A bit of an update, decided to press on and finish building the new engine. Intentions didn’t last long. Fitted newly ground crank, needed a 3ft breaker bar to turn the thing. Probably cause is the middle bearing with the thrust faces. There is no end float at all, even when trial fitting to crank out of the block. Tried a couple of suggestions from **** to no avail. Crank needs to go back to Connaught Engineering-for them to do the job properly imo.

 

The block is cross bolted so fitting ARP mains bolts with matching cross bolts. At least I would have done if the cross bolts were the right length. All 5mm too short compared with standard bolts. Not enough thread to fit the dowty washers on some of them.

 

As usual, too much to expect a proper job and all the correct parts supplied.

 

 

Doh...  Sounds like a lot of wasted effort there and I'm guessing  there were a few swear words uttered!!

1 hour ago, skomaz said:

Doh...  Sounds like a lot of wasted effort there and I'm guessing  there were a few swear words uttered!!

 

Yep, a right PITA.. especially as I coated it all in graphogen, messy stuff which gets everywhere, worse than CV grease. Looks like they’ve ground the crank for the oversize bearings except the thrust faces so it’s way too tight.

A belated happy new year to all and a huge thank you to everyone for supporting the thread with over 25,000 views.. amazing, thanks again.  

 

Not a huge amount of news, took the car out briefly on Boxing Day to the petrol station and back lol. Crank is back at the engineers, I’ve lost the will to live with them, they are now saying the wrong bearings were supplied, which doesn’t make sense, given that the “right” ones are bigger still... ffs. Put it on hold for the moment otherwise I’ll end up loosing it with them., bloody muppets.

 

In other news, looking for a bit of a hack as the daily drivers going, decided to go cheap and cheerful for now as the work situation is up in the air, with some options including possible early retirement. Did almost pick up an Alfa Brera diseasal but saw the light, too much wrong and needing some remedial work before I could use it, including cambelt, service, glow plugs leaking and possible rusty front subframe.. the usual alfa issues.

 

Got my eye on something else, it’s as rare as rocking horse poo, manual ones anyhow.. just needs a remap, bigger wheels privacy glass and a vanity plate lol. All will be revealed in due course.  

 

 

Edited 4 January, 20188 yr by B33fy

OK I'll start the guessing - V8 Soarer...

52 minutes ago, skomaz said:

OK I'll start the guessing - V8 Soarer...

 

Lol no chance they look horrible..  deposit paid advert pulled, so be amazed.. here it is C30 D5 manual R Design., bargain!

 

1 hour ago, B33fy said:

 

Lol no chance they look horrible..  deposit paid advert pulled, so be amazed.. here it is C30 D5 manual R Design., bargain!

 

 

He he - the Soarer was the only thing I could think of quickly that was rare (for a good reason) and didn't usually come as a manual!

 

C30 looks good - I always liked the old 480's as well (I remember test driving one back in 1990...   but then discounted it because of the insurance costs)

Nice! D5 is rare in the manual -the slushbox was rubbish - Pre-facelift just looked so much betterthan the later ones. Enjoy!

Still love the c30s, and a manual d5 is a rarity indeed. A remap will see that keep up with most things on the road worth much more. Never liked the grey and white seats, so much so I had my old ones in my c30 changed to black. Look forward to seeing what you do to it.

14 hours ago, mattievrs said:

Still love the c30s, and a manual d5 is a rarity indeed. A remap will see that keep up with most things on the road worth much more. Never liked the grey and white seats, so much so I had my old ones in my c30 changed to black. Look forward to seeing what you do to it.

 

Thanks Mattie, not planning going on doing much to be homest. I’ve gotta get that V8 in the viento and smarten it up a bit. Got a road trip in mind which might happen sooner rather than later, depending on work  There’s a bit of a bucket list of places including the transfagarasan pass I want to hit if I can.

 

Swmbos gone all sentimental on her late fathers vanity plate,  so I might throw that on the car and depending on the state of the wheels might get a set of black BBS rims, Polestar style for it. I agree with the light seat panels, a bit pants, might look at some options. I’m not envisaging keeping it for long so just want to keep it serviced and tidy and get a fair price for it when I move it on.

Interesting choice Mike,

thought you had thoughts a on a VW Caddy!

Look forward to hearing about it.

Got the car back from Wiltshire after an early morning trip and accident strewn return trip on the M25. Car is great, really chuffed with it, no rattles, shakes, noises etc, really drives well. Merc is quite nippy with 300bhp, Jay did a pretty good job keeping up with 180bhp, 400nm torques though. The dpf should be totally clean now lol.

 

Its now at Jays garage, Snodhurst Services, for a check over, fluid and filters change and alloy wheel refurb. Also bought a set of V40 R Design seats with a view to swapping the covers over. If it’s too much hassle, will probably look at getting a price to swap the white seat panels out with alcantara. If it’s half reasonable might be the way to go.

 

Gave up for now looking for a caddy, most were silly money with silly mileage. 

 

 

Edited 7 January, 20188 yr by B33fy

Image from the return Journey, couldn't upload it on the previous post for some reason.. oh and a sunrise I took on the way there in Wiltshire.. it was an early start!!

 

 

 

 

 

Quick update.. Engine build hopefully back on track, managed to bag a brand new old stock crank for not a lot of dosh, just got to go miles to get it. 

Bored tonight, so messing about with my camera, Volvo is now on the drive, grabbed this shot using the available light  using bracketing (it was seriously dark, street lights are crap round here),took three shots +/-2 stops, blended the shots together using HDR software, then adjusted basic settings. First shot more "normal" than second, take your pick..

 

 

Man, that sunrise shot a couple of posts back is seriously stunning.

17 minutes ago, Wino said:

Man, that sunrise shot a couple of posts back is seriously stunning.

 

Thanks Wino, much appreciated.  

Crank now in situ, with ARP mains bolts and standard cross bolts, the supplied ARP bolts were too short.. All torqued up and rotating nicely with 5 thou of end float.

 

 

 

Edited 21 January, 20188 yr by B33fy

Looks a bit more promising then with some clearance...

Had a mad 5 minutes and did the head gaskets on the viento. Used elring gaskets again, though with brand new stretch bolts this time rather than the reusable bolts. Had to use a 3ft breaker bar to tighten up. Fired up ok but noticed some arcing on one of the HT leads which had broken down. Made up a new one with a few spares and swapped it out.

 

Decided to run up to the service station, had to stop after snaking through the village, felt like a rear wheel was a bit wayward. Everything checked out, basically engine now giving proper power, greasy conditions and me driving like I stole it.. 

 

Out on a photoshoot run with Mark and his kit first thing tomorrow, he’s been off the road for a little while after some drunks moved some boulders to the middle of the road and he collected them up back in October.

 

Will grab some car type shots and post an update.

Car ran well, cold but fun. good wonder around Whitstable, not spent any time there previously, a few of my efforts below..

 

 

Love the c30. The d5 makes a great sound

Work has taken a bit of a turn, was expecting to be all done by mid March then early retirement.. at home this week, email out the blue this morning, then phone conversation late afternoon with one of the directors.. job offer on the table, pretty good one at that. A few details need to be firmed up then I’ll be sorted.  

Resurrected the merc.. Swmbos Civic stuck in the garage for non folding folding mirrors, been there a while, looking like a misbuilt loom according to the boffs at Swindon. 

 

Fingers crossed out tomorrow in the car, meeting James and Jill for a bit of a run to the 1066 cafe, they’ve acquired a new caterham so are itching to get out.

 

Committed to a trip to the Rhône Alps in May, money paid so no going back.. not sure of the details though it includes a 600 mile muncher first day, then 5 nights somewhere between Grenoble and Mont Blanc. Not sure of final numbers, 6-10 in a variety of kits and sports cars. Looking forward to it.. except the fuel bills lol

 

On the photography front, an image from a recent trip to Dungeness, seems to liked by a few people elsewhere.

 

Not a great day at the office all told, hit two deer after leaving the 1066 on the B2089 towards Rye. They came out of nowhere, glanced off one, full strike on the second one. Thought it was coming over the top into the car. Car still drivable, Gashed the side of the deer, went back to look, it had scarpered. Some damage to car, at best headlight/bracket, cycle wing and geometry Will take a closer look once my nerves have settled down   Other than that, great run with great company. Banter included weddings, stab vests, Lords and pikeys, pretty much all in the same sentence.  

Edited 11 February, 20188 yr by B33fy