The Blue edition build thread

Discussion in 'Mk2' started by Richard Gilberd, Mar 31, 2019.

  1. Richard Gilberd Forum Member

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    [​IMG]

    can someone tell me what i'm doing wrong as i can't post a photo!

    Well after getting my A into G I thought it's time to start a build thread for my 91 Edition Blue, bought last year on a whim and been sitting in my driveway all winter waiting for some sun! in the meantime i set about sorting out the interior a bit as the old one was nasty with big tears in the drivers side leather, so i set about finding a new set which i did with only a couple of split seams so i had the covers off and got them sewn up, i also repaired the old seats as i will be selling them on and some point!

    Next the snow melted away and it was time to start on the motor (bought as a non runner), started with the ECU (which was knackered) and quickly realised someone had chopped the ecu plug off and reattached it with solder shrink wraps, so i started on building a new harness , I then made sure all my earth straps and points were good and gave it a whirl-nothing, so after hours of frustration i decided it was getting fuel getting spark it must lie on the timing, sure enough the timing was well out someone had stuck an old cam sprocket on with a new plastic cover and were trying to align the marks off of it (took me ages to realise what was going on and to find the timing marks in the bell housing!). so now she's running i found a new problem no MFA working and no rev counter, turned out i had the signal cables messed up from the coil and the speedo unit was duff so now that's sorted.

    in between all of this i've been collecting doors and tailgates due to rust, the first door i got looked good but i got it home to find the bottom hinge fully dropped and the door itself full with bodyfiller, so that one went on the scrapheap and i managed to find two relatively good doors, they still needed work one had a small dent on the crease line and they both had signs of rust under the bottom lip so after pulling the bottom lip and cleaning all that out they are ready for primer which i'm hoping to do this week.

    i also pulled off the front and rear bumpers, front not bad a bit of rust to remove, the panel which holds the lock is going off to get sand blasted as it's got rust in places hard to reach, the rear bumper carrier is nearly non existent! never seen that before! so i'm trying to find another bumper which i can score the carrier off.inside the car I have the dash out and heater box out to replace the radiator in it, i've pulled all the smelly old underlay/insulation out and have replaced it with closed cell foam and bitumen on an aluminium backing, unfortunately can't finish this job up as i need to weld up a couple of holes in the floor pan which is a job for work!. so that's basically where i'm at if anyone can point me in the right direction for how to post photos i will gladly post some!!
     
  2. Joehough

    Joehough Paid Member Paid Member

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    Hi Richard welcome to the club, sounds like a big project, so good luck. I think you have to to be a paid member to post photos, but somebody will probably know how to get round that.
     
  3. rubjonny

    rubjonny Administrator Staff Member Admin

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    ok fixed! dunno what happened but it all went a bit pear shaped in the middle :lol:

    when you insert an image link put the basic image address inside the image tags, like so:
    Code:
    [img]http://i.imgur.com/jqs1I9I.jpg[/img]
    or better yet, once you have enough posts you can upload images direct to the forum :)
     
  4. Richard Gilberd Forum Member

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    Thanks RJ, i would like to be a paid member but resent having to pay 5 quid postage to Austria!! if i could just get the membership info by e-mail i would gladly pay the 10 quid as i will be on this forum for quite a while by the looks of it!!
     
  5. rubjonny

    rubjonny Administrator Staff Member Admin

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    You dont need to be a paid member to upload images, just make a few posts. 10 IIRC? though paying for membership is appreciated ;)

    If you dont want a physical pack for now just buy the normal membership with a fake address, put in the notes that you dont want anything posting to you. will look at a digital only membership option in future though :)
     
  6. Richard Gilberd Forum Member

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  7. Richard Gilberd Forum Member

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    o.k that photo was a test to see if i can!! a bit of work and it looks o.k, this is what inside looks like at the moment, i still need to clean off the left hand side and put some foam on there and then go through all the electrical plugs with contact cleaner and then it will be time to reinsert the dash, does any one know if the heater unit which pokes out of the bulkhead should have a rubber grommet on it, in my head there should be one there but mine doesn't have one (probably why the floor is rusted) and if anyone has a number for that grommet i would be v.greatfull!. today i put my doors/hatch/sunroof into filler getting ready for paint hopefully will get time on Friday (if i get time to sand before!) to paint them.
    [​IMG]
    on another note:
    anyone know what this plug is for?
    [​IMG]
     
  8. rubjonny

    rubjonny Administrator Staff Member Admin

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    Do you mean around the 2 pipe outlets on the matrix? There should be a foam gasket there yep.

    the p[lug is your fuel pressure switch for the fuel pump after-run relay, its part of the headlight loom :)
     
  9. Richard Gilberd Forum Member

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    O.k it's been a while and i've been plugging away at the bodywork on this car as usual a few suprises were in store! afew holes to weld up one in the passenger side footwell was quite large but all sorted now, i stripped it all out and took out all the insulation inside and painted the interior, the outside has all been sanded and is now in filler waiting for the next sand and then it will get paint(atlast). the body itself is incredibly good, no accident damage and no body filler to be seen anywhere! not bad for 27 years, unfortunately underneath hasn't feared so well with rust on every bolt and holder left open to the elements. i've sent my front panel off to get ktl dipped and then powder coated, once the paint is on i will drop the motor to do the engine bay and the axles will also go for powder coating, still humming and haaing about what to do with the floor whether to strip it all off (mega pita) or just go over it with a wire brush where the rust shows through and then new underseal.
    the seats have all been sewn up where the had pulled aprt at a couple of seams and i have repainted them (leather) and they've come out really good unfortunately no photo's of them at the moment.
    anyways here's a few photo's that i do have IMG_1363.JPG IMG_1366.JPG IMG_1453.JPG
     
  10. Richard Gilberd Forum Member

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    so i'm back! done a bit of work, she's in paint!!(well the shell atleast) moonlight blue pearl! next move will to be pulling out the motor, i would like to pull the motor gearbox and drivetrain all out as one as to paint the engine bay, if anyone has any tips would be appreciated, my idea would be something like:
    Struts out
    disconnect clutch and throttle
    remove gear linkage
    remove wiring
    disconnect brake lines
    exhaust is already out
    disconnect steering box
    and then remove the gearbox and motor carrier and lift the shell over it or roll it away, anyone who has any other bits i've missed it would be appreciated,
    here's some photos

    IMG_1466.JPG IMG_1464.JPG
    IMG_1467.JPG



    these are the seats i'm installing after re-painting

    IMG_1471.JPG
     
  11. rubjonny

    rubjonny Administrator Staff Member Admin

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    I think its easier to pull the engine off the subframe, leave the shell rolling. Then if you want to refurb the running gear I would get another subframe to clean up and paint, then you know there are no hidden surprises. swap that over with new or refurbished wishbones and sell or bin the old stuff. Steering rack can come off at any time for a refurb.

    or yeah you can unbolt the subframe and lift the shell off it, if you have a handy wooden frame to bolt it back onto with wheels on that'll keep it mobile while you do the work :)
     
  12. Richard Gilberd Forum Member

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    i bought a new subframe to go off and get refurbed, my biggest problem is lifting the motor out with everything else in there as i have no hoist, i can lift the body off no problems as we have a lift ( we are more bodyshop orientated!) i have a new subframe which will be off to get powder coated so leaving the old one in is not so troublesome, but do you think two people could lift the motor and box out by hand?
     
  13. rubjonny

    rubjonny Administrator Staff Member Admin

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    lifting body off the complete engine and subframe assembly is fine, just when you try to reinstall engine with the subframe hanging off the bottom its a real pain from personal experience :lol: If its no problem leaving shell immobile while you're going the work then by all means do it this way, just becomes a pain if you need to hump the shell about in the future

    once front running gears on the floor can split the engine and gearbox that makes it much easier to manage, 2 people should have no problem moving the engine and box can be lifted on its own though its a bit of an awkward lift (diff towards you, its heaviest part) can drop it onto a frame with dolly wheels or a jack or something then you can wheel it around without putting your back out. I had a handy metal bread trolley for moving heavy stuff around my workshop

    an engine crane is a god send for when you come to reinstall the engine, but you can do it with a jack, some wood and a couple guys wiggling and poking at it no bother. I put the gearbox on the engine first then pop it in, make sure you get the CV joints on the box and bolt loosely threaded to hold in place early as possible if the subframe etc is already bolted up
     
  14. Richard Gilberd Forum Member

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    help i'm stuck!!

    this weekend i really want to put the dash back in but before i do that i really want all the electrics working, so there i have a problem! everything works apart from the fog lights and the horn, o.k the horn atleast makes the relay contact so it's a noise in the right direction but the fog lights have me pulling out my hair!! the relay is o.k (i have front fogs too) but it's not switching? i can bridge the relay and i've got front and back fogs, so how do the relays switch as i'm definately not getting power to the relay, please if anyone with a lot more auto leccy in them has an answer i will be eternally grateful!

    also i have a plug over in my endeavours to reinstall the dash, i can't find it anywhere on the loom plan but i'm sure i've overlooked something, if anyone has an idea where this plug resides please let me know!!!

    IMG_1485[1].JPG
     

    Attached Files:

  15. rubjonny

    rubjonny Administrator Staff Member Admin

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    1st off that plug is for headlight range motor switch, plenty about on ebay you can even buy new hella ones on amazon :)

    for fogs the relay should be triggered when headlight switch is on 1st and 2nd click, it also needs the X relay 17/18 to be fitted and working as the main power input comes from that.

    for horn check at the plug in the engine bay you should have ignition live at the black/yellow and the earth is switched by the horn relay
     
  16. Richard Gilberd Forum Member

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    O.k been a while but still working away! just got the motor back in after a mini refurb of the head and engine bay repaint, got her to start but she's running a bit rough (no knock sensor or cat and timing not yet set up off a light) I am looking for a couple of parts though which maybe someone can help me out with, i need the fuel pipe going to the inlet and the return, also a idle stabilisation valve, if anyone out there has these parts i would be really grateful (not enough posts for the wanted section), i will get some photos up of the progress soon,
    thanks
     
  17. rubjonny

    rubjonny Administrator Staff Member Admin

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    erreesse likes this.
  18. Richard Gilberd Forum Member

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    well that's cheap!! i think i'll just go for a carefully placed universal line!! maybe need a couple of 90 degree elbows in there!
    thanks.
     
  19. Richard Gilberd Forum Member

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    next problem!! does anyone now how the tube for the handbrake cable sits or what locks it in place as when i put my tube in the grommet i can push it right through into the car hence there would be no pressure applied on the cable, is there a part i'm missing? to stop the tube somewhere?
     
  20. rubjonny

    rubjonny Administrator Staff Member Admin

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    there should be a rubber grommet for it to sit in, not a brilliant pic but hopefully it helps:
    88hbrake.jpg
     

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