Delays and ....... well, more delays

Right, last night (before I posted on here), I'd been in the garage looking at the car thinking hmmm, "Can I really be bothered?", knowing full well that if I'm to get the car back on the road, this is the only way forward.

So, knowing that last night, I made a gentle start - looking at what needed to be undone (bearing in mind that with the turbos, the engine was a bit wider than standard) and starting to undo manifolds, disconnect the ecu and remove wiring etc etc.

So, to today. The intention was to get up early, go for a swim then make a start.

In reality, I got up about 9.30, and was giving the idea of not going swimming some serious thought. Guilt eventually got the better of me, so off I went. And did about 50 lengths, without dieing, which was nice.

On the way home I popped into Paddock Wood Motorists Centre (been getting stuff from them since the early 80's!! and borrowed (alright, hired) their engine crane for the week. It's bloomin' heavy and the idea of putting it into and removing it from my car twice didn't appeal, so I got it for the week.

Then got home and wife made me go shopping with her and the boys, which ended up with us having lunch at the Nutmeg Tree in the Victoria Centre in T/Wells. Can't recommend the place enough (been having meals in there for about 8 years, and am always happy with service and food). Alas, I digress.

Eventually, got home and made a proper start, undoing offside exhaust manifold, disconnecting water feeds (more to allow easier access to other nuts and bolts), undoing oil feeds and undoing engine mountings (yes, after I'd attached the crane).

I then spent the next three hours trying to remove engine only to continuously find I needed to undo other things - and finding one bolt on belhousing I hadn't undone. Duh.

Anyway, it's out!

So now I have to clean up the engine compartment of oil, crap, dust and dirt and transfer clutch bits onto the new engine. Which reminds me, I need to get a new spigot bush and new flywheel bolts (from Rimmer Bros).




That's it for today, will post updates during the week.

Simon