WAS:Front end refurb NOW:Suspension rebuild, rad and gearbox

[Dominic]

I bought a can of Comma Frost Bite - for freeing up bolts. Basically as an alternative to heating the bolt, you cool it. 8 seconds of spray, and on with the spanner (with another spanner on the end for a little more leverage) and it was free! I'm sure this stuff isn't as good as heat, but it did the job for me on this occasion

Hi Chris, Great write up! Where did you get the Comma Front Bite? Sounds like good stuff - I have a couple of seized nuts that require attention

[Corranga]

I bought a can of Comma Frost Bite - for freeing up bolts. Basically as an alternative to heating the bolt, you cool it. 8 seconds of spray, and on with the spanner (with another spanner on the end for a little more leverage) and it was free! I'm sure this stuff isn't as good as heat, but it did the job for me on this occasion

Hi Chris, Great write up! Where did you get the Comma Front Bite? Sounds like good stuff - I have a couple of seized nuts that require attention

eBay: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/391043138077
The benefit of having so much to do is that I can save a few quid here and there and just work on something else until parts arrive!
It gets mixed reviews, but certainly helped me out. The can says to spray for 8 seconds per bolt, so won't last long. Maybe a dozen stuck bolts.

If you want to get serious, my research pointed to heat being the best, and the best cost vs. reward / size (short of a gas welding plant!) is a Rothenberger Super-Fire 2 Brazing Torch with a canister of MAP gas.
It seems that this is about as hot as you can get without being in a trade, and is a decent size. Closer to £80 though..
If you go this route, some plumbers merchants sell single cans of MAP, otherwise it comes in a 6 pack only..
If you don't care about adjustable flame the Bernzomatic Trigger-Start Brazing Torch will do, and is made by the same company as the Rothenberger anyway!

[Dominic]

Thanks!

[Corranga]

Slightly random / off topic post as there was a discussion about speakers on SELOC, so I posted most of this over there as someone was asking about fitment, and it turns out they are more or less a direct replacement as per my comparison below...

I bought some Fusion 16cm 480 Watts 2 Way - EN-CM651 (£35 new from eBay) to replace the factory paper cone Alpines (plus they also come with separate tweeters which I might try to get up front).

The original Alpines have 3 holes in a tri-type formation, I could only pick up 2 with the Fusions, so you'd have to drill 1 small hole and fit a new holding clip (come with the speakers).

I gave them a quick try, without the tweeters and they sounded a little flat, but also keep in mind I was in a garage with the door closed, and standing outside of the car as I have no seats at the moment!

Sitting beside the Alpine:


Diameter is virtually identical. The Fusion has 3 or 4 fitting tabs outside the diameter that could probably be chopped. I don't think they'll cause any problems.


In the car. I picked up screw holes at 12 and 4 o'clock. The otheer hole is around 8 o'clock, about an inch, maybe less above the hole in the speaker. On another note, my Alpines were only held in with 2 screws anyway!


Grills back to back. The Fusion one is the matt one. Diameter is maybe 5mm more.


and finally, side by side. The Fusion one is actually shallower than the Alpine one, so I don't see there being any issues fitting them, no seats around to confirm this though.


As I say, I didn't fit the tweeters. They come with 2 mounting pods, 1 flat and one that would mount them at around 30 degrees. Then they have 3 covers. A black and a grey which would act as a bezel in a flush fitment, and the 3rd is black and shapes into the pod to make it look fine without a flush fit. They have springs in the back of the pod, so the tweeter can be rotated / angled and seem to sit pretty well despite me knocking them around a bit, so I presume they'd sit where you leave them. They come with wires, and the speakers have 2 sets of connections on the back so you can plug them directly to the speaker.

I haven't quite figured if I want them in the front or the back yet though/ I played with a cardboard box and a 10cm speaker where the coin trays are last night, but didn't really like the extra space they'd take up.
If I could figure out how to remove the dash vents, I look at that option. If only my spare 10cm speakers weren't yellow

[Corranga]

So, more useful progress. Saturday morning was spent tidying the garage as it was getting a little silly.
I might have a mechanic coming to do a cam belt replacement service in my garage on Friday since so much is off the car and I'm not confident enough to do it myself, though it'll depend on the arrival of a 2nd hand plastic cover ordered from eBay. He'll help me sort out the clutch and flywheel (aligning and torquing properly etc.) and givce a lift in with the gearbox too if I'm ready.

So Saturday afternoon / evening, I decided to get the roll bar rear stays sorted out.
I started by getting the retaining bolts out...

Do not do this when you have no suspension on as this happens:


Obviously the top shocker mount brackets hold this in place. I didn't hear the thud of the first one dropping as I used my impact wrench to remove. I heard the 2nd though..
After a bit of cleaning up, and thanking my skinny arms for fitting into the chassis longeron, I had a bolt though one of the suspension bolt holes and the piece was back in place.

On to cleaning it up. To get rid of the flaky rust and the surrounding paint, I used a drill with a wire wheel attachment.


Then some of this (dremmel with flexi extension attachment for ease of use) to get into the smaller / harder to reach parts.

Note the wall paper scraper inserted to protect the longeron.

Som before shots.




On with the Por-15 system, first MArine Clean to degrease.
Then Metal Prep (/Ready) for 45 minutes. It kept drying out so I had to recoat.
I used a large plastic bag to make sure it didn't go everywhere and a plastic bowl to collect / hold the excess liquid.


2 coats and several hours later:




The plastic stuck a little, but come off with a little persuasion. In hindsight it wasn't a good ideas, and if I did it again, I'd probably use the wall paper scraper under the bar, and the plastic to cover everything else up, pulling the scraper out gently once the coat was complete / paint was tacky so it didn't stick.

I also did my driveshafts


and the top of my K and N. Not sure how the POR-15 will take to the plated surface mind. Don't really care as you can't see it anyway


I also did the gearbox engine mount brackets, though I didn't take any photos, otheer than this one where the bracket wasn't quite dry enough after the Metal Prep and rinse stage..


Finally, I've read LOTS about POR-15 setting in the can, and once used you can't use it again. The general advice seems to be to use cling film below the lid. Now, either I've come up with a neater solution, or I was lucky.
When I used POR-15 on my ARB last winter, I popped the lid back on the can, and popped the can in a jar. I figured that the air in the jar wouldn't be enough to set the can.
Here we are 1 year later, and took it out of the jar, and popped the lid off, and it looked perfect, no problems at all


Some (really obvious) advice on using POR-15 some that I used, some that I didn't..
Wear gloves.
Put something under it to catch the drips as it obviously dries pretty hard (oops).
Hang parts where possible. Wire coat hangers are good if you can find any.
Wrap the brush in one of your latex gloves, with some tape to seal it between coats, then you can re-use.
Bin the brush afterwards.
It's REALLY THIN when it goes on, so a loaded up brush will mean LOTS of runs and drips.

Chris

[Corranga]

More progress..

On Friday, I had a mechanic friend come around to help me with a few things. He was changing the cam belt (I don't feel advanced enough to do that sort of thing, with fear of consequence!) and also help with getting the flywheel / clutch / gearbox back in.

So whilst he was doing some of that, I worked on in the interior.

Having sorted my 2 looms out, I fitted the switch for my aux fan (not shown, hidden up the back of the dash), and the 2 switches for the heated seat kit. I wanted these in a sensible place, but also out of sight:


Having already run the wire, I refitted the coin trays, with tweeters in place.


Fitted the rear speakers properly, with grills, and for the first time in 5 years, thanks to a couple of new rivnuts, fitted the luggage net!


I also cut a piece of under seat carpet since they were out as I'm fed up of coins etc sliding around on the floor and not being able to get them out. I also changed the connectors on the seat belt light as one pretty much disintegrated when I removed it!


After that, it was back to the serious stuff. We got the flywheel, clutch and gearbox back in. Fitting the gearbox was a pita, even with the clam off. It eventually went in after lifting it on a jack, one of us moving it around trying to get it on the dowel, and the other rocking the flywheel back and forth to get it lined up. The only real issue is that my crank shaft sensor looks really close (possibly touching) the new flywheel. Not sure if maybe the pin is broken, will look at getting another ordered just in case I think.
Big thanks to Jason at Paul Bowers Motors in Dundee for coming out to my garage and putting up with my questions, the awkward nature of my car, and my liking of classic rock


You can see the remote thermostat kit in the background too, along with the shiny POR-15 gearbox mount. I forgot to order new mounts so that'll be coming off again, and I'm thinking of doing the welded nut mod, grinding off and re-welding on the other end for ease of removal, just in case!


A decent photo of the right hand stay post POR-15. I also had to replace the inner cover of the cam belt as my manifold was leaking probably due to a loose stud on that side. I've replaced the manifold studs and nuts too.


So, I'm waiting for mounts to arrive so can't progress the rear for now. The thermostat locating bolt also sheared in the block, so I have to figure a way to get that out.

Back at the front of the car, I started refitting the radiator. I fitted rivnuts instead of the old rusty spire clips, though my rivnut gun doesn't fit on the rear holes just above the side to side brake pipe as the bent bits of the brake pipe leading to the flexi get in the way. Instead, I used this approach:

Looking from left to right we have;
Long bolt, Nut 1, Washer 1, Washer 2, Rivnut, Crash box, Bolt 2.

Bolt 2 is in place to stop the whole thing from turning and had mole grips attached to it. Don't tighten this as it will wreck the threads in the rivnut.
The bolt is then held still, and nut 1 tightened with a spanner. This pulls the rivnut back, compressing it into place as the tool would.
I held the bolt with a socket / wrench as that also allows pushing it into the correct location.
The washer simply makes turning nut 1 easier, I had some WD40 sprayed between the washers ad rivnut to make it even easier.
Worked a treat on both sides

And there we have it. After a quick trip along to screwfix for some stainless M6 penny washers for the 3 front bolts, the radiator is in. Pipes tightened up, and looking good!

[thesurfbus]

I have just started reassembling my front suspension, and wondered if anyone knows the torque settings for the M10 bolts that hold the steel ball joint plinth to the alloy upright?
Also should duralac be put on the threads of the steel bolts that go into the alloy uprights?

Cheers Doug

[woody]

I have just started reassembling my front suspension, and wondered if anyone knows the torque settings for the M10 bolts that hold the steel ball joint plinth to the alloy upright?
Also should duralac be put on the threads of the steel bolts that go into the alloy uprights?

Cheers Doug

I don't know the torque, but may have it in he manual. At least I hope its in the manual.

Don't use duralac on the threads. Again, it's in the manual, but I can't remember exactly what should be used.

[thesurfbus]

I didn't have a manual, but have downloaded it from the Sands Museum.
Permabond A131 and 45NM would be the answer

[Stephen]

Permabond A131 can be a pain to get a hold of

[Corranga]

I think loctite 572 is equivalent to A131

[Corranga]

So, Saturday morning was taken up with looking at engine mounts.
The main engine mount wasn't looking too happy so off it came. I'm replacing with Vibratechnics mounts as I was sold by the marketing, the appearance, and the loss of the bulbous Rover mount below, which was a little wet on the other side, suggesting a possible leak?


I ended up having to take the angle grinder to the nyloc on the top after I managed to sheer the fluid filled tank part off completely, spilling fluid all over the garage floor!
At this point, my phone went dead, so I didn't get any photos of the completed mount.

Sunday, I decided to tackle POR-15ing this box of bits.

Most of them don't really need it, but for neatness I felt it was worth it.

Stage 1 is Marine Clean, to degrease the parts.
This is followed by rinsing off with water and letting them dry. I made some hooks out of bits of wire coat hangers and used my ladder to hang the parts out in the sun to dry.


Stage 2 is Metal Prep. This is a keying stage which prepares the metal for POR-15 to bond properly with. Again, the parts are rinsed with water and allowed to dry.


Stage 2 also takes the yellow colouring from the yellow zinc passivation, but I've been told that this is only removing the colour, and that even hot water would do this. If the zinc was being removed, the parts would turn dark grey or black, not silver.


The damper mounts are stainless steel so really don't need the POR-15, but I figured it'd help with cross corrosion with the alloy. I will use Duralac for this too of course.

I've not been back into my garage yet to see or photo the end results, as yesterday I was at my mechanics to replace as couple of worn wheel bearings.
Among the parts are the 2 flywheel covers so I can get the gearbox properly bolted back in, and the starter refitted next. Then I can proceed with the bits that attach to the gearbox, reversing switch, earth cable, change cables, slave cylinder etc.

I'm hoping to hand over my wishbones etc to Merlin Electroplating on Friday, then I'll be held up waiting for that before getting the parts back, POR-15 and the beginning of reassembly :S

[Corranga]

Not much more to say I think..

Some black parts hanging on a ladder..


You can see hubs sitting there too. a couple of bearings were a bit sticky, so they were replaced. I kept the hubs out to give them a little clean up. One of the bolts that holds the splash guard in place is sheared, so something else to deal with.

Steering arms look, well, black.


Engine steady bracket ready to be steady..

This is now fitted back on the car.

I also fitted the 2 freshly painted flywheel covers, and all other gearbox bolts that were out.
Whilst I was in there, I've fitted an Eliseparts slave cylinder support bracket, and the starter whose bolts hold in the front cover.
I also fitted the reverse light switch, cleaned up and refitted the gearbox earth so all but the gear change cables are refitted to the box.

I kept looking at the state of my handbrake cable which was functional, but had a couple of breaks in the outer, so I removed the 2 brackets from under the car and ordered a new cable. I have taken a wire brush to the brackets and put them in my to be POR-15 pile.

As of Friday, my wishbones are now with Merlin Electroplating, Andy there says it should take around a week, so hoping for them back at the end of this week / early next, then on to the paining.

I'm also waiting for a mod on my gearbox mount, to grind off the captive nuts, and re-weld them on the other side for easier fitting.
My final wait is to have the broken thermostat bolt removed from the block so I can refit the thermostat housing / cooling rail, meaning I can then refill the coolant system. I'll then hold off until the suspension is back together and on the car, then probably fit the wheels and lower the car down so I can run the engine to temperature and look for coolant leaks with both clams off. I don't fancy running it on axle stands.

Things feel like they are starting to come back together, maybe by mid June

[Stephen]

Good going. Could you do mine next please. [GRINNING FACE WITH SMILING EYES]

[Corranga]

haha, I'm sure most others would have rebuilt the entire car by now, as I'm quickly approaching 3 months. I've kept a list of bits I bought plus prices, and I guess considering what's been done it's not too bad... :/

Going to pick my wishbones up after work today, then I'll probably refit the ball joints and bushes prior to painting so as to avoid getting POR-15 in the holes!

I miss driving it