Zel's Fleet Blog - BX, Jag XJ-S, Sinclair C5, Mercedes 208D & 230TE, AC Model 70.

[CitroJim]

Excellent Zel, so all ready to go now then on the injection front...

I'll be taking a great interest and it should make a cracking article for Practical Classics

[Zelandeth]

Just a really quick update here with a couple of photos I didn't get a chance to snap yesterday.

Latest shipment as a whole:


Detail of the timing cover bracket casting for the CPS. This is the only difference from the old style one, in that this bracket doesn't exist there...I'd originally been lead to believe that this casting was actually part of the block...needless to say I'm glad that turned out to be wrong, or it would have made this a lot harder job!


Finally a close up of the crankshaft pulley itself. The gaps in the outer edge are what are detected by the crankshaft position sensor, the double-gap nearest the camera is used to tell the electronics where TDC is.

[Zelandeth]

Ooh...Lookie what DHL dropped off for me today...



Need to track down a banjo-bolt to fit this so I can attach a fuel hose to it, then the games should really begin in earnest. Don't think I can remove that part as I'm pretty sure that's where the check valve lives on this pump.

I've checked, and despite sitting in storage for a good three or four years, this one isn't seized.

This pump actually sits above the fuel level in its normal role, with a large filter and pickup assembly sitting lower in the tank attached by a hose, so it shouldn't hopefully have any issues being externally mounted - the same part number is listed elsewhere for both in-tank and in-line applications as well.

[Zelandeth]

Skoda was out for a very brief run this afternoon, and decided to overheat again on the way home - albeit a few hundred yards from the door. Also decided to dump a significant amount of its coolant out of the overflow when I switched the engine off.

Not had a chance to look at it really as it promptly started tipping it down pretty much as soon as I got home. Will investigate in the next few days.

I am officially not amused. Much as I love it, that car does seem to be something of a problem child at times, especially where cooling is concerned. If I'm really lucky, this will just be a sticking thermostat. That wasn't changed when the head gasket was done because I ended up with the wrong one (twice) when I tried to order new ones, so left it as it was until I forgot about it...until today anyway.

[CitroJim]

That's a nuisance Zel...

Fingers crossed it is just the 'stat...

[elma]

With such a simple system on the car I'm sure it's just the stat. Did you manage to source one in the end?

[Zelandeth]

Had a very brief look today and it has definitely spat out a couple of litres of coolant, was just below the bottom of the header tank. Will pull the stat out and test it at least, still going to change it, but can't hurt to test.

This evening suddenly started actually half seriously toying with the idea of (if I could find one anyway...) an electric Pug 106 for local daily duties - someone let me know why this is a terrible idea...

[Hell Razor5543]

Erm,.....nope. Cannot think of any reasons.

[elma]

It's a great idea, not quite as great as converting an old RWD yourself but still fairly great.

[Zelandeth]

No...I am not making an electric Lada.

Not that the idea doesn't intrigue me, but a decent donor is just too hard (and expensive) to find these days...And a good body with shot mechanicals isn't going to happen as the oily bits usually go on forever, it's rust that kills them. Motor I'm sure I could source, controller I could probably track down secondhand for vaguely sensible money if I shopped around and used my contacts...But where the heck would I source half a tonne of batteries?!?

The one I've got is staying stock...Is too clean an example to mess about.

Remember the plug in 106s we had at work quite fondly to be honest and reckon one would do perfectly for my daily duties (rarely more than 5-10 miles). Nice...If slightly otherworldly at first...to drive. Took me a good few miles to stop thinking I'd stalled every time I stopped.

Be an interesting thing to turn up to the odd show with as well I reckon.

[mickeymoon]

You'd want one of those Scimitar SS1 things to make an RWD electric out of. Light, separate chassis.. Ford mechanicals... fibreglass body, galvanised chassis..


http://m.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C812701

Right up your alley Sir....

[elma]

I was thinking more Volvo Amazon Estate, silent drift machine. 106 probably suits you better, the Amazon is my dream.

[Zelandeth]

You'd want one of those Scimitar SS1 things to make an RWD electric out of. Light, separate chassis.. Ford mechanicals... fibreglass body, galvanised chassis..


http://m.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C812701

Right up your alley Sir....

Stop putting ideas in my head!

Only real worry I'd have with that (not a car I've ever looked closely at in person) is how difficult it might be to find space for a battery pack. Having said that though if you're using modern lithium packs they're pretty tiny so quite possible to have several packs spread around the car as space permits I guess.

Zel...Stop thinking already...The 106 plan is crazy enough...

[CitroJim]

Zel, for running around MK an electric 106 will be perfect

[Zelandeth]

Having had a very quick poke around this afternoon on the internet though, doesn't look like finding one is likely to be an easy task at all...Only found one for sale thus far, and they're looking for offers around £1500, which really is more than I can throw at something which is really just a "wouldn't this be a cool idea..." sort of thing!