I'm so fed up!

[alex_e3]

Started the willy conversion on thursday.

All was going well, engine was out in under 3 hours.

I'm just totally fed up now. Had to buy so much stuff, and you get into that whole "i may as well do it whilst the engine's out" arguement with yourself. Replaced 2 bottom ball joints, bought 2 track rod ends, 2 front wheel bearings.

Replaced the wheel bearings to find that after tapping the middle of the hub in, there was play in the new bearing

Also, i found the anti-roll bar bush mounting bolt had sheared off, so the ARB was completely loose on the 1 side! So i may as well replace the one the other side as well. Also found a corroded brake pipe which was an absolute bastard to get off.

& today i found the worst thing yet, there's play in the steering rack. Just totally pissed off now! The play's not mot failure i think, but it's only gonna get worse with time (and the mrs' driving!), so i may as well do it whilst the engine's out. Whilst taking it off the car, the main power steering pump decided to bugger up and bend.

I haven't even started looking at swapping bits on the engines yet! Let alone doing the clutch, cambelt, water pump, clean the engine and the bay. Then i've got to put it all back and pray it starts!!!!

Oh my god i feel depressed!!!

[snowman]

Lol it isnt as easy as some more experienced engine swappers make it out mate,i went thru all that aswell only to have the engine destroy itself within 1k miles.

The steering rack could be an MOT failure if theres play when you pull the steering wheel,think lateral play is ok tho.

Theres so many things that 'could' be changed when doing a swap,some times you'll get lucky and they wont need doing but like you say may aswell do it whilst the engines out,as a lot of the parts that will need changing will incur massive bills from Garages if they need doing later on when the lumps in the car,hind-sight is a wonderful thing,i would grin and bear it mate at least that way you know when its all fitted together the bits are good and maybe get trouble free driving for a long while.

[alex_e3]

Cheers fella! It's nice to have some re-assurance. Just seems like i'm never gonna get it finished, as i'm spending nearly all my free time in between work on it.

Engine seems a good 'un, so hopefully won't have any problems there, hence why i'm doin' the clutch, water pump, and cambelt set. Oh yeah, another thing i'm doin' is fitting a soft pedal conversion, as i've got the 5 GTT uprated jobby. So i'll be fiddling round with the pedal again!

I was quite impressed how quick the engine came out though - i'm getting quite good at it now :o

As you say, reason i've decided to do it all is to have trouble free motoring for a while. I'll never pay a garage to do a job i can do myself, so i didn't fancy dropping the subframe and struggling like f**k to get the rack off with the engine in!

As for the play, it's only a small click when moving the rods in and out.

[snowman]

Yeah,i did all those bits on mine mate,im toying with the soft pedal conversion as im fitting a gtt uprated clutch aswell,dunno if i will yet tho.

It does seem like it will never get finished sometimes,im working on mine all the time atm aswell but it'll all be worth it,you just gotta keep telling yourself otherwise youll go mental,lmao

[matty w]

its better to do things whilst the car is in bits though cause a lot of the things would be a nightmare once back together,i'm currently rebuilding a valver and i've changed a lot more things than i'd planned but its less things to break in the fututre

[seanofnp]

Keep going mate, i was lucky with mine and it was all working fine, but sooner or later with my new engine in im going to have to replace, which will be harder. As said above at least once its done you should have some hassle free driving.

Keep us posted! And goodluck.

[Coops]

stick with it mate, once its all done you'll feel alot better about it aswell as you know for sure its been done to your own high standards and no cowboy willl of taken liberties/left bolts undone etc!

[MAXIBOY]

not connected the charge cooler.

[alex_e3]

^^^ whoops!

UPDATE:

Had about 2 1/2 hours on it today.

First thing was i went and ordered a recon rack. & also ordered all 4 ARB bushes - thought i may as well replace the lot. Although i'm not looking forward to tying to squeeze the middle ones in at all!!!

Got to work taking bits off the old engine. First took the box off, as i'll be using that box. Then got the loom off as i'll be using that one too as i know it works spot on! Oh yeah, and had to take the exhaust manifold off, 'coz when i got the new engine i asked him to take the exhuast man. off, but i forgot to ask him for the nuts, so have to re-use my old ones!

The injectors connections were a bitch to get off - i broke 2 of them as well. So will have to pull the rubber back off the plugs and re-attach them.

That's about it for today really - didn't have much time on it.



Tomorrows plan of action:

Pick the rack & ARB bushes up;

Attempt to fit middle ARB bushes! & do outer ones connecting to wishbone;

Fit new rack & track rod arms. Waiting for Matt Brown to get back to me about the PAS pipe.

If i've got any more time left, i'll be stripping the new engine's ancillaries off to swap with old engine. & i would like to start cleaning the engine which i ain't looking forward too at all!

I'm fecking knackered fair play!