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Re: MY CAV 4x4
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2022 5:40 pm
by dycie
Re: MY CAV 4x4
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2022 5:46 pm
by dycie
As soon as her backs turned im in the living room building the engine
good news was the score was so minimal as caught quickly that the hones managed to sort the bore back out.
And conformation of correct ring gap.
Always time for lube??
Re: MY CAV 4x4
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2022 5:53 pm
by dycie
I wasnt happy with the girdle so sent it away to be surface skimmed as i didnt want any problems down the line trying to seal the thing against the sump and block.
New oil channels were machined into the block as the previous set up required machining of the bearings which i figured on a servicing front would be easier to just replace one for one.
Re: MY CAV 4x4
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2022 5:55 pm
by dycie
Turbo after polishing was sent down to Owen Developments for a full service.
Re: MY CAV 4x4
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2022 6:09 pm
by dycie
Re: MY CAV 4x4
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2022 6:23 pm
by dycie
Re: MY CAV 4x4
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2022 6:33 pm
by dycie
Re: MY CAV 4x4
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2022 6:39 pm
by dycie
Re: MY CAV 4x4
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2022 6:46 pm
by dycie
Now as much fun as building an engine is i still had to prepare the car, wasnt looking forward to it, but nevertheless it had to be done. Just love the Vauxhall seam sealer skills of days gone.
O rings arrived and the pipe was on.
Re: MY CAV 4x4
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2022 7:00 pm
by dycie
Not once did i walk in here and think " this should be a fun day" but it had to be done, the wiring was an issue for another day, the continuing bodywork and seam sealer was keeping me up at night.
Stripping away nasty filler from previous owners work was not enjoyable exposing a poor botched fix on a strut top and a battery try palte that wasnt welded right through.
some fresh seam sealer.
Repaired the fillered hole on the strut top.
Then decided on some slight engine bay smoothing and welded up non essential holes.
Rectified the vauxhall problem area on the bulkhead and fiberglassed some ramps to allow water to escape from there instead of standing.
All sanded and ready for paint.
Re: MY CAV 4x4
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2022 7:07 pm
by dycie
Re: MY CAV 4x4
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2022 7:14 pm
by dycie
Re: MY CAV 4x4
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2022 7:24 pm
by dycie
Time for some transfer box overhauling.
Replacing the selector fork as a previous botched job had drilled it out to use a bolt rather than the standard pins, meant splitting the bos so replaced the selector fork plus brass sleeves for it and new oil seal.
Re: MY CAV 4x4
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2022 7:32 pm
by dycie
Re: MY CAV 4x4
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2022 7:36 pm
by dycie
Re: MY CAV 4x4
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2022 7:41 pm
by dycie
Re: MY CAV 4x4
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2022 7:46 pm
by dycie
The day had arrived to get the block back inside, some outside the box thinking with block and tackle, large hgv trolley jack and my trusty trolly meant this was capable.
and it was in, bit of fettling to be done to get the turbo in place.
Re: MY CAV 4x4
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2022 7:51 pm
by dycie
Pushed the rad mounts back by 10mm to give more clearance for the turbo.
And chopped some meat of the slam panel too.
Transfer casings went away to get blasted.
Re: MY CAV 4x4
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2022 8:46 pm
by dycie
After speaking to a good friend and cavalier owner he informed me of the poor coolant pathway used in the turbo engine as it used the standard GSi radiator which meant the top rad hose is what fed the turbo to cool it, this obviously did not even open until the thermostat had opened, so switched the water temp to the rear of the head and took the coolant feed for the turbo straight from underneath the thermostat, this meant that coolant would pass the turbo as soon as the engine was started, thus aiding cooling much quicker and more efficiently, a bit of clever pipework etc.
Also a nice big chunky AN 10 drain to sump from turbo.
Re: MY CAV 4x4
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2022 8:56 pm
by dycie
Nice clean transfer box with new seals, and locking rings checked with no issues.
300NM viscous fitted also with this rebuild, this should help the split the load considerably being that the car ran a healthy 500NM on last build and with more power pushing from the rear it will reduce stress on the transmission.
Out with the old and in with the new.
Serviced the prop shaft too whilst at it, new centre bearings and UJ's.
Kmac adjustable top mounts fitted to compliment the rear camber adjustment bushes.
These top mounts replace everything from the standard including new heavy duty bearings, they allow camber and caster adjustments too as well as normal toe.
Re: MY CAV 4x4
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2022 9:11 pm
by dycie
Also the trained eye will prob notice the lower arms have been changed to saab ones, these are cast and a better product than the standard wishbones on the cavalier, these also have abbot racing spherical bearings and polyurethane bushes too
water cooled the waste gate this time too, again just because anything that aids cooling the engine is well received.
Oil cooler mounted back onto car.
Was time to get the Lochaber Stainless man back down to weld up the intercooler and boost pipes.
Prop back on.
Some nice brass bushings for the gear linkeage.
Some juice for the boxes.
Re: MY CAV 4x4
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2022 9:22 pm
by dycie
Re: MY CAV 4x4
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2022 9:25 pm
by dycie
its running at least, need to get an exhaust on there but wont be long.
https://youtube.com/shorts/h5LDt7xCcds?feature=share
Re: MY CAV 4x4
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2022 9:30 pm
by dycie
i dont have a clue how to put you tube vids on but heres the link anyway, that was the 499.9!!!! dyno day on the last build, fingers crossed for some more this time.
enjoy
https://youtu.be/8UIL_T3GahI
Re: MY CAV 4x4
Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2022 9:22 pm
by cavalier1990
Some machine and some amount of work going into get it looking like that. Makes me wonder with my 90 or so BHP !!
I like the little fibre glass channels you made in the bulkhead corner to stop the water sitting in it, great idea that one.