Ok so I got the car back from the garage in November... once the engine had been rebuilt there were a few little tweaks and the car would fire up but not run, then we noticed the fuel pump was leaking... again! So the new one i sourced was no good and i had to salvage the old one from the garden and my garage made 1 good one out of the 2 broken ones!
Once this pressure issue was sorted the car started and ran... I had quite a few tears and was allowed to take the car home
It went back twice since then, the cambelt was catching on the cover and then the temperature gauge was messing about but both now sorted or solved
Oh nearly forgot, one frosty December night, it was a friday night as it always is when my car breaks my ignition switch decided to melt... yes melt... there really is nothing that hasnt been replaced on this car now LOL
so i had a nice visit from the RAC and the car was hotwired so i can get it home!
I then sourced a new ignition switch, and had to get all new locks and a genuine key, the lock in the ignition was damaged and i didnt want 3 keys for all the locks. The genuine lock set and key cost me £240 in total but worth it, wouldnt put any nasty aftermarket locks on my car!
So i had to do without the car for like a week and couldnt lock the doors so was constantly curtain twitching making sure it wasnt stolen!
Anyway so heres some pics...
The engine apart smoke testing and sorting the compression issues
Sorting out the leaky fuel pump
Engine all done and running
Our maiden voyage after the rebuild... a 120mile round journey and it put a big smile on my face
The cars christmas present, the heckblende and lower spec standard lights put on to match, love it
So thats pretty much it, ive been using her daily and shes also had another new starter motor, alternator and all battery cable wiring new because over Christmas it didnt want to start and battery was dead...
Voltage drain test was done and only 0.1 of an amp drain which is probably the LCD clock display so the answer was obviously the alternator and cables which have been changed.
The only niggle left is the temp gauge sometimes has a life of its own, it reads fine all the time your driving then if you sit in traffic it has a spaz attack and goes all the way over as if your over heating... we have tested the pipes and radiator though and they are not that hot and fan not even kicked in yet... its just a faulty gauge, im guessing its an earth issue where the earths got swapped over to the new engine as it used to be ok. Im just watching the oil temp on the MFA as a guide and the car is running and driving lovely, i cant even explain how well this car drives, its as if im back in 1989 driving a brand new 16v mk2, BIG SMILES
'Devil Car' as she has been renamed will be changing hands in the next week or so, really gutted not to finish her but I just dont have the money for the respray and now we have another sprog on the way there wont be the time or money to do it, im going to be taking on our T4 as my daily and am pleased ive found a great home for this car.
I look forward to some more updates Mike and i hope you get as much pleasure out of this car as I have, couldnt be more chuffed that she was saved