Beef's scratch built ditchmeister

[B33fy]

Day 2. Breakfast poop so not a good start. Got going then got lost 50 metres from the hotel!!! Satnavs sending us in all directions, those that had then anyhow. Those without were just lost.

 

A Quick regroup and managed to find our way out of town, another full on country road blat to the coffee break, Road conditions poor with wet and greasy roads. Coffee break at a golf course, then another 65 miles to lunch. Hooked up with Rob and Phil for this section. Did a three car overtake in close formation, then a sudden hard right turn, well timed by Phil!! God know what the cars behind thought..

 

I broke away then and skipped lunch as time was getting on and rain was forecast for 1730 near the destination. Grabbed an image on the way showing the general direction of the mountains. I ended up up dipping into Switzerland (sat nav) then autoroute to Allevard. Got soaked with the rain and thunderstorms, not before I stopped and put crash helmet and waterproofs on. Water still finds it’s way in regardless. At hotel at around 1800. 

 

 

[B33fy]

Day 2. A couple of images from the day including the view from the hotel.

 

 

 

Edited 27 May, 2018 by B33fy

[B33fy]

Did a few Gorges and a couple of balcony roads, images speak for themselves tbh, little more I can add, other than ragging the car around a load of hairpins sideways chasing an Elise. Lol.

 

 

[B33fy]

A couple more on a balcony road, you drive real slow on these bad boys, 2000ft shear drops..

 

 

[B33fy]

Bailed out back to Blighty this morning, not really enjoying the trip except yesterday mornings section.  The weather was one of the factors and it was due to get worse and didn’t really fancy being holed up in the budget hotel. Not sure what time I left the hotel, must have been around 0830ish, got to the tunnel around 5pm. A few delays meant I arrived home at 8pm. Image below warming my fleece up before braving the Kent weather. Got lucky and dodged the rain along the 1000km journey, mind you I can’t hear a thing lol.

 

 

Edited 29 May, 2018 by B33fy

[skomaz]

Oh dear...   Sad to hear but if the weather has been carppy then its not gonna have been fun!

[B33fy]

14 hours ago, skomaz said:

Oh dear...   Sad to hear but if the weather has been carppy then its not gonna have been fun!

 

You live and learn Sko, the rain in itself was bearable, a load of other factors just made the holes in the Swiss cheese line up for me. Had to make the decision and bail yesterday because of an opportunity with the weather window which got me back home in a dry state. 

 

No regrets.. lots of learning from it. Incliuding asking the right questions,  rather than siting back and thinking going with the flow would be ok. For example the amount of flexibility if say we are running late and weather is closing in, if you want to press on, opting out of lunch is ok. It was frowned upon when I did so. On the two occasions I did this, lunch didn’t happen at the venues anyhow.. too late for one and the other was closed.

 

The group came back and told me what a wonderful buffet spread of a lunch they had.. I knew otherwise, so at breakfast the following day I was asked ”you not eating..?” 

“Nope, saving myself for the wonderful gourmet lunch we’re not getting today..” .. went down like a lead balloon “who grassed?”

 

All very childish tbh..

 

I could go on about the state of the hotels, poop breakie, wardrobe doors missing,, no carpet and expectation to go on the lash each evening ( I don’t drink) but there is little point. They were all minor points in isolation tbh but when put together with the cost of fuel and eating out each day (approx £150 each day) didn’t add up when weighed against the benefits, which was mostly the scenery and occasional blatting moment in the car.

 

There will be more opportunities in the future to go on a tour, possible one to Ireland with a couple of other guys and I want to go to Romania, probably alone on that one. I would probably do it on the hoof and use Airbnb, booking a day or so in advance as you go.

 

As I said, you live and learn.

 

just a small note on the car, it was cracking, didn’t lift the bonnet once, perhaps I should have checked it over really, but it didn’t miss a beat and fuel consumption was not too sad either.  

 

 

 

 

 

[mdk1]

Sorry you didn't enjoy the trip as such,

Glad the car was OK after all the trouble it's caused you in the past, must be nice to know it can do a big drive and be reliable.

 

[skomaz]

9 hours ago, B33fy said:

 

You live and learn Sko, the rain in itself was bearable, a load of other factors just made the holes in the Swiss cheese line up for me. Had to make the decision and bail yesterday because of an opportunity with the weather window which got me back home in a dry state. 

 

No regrets.. lots of learning from it. Incliuding asking the right questions,  rather than siting back and thinking going with the flow would be ok. For example the amount of flexibility if say we are running late and weather is closing in, if you want to press on, opting out of lunch is ok. It was frowned upon when I did so. On the two occasions I did this, lunch didn’t happen at the venues anyhow.. too late for one and the other was closed.

 

The group came back and told me what a wonderful buffet spread of a lunch they had.. I knew otherwise, so at breakfast the following day I was asked ”you not eating..?” 

“Nope, saving myself for the wonderful gourmet lunch we’re not getting today..” .. went down like a lead balloon “who grassed?”

 

All very childish tbh..

 

I could go on about the state of the hotels, poop breakie, wardrobe doors missing,, no carpet and expectation to go on the lash each evening ( I don’t drink) but there is little point. They were all minor points in isolation tbh but when put together with the cost of fuel and eating out each day (approx £150 each day) didn’t add up when weighed against the benefits, which was mostly the scenery and occasional blatting moment in the car.

 

There will be more opportunities in the future to go on a tour, possible one to Ireland with a couple of other guys and I want to go to Romania, probably alone on that one. I would probably do it on the hoof and use Airbnb, booking a day or so in advance as you go.

 

As I said, you live and learn.

 

just a small note on the car, it was cracking, didn’t lift the bonnet once, perhaps I should have checked it over really, but it didn’t miss a beat and fuel consumption was not too sad either.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sounds like you are better off out of it for sure...   But for the next one you might just need to get your travelling companions a bit as it sounds like they had very different ideas of a road trip to yours...   And we're more on a 'boys trip' away from their other halves!

 

As has been said above though at least the car behaved and was 100% reliable, which is a result all things considered

[B33fy]

Started tinkering again with the 4.6 build. New crank and 4 litre pistons now fitted and all rotates nicely. I need to get some timing gear and fit it and check valve piston clearance again. I also need to double check the compression ratio and make sure it’s not too high.

 

 

[B33fy]

Electric water pump has gone south.. Probably because of the steal seal additive which has no doubt attached itself to the pump somewhere resulting in failure. New pump on route.. system flush then fitting will hopefully do the trick, as they are a bit steep to keep replacing at £200 a pop.

 

Decided on my retirement treat in 18 months or so.. An Alfa Giulia Quadrifoglio.. should be worth very little and in budget by then lol

Edited 10 July, 2018 by B33fy

[B33fy]

Car is fubar'd again, cooling problems, got to sort it out properly tbh and get the new engine in. Ordered a few more parts to get the engine closer to fitting, new cam chain, spockets etc, new oil pump internals and gaskets etc. In other news went along to the BTCC with James at the weekend, got lucky with a few shots on the camera. a few of my favourite arty shots below..

 

 

[B33fy]

Brief update.. Chipping away at the engine when motivated. Crank pulley is machined and ready for the after market trigger wheel. All trial fiitted with sensor etc, water pump is in the way!! A grinder and a bit of tigging is in order to clear the trigger wheel and allow the pulley to fit properly. Need to get it to fit then mark up TDC on the pulley and make a pointer so the ecu can be “timed” properly.

[B33fy]

At Brands Hatch on Saturday for our annual kit car bash. One of our own was racing in the 4 hour beetle cup. Was looking to finish 11th overall when the last corner on the last lap decided to give him a fright.  Finished 12th in the end. A great day out. His claim to fame from the weekend “been off at every bl***y corner.”  Image of Paul in his car below. 

 

 

[B33fy]

Up at Snetterton with Jay and Kam piloting the Snodhurst civics. Good days racing in tricky conditions. Jay came away leading his class for the championship. A gratuitous escort shot..

[B33fy]

Hopefully back on track.. spent the last few days on the engine. Replaced a couple of valve springs with a soft pai r of rocker springs so I could push the valves down by hand and check valve to piston clearance, all was good.

 

Quite a few challenges and still some...  pulled four head bolt threads. Used up all my new head gaskets after a few attempts at torquing the head down. Left bank seemed ok so got on and fitted the valve gear. Spent today messing about with the lifter preloads. One last check.. ritated the engine to ensure all was ok, it locked solid.. ffs.

 

on further investigation roller rockers were hitting the rocker covers, could have been worse..  Awaiting more head gaskets to finish the right bank. Then onto front cover/oil pump etc.

[B33fy]

I had fitted adjustable pushrods, unfortunately they were just catching on the heads as they moved.. they are a bigger diameter than OEM ones. Swapped them out for OEM’s as it was the easiest option other than die grinding the heads which I really didn’t fancy. Readjusted the preloads again. Next job sort oil pump and timing cover. Also need to make some rocker cover spacers as the roller rockers are hitting the covers.

 

 

[B33fy]

Couple of hours tonight spent measuring and drawing up a spacer for the rocker cover so it clears the roller rockers. Once dimensions are double checked I can send the file off so a pair can be CNC cut.

 

 

[B33fy]

Recovered sufficiently from a 24 hour stint of on call and a mahoosive headache, to spend a few hours this afternoon on the oil pump, checking timing marks, final fitting of front cover, trigger wheel and sensor. Air gap is consistent and trigger wheel seems to run true which is good. Current one ran out of true and wore through the sensor a few times until I revved the engine to 4000rpm and set the black and decker on it..

 

 

[B33fy]

Picked up an alternator this morning, next to Gatwick, grabbed a few shots whilst I was passing, one below.

 

 

[B33fy]

Alternator didn't fit so got another today.. picked up a cheap secondhand one to make sure everything fits, before wasting more money on new parts that don’t fit. (Anyone need an alternator for a 3.9 serp? 

 

Just need to work through gates catalogue for a 1200-1250mm 7pk belt unless anyone knows what car I can nick one off?

Should have enough wrap, if not, then it’s a new water pump with the impeller removed and pulley left on. Multi V’s need less wrap then traditional belts apparently.

[B33fy]

Belt sorted and fitted. Dial gauge turned up today after about a three week wait, designed for a motorbike, thought I’d give it a try only cost a score. Shoved it in the spark plug hole and dialled it in. TDC mark was spot on. At least a bit of piece of mind, now easier to sort the settings for the ECU and time up the trigger wheel.

 

 

 

 

[B33fy]

Moving the Kit to another garage fairly imminently so I can work on it and get the engine done. In other news Merc has gone so using the C30 as the daily driver for now, despite being tempted by some great deals on a replacement, BMW 530e, Volvo xc90T8 and a few others.

 

Upgraded the brakes on the C30 with Focus ST calipers and discs. and put a set of TD 1.2's on it with Nankang NS2R trackday tyres. Its good round town lol

 

Next on list is a split driveshaft gaiter (replacing the driveshafts to be on the safe side due to vibration and they are not a lot of money.) Offside front wheel bearing is really noisy and there is some vibration. Replacing both fronts, awaiting parts and puller kit. Other jobs planned include fitting adjustable camber arms at the back, Too much camber is a known problem with these, despite Volvo fitting modified arms. The old tyres show some saw toothing which may or may not be down to this. As and when I get a chance I'm going to get the old wheels refurbed

 

The plan with the car is too keep it as tidy as possible, not doing too many mods to it as not really into tin top modding. (map and coilovers maybe lol) and I need to get the kit back on the road tbh

 

 

 

 

[B33fy]

Did the driveshafts and wheel bearings, whine still there.. until the diff let go.. lol. All nice and quiet now but going nowhere. AA were good. Relayed home within an hour on a bank holiday weekend. Asked the patrol man what went wrong, wasn’t expecting him for another 12 hours..

 

Sourced another gearbox, ordered a clutch kit, def and new oil seals.. driveshaft and rear crank seal. Can’t be arsed to DIY,, big job subframe out, half the engine apart to access bolts etc etc.. going in next week to sort, on bread and water for a while.. lol

 

Did I mention the broken springs?

 

Plan B.. run car until June 2020, retire and return to work, then order a new M3 lol.

[skomaz]

Doh...   Sounds like not !much luck recently...