Why Is Everything So Damn Hard?

[joe_lane]

So.

I had the gearbox changed at a mates garage and on the drive home, noticed that the coolant temp was stupidly high so decided I'd change the rad when I got home.

rad changing turned into "I'll swap the turbo while I'm here" which also included " I'll just bang that samco inlet hose on too".

So one of the turbo nuts strips the thread on the turbo stud so that ended play with that for the evening. Rads in by this time by the way. OK. INlet hose time.

Butchered the standard black one getting it out which should've screamed NOOOOO at me really but hey ho. I was still thinking about the turbo stud.

So the standard ones off and then it dawns on me that if it was that hard getting one out, getting a new one back in is gonna be harder.

Yep. I was right.

Need to take the inlet manifold off.

So the parts start to get ordered here. If I'm taking the inlet manifold off then I'll paint it while it's off and add some phenolic spacers which I'd been contemplating for a while.

That was about 2-3 weeks ago.

Ordered paint and spacers etc. Painted manifold which now looks cool. Then the thought of a parrallel fuel mod came along. so went off to HEL to get the hoses made up which look the nuts.

Put manifold on the bench. Oh. Bugger. Better order the new o rings and throttle body gasket. That turned up yesterday with a new set of exhaust manifold gaskets because while on the phone to Ashburton motor works I decided to port it.

Manifolds back together now and waiting to go on.

But I also thought I'd like oil temp and pressure gauges. But can't get a 3 hole a pillar pod that I like so bought a racetech dual gauge. result.

Went back to HEL yesterday to get the pressure line and T sorted. Lovely.

Banged pressure T in no problems. what next? Thought I'd take the exhaust off because it's probably easier without the inlet manifold on.

Well.

Every single bolt holding the heat shields on was rusted solid and any attempt to undo just rounded the rust off.

Eventually I managed to air chisel the heat shields off so I could get near the manifold bolts and managed to get the drivers side off and the link pipe but rounded one of the nuts off on the passenger side.

Then broke the nut splitter I bought which helped me get the turbo off 2-3 weeks ago.

Quick foray into Exeter today for a new nut splitter and nobody's got one. Bugger.

So the underneath currently looks like this.

OK.

Lets have ago at the gauge then.

Manged to find a big enough grommet to get the temp sender through which is attached to the gauge. Hex head in the blanking plug has gone the same way as the heat shield nuts and bolts so thats now spinning round. Grindered a line across the top and got out mr air chisel again and out it came no problem.

OK. Lines in PTFE on threads and prepare to wind in temp sensor.

Nope.

Too fecking long

So now the car it at a complete standstill till I get;

1, new nut spliiter and rounded nut removing sockets

2, spacer for the temp gauge sender

What a depressing weekends messing around.

But at least our new (second hand) ramp works

So. Again. I ask why must it be so bloody difficult?

Edited June 29, 2008 by JoeKont

[kevlorn]

what a great weekend youve had....

[jd]

nothing on these cars is ever easy mate, be good to see you back on the roads soon.

[joe_lane]

Thanks Steve.

I really am missing the car.

I've had her laid up before for a few months but didn't miss it.

I really am doing now though.

Just trying to source some half decent tubular manifolds for a reasonable price.

Get them wrapped and back on and I can get the car off the ramp.

[jd]

have you thought about ceramic coated headers??

RCM/Lateral/GT Spec are all good.

[joe_lane]

Yeah. I've thought about them.

Then looked at the price and gone back to my original idea of wrapping some

[martyg]

wow!!

good luck!

and i thought scrapping me knuckles changin plugs today was pain in a***

[joe_lane]

Pah!!

Spark plugs!!

I change them before breakfast

Not really.

Got a mate to do it lol. He's got as many tools as the snap on man

[monkip1]

Looking good, i need to respray my manifold in crinkle red, that black looks well nice!