GT4EC - The GT-Four Enthusiasts Club

General Category => The Chill Out Room => Topic started by: soundmangt4 on October 16, 2007, 11:42:18 am

Title: The dream is most likely over.........
Post by: soundmangt4 on October 16, 2007, 11:42:18 am
Well, it may be all over for me and the RC. After finally getting it running on the Motec, albeit a little down on expected power, I really felt I was getting somewhere near happy with it, and was looking forward to a sustained period of driving and enjoying it.

However, on my home recently I had my foot to the floor to get some dodgy chav off my boot lid in a Metro Turbo when I noticed the temperature gague start to creep above normal. I immediatly backed off and pulled over to let the Metro past (not happy about that at all I can tell you), then tried again to be sure, and it did indeed start overheating again.  :'(

I thought the loss of water I had been experiencing was a dodgy looking rad cap, but this has all but confirmed my worst fears of a cracked block. It will be going back to Smithy's for a diagnosis to be sure as soon as I can arrange to drop it off there, but if it is a cracked block it will not be getting fixed as I can't take any more outlay.

I will post up if it's definately being broken and have a very long list of parts for sale, most with few miles on them.

There's a small chance it may be something like a head stud come loose, but it's unlikely. Time will tell, but it's not looking good.

 :-[
Title: Re: The dream is most likely over.........
Post by: RobbieMcVee on October 16, 2007, 12:35:41 pm
keep your chin up chap - its not easy making these decisions.. specally when you dont know whats at the other end.. you might be lucky and find its something less costly than you expect?
End of the day mate - if you've had enough its time to take stock and think about whats ahead without letting your heart rule your head?
I broke a 4 and took the old engine out for a rebuild, but im in 2 minds on what to do - do i want all the hassle - i dunno?

Keep your fingers crossed - when will you find out?
Title: Re: The dream is most likely over.........
Post by: peterp1per on October 16, 2007, 01:24:56 pm
I'm gutted for you mate!

i hope it's just something simple like a head stud or non sealing head gasket.

got my fingers crossed for ya!
Title: Re: The dream is most likely over.........
Post by: GT4ever on October 16, 2007, 04:02:51 pm
Sorry to hear your problems. It must be so frustrating  ???
I would say sell your expensive mods and get a cheaper std engine to go in it.
The rest of the car is far too nice to be broken. Another of my Fav 185s
Title: Re: The dream is most likely over.........
Post by: soundmangt4 on October 16, 2007, 04:55:49 pm
I could never go back to stock power. They are slow enough with 280bhp, let alone less power.
If the blocks cracked it's over - period.
Title: Re: The dream is most likely over.........
Post by: ChrisW on October 16, 2007, 04:57:22 pm
That's unlucky mate. As above, I hope it's something fairly straight-forward cos it would be a shame after all you've been through so far.

Cheers
Title: Re: The dream is most likely over.........
Post by: Cee on October 16, 2007, 05:36:31 pm
 :( :( :( :( Fingers crossed for you - hope it turns out better than you think
C
Title: Re: The dream is most likely over.........
Post by: paul_gt4 on October 16, 2007, 10:45:55 pm
jees bet your not happy cause i wouldn't be, as said above hope its a simple fix and relatively cheap cause we wouldn't want to see one less on the road......
Title: Re: The dream is most likely over.........
Post by: Redbeast on October 17, 2007, 07:50:13 am
fingers, toes, legs, arms, balls, lungs and anything else crossed for you!
Title: Re: The dream is most likely over.........
Post by: silverspeed on October 17, 2007, 08:19:27 pm
let me know when your dropping it down smithy's.. i'll get a shopping list together  ;D

I had this decision not so long back.. i decided to stick at it.. at a cost.!
Title: Re: The dream is most likely over.........
Post by: rubberduck_10_4uk on October 18, 2007, 11:01:23 am
I'd be surprised of a cracked block chap, or is it a 205 engine??  Anyway figers crossed that its something simple :)
Title: Re: The dream is most likely over.........
Post by: dawesy on October 18, 2007, 06:35:57 pm
me too and 285 isnt a lot to crack a block although i have seen a stock 205 with a cracked block so.....
hope it all works out well for ya, plus my blocks still together with the mod so might work after all
Title: Re: The dream is most likely over.........
Post by: soundmangt4 on October 19, 2007, 02:11:27 pm
Well you'll know before me Lee, as you'll be there when it's diagnosed!!  :) I will probably call early next week mate to arrange a drop off, probably really early in the morning again.
Seriously though, what else could it be??
Title: Re: The dream is most likely over.........
Post by: dawesy on October 19, 2007, 05:51:58 pm
dunno, what hg is in there? (i know its steel). i have seen the stock 205 one deform if used under very high cylinder pressures but cant see this being the case. really does sound like a cracked block but seems unlikely. im sure well get to the bottom of it
Title: Re: The dream is most likely over.........
Post by: soundmangt4 on October 22, 2007, 07:05:55 pm
It's a TTE 1.2 mm steel HG with ARP head stud, which is why I am sure it's not the HG, unless you guys only torqued them down by hand!?? ;)
I will call Ian later this week to arrange drop off, hopefully early next Saturday if that's possible.
Title: Re: The dream is most likely over.........
Post by: peterp1per on October 22, 2007, 07:16:51 pm
I think a few peeps have suffered from inadequate torque from the arp's after running in period.

I think something similar happened to brighton stu's old nana when adrian from fensport was mapping the motec, i could be wrong though.. ::)

fingers crossed bud  ;)
Title: Re: The dream is most likely over.........
Post by: soundmangt4 on November 14, 2007, 10:45:07 am
Not been on for a while, and thought I'd post what the current state of play is.

The diagnosis showed nothing from the bore scope, and then the compression tests were good too, so as far as I can tell now it's not cracked!!  :D
I cannot make it overheat now, and whilst Smithy had the car, he fitted my air con compressor removal kit and removed the compressor, fitted a TRD low temp thermostat and a TRD 1.3 bar rad cap, so it should be a lot cooler now.

As far as I can tell, it was just running very hot, and the water return from the turbo actually returns into the top rad hose, meaning it may have just been pressurizing it too much, and the rad cap also looked old and tired meaning it may have de-pressurised causing the steam to cause the temperature gague to rise.

So, all is well, apart from the fact that some idiot in a Mini drove into the side of the car on the way to Ians place.  >:( It's currently being repaired outside of the insurance, and the Mini driver is paying, and I also get a few old dents ironed out at the same time, so not a total loss. I will be losing the RC decals down the side of the car, but I never really liked them anyway!!

So, it will be getting a remap once it's back, and hopefully this time to a decent power figure nearer the 350 I want.

 :)
Title: Re: The dream is most likely over.........
Post by: rubberduck_10_4uk on November 14, 2007, 10:54:36 am
 :D :D :D

Good news Rob, pleased for youy chap, keep us informed :)
Title: Re: The dream is most likely over.........
Post by: GT4ever on November 14, 2007, 02:57:07 pm
Happy your back up and running again. Bit of a scare after all that money spent i bet?
Title: Re: The dream is most likely over.........
Post by: Rob_A on November 14, 2007, 09:38:51 pm
Sounds like one hell of an excuse to get out of saying you got foddered by a metro!  ;D
Title: Re: The dream is most likely over.........
Post by: mook on November 15, 2007, 08:18:02 am
Good news mate, didn't want to see you having problems after all that time, effort and expense. Glad it's looking better and hope the power figures come up to scratch  8)
Title: Re: The dream is most likely over.........
Post by: ChrisW on November 20, 2007, 09:07:43 am
Glad to see things going in the right direction now, Rob. Keep us up to date with how it goes ;)

Cheers