Nath's RB track car build

[nath&alex]

I've just read through your whole thread (after seeing your link in Mark's thread) so you've now got at least two readers.

Nice work, hope you get it running soon!

Cheers Tim

Maybe there are people who are looking but not posting??
Thanks for looking, I hope to get it up and running for this upcoming track day season. As with everything it depends upon my time and money. Still plenty of things to buy and lots of jobs to do!!

 

[nath&alex]

Well I've done a little bit this afternoon but my first priority was getting our main car ready for its trip across to Austria. We're going snowboarding in just over a week, so I had to get the winter wheels and tires out to comply with the rules in Europe. The wheels on the Smax were filthy and so were my winter wheels as I hadn't washed them before putting them away!! So I ended up washing 8 wheels and inspecting the brakes while they were off the car. Didn't really take any pictures while we were doing it, cars still filthy but the wheels are clean!! But the boss did order me a new snow lance while we were out there, so it'll get cleaned soon!!

Well my engine stand came from SGS Engineering the other day.

So I thought I'd put it together, nice box of bits!!

To be honest I found it exciting and boring all at the same time. I mean it's not challenging when the bolts are all clean and new, not like the sunflower :tonguewink:

Coming together nicely

All built up

Folded up in the garage

While I was in the garage I swopped the engine round on the engine crane so it was facing the right way to bolt it to the engine stand

 

[NorthloopCup]

Cheers Tim

Maybe there are people who are looking but not posting??
Thanks for looking, I hope to get it up and running for this upcoming track day season. As with everything it depends upon my time and money. Still plenty of things to buy and lots of jobs to do!!

You'll be getting more views than comments mate for sure.

 

[nath&alex]

Well I thought I'd try and put the engine on my new engine stand. I thought I could use the stud on the bottom left of the engine for the gearbox but unfortunately it was too short. So I removed it to allow me to put a bolt in its place, however it all came to a grinding halt when I realised I didn't have any bolts long enough ensive:

So I made a start on putting the cam pulley locking device on. Once in place I had a feeling something wasn't right as the mark did marry up and looking at the end of the cams there didn't seem to be the majority below the centre line.

A few texts back and forth to my master technician, just as I thought the cams were 180deg out. It looks like when I put the tdc pin in I managed to have the engine 180deg out from the position I wanted it to be in. So I had to refit and tighten up the crank pulley, loosen off the locking gears on the cams and then remove the tdc pin. I then rotated the engine through 180deg and got the tdc pin back in and locked the exhaust cam pulley and dephaser in place.

If you compare this picture of the end of the cams to my last one you can see my mistake

Exhaust cam looking spot on

Inlet cam as my master technician told me even with it 180deg out, it's retarded!! In this state the U shaped locking device cannot be fitted. So this will have to be sorted while I'm changing the belts

So the tension has been taken off the tensioning pulley and had a play with it to understand how it works. Can see what @NorthloopCup was saying with it being to the wrong side, but it still seemed under tension. The pulleys were then removed to allow belt removal. Just need to loosen off the dephaser locking gear to rotate the cam to fit the U shaped locking device in the end of the cams, then Ill remove the belt but will do this tomorrow

Thanks for looking :up:

 

[nath&alex]

Well did a bit more tonight, after fitting the engine to my new engine stand I adjusted the inlet can to fit the u shaped locking device

I then re-locked the inlet cam and then set about removing the dephaser pulley

Dephaser screwed cover removed, no one warned me of the oil retained behind that screwed cover!!

Dephaser gone

Next job was to remove the exhaust pulley, I'd been warned the nut would be tight. But golly, it was tight!!!

I had a look over some of my parts for the cambelt change, found one of my pulley didn't seem to match the old one. I realised the spacer was still stuck in the old pulley. When I finally managed to get it out I found it was damaged :unamused: So I'll have replace it during the rebuild

 

[nath&alex]

I then set about removing the breather manifold and cam cover as I plan to either powder coat or paint them

Cam cover off

Cam cover in need of a good clean before powder coating/painting can be done!!

I then drained the oil from the engine and removed the sump. This like other bits will be aqua blasted and then painted

Internals look pretty good, interestingly there isn't any sealant stuck in the end of the oil pick up which people tend to find which has got to be good!!

Plastic cover will need to be removed to give access to the crank and the rods. ARP rod bolt kit on order :up: Will have to work out how to remove that later!!

That's it for now, thanks for looking :kissingsmiling:

 

[Mash.]

Like all the different kinds of progress on this thread to both cars!

Good work mate!

 

[NorthloopCup]

Dephaser screwed cover removed, no one warned me of the oil retained behind that screwed cover!!
View attachment 145161

Well you never asked! :hearteyes:

 

[nath&alex]

Like all the different kinds of progress on this thread to both cars!

Good work mate!

Cheers buddy, there'll be a few bits coming off the sunflower this weekend as they are sold. Then I've the few final bits to come off that I need then bye bye little sunflower :smirk:

Well you never asked! :hearteyes:

As if I needed to, should just been blurted out :tonguewink: Anyway it's off now, need to draw up a list of the bits I'm short of including ARPs and get them order!!

Is that plastic cover on the bottom over the crank easy to remove? I can see maybe two bolts

 

[NorthloopCup]

Is that plastic cover on the bottom over the crank easy to remove? I can see maybe two bolts

It is like you my friend. Simple and easy. Lol!!

Anyway more to the point, wtf are you doing up at this time?!

 

[dci172]

Good thread. Which disks are you using with those stub axels ?

 

[nath&alex]

It is like you my friend. Simple and easy. Lol!!

Anyway more to the point, wtf are you doing up at this time?!

Who you been talking to? I'm not simple Im very complicated

The boy woke us both up at 02:30 and I couldn't get back to sleep

 

[NorthloopCup]

Who you been talking to? I'm not simple Im very complicated

The boy woke us both up at 02:30 and I couldn't get back to sleep

Alex told me. Bit of pillow talk. Flol

 

[nath&alex]

Alex told me. Bit of pillow talk. Flol

Well she should know :laughing:

But she promised she'd never tell anyone :unamused:

 

[AS_BO]

Cracking progress so far fella [emoji106]

 

[Paul172sport]

Looking good progress. Shame the flowers going but the rb shell makes more sense.

 

[nath&alex]

Cracking progress so far fella [emoji106]

Cheers buddy :up:

Looking good progress. Shame the flowers going but the rb shell makes more sense.

Gutted to be getting rid of the sunflower, but the RB should quite special when it's done :grin:

 

[nath&alex]

A quick update while waiting in the Chunnel...

Did a bit on the engine this week, stripped the plastic cover off the bottom and then removed the oil pump.

@NorthloopCup was on hand with advice as always :blush: So I dropped off my pump on my way down here to be fettled while I'm away and I'll pick it up on the way past on the way home!!

In other news I've got some ARP rod bolts

More when I get back from Snowboarding in Austria :up:

 

[Martin.]

Oil pump to be fettled with?

 

[Robclio98]

Awesome project and work going into this, cheers for the bonnet too

 

[nath&alex]

Oil pump to be fettled with?

Well there is plenty of info on this site with regard to the f4r oil pump and its issues. Also what can be done to make it better!! 🙈:spanner:🙈

Awesome project and work going into this, cheers for the bonnet too :smile:

Cheers Rob, was nice to meet you mate :up:Hope you made it back for your meal in time!?

 

[Martin.]

Is there? lol. I''ve honestly not come across it once....

 

[NorthloopCup]

Is there? lol. I''ve honestly not come across it once....

It's definitely on here mate.

Oh and stop wanking over threads. Lol

 

[Mash.]

Oh and stop wanking over threads. Lol

LOL

 

[nath&alex]

Is there? lol. I''ve honestly not come across it once....

Here you go

 

[Crombievxr]

I am following this. I just don't post

 

[Martin.]

It's definitely on here mate.

Oh and stop wanking over threads. Lol

?

Here you go

Learn something new every day. CHeers

 

[NorthloopCup]

?



Learn something new every day. CHeers

You said you hadn't 'come across it' lol

 

[nath&alex]

I am following this. I just don't post

Well you have now :up::blush:

?



Learn something new every day. CHeers

No Problem, its called a "search" button!! :wink:

 

[markerboy2002]

Did you buy this from Norwich?

 

[Martin.]

You said you hadn't 'come across it' lol

Wow I was slow there!!

Well you have now :up::blush:
No Problem, its called a "search" button!! :wink:

I had never heard of the oil pump mod so I'd never have been searching for it :wink:

 

[nath&alex]

Right well I'm back off my holiday so I thought I better do a little.

Well I dropped my oil pump off for fettling while I was snowboarding. On the drive back we picked it up again. The eagle eyed will notice one change straight away, the rest well can't be seen 🙈 I still have to do the spring relief mod, then it's ready to go back in!!

While I was away the ARP rod bolts turned up

Thought it'd be rude not to fit them, so off I went!!

Now that's done, need to get a few more bits cleaned up and ready for some paint. Then I can put it all back together and get it timed up :up:

 

[marinemackay2003]

hmmm oil pump mods look nice, good thread there are a few of us watching dont worry

 

[nath&alex]

hmmm oil pump mods look nice, good thread there are a few of us watching dont worry

Thanks dude :up:

There will be updates soon, just currently doing battle with kitchen units and copper pipe work!!!

 

[marinemackay2003]

so is it worth modding the old pump vs buying a new uprated one ?

 

[NorthloopCup]

so is it worth modding the old pump vs buying a new uprated one ?

My 110psi cold oil pressure would say yes. Lol! But tbh, one of the biggest areas for oil pressure drops are in the cam journals from wear and the dephaser solenoid.

 

[nath&alex]

Well as Mark @NorthloopCup has announced the first set of uprated rear brake assembly we've been working on are ready.
Well here are a some photos from the last few days during the manufacturing of the bracket

The kit I'm sending across to Mark comes with all the fixings including 12.9 cap heads to mount the rear calipers

 

[nath&alex]

Well thought I better update my thread...
Been busy doing DIY the boss wanted so the Clio has been sat for a while and it's my busy time at work so no chance of getting any real work done soon!! But I have bought some bits :hearteyes:

Some nice pulleys from TTV

Full EPAS column setup to use with the 182 rack

Made a start painting some of the bits I clean up a while ago. First up was the rear caliper brackets, I used the VHT paint primer first and a few coats of the metallic engine enamel. I think one more coat and some clear is still required and then I'll bake them in the oven

Anyway thanks for looking

 

[nath&alex]

Time for another quick update

Following on from my previous post I have purchased an EPAS controller from the guy in Portugal off eBay. In my excitement I took all the power steering pipes and reservoir off the RB and chucked them inside the sunflower.

I've finally got top side of the DIY jobs in the house so me and the missus decided to drag out the sunflower to get the final hits off it I want for the RB. So I dropped off the fuel tank, took off the fuel lines which I though we're goosed due to killer bunnies where it used be stored. Turns out it was just the vapour canister thingy return they had chewed through and the flow and returns were in perfect condition. Result :up: I also could now get the drivers door open to take out the screws for the door connector allowing me to finally remove the dash loom. I then removed the doors which are sold along with a couple of other bits. I'm borrowing a mates trailer tomorrow and I'll weigh what left in with the scrap man :wink:

I've taken a few more bits to work to clean up in the aquablaster. One of these will be painted the same colour as the block and the others will be powder coated. The only problem is I not decided on the colour scheme for the all the powder coated bits 😊

Finally as the rear caliper carriers seemed to have clean up and painted so well, I thought I'd dig out my front caliper carriers for a bit aquablasting. Did a bit on one this afternoon at work but ran out of time, unfortunately I didn't get chance for a part complete shot. But they look miles better already, but here are the before pics

Pretty manky :confounded:

Well I'll dig out my spare rear beam tomorrow and drop it off with my mate when I pick up his trailer. Then he can weld in the PMS strengthening and bearing kits. Then I can get it powder coated

Next up will be stripping some more bits off the RB then install the parts from the sunflower in 🙈😊:up:

Thanks for looking

 

[nath&alex]

Well today didn't go as I planned, well maybe a little...
Did some more on the utility room we've been doing. Got a few tiles on while we waited for my mates trailer to become available

Well my mates trailer came free, and we brought it home. Those who have hauled a shell onto a trailer will know how difficult it is, a rolling shell not an issue, but this was a b**ch!! It took well over an hour to drag it into the trailer, I thought I could use my engine crane. But after the whole lot fell over we had to rethink!! I used two jack to to lift the shell in the centre and then stood on the rear so the front end lifted up, then my missus reversed the trailer under the shell. Then used my ratchet straps to pull it on. After all that effort it was pretty late, unfortunately it was rush hour and every red light was against me So when I got there I was 10 Minute late So close yet so far away....

In other news I cleaned up the first part of the inlet manifold so it's ready for powder coating

Thanks for looking