The Rebuild

[Paul Sheridan]

Well here we go, chassis fabrication work has now been completed and as you can see from the pic below has been stripped back down for final welding and capping of any open box sections, this will start tonight, the roll bar will be cut off again (only tacked on) and sent away for chroming. Rivnuts will be fitted along the bottom chassis rail for the mounting of the side skirts ( stolen the idea from our German friend Jorg )

Two coats of POR15 will then be applied ...........

[James Doulton]

I paid £110 for my new Cortina radiator. And its not as if it fits well, it is a bit of a squeeze - just like the one that it replaced.

[Adrian Southgate]

I paid £10 for my capri rad (which looks in a bad way) but fits the Sierra and most certainly does the job. :-)

[Dave Adams]

i just pay a visit to my local breakers, a rad with fan from any car is £25......

[Paul Sheridan]

After working 4 1/2 days solid on the S2, things are really starting to come together, all mechanicals apart from the exhaust are now virtually complete, apart from some fettling. I want to put some longer studs in the rear half shafts as am not completely happy with the length through my spacers, only need another 4mm, but am not prepared to bore the spacers any further for safety reasons, and the annoying thing is that I purchased a set of studs, but now only appear to have 7 !!!

So what remains is:- plumbing, body work and interior trim ......... ON TARGET FOR STONELEIGH ;-))))

    

[1midz0wwbl268]

keep it up Paul,  well done  2014/15  looks like being the Southern Duttoneers year, when we finally dont have those northern folk saying  wheres your cars? the answer will be 

all together now, THEIR BEHIND YOU . :)))))))

[Pete Clayton]

How you getting on Paul? Still on target for Stoneleigh?

[Paul Sheridan]

Doubtful Pete, Duttons on hold for the moment due to me having to fit central heating and a kitchen into my daughters new flat ........... what with that and work, Dutton spanner time is non existent.

[Paul Sheridan]

I never consider myself a failure, as I can always serve as a bad example   ;-)

[James Doulton]

That is a really good line - I might get a plaque made up and put it above my desk!

[Paul Sheridan]

Well. today didn't go according to plan :-(    All ready for the first run of the engine, video cameras rolling, ECU wiring checked and double checked, all fluids now in and staying in this time !!!! ( had a small problem with the old water pump deciding to leak from the tell-tale hole), 20 litres of fresh fuel in the tank .............. here goes, turn on ignition, all warning lights working, the ECU fires up the fuel pump to prime the system ....... hold ya breath and push the engine start button, whoohoo she spins over and over and over and over and over and over, oil pressure light goes out and oil pressure gauge is starting to come up, but feck all else :-)))    Bugger!!!    After an hour of checking all the easy things, I start the daunting task of fault finding on the engine management system. another hour spent with the multi meter and I discover that the ECU is cutting off the earth control to the injector and coil pack power relays after about 50 seconds of cranking. 

This ECU was supposed to have a start up map pre installed on it by the people who sold it to me, well im thinking that this is not the case. I have now downloaded the software to install the base map, and went to a computer shop on the way home and got a lead, so will have another go tomorrow. if all fails, will call Omex on Monday.     

[James Doulton]

That is so frustrating. However, it won't be able to resist for long. Once you can get into the system and see what the ECU is 'thinking' then it should be fairly easy.

[1midz0wwbl268]

Thats why us "old school"  types avoid ecu's like the plague, at least with a simple ignition system you can trouble shoot without having to plug it into the nearest lap top,