Bens old turbo meets my 3l 8 valve project.

[JamesO]

Well after my 16 valve head died I decided to fit the old 2.7 head to the 3 litre block and it does go quite well.
There was only one issue, whilst it was in the air I noticed the drivers door was difficult to open.
I already knew the outer sills needed doing and had been collecting quotes. so out came mister angle grinder and it would seem the inner sills are also shot. Also the 3L engine had blown the rear main seal and Its leaking more than BP.
So engine has to come out and the shell needs major surgery.

Long story short I now have a new home for my engine and a shed full of turbo parts.
http://i849.photobucket.com/albums/ab54/jamesorsborn/Image010.jpg

This picture definitely needs a turbo in it.
http://i849.photobucket.com/albums/ab54/jamesorsborn/Image008.jpg

Most of the interior is now stripped, just need some elbow grease to get the rest of the nasty damp sound proofing off
http://i849.photobucket.com/albums/ab54/jamesorsborn/Image011.jpg

Note the load bearing gaffer tape painted white on the sill, so I can still move the car about if needs be. (Until I gut the poor thing anyway).
http://i849.photobucket.com/albums/ab54/jamesorsborn/Image013.jpg

 

[DivineE]

Excellent I was hoping I would recognise the thread title for your build so I could watch it progress. Hope you got everything home ok. Look forward to seeing that shell used for a worthy project[]

 

[JamesO]

Yep all back ok Ben, going to start on the rear brakes tonight. Stopped stripping the floor, will save that for cooler weather it is a hateful job and black cars do get hot in the sun.

Have repaired the weld join to the wing so I don't get too much police attention but most of the bodywork will have to wait until the mechanicals are sorted as I want rid of the white car as soon as possible.

Have removed lots of redundant wiring from the old alarm and Panasonic amp.
I'm thinking a mostly stripped interior with maybe black carpet in some area's depending on how noisey it is.

How old is the fuel in the tank, do I need to drain it? If so should have plenty of lawnmower fuel for a while!
Is there any plumbing I need to sort in the dash for the aircon? Or can I leave that alone. That said I'm thinking no aircon and no power steering is the way forward.

 

[barks944]

Your megasquirt ECU conversion has come in pretty handy huh! You must be getting good at mapping now....

 

[JamesO]

Does come in handy, probably going to let the Motronic take care of ignition on this one though so the KLR can do its stuff.
Stripped the rear brakes and added protection to the rear arches today, not my finest spannering ever.
Knelt in a nice fresh cat dropping, painted my right eyeball grey with stone guard paint then snapped both bleed nipples on one calliper.

Opened a beer lit a cigarette retrieved spanner I hurled at cat.

 

[JamesO]

Not much progress, Removed the exhaust from the white car and started on dropping the Transaxle. Stopped there as I need somebody to push the clutch to let me align the bolts in the torque tube.

Started to feel bad about stripping the car so poked at some rust for a bit to justify it to myself. The holes look quite small but inside the rust is spread over a wide area (as high as the stone guards).

Notice the door shut line when the car is jacked up. I suggest anybody looking at a 944 jacks the car up at the centre jacking point, then open and close both doors.

Thankfully the black car doesn't move at all.

 

[DivineE]

ORIGINAL: JamesO

Have removed lots of redundant wiring from the old alarm and Panasonic amp.
I'm thinking a mostly stripped interior with maybe black carpet in some area's depending on how noisey it is.

How old is the fuel in the tank, do I need to drain it? If so should have plenty of lawnmower fuel for a while!
Is there any plumbing I need to sort in the dash for the aircon? Or can I leave that alone. That said I'm thinking no aircon and no power steering is the way forward.

Oh no the alarm was still very much current and working with thatcham cat 1 certificate and remote locking!! Fuel is fresh filled up on the way to hartech with a full tank of BP high octane from totally drained tank. There was about 1/3 of a tank left I think. Aircon 'strangely enough' didn't work but I'm guessing its the usual consensor going pourus and leaking issue.

 

[JamesO]

Cheers Ben, saves me a job draining the fuel.
I left the Toad alarm in and it works well, the one I removed was much, much older with the siren under the rear, a big bundle of cables that went to the dash and were then cut off.

I'm going to leave the aircon bits in for now may as well see if it can be fixed as it does get hot in there.

 

[DivineE]

Phew[] That toad alarm was one of the reasons I bought the shell. I liked having remote central locking that worked for a change on a 944.

 

[JamesO]

Popped home for lunch and thought I would drop the Transaxle, still nobody about to push the clutch pedal so multiple extension bars wedged between the seat and the pedal was the way forward.

Turns out a b&q toolbox makes dropping the box easy.

The job took about an hour excluding dropping the exhaust, I wish the Transaxle was as easy to put back.

 

[JamesO]

Engine out of the white car, took it out the top which is possible when the Torque tube is out of the way. Was surprised how quickly you can do it, when your not that bothered about the car its coming out of.
http://i849.photobucket.com/albums/ab54/jamesorsborn/Image031.jpg

 

[TTM]

So you plan to stick the turbo bits to the 3.0?
Are you keeping the high compression ratio pistons from your 968 bottom end?

 

[JamesO]

Not sure 100%. I was planning and keeping the boost low and leaving the bottom end as it is but I think I would kick myself if I did.
I would always know I could have had more power and I would always be in fear of blowing it up, so either I will get the pistons machined or order some from Lyndsey Racing, not sure which manufacturer to go for though.
Not shooting for massive power, more reliability with a decent shove.
Ignition will be controlled by the DME /KLR and fuel by the Microsquirt.

 

[DivineE]

I'm fairly sure that machining some 968 pistons would be your cheapest option. Possibly even the safest as there are a lot of different turbo piston designs floating around and I have it on good authority that not all of them worked out too well, some gaining holes in all the wrong places and other seizing.

 

[TTM]

It's always the same problem - how far do we want to go budget-wise.
I suppose you have the K26/6 turbo that was on Ben's T220. I'm not a turbo expert but a "small" turbo such as this one might perform well enough in a low boost application on a high compression engine?
Or you could have the pistons machined to lower the CR and stick a big fat turbo like a Lindsey Super 75. Doesn't Ben have a brand new one he has no idea what to do with? []

 

[JamesO]

ORIGINAL: DivineE

I'm fairly sure that machining some 968 pistons would be your cheapest option. Possibly even the safest as there are a lot of different turbo piston designs floating around and I have it on good authority that not all of them worked out too well, some gaining holes in all the wrong places and other seizing.

That's very useful to know, thanks.
It's a shame its such a mission to pull the sump or I would run it as it is and swap the pistons and maybe rods at a later date if I want more power. A 3 piece cross-member would be nice, does anybody in the UK do these?

I may have gone overkill on the clutch disc though:-

 

[JamesO]

Grrr, I was feeling very smug as a few hours work to get the engine out, drop the gearbox, but then a simple job of getting the flywheel off turns into a pain in the arse.
3 of the bolts despite only being in for 3 months and torqued correctly are now rounded.
The bolts seem to be made of a special material that is like chocolate on the splined surface and granite everywhere else.
The bolts laugh at the dremel and the drill. The grinder is is a bit on the savage side and I dont want to try to hammer a socket onto the head as it may damage the crank or bearings.
Any good tips welcome!

 

[JamesO]

Not much progress due to work commitments, weather and what can only be described as the plague and certainly not just a heavy cold.
So today I stated pulling the 3l engine apart.

And started pulling valves from the head.

And my modified crappy valve spring compressor.

 

[DivineE]

I take it the bolts are well past the point of being able to use a freeze spray of some kind to try and break the corrosion? I've heard that 'can' be a good method and save a few drilled bolts.

Looks like its all going well in the grand scheme of things[] I hope you never get stuck in traffic with that clutch! Looks like one of those spin the tyres or stall it types! You get used to them though, the guy at the tyre place I took the TVR to once stalled my car six times getting it onto the ramp and asked me how the hell I ever drive it. But like anything, it becomes pretty much second nature after a few hours behind the wheel.

 

[Hilux]

Grrr, I was feeling very smug as a few hours work to get the engine out, drop the gearbox, but then a simple job of getting the flywheel off turns into a pain in the arse.
3 of the bolts despite only being in for 3 months and torqued correctly are now rounded.
The bolts seem to be made of a special material that is like chocolate on the splined surface and granite everywhere else.
The bolts laugh at the dremel and the drill. The grinder is is a bit on the savage side and I dont want to try to hammer a socket onto the head as it may damage the crank or bearings.
Any good tips welcome!

Dont hesitate - buy a set of Irwins - buy both sets. I always use them on delicate allen/torx bolts etc.

If the bolt doesnt snap they will undo it, especially allen cap bolts as they dont damage the drive you simply take the burrs of the outside when doing up (if re-useable)

Plenty of applications of Plusgas in advance (or make your own with diesel and white spirit) and heat (it generally works for me but dont underestimate the amount needed) as does tightening the bolt which sometimes breaks the bond