:: Tuesday, September 4, 2018 ::
I swap the TVR back to the farm - I need the Porsche back here for its MOT next week. As I'm parking the TVR in the barn, I can hear that wee exhaust blow again. A quick check under the bonnet and a feel around the manifold confirms that there's a slight blow from the rear nearside gasket.
I'll need to bring some tools along and have a closer look. For now, though, I'll cover the car up and leave it. It's parked with the driver door against the barn wall, so I wriggle out the passenger side, shut the door and... it bounces open. Again - nope, it's not catching, the lock is stuck. Another job on the list!
:: Friday, September 7, 2018 ::
After a bit of a busy week, I get back along to the farm today, complete with a box of various tools, grease, WD40 etc that I think I might need.
First, the lock. I try it again but it's stuck solid. It doesn't lock, or work from the inside or the outside. OK - remove door lock!
I remove the door trim (how many times have I documented that? OK, quickly then - remove one screw at the rear of the trim, and 4 screws holding the speaker in. Disconnect the speaker wires and remove.
Hand in through the speaker hole, and there's a tiny nut on the back of the armrest. I replaced my nut with a wing nut so it's easier to remove.
Then pull the trim off it's retaining clips, pull out the bottom and lift it off the top door edge, and disconnect the inner door handle cable from the lock.
There are another 3 rods to the lock - don't get them mixed up. One is connected to the inner lock button (the one that pops out of the top of the door trim). One is connected to the outer door handle and the last one is connected to the outside key lock. If you're not sure, the two "lock" arms are connected to a single rocking arm that sloan's between each side of the glass.
I disconnect all of those, and then remove the 3 screws in the back of the door, and wriggle the lock out of the inside of the door.
The lock is just sticky with old grease and dirt. I spray it liberally with WD40 and work the levers and the door catch until they free up. Try all the operating rods, now they all work! I spray on some 3-in-1 oil and then some light spray grease, and put the lock back in the door. Still works! Then I connect up the operating rods, check it all one more time, then reassemble the door trim.
OK - on to the exhaust! The manifold is held to the cylinder head by 6 bolts, all 13mm. You can't really get a socket on most of them, but I've brought a selection of open-end and ring spanners, and just work my way along one bolt at a time.
The gaskets are well past their best, and I can see black soot marks where two of them have been leaking, so I need to order new ones.
So that's as much as I can do today!
:: Wednesday, September 20, 2018 ::
Hurricane Bawbag returns! It's blowing' a hoolie, it's absolutely bucketing rain. What better day to go along to the garage and fix the exhaust back together?
I assemble the necessary tools, and the new gaskets that arrived on Saturday, and set off with rain on so that I can listen to all the "essential journeys only" broadcasts.
When I get there, I get started - first the trailing light, and then I manage to get the first 3 bolts in, through the gasket, and started on the threads in the cylinder head. The fourth bolt just won't line up, so I decide to have a "blether break" with Jock, who is always up for a distraction. We stand in the big workshop and watch the rain blast past sideways, and the tiles rattling on the house roof. Then the lights flicker and go out.
Jock says that he can't work without power (obviously overlooking the fact that most of his tools are cordless) so sets up a fast stove to make some tea. I head back into the garage - I can't see what I'm doing anyway so the lack of light doesn't make a whole lot of difference. With the occasional help of a wee head torch, I get all the bolts in, with gaskets secured, and tighten them all up.
CHECK IT"S NOT IN GEAR! and then start it up. It sounds ok, no obvious blowing, and I can't feel any escaping gases - not on this side anyway. I leave it to warm up, while I put my tools away and clean up.
By this time, the rain is off, the sun is shining, although the wind is still howling. That's me for today, I'm going home to the warm (and light!)
| [last month] | [home] | [next month] |