Build Officially Started!

[robo]

[quote=Tatey;90706] It has actually reduced the complexity of my cooling circuit and has made it a neater install.



I was just wondering if it was a good idea not using the pump over tapping on the thermostat housing that goes to the hose connection on the expansion tank. It keeps the engine purged all the time even with the stat closed, normally has a restrictor in the pipe with a 2mm ish hole. Just thoughts.

http://www.emeng.gentlyhosting.co.uk/Cooling/Part1.htm


Bob

[Johno]

No worries Kev...
I just thought if you have enough cable to pull below the socket you can tighten the nut up without any problem with the wires still connected.
I plan to take my car to a local MOT station before IVA and thought this would help them out if I supplied the modified socket.
I plan to have my cables connected via heat shrinkable butt connectors with the inbuilt resin to make them watertight so I could setup my lights without disconnecting them each time.

[Tatey]

[quote=robo;90717]

Originally Posted by Tatey

I was just wondering if it was a good idea not using the pump over tapping on the thermostat housing that goes to the hose connection on the expansion tank. It keeps the engine purged all the time even with the stat closed, normally has a restrictor in the pipe with a 2mm ish hole. Just thoughts.

http://www.emeng.gentlyhosting.co.uk/Cooling/Part1.htm


Bob

Bob, I'm not 100% sure if I understand you, do you mean you don't think it is it a good idea to have it the way my cooling system is currently setup where I haven't connected the expansion feed from the thermostat housing and only have the expansion feed from the radiator?

If so then my cooling circuit is not complete yet and I am planning on using both of the expansion feeds (radiator + thermostat housing). I just need to order some extra alloy pipe to run to the thermostat housing and I have some extra 8mm hose and a T-piece to finish the run.

[robo]

Sorry I thought I was looking at the finished job . Land rover disco 300 tdi do a tee with a check valve to do exactly that job , it stops the water thats being pumped back to the expansion tank from the thermostat housing being fired straight back to the top of the rad. It also acts as an ejector tee drawing from the top of the rad, god knows how it does it but they do work.http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...rtankhoses.jpg.

Bob

[Tatey]

Well it turns out I had an old 21mm spark plug socket in my tool box that never gets used and is perfect for the job as it has a 21mm hex end for it allowing you to a spanner on the end without having to weld on a nut.

So out came the angry grinder and I cut a 5mm slit in the side of it which allowed me to put the cables into the middle of socket, however one thing I didn't consider prior to doing this was that the cable sheathing may be large than the hole in the centre of the socket, it was. So it mean that when turning the socket it would grab the sheathing and turn that too, so my I though, oh I'll just drill a bigger hole...1 shattered 9.5mm drill bit later and I've come with the tip of drill the hole out first and then cut the slit otherwise the drill bit catches on the slit and if your drill is torquey enough like mine is it will just shatter the bit.

So instead I took the front of the light off and pulled the cable through so that it was just the 4 cables that would go through the socket and not the cable sheathing, this does mean that it's a lot harder to align the lights, so I think I will eventually buy a new socket to drill out first and then cut the slit.

[Tatey]

Well I think I've managed to figure out what bends/hose joiners/alloy bends/alloy pipes/t-pieces and whatever ever else I need to complete my cooling system, however it is going to cost another £100 to get everything . I just need to confirm with my supplier the bend radius of their 180*° 25mm alloy tubes, which I should get tomorrow.

I've also been preparing my nose cone for vinyl wrapping by applying a bit of body filler to fix some imperfections/previous owners mounting holes. I'm going to try and drop it off at the wrappers tomorrow morning, but it all depends how long they think it'll take to wrap.

[Johno]

Originally Posted by Tatey

Well it turns out I had an old 21mm spark plug socket in my tool box that never gets used and is perfect for the job as it has a 21mm hex end for it allowing you to a spanner on the end without having to weld on a nut.

So out came the angry grinder and I cut a 5mm slit in the side of it which allowed me to put the cables into the middle of socket, however one thing I didn't consider prior to doing this was that the cable sheathing may be large than the hole in the centre of the socket, it was. So it mean that when turning the socket it would grab the sheathing and turn that too, so my I though, oh I'll just drill a bigger hole...1 shattered 9.5mm drill bit later and I've come with the tip of drill the hole out first and then cut the slit otherwise the drill bit catches on the slit and if your drill is torquey enough like mine is it will just shatter the bit.

So instead I took the front of the light off and pulled the cable through so that it was just the 4 cables that would go through the socket and not the cable sheathing, this does mean that it's a lot harder to align the lights, so I think I will eventually buy a new socket to drill out first and then cut the slit.

Hi Tatey,
With any luck I'll get my makeshift light adjuster done tomorrow. I'm using a 1/2" drive socket which I'll cut the drive off and tack a 20mm nut to and Dremel the threads out, should be plenty of room for the cables.

[Tatey]

Sounds like a good plan Johno.

After receiving a quote of £400 to vinyl wrap my rear arches, scuttle, nose cone and bonnet and realising I could buy a new set of bodywork for £30 more I've been looking into other options to colour match my bodywork, with it looking more and more likely that I will paint it all.

I've learned tonight that you can buy specialist HPLV spray painters that are designer only for spraying, with prices starting at £100 for ones which can be used to spray cars, namely the Apollo Spraymate, and the price goes up for more professional setups. However they negative the need to own a bulky/noisy expensive compressor which I don't think I'd end up using. So I think in a few weeks when I have moved my car down south and have a lot more room in my parents garage I will buy an Apollo Spraymate from axminster + 2.5l of cellulose paint, primer and some etch primer and give it a shot.

A classic car magazine ran an article back in 2006 about the electric HPLV spray painting setups you can buy and they were pleasantly surprised and that you can get a good finish from using them.

So I will try and post a review with pictures when I eventually get mine.

I'm also trying to source the bends required for my exhaust system. I will be running one down pipe to my silencer and require a 45°, 90°, 6° and a 10° bend with a bit of straight to make it. I have decided that I will go for mild steel and weld it together myself and wrap it with the aim to eventually get a custom manifold made by MK Engineering. I can easily source the 45° and 90° degree bends, I have sent some quotes out to a few companies to try and get a 6° and 10° bend made up (these bends are to try and keep the exhaust as close as possible to the side panel).

I am also having to wait for a week before ordering my cooling system bits as Autosilicone Hoses have not got the technical dimensions for the distance between centres of the 25mm 180° bend that I require to join my top hose to my thermostat bypass hose as per the Westfield cooling system design. I need this dimensions to make sure that it will actually fit because if it doesn't then I need to rethink it all. However they don't keep the dimension on file and are out of stock so can't measure one for me.

So tomorrow I am going to crack on and find some other work that needs to be completed.

[Tatey]

Well I've just ordered the 4 bends I need for my exhaust system at £5.34 each, they are press bent so are are not cosmetically sound, however they will be wrapped with black exhaust wrap so they will be hidden anyway. I've also order 2*500mm of 2" 1.5 ERW to allow me to join it all together, they are supposed to be getting sent out later on today so it means next week I may be able to tack it all together when I get back from holiday.

I did a bit of head scratching this morning to decide how I could make/buy two spigots for my Sierra master cylinder for my remote reservoir, and the easiest option I came up with was to use the dust caps that came with the master cylinder and epoxy some metal 8mm hose joiners to them and drill and hole through the cap, the caps fit snugly in the M/C I am just hoping that they will be compatible with brake fluid, I have put one in a small cup of brake fluid to see how it will react. I now just need to buy some more P-clips to allow me to tidy up the braided hose for the reservoir and the brake system will be nearly complete.

I've also remade my transmission tunnel top piece (the bit that goes under the scuttle) as I wasn't happy with it at all as it was very rough and the sides were not straight/the same length, so I scrapped it and remade one which I'd say is nearing perfection in my eyes lol. Bending aluminium with a rubber mallet definitely seems to be the way forward as it leaves no marks and gives a nice bend. I've also drilled the 5 holes for my relay holders into this panel, I have 5 relay holders, but a few of them will not be used as they are for wipers and screen wash etc, but will be good future proofing.

Finally I am currently sikaflexing my transmission tunnel side panels on, I considered riveting them on but decided it would take too long and this way if I want to take my panels off it will be possible without leaving lots of rivets inside the chassis members/having to attempt to match up holes.

[twinturbo]

I made a bottom plate for my hedlamp bracket so that I can get a spanner on the nut. I will drill a hole in the thread anyway so that the wires can exit into the mount tube and be hidden from view. Then just need to cap the nut with something.

TT