Berni29

Hi

Put the rear braces on the car, torqued up some bolts front and rear, then fitted a new window regulator. Will adjust the window tomorrow. Also fitted replacement wheel bolts. Ordered a console delete kit :).

Berni 

Hi

Put my wheel arch liners back in. I really do not like wheel arch liners. Always so simple looking a task. What could possibly go wrong?

Also put the diagonal braces back on at the front. Had to wire brush them quite heavily. Then applied some Dinitrol to keep the rust at bay, but they will need replacing. Also found some rust under the underseal in a couple of places. Quite heavy in one spot. The underseal comes off easily if there is rust underneath. More wire brusing then Dinitrol. I also rustproofed inside the front chassis legs and sills. I will do the chassis legs again in the future though. Also put the anti roll bar on at the rear. Should have the car moving under its own power tomorrow.

All the best

Berni

30 minutes ago, edc said:

A few of us have the rear Ali lower brace. Works well and noticeable effect to tighten up the rear. 

Hello, which one is popular? I see a couple of alternatives. I actually ordered some aluminium off of eBay to make one up, but is not going to be as straightforward with my tiptronic. 

I need something which just bolts on from below without removing the sheet metal brace.

thanks!

Berni

Hi

Finished filling up the tiptronic, then rustproofed the new sump with Dinitrol 3125.

Put the aluminium sheet brace back on. Had to use a ratchet strap to get the holes to line up. In fact the roll bar bolts still do not. I will have to get the strap out again tomorrow. The rear suspension on these cars is just not man enough IMHO. I am also going to get a lower strut to tie the back of the suspension together better.

On the plus side the engine ran great!

Berni

Hi

Busy day for me, got my new tiptronic sump on and buttoned up. Also put in about 4.5 litres of fluid. Will finish that  process off tomorrow and then get all the bracing back on the rear. I really have had enough of the sump. This is the 3rd reseal, but with a new sump and plugs hopefully the last.

Berni

Hi

Put the rear exhaust box back on, and also the RHS rear wheel arch liner. Had to replace 3 studs and do a little JB welding.

Berni

On 6/14/2020 at 2:20 PM, stevemag said:

Been for an "unnecessary " drive, first time the cars been out of the garage in 2020, brakes bedded in, car waxed.......again .......back in the garage 

Pictures like this make me want to dye the interior of my car. Actually I do not mind the Silver/Metropole Blue of my 986. But I am really considering a change to green  for my 993 Classic Grey interior.

24 minutes ago, Theo86 said:

How painful...nearly finished though Berni, it will be worth all the work in the end and you'll know every inch of the car is 100%👍

 

Hi Theo

Thank you for your kind words. I guess so. I'm sooooo looking forwards to driving it again. Apart from picking it up have not really driven it properly.

It should be reasonably well sorted by the time I have finished, although many of the parts will not really contribute to the driving experience as such. Certainly the new sump will not! The suspension change will I hope!

All the best

Berni

Hi

Sort of went backwards today. Discovered that my dripping Tiptronic fill plug as not actually dripping. This was after resealing it twice (the second time with much RTV).

It was a tiny weep in the metal just under the plug . Rust hole basically. Poked it with a screwdriver and it went straight through.

New sump ordered. Ugh. This will be the third time I have resealed the sump. What a pain. Must remember to order new fill and sump plugs.

Berni

5 hours ago, Minirock said:

Tried on my new roof

 

 

Hi

Nice roof. I wonder what it would look like with a round porthole (like the 60's T-Bird's) instead of the slightly uncomfortable triangle.

Berni

1 hour ago, Mr96er said:

An opinion shared. 

and practiced (though with wider wheels instead of spacers)

Hi, what width are these vs standard? The tyres must be wider also no?  Does the front have wider wheels/tyres also?
 

Berni

Hi

Are the wheels a standard offset? I think they look pretty close. Apologies, but I think the car look so much better without the spacers.

Berni

Hi

Thought I had finalllyyyyy finished refilling the Tiptronic gearbox after at least 8 litres of fluid, but no.

I kept thinking it was full, but then on recheck it would take more. This happened like 4 times! Was driving me nuts.

So now its full for sure. However, the filler plug is dripping. Ugh.

Yes, I did use a new green O ring, but also its been done up and undone a few times. Tomorrow will give it a smear of RTV when I do it up again. The gearbox sump is no stranger to that already so a bit more will not do any further harm.

Berni

Hi Guys

Last couple of days, freed off the front track rod ends (harder than it sounds), fitted the new front engine mount, filled with coolant (was not pink), ran engine (hurrah!), filled the Tiptronic up (not all compatible ATF fluid is red), bled the brakes after the hose changes, fitted SS bleed nipples all round, took the recently fitted backbox off to fix a seam that is blowing, and started to offer up the rear wheel arch liners and drill a couple of broken fixings out. Ran the Durametric, no codes.

Getting there!

Berni

On 6/6/2020 at 9:55 AM, ½cwt said:

I know from the history and recent front suspension work that one has been done, popped out no problem and one has not.  For the work I was doing I could just disconnected at the ARB end instead but really does need to be done.  I'll now wait 'til I bite the bullet and do the coffin arms....

Hello!

I think the only time that bolt needs to actually come out is if the drop link fails, or you need to remove a strut. I am changing all my struts, otherwise I would definitely have left it well alone.

All the best

Berni 

1 minute ago, ½cwt said:

Guess those aren't coming out in most DIY environments then...  Good to know that it is best to get the upright off and take it to someone with a press straight away rather than wasting hours on it.

Hi

I think if they have never been out before then by now there is a good chance they will not be coming out easily. They are a bit after their best before date after 20 or so years anyways.

All the best

Berni

Hi

Made up some heatshields for the cats out of embossed aluminium, removed the front left hub and changed the coffin arm. Pressed the droplink pinch bolt out of the housing (took 5t pressure) destroying the droplink in the process. Will be doing the same the other side tomorrow sadly.

Also wire brushed some surface rust off where the top mount bolts through. Will spray some dinitrol up there.

Berni

Hi

Torqued up the driveshafts, clipped on my repaired Tip linkage (test tomorrow fingers crossed). Received my window regulator repair kit, but have been sent one for a 987 doh!

Removed a front calliper, thankfully without snapping a bolt, as usual the top one came out perfectly, and the lower one with a bit of a fight. Will use the tap to clean the threads and replace the lower bolt. Also freed off the front strut (changing them and the coffin) but the drop link pinch bolt is seized solid. I had to destroy one of the rear ones, but I will take the strut off tomorrow and put it on my 12t press and see if the bolt wants to come out. Save a drop link and a hacksaw blade.

Berni

Hi

Been busy also, filled up with oil (9.5l), rigged the electronics back up, got the cats back on (no rear box) started the car, drained the coolant and removed the engine mount,

Yesterday I broke the plastic ball joint connector on the Tiptronic linkage (ugh!!!!!!) so attempted a JB weld repair. I realllllyyyy hope it works. Also did up the drive shafts this morning, but have not torqued them yet.

Great to hear the engine again.

Berni

Hi

If money was not an issue, and I wanted an early car then I would buy this ahead of a 981. The newer cars do not do it for me, although I accept they are better in every quantifiable respect (except size, smaller being better).

Berni 

Hi

Put the starter back in, plus throttle body and connected everything up. One question, does anyone know exactly where the vacuum from the water valve on the tip box goes on a 2003 facelift car? Is it to the Vacuum solenoid? I think it must be. Fitted the trans mounts yesterday (quite a fight), and then took them off this evening and did this:

The standard mounts are quite compliant. Not so much now I think. The urethane is 65A hardness which is pretty hard.

All the best

Berni

Hi

Gearbox is back in, torque converter bolted up. Will have to continue fitting stuff tomorrow.

Berni

Hi

Great work, well done and many thanks for posting.

Berni

Hi

Fitted a new RHS diff output seal. Filled the empty final drive with new oil. Set the eccentric bolts on the rear coffin arms to give maximum -ve camber (ahead of the gearbox etc going back in). Sprayed all the external rusty piping on the tip box with Dinitrol (had already wire brushed).

Hopefully will get the gearbox bolted up tomorrow.

Berni

Hi

Today took the sump off the Tiptronic and then resealed using the correct gasket. Sadly the incorrect (too thick) gasket caused the sump to deform and I had to hammer the flange flat again and use blue RTV on the gasket (which I wanted to avoid). I can see a replacement sump in my future. Make sure you only use a thin green type gasket only. If you are sold anything else with a filter then throw it and get the correct one.

I also emptied out the rest of the (strangely clear) diff oil. 

One step back, one step forwards.......

Berni