Oh dear - Big bang

[Wobba]

I'll follow this up in another Wobba epic quest thread properly when I have time, but right now I have been struggling with getting the car ready for FCS...the reason is as follows:

I went with Summeh to Brands Hatch on the 27th May and had a good time for most of the morning. The car was STORMING. Handling had all been sorted finally with new CV joints and driveshafts and tweaking the suspension. The Gunner 180 chip I had been running, along with RON 99 fuel makes a heck of a difference, the engine came alive!

I had been concerned with an issue that had been going on for months. Some of you may remember my posts months ago about pressure build-up in the coolant system. I had suspected the HG was a bit messed up and had planned to get a ported head done and sort it then. Sadly, this was not to be :(

At about 11 am, whilst cornering around Clearways toward the pit entrance I head some unusual knocking noises. 'Eeey up' I thought and hastily came into the pits garage I had blagged. Coolant was pissing everywhere and the knocking noise continued until the car stalled.

I'll go into more detail on another thread, but the days that followed were some of the hardest I've had in recent years due to my work commitment and trying to fix the car till the early hours each night with a replacement engine from Arj256 (a Megane 714).

It's been a race to finish the car before FCS, but with limited time, Summeh and I have worked insanely hard and we are soooo close. We are exhausted.



As I type, the car is outside and I am trying to sort out some bad niggles with timing and belt tension. It's really dark and it's raining, and the car is not ready to be driven :(

Summeh has helped me immeasurably, as you will see when I get time to do a proper write up, and a big thanks goes out to Justin who has offered his help and been there for when we partly stripped the car, providing an engine crane as well. Thanks to Leighanne for offering assistance and waiting about for us at Brands Hatch too!


A recent pic: Summeh at work.

I am sooo close to getting it finished, I cant let it beat me despite having barely any sleep for over a week. Hopefully Summeh will be here soon to help!

If you see L468 TAC at FCS tomorrow, give it a pat...it's had a hard couple of weeks. If car and I are not there, you'll know we have failed....


Me: Cleaning a floor after we removed engine.


Well, the rain has eased off but it's still dark, off I go to try and fix it once more.

Wish us luck guys and gals...

[fasterthanjesus]

goodworkfella dont let it beat you.

[robi1000]

May the Force be with you!

[Wobba]

It's 4.30 am, I am outside trying to get a rounded torx bolt off to the pulley cover to fix the timing still...I've got 45 mins to meet the others...I am tierd :(

[MatrixGuy]

You are the master my friend!

[rob-legend]

jesus wobba! good luck, and if you get it done, drive safe and sleep at fcs!

[queegan]

no thats wot i call dedication to the game fairplay to ya lad :D [-o<

[Wobba]

Well, we managed to get the tension a lot better despite a partially rounded torx bolt and a possible threaded one (which we sorted) but without driving it about it was hard to tell. Fact of the matter is:

We made it to FCS! Hooray!

The belt is whining still but not as bad. I gave up trying to sort it and we ran out of time! The car ran impeccably other than that. Very happy with it. I shall do a proper write up when I can actually see straight and the wake up drugs have worn off. I am shagged.



The Wobbamobile: A Royal pain in the arse (with 5 bar oil pressure now ;) )

[Justin..]

Did well :D

[ThRaXaIR]

star performance my man good effort and good seeing you today! :D