techbod

Thanks for the replies I have slowly been collecting bits for a 5 speed conversion over the past couple of years - (long input shaft type 9, rs2000 bell housing, gearbox spacer plate), but I rarely seem to find myself travelling up and down the motorways in the 7 any-more so the idea of needing a 5th gear seems to have gone and I've come back round to wanting to keep the 4 speed for the moment. I suppose the answer might be to get the 4 speed rebuilt to take the sort of power a 2L Blacktop might produce and hope the axle doesn't give out!

It looks like the xflow needs some work, so whilst I'm weighing up all the options I want to consider replacing it with a zetec. I've been through the archives and have a reasonable idea of what might be required but still have a couple of questions. Chassis is LA type registered in '89 with a 4 speed gearbox and Ital/Marina axle. So assuming a 1.8 zetec flywheel, which combination of clutch, cover plate and crb do I need that will work with the 4 speed type 2 gearbox . I'm considering a 1.8 silvertop with 2 litre cams which I hope might give me about 150bhp with twin 40s which the gearbox and axle should be able to safely handle. Or is that overly paranoid and a standard 2 litre engine on twin 40s still be safe enough - I'm thinking about extra torque as much as bhp. (I'd prefer *not* to have to drive about being careful with my right foot in case I press it too enthusiastically and break something). I can't work out if the Silvertop might make for an easier install than the Blacktop in my chassis. Thanks for any thoughts on the subject.

Thanks for the replies. I did start off thinking it was petrol as I have had carb issues in the past, but I'm fairly sure I've ruled it out now, and it is oil on the plug - which is a shame - I'd rather it was fuel I think!

On removing the spark plugs for inspection I now find that cylinder number 1 plug is consistently 'wet' - it has a light sheen of what I'm fairly convinced is oil on it. It doesn't evaporate off, feels and smells like oil. If I don't use the car for a number of days and check the plug it always has some on it. None of the other cylinders have this issue. Compression check gives #1:180 #2:175 #3:175 #4:180 ( oil in the bore for #1 may help increase the figure and hide an issue I suppose) So what are my prime suspects? Valve stem seal, worn value guide or oil scraper ring? Anything else? I've not noticed any puffs of smoke on gear change, but then again its hard to tell from inside the car. The engine is breathing a little more than it used to, I get a light haze from the bonnet vents at idle but it has done that for a while. Engine was rebuilt 11,000 miles ago by SPR.

Yellow nosecone, Green body(I think?) on the A46 going past Stratford upon Avon about 1pm. Waved from the green mx-5 on the other side.

YHM . cheers

Have you looked at MGF discs and hubs? It appears they have the same PCD as the ital (3.75") and are 240mm diameter, so if the pug 106 ones fit under 13" wheels the MGF ones should as well. I'm not sure if the stud size is the same though. Also the MGF rear calipers look quite low profile, have a hand brake mechanism and might be an option? Edited by - techbod on 23 Sep 2011 10:59:29

ooops sorry - must have spent so long checking online to see if it was the right part I didn't notice the edit dibs had appeared.

Gearbox to bellhousing Spacer: If this is the one required for fitting the type 9/5 speed conversion I'd like it please. BM sent Thanks

Gavin, YHM re wiper arms and blades. cheers

In the unlikely event it falls through, I'd like to 2nd dibs it please

Not that I think this Zetec would be an easy fit into an S3, but scores highly on the £/bhp stakes!:here!

Thanks for the reply. I did the same and filled the filter before fitting, but this issue occurs on every start since the change. I took the rocker cover off to check the valve clearances - there is plenty of oil up there so once started its all going round ok, its just the delay in the gauge registering pressure that concerns me. Having dug around I think the filter is a Motorcraft efl500, which is recommend for the xflow from various sources, so I'm wondering if I'm just unlucky and this particular filter is duff, or its something else entirely. I think I'll get a Champion C103 (which I've used with no problems before) and try that. If its solves the issue I'll just put it down to one of those things and assume I just had an issue with that particular filter

I've just done a routine oil and filter change on my xflow car. All is fine, except it seems to be taking a long period (2, 3 seconds?) for the oil pressure to register on the gauge compared to before, when it was almost instantaneous. The car has been given a run, oil pressure behaviour is otherwise fine. I'm assuming that the new oil filter doesn't have an anti-drain valve, and that the old one did. Unfortunately I took the old one to recycling and I can't remember what it was. Any recommendations for an xflow filter that does have anti-drain? (New one is a motorcraft item, but part number isn't immediately to hand but it was mentioned in the archives as being suitable.) Alternatively, what might the cause be? Thanks.

Hi, YHM re honeycomb Thanks

Thanks for the reply. Partially answering my own question, it might be very tricky getting nuts on the middle two with studs as they are very close to the exhaust. Probably the reason for using caps.

The steel 5/16 caps that the previous owner put on the exhaust manifold (xflow) are starting to rust quite badly so I'd like to replace them. I've bought some replacement SS versions, but looking through the archives opinion seems to be divided about using SS - it seems it might harden through heat cycling and become brittle? Also is it more or less likely to seize? Can anyone confirm (or deny) that this is the case and if so what should I be using instead? Should I use studs instead with brass nuts?

I don't think its the sender. Random checks with a voltmeter have proved difficult to conclude definitely whilst driving , but I think its the gauge. I thought I had read somewhere there is a small shunt coil/ and or resistor in the gauge that can fail. Its this I was planning on checking.

I believe that is correct, but I've found a reference or two on the net about cutting the body apart to get inside (and maybe get the bezel a little easier that way). So I thought a Guinea pig gauge to try the various methods on first was in order. There are sites showing you how to 'uncrimp' the bezel as well, but I gave it one try and decided its not for me...

I need to dismantle my fuel gauge for a bit of tlc (damping possibly gone), but I think its likely I'll make a mess of the bezel when I take it off. So I'd like to find a broken or faulty 52mm VDO gauge I can take to bits to get the bezel from. Anything knocking around a shed or garage somewhere? cheers

Thanks for the replies . bstark - I'll blatmail you my details, I'm very interested in your setup. And (grammer!) I'll talk to James Whiting and see if he can come up with a low pressure version - which would save a lot of mucking around...

You have BM on behalf of non BC using friend.

(I have trawled through he archives on this subject, and the only links I can find for photos about this seem to be dead.) The car is a 1989 live axle, with hydraulic brake light switch and no/open pedal box. After the old switch failed, I replaced it with a new one, which works correctly but still needs a fair amount of pressure on the brake pedal before the contacts will close. In normal driving this means the brake lights aren't coming on most of the time. So I'm looking at converting to an electrical switch, operated from the brake pedal. Has anyone with a similar chassis got any photos of how they achieved this and which switch, bracket etc they used. Thanks

SWMBO has decided to sell her Wii as it rarely gets used. Before she ebays it I'd thought I'd see if anyone on BC might be interested. Wii Console Two controllers with sleeves and rechargeable batteries Controller charger with usb connection Two nunchucks One game (steering) wheel for controller One balance board with case One guitar hero controller Games: Wii Fit, Wii Sports, F1 2009, Shaun White Snowboarding Road Trip, Guitar Hero III Legends of Rock, Scene It? Bright lights big screen. £150 plus p&p.

Thanks for the replies. These are doors that came with the car which I have never used and have lived indoors for a couple of years without the dints dropping out. I can only assume that either the house never gets warm enough ☹️ or that they were too big to disappear at room temperature.