a long time.

If you are sensible with the bottles they will be no problem, just keep it near a door or locked up outside and get valve ocd!

If you do get a used one avoid the sealey made and type setup, get a BOC saffire welding torch and 2 stage regs. The dillion henrob pistol type torch is meant to be very good as well, though with the saffire you can unscrew the top and fit a cutting lance if you dont have a seperate cutting torch.

I honestly could not of done what I've done to my car without one, brazing is so very handy for small parts. But I really should get another mig, though I'm toying with the idea of another dc only tig. I used to have a small inverter dc tig and it was good, just far to small really @ 80A and the duty cycle was rubbish at that! As what I need to weld speed is not important and I like the control of dipping the filler rod in.

[tonka666]

Re: 1989 gte rebuild

Isnt there a yearly charge for the bottles or is there a way around it ? or am i getting confused with something else?

[BenH]

Re: 1989 gte rebuild

Yes, so will be cheaper on small bottles. I dont have a account, but I know somone who does so I can swap my bottles over

If you got a mid size rig on ebay say and used propane for cutting/heating, it will last years on the acet. Just get a account for oxy as it's more availble for all sorts inc medical.

[tonka666]

Re: 1989 gte rebuild

It would just really be for cutting and heating anyway though i need to learn to weld properly one day but don't really need anything more than my mig at the moment. Are the small bottles like the smaller co2 just pay the deposit on the bottle once and then just pay for refills?

[BenH]

Re: 1989 gte rebuild

I'd just go for a oxy propane set then the cutting torch is the same just a different tip, you can always add a welding torch and act line and reg later. Adams do a small oxy cylinder for not too much

[BenH]

Re: 1989 gte rebuild

After a trip to the Vauxhall heritage shed today and a nice big sunday roast I got a few more bits back on. Sump back on, a few other little jobs made tidy and the oil pressure sender tested against a gauge with the airline. It was fair few psi out so hunted in the box of stuff and tried a few others till I found a well calibrated one, then mounted that in the block and a spare pressure switch in the pump.

Word of warning if you are fitting a late xev pump the big nut over the oilfilter is a different size to early xe/8v pump, vauxhall does not include it with the pump either! Thankfully I had one out of the used pump I got hold off so that was sorted as well. Though I only found this out after drilling a spare one to make a take off for a mechanical oil pressure gauge to double check everything, I will have to take the switch back out to test that now.

[BenH]

Re: 1989 gte rebuild

Couple more bits back on, sump bolts nipped up now the sealant has gone off and some flushing oil in the sump

90psi oil pressure cold and just on the starter with no plugs in.. Soon be time for a run up

[Vinci]

Re: 1989 gte rebuild

Nice! Hope all is going to be well soon now!!

Can't wait to see a video of it purring!

[BenH]

Re: 1989 gte rebuild

Have you been tango'd?

I was given a sample of yet unreleased candy orange powder, tbh needs a little works as it came out blotchy
Would of liked at least one perfect thing on my very shonky astra, but hey ho the colour is fantastical.
It's a powder primer, mercury silver basecoat, then a glitter with a dusting of silver to gold transition glitter with the orange candy over the top.



Astra GTE by ben a.k.a me, on Flickr


Astra GTE by ben a.k.a me, on Flickr


Astra GTE by ben a.k.a me, on Flickr


Astra GTE by ben a.k.a me, on Flickr

Looks really good from 5ft away, almost pornographic. Just need some michelin PE3 rubber now to wrap round them

[tonka666]

Re: 1989 gte rebuild

Loving the Bling! I know where to go for some candy pink wheels for the merit

[BenH]

Re: 1989 gte rebuild

Loving the Bling! I know where to go for some candy pink wheels for the merit

Can do pink lol, though the candy (royal) blue is very good indeed.