Unfortunately stretch bolts (or some other ones) have not arrived as yet, so the engine is still not quite there.

Can't flush the system out until it's back together.

Fingers crossed the bits will come in soon & that the guys can get the mapping done on time

Sounds fairly promising atleast. They take the head off did they?

Anything found??

The bolts will be the head bolts - one use only normally.

Nothing found - yeah the guys took the head off, checked if there was a problem with the gasket etc, nothing found. Once it's back together etc it will get flushed, flushed, and flushed some more, then driven by APS for a few hundred miles, then if it hasn't gone wrong, they will hopefully remap it and I can take it back

Right it is really not looking great now - the head bolts STILL haven't arrived

I've dropped the guys an email suggesting using a different dealer.

However it is starting to look pretty bad for the RR day for me now :(

Assuming (BIG assumption) the bolts do eventually arrive tomorrow, it means the engine needs putting together, than flushing for several hours to get it 'all' out.

Then it still needs the new ECU coding to it, custom remap (4 hours) and swap A2 and my car out.

IF and that is a IF now, the car is able to 'run', we now haven't got any time between plonking the head back on and trashing it on a RR for the remap & RR day the day after.

It is frustrating to put it mildly, not just to me but also to APS, as I am ringing daily at a minimum right now, and they're pretty much stuck.

The stretch bolts cannot be re-used as although you might just get away with it, the kind of boost I will be running won't allow that at the best of times.

Fingers crossed I suppose

I know exactly what it's like in this situation and it's not good, if it was me i'd forget about the RRD:( and give APS plenty of time to get things spot on.

Problem is - it is not as easy as that :(

I may not run the RR - however, we are going to be there at least.

On top of that, APS need their courtesy car back really, so things will be a tad awkward if they can't sort it out.

Nothing they can do either apart from trying to source the required part(s) I suppose, but I would prefer to have a bit more time too.

It will get worse for me personally as well as I have zero free days left (holiday pre-booked) and I am 100% dependant on my car for work.

The stretch bolts cannot be re-used as although you might just get away with it, the kind of boost I will be running won't allow that at the best of times.

You could be running an SDI, reusing the bolts will never work.

Stretch bolts are a soft metal bolt that hold the whole block/head/crankcase assembley together. They have to be tightened in a specific sequence to a specific angle and then a specific torque whilst the engine is warm, this stretches them permenantly. When stretched they actually "neck down" or have a reduced diameter and area where the metal has been stretched. This reduced area has experienced Plastic Deformation, and will not hold the same torque (tension) if applied again, it will in fact stretch more, (loosing tension) and often fracture. This is why stretch bolts must ALWAYS be replaced, and never reused.

I've heard people using them before within certain restrictions, but you are right of course

I am just VERY keen to have my car back now, it's kinda strange as I had a taster of having it back again for a few days after a month of not having it, and it really IS a great little car for my purposes. Fingers crossed the bolts come in early today.

The weather round here is pretty cr*p too, fair bit of gushing wind & lashing rain, which the A2 (due to low weight & slightly worn single wiper) doesn't like that much.

I might well end up driving to Portsmouth in SWMBOs Kia at this rate I will see if she'll let me RR it, if I get away with it :D

APS is giving chase - sounds like parts are definitely on back order and no stock about as yet :(

I have a feeling I'll end up doing a bit of car swapping in the near future, gonna get an update on dates etc this afternoon

Tell Andy to get is act together:P Im still waiting for my service bits and he only lives around the corner from me

Phil

A date has been given - unfortunately it is Thursday next week - this means I'm pretty stuffed as this implies:

1) The car will be put together Thu sometime

2) Very much hoping remap / ECU swap etc WILL still happen

Fingers double-crossed that this means I can pick up the car during the week so I can test run it a bit & return the A2 so they can use it again.

Then I'm gonna be off to Poland a few days after that so I won't be able to run the car in, it will be parked up for two weeks. Boy do I hope it works on my return post-flight

PS - can always go round for 'a word' :P

would it not make sense to leave it with one of the boys to use as a run around so it gets run in properly and then remapped for when you return from Poland??

I will have to visit them early in the week anyway as I have a feeling some paperwork is still in there (potentially passport :eek: ) - beyond that, absolutely yes.

The trouble is I need a car to get to work/back for a few days next week + travel to office for picking up to airport. I will discuss things though with office & APS to see if I am allowed to book a taxi to pick me up from home, in which case I'll get SWMBO to follow me down to APS and hand back the A2.

Woot Some positive news at last

Just been in touch with the guys and guess what, the parts arrived today even though they got told next Thursday

Still won't be running at the RR day but it will help a LOT and allow the team to finish the job with a little less rushing about.

Really pleased for them (& me ) - and hopefully it will mean my car will be in a decent shape again during the holiday :D

Hoooooooooorrraaaaaay!!!!

Chris

Ya never know - I might just be able to drive my car again at some stage

Catch is that there is still a lot of work outstanding beyond the initial engine grief, such as short shifter (still awaiting delivery), the ECU swap + custom mapping, boost pipe work & hoses, catch tank, EGT probe fitting, exhaust wrap, headlight height adjustment (as FAR too low again now).

Then once I've got the 'old' ECU off with custom-code phase 1, I will likely be doing a transplant of ECUs between two cars (got someone interested in this already) where the person involved will pay for the labour & coding to car so (s)he will have the phase 1 working & I've got a clean standard ECU for the next custom mapping project, which will happen once the large injectors come along

That will be a while to go still though

Good news mate!

Hang in there!

Cheers

Bas

Fingers crossed that the rest of it comes together seamlessly.

Dropped swmbo off for her night out with her work mates from the JR, so decided it would be good to visit APS

Plenty of flushing going on again, today the oil/heat exchanger was swapped for a known-good to take that out of the equation. There was a small amount of oil in the system again after leaving it for the night, but things are looking better than before.

Really hoping this is gonna sort it out, so we can start on mapping it

Will keep ya posted :P

I will have a look tomorrow at your car as im at APS having me service interval changed....See what Andys been playing about at ;-)

Phil

When I arrived he was just in the process of swapping the oil/water heat exchanger out, I might see you there tomorrow perhaps, depending on success etc

If not I will end up dropping the A2 back on Saturday to allow for more remapping time etc, which might be required depending on how my engine behaves

No luck on getting a slot on the RR - it was a bit unlikely based on another car requiring sufficient time

Nathan's Mrs is/was about to start delivery of a new family member so not sure what his availability will be next week Many congratulations if the baby is born during the weekend

I reckon Andy fixed the engine and it all seems to be behaving itself at the moment. Now it will be time on the rollers to get the best out of the car, and hopefully I can pick it up sometime later on during the week.

Will see when I'm off to Poland, depending on timing of that I may or may not be able to visit unfortunately :(

Once it's back on the road I'm sure to let you all know

Seems to be coming together at last!