[car_upgrade] Platty's Road/track Car Gti-5

[Anthony 1,000]

I then tried to bolt up the Xsara rear discs/calipers and found they don't fit

The caliper sits too far in, so you could only get one pad in the caliper. Annoying as the calipers are like new.

I'll be on the look out for a pair of 1.9 rear calipers now I guess.

The calipers are the same - it's the disks that are different offsets between 205/309 and 306/Xsara's. Use 205/309 rear disks and it'll all bolt straight up

[platty 1]

Ah, marvellous thats cheered me up.

 

Funny, the more you learn, the more you realise you don't know.

 

Cheers Anthony

[platty 1]

Engine's out, wahoo!!

 

 

 

 

I'll clear out the rest of the engine bay, prep, paint, and then lift the new engine in.

 

Oh, a cambelt and water pump might be an idea whilst its out.

 

Been thinking about the battery relocation....what do you think about running the cable under the car?

 

I have some rubber coated steel flexi conduit (20mm) so the cable will be protected....im 50/50 at the mo.

[DrSarty 90 1 Cars]

Been thinking about the battery relocation....what do you think about running the cable under the car?

 

I have some rubber coated steel flexi conduit (20mm) so the cable will be protected....im 50/50 at the mo.

 

I don't get the benefit. Why would you?

[Anthony 1,000]

I have some rubber coated steel flexi conduit (20mm) so the cable will be protected....im 50/50 at the mo.

Personally, I'd say no - it would only take grounding the car out heavily on something to risk stripping/breaking the cable and shorting it against the chassis with potentially disasterous consquences. Route it through the car where it is atleast fairly well protected.

[platty 1]

It'll mean another hole through the bulkhead, and then one through the boot floor (probably inside the rear quater...near the light cluster. The battery is going in a box under the boot floor.

 

Also, all the interior is bolted in now....mind you, I've got a pair of RCA's to run, remote, speaker wires, etc, etc......maybe through the car then.

 

EDIT: Yeah, that was my worry, grounding the car and exposing the cable....although it will be fused both ends either way I go.

Edited February 12, 2009 by platty

[DrSarty 90 1 Cars]

Also, all the interior is bolted in now....mind you, I've got a pair of RCA's to run, remote, speaker wires, etc, etc......maybe through the car then.

 

There's your opportunity, although I wouldn't run the RCAs anywhere near the power cable. And trust me on this, you may well induce a ground loop with the battery in the boot (my car did), resulting in interference/a whine coming through the stereo.

 

There's a simple fix though from Autoleads for about £20 called a GL Isolator which removes it totally.

[platty 1]

Ah yes, good advice.

 

I'll be uprating the earth connections around the car, but that doesn't always solve the whine. I read somewhere, earthing the entire audio system to the same point can reduce/eliminate the interference.

 

Did you have a big system?

[taylorspug 7]

For the battery cable why not use the hole that is usually for the BE1 reverse cable? Lines up nicely with the exhaust tunnel too so you can run it down the side of that. This is what ive done and just run it under the carpet to a box in the boot.

[platty 1]

Funny, I was looking at that last night. I don't really want to turn the bulk head into swiss cheese, but at the same time want to keep the cable as short and direct as possible, but also looking neat and tidy (I know, I want the Earth!) So yeah, I think down the side of the exhaust tunnel will do nicely.

 

Im only adding a 4 channel amp(around 200wrms) so 4 awg should be ample shouldn't it?

[platty 1]

Dirty

 

After a good clean, I rubbed back some little bits of surface rust, and scotched off all the rest of the paint. I also improved the factory earthing point by drilling out a clip hole on the ns suspension turret. The surrounding paint was rubbed back to bare metal, and then a bronze nut and bolt was bolted in.

 

Whilst I was in the cleaning mood, I wire brushed the living daylights out of the wheel arches, as they, unsuprisingly, were dirty too.

 

I was interupted by Anthony, picking up the Xsara beam(which he split in 5 minutes!). I thought his XS was sitting low, but then 3 beams, and a host of tools will do that to the suspension

 

I had time to get a lick of Hamerite inside an arch before it got dark, the other three will get done throughout the week.

 

Edited February 15, 2009 by platty

[platty 1]

Mmmmmmm....

 

 

Anyone else getting that deja vu feeling here?

[NeilGTi85 5]

You missed abit....

 

Looks like its coming along nicely, did you get my PM before X-mas?

 

Neil

[platty 1]

Don't say things like that Neil, I'll be out there inspecting it otherwise!

 

Don't remember your PM, and I've deleted my inbox so yo better re-send it.

[platty 1]

Around fixing the exhaust problems I have on the Diesel I made a little bit of progress today:

 

 

The water manifold (306 TD) is just slipped on to check the location of the pipework. I still have to connect the top matrix hose to the water manifold.

 

For anyones interest, the part No.s are:-

 

-1336G4 Water Manifold

-134028 Gasket

-24516 Channel Plug

 

£15 with value added theft.

[DrSarty 90 1 Cars]

Your 2.0L GTI badges are made for this car Mark. Will look coolio.

 

(DTI ones awaiting your approval in about 5mins)

 

Nice project BTW.

[platty 1]

Haha approved Dr'S'

 

Its going to be more show than go this year.

 

Throttle bodies, or a charger are on the cards for next winter, when hopefully any teething problems are ironed out, and the engine has a few more miles on it.

 

That said, if funds allow, I may slip a PeterT stage 1 cam in there late summer.

Edited February 17, 2009 by platty

[djinuk 2]

when you say the water manifold, is that the black distribution block that sits on the back of the gti6, and then is the bung to block off one of the holes i am guessing. Reason i ask is i think i will need to take a trip to pug to also get hold of one of these for my conversion.

 

Looking real well though mate:)

 

Just to add, how much of a job was it removing the steering rack, anti role bar and subframe, reason i ask , ive had the engine driveshafts wishbones etc off my pug, but ive neve gone the step furhter of removing my subframe etc, however i would like to give my engine bay a spray up if possible, and im guessing that would be easier without the subframe & steering rack in the way.

Edited February 18, 2009 by djinuk

[platty 1]

Pug call it a manifold, but, yes, the distribution block. Im using the bung to block off where the metal water pipe running along the back of the block usually connects.

 

The subframe is easy to remove. You can leave the steering rack, anti roll bar, wishbones, hubs, shocks, drop links all still bolted to it. All you have to do is unbolt the rack, from the steering column (1 bolt) then the six bolts holding the struts in, finally, undo the six bolts holding the subframe to the chassis, and down she comes.

You'll have to do something with the calipers, ie cable tie them up in the wheel arch, or disconnect the lines, and leave them on the hubs, but thats no biggy.

[djinuk 2]

when doing the gti6 conveersion then , do you remove this metal pipe running along the rear of the block ? Sorry about the questions, just trying to gain as much info as possible before i start mine.

 

 

Also i have heard people speaking about putting washers on the back of the pedal box, now to do this is it required to remove the dash board to get to it. I am trying to avoid removing my dashboard when doing this conversion as i find it a pain due to the amount of wiring etc behind it.

Edited February 18, 2009 by djinuk

[DrSarty 90 1 Cars]

when doing the gti6 conveersion then , do you remove this metal pipe running along the rear of the block ? Sorry about the questions, just trying to gain as much info as possible before i start mine.

 

You're possibly getting mixed up with items here DJINUK.

 

Platty's talking about the water distribution block/manifold/Edna (whatever name you give it), that's on the bottom and rear of the cylinder block, be it iron (XU10) or ally (XU9). The items fitted were usually metal and plastic respectively.

 

The PIPE that runs across the back of the cylinder head is not required and can be done away with if you choose.

Edited February 18, 2009 by DrSarty

[Anthony 1,000]

The PIPE that runs across the back of the cylinder head is not required and can be done away with if you choose.

Hang on Rich, you're jumping the gun and forgetting that he's talking about a GTi-6, which as standard runs the cooling system very different to a Mi16/S16 and does indeed have a pipe running along the back of the block - this is not the same as the pipe that runs along the back of the head on an Mi/S16! There's two schools of thought - either revert back to the Mi16/S16 setup (as Platty is doing) or keep the metal pipe and adapt the pipework to plumb it in similar to how it is in the 306. Both work if done right, and a search should reveal pictures/diagrams/descriptions of both methods.

[taylorspug 7]

Personally i get rid of the metal pipe and copy the 8v setup, then weld up the union in the back of the thermostat housing.

[platty 1]

More than one way to skin a cat, and the same is true about the next part.

 

Also i have heard people speaking about putting washers on the back of the pedal box, now to do this is it required to remove the dash board to get to it. I am trying to avoid removing my dashboard when doing this conversion as i find it a pain due to the amount of wiring etc behind it.

 

You need to remove the lower part of the drivers side dash to access the Pedal box nuts. But its only a few screws, and your in. You will need to remove this anyway to access the brown multiplugs and ecu located near the steering column. Removing the pedal box has been the most painful part of the conversion to date

depending on what route you take (lower the engine mounts, or extend the bottom fork), you may not have to space the bottom of the pedal box, to angle the Master Cylinder up. Again you have a couple of routes you can take, both of which achieve the same result....A 205GTI-6

 

Its up to you which route you take

Edited February 18, 2009 by platty

[platty 1]

A bit of progress over the last few days....

 

I've been tidying up the loom around the engine bay. Removed the dodgy earth distribution blocks near the headlights, and crimped on some ring terminals, cleaned the paint away, and bolted them up nice and tight. Resistance is non-existant between the two, and the main earthing point.

I'll be doing this on all earthing points around the car.

 

Photo taken before the repaint.

 

I have also cleaned and painted the scuttle area, removed cleaned and replaced the sunroof vacuum box, and removed and refurbished the wiper motor assembly. I was suprised how stiff the wiper spindles were to turn. On inspection, the spindles were covered in rust, so I rubbed this back with 240 w&d and then sprayed them with white lithium grease, aswell as all the ball joints. They are much smoother now.

 

I have ordered up some more silicon hoses (vacuum and water), and plan to bolt the engine in this weekend.

 

Oh, the DTI passed its MOT, and is now looking fantastic ......I'll upload a couple of pics of her tomorrow. I need some idea's for the interior to complete the illusion. you'll see what I mean in the pictures.

Edited February 24, 2009 by platty