g8jka - 2.8 Roadster Progress Journal

After making a heat shield it was time to get another cold air feed upto the filter. I got some 3" flexible hose which I planned to route from the front mesh grille in the bumper upto the heat shield directing cold air through to the filter. There doesn't seem to be much space and the only way I could go was from the grille, through the back of the under tray and up behind the radiator into the bottom of the heat shield. The hose is 3" thick and it was a very tight fit between the fan shroud and belt so I had to compress it down slightly and cable tie it to the fan shroud so it doesn't come into contact with the belt. I cut a hole in the heat shield and put the end trim through this connecting to the flexible pipe and the bottom end is temporarily held in place behind the grill with some cable ties. I had to make a hole in the back of the under tray for the hose to go through but it's worked out pretty well, whether it helps I haven't got a clue it's just another thing I fancied doing. I think I will put the front trim piece properly in the grill in future rather than just cable tied against it. I also changed the old induction kit to a larger Ramair unit. A few pictures (ignore the rust in the engine bay that will be sorted soon) and I'll get some better pictures once it's fully finished

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It was time last weekend to fit new vanos seals and rattle rings, I got a full kit from X8R on eBay just before Christmas. We got a spare dual vanos unit which @gookah stripped down ready for the new seals and rattle rings to go in so it could all rebuilt before taking the old one off in case of any problems. Then it would be a straight forward swap, or so we hoped. All went well rebuilding the spare vanos unit so we set about stripping the old unit off the car. I needed to get the viscous fan and shroud off so I could secure the new air feed properly to the shroud and it would also give more access to the vanos not being on, so @gookah started removing the fan. He was having trouble securing the fan removal tool so decided to use one off his old tricks and put the spanner on the fan and smack it with a hammer a few times, not normally a problem. Well this time the spanner slipped, caught the thermostat housing and shattered it :facepalm: coolant everywhere and being 5pm on Saturday evening the car wouldn't be going very far for a few days. The rest of the strip down went well after this and the rebuilt vanos was fitted along with all the new seals. We took off the old thermostat housing and it turns out it needed replacing anyway as one of the tabs was broke, even though everything was working normally. A few pictures during rebuilding the unit and installing it.

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All back together, sounds a lot quieter on idle now and doesn't have the rattle. Haven't done a lot of miles in it yet but first impressions are it has made a big difference again. It seems to have more torque at the bottom end and the power feels instant and carries on all the way through to the redline. It almost feels like it's had another remap. I need to get it dyno'd again really now I've had the vanos done, different induction kit, heat shield and air feed to see if it has actually made any difference and it's not all in my head! It certainly feels like it's made a big improvement again since the remap. I have a DISA rebuild kit and some seat bushes waiting to be fitted and the summer wheels will be getting some sort of refurb soon. I really need to clean the engine bay up and treat the rust asap though.
 
Great work between the pair of you Dave.:thumbsup:

Tony.
 
Good work, I picked up a viscous fan tool a few years ago for eBay, used it once and it’s sat in my toolbox ever since! If you do another give me a shout.
 
I have an 11/4" combination spanner which, strangely, has one side of the "ring" end slightly out of shape ..................... ;)

Tony.
 
Not sure which tool to blame for smashing the thermostat housing :whistle:

I knew the tab was broken in the thermostat housing after you mentioned mayonnaise under the filler cap..
I also knew you wouldn't just go out and buy a new one, so I had to make you buy one......
I deliberately hit the spanner towards it......:whistle:
 
@gooka! The two of you should have a tv show!! I find your posts, acting with those of the Kid, hilarious! If we see this stuff what goes on we don't hear about??? Hope to meet you both some day! JIM
 
@gooka! The two of you should have a tv show!! I find your posts, acting with those of the Kid, hilarious!

I can't stand him really.. so humour is my coping mechanism..
I planned on him becoming a golfing superstar and loaning me his Ferrari, instead I have to fix his 20 year old car.... :poke:
I thought by now, I'd be in California in a hot tub ..
looks like I will just have to become a rockstar on my own instead, now where's my Stratocaster :banghead:
 
You sound very like me Pete.=))

Tony.
 
If he's anything like my boys I wouldn't be holding my breath for either to become rich and famous and support me in my old age. Although my elder son says I should sell off everything and come and live with his family in Santiago, Chile. But bring all the money you make selling off and maybe bring his brother and his family along after they've sold off their home. My youngest though has a 54x30x10' metal shop on his five acres with a full concrete floor that he's turned over to me to use as I want, so I'm just about strapping and insulating it, then just need to panel and paint. So don't think I'm leaving for Chile soon although my best half Joan is about ready to go any day!! JIM
 
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Won't be long before your in a bath tub, in an old peoples home, but actually believing your in California in a hot tub.
Now I know why you have always told me "there's no place like home".....
It's because your planning to put me in one .....
 
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