1065 replies to this topic

[Prawn]

fingers crossed for you Kam! Been checking your build thread every day

Really interested to see how this turns out

[GreaseMonkey]

All the best Kam

[Prawn]

so........

How did it do on the rollers?

[Kam]

so........

How did it do on the rollers?

Emotional rollercoaster!

Not good mate

For the people that can't be asked to read through and just want the short version:

Car got 95% mapped
Driveshaft gaitor popped off AGAIN
Vtec not engaging
Cambelt got stripped, not snapped, stripped
And I haven't eaten today

Not been a good day atall, drove there at 10.30 and left on a trailor at 16.00

If you can be asked to read through and want the full version then read on...........

[Kam]

I really don't know where to begin, everything seemed like it was going fine but as usual if its all going good its sometimes to good to be true?

Got there at 10.30 this morning, as I had just changed the oil in both the engine and gearbox the previous night this was the first time to see how it was, the millers oil in the gearbox does quieten the whine down a bit, but I actually miss it a bit now.....had that a-series charactor about it?

They started mapping and sorted out the cold start fueling issues and everything was going okey dokey and the new walbro fuel pump was fine



I still need to sort out the bottom of my exhaust manifold heat wrap, top half is ok but bottom is coming away, still gave me a chance to see the manny glow, errm yeah slight glow!

Try sticking your tongue on this! (click vid)



Don't worry about the popping, fueling was still being sorted out, overrun sound is nice

Then disaster, the envitable grease on the windscreen......been here before, last time the driveshaft gaitors popped off it was only at 50mph but obviously this was because they were plastic cable ties, as I had steel cables on there done up super tight I was hoping it might hold, it did until 7000rpm in 5th doing 127mph! Would of been nice if it got to its 8250rpm.......

As most of the grease was already scattered around the unit and they were almost done with the mapping we hit it again to sort out the fueling higher in the revs as it was so close to finishing, problem was although it was mega loud they said it didn't sound like VTEC was engaging? Bear in mind I have never had it pass 5000rpm I didn't know if the VTEC worked or not, they checked the plug and said its not coming on. to be honest I wasn't really bothered as I had other issues on my mind......

Then what happened is either lucky or not so lucky, you decide?

As we was checking the VTEC at idle and giving a full throttle blip , back off, idle, check sensors, another blip, idle, check sensors, it was at the stage it was idling there was an awful scraping rotational sound coming from the rocker cover!!!!! Engine off and I'm bricking it as these guys faces was not good! Got the rocker off and disaster - cambelt was getting stripped!! But how????





We found a bolt lodged up inside the cambelt cover against the cam belt? what the hell! How the hell did that get inside as all the cambelt cover bolts are on the outside and in place??

Either way this cars not going anywhere! They couldn't believe how lucky I was as if that noise came on whilst we was bliping the throttle, well, you know......

It was about 4pm at this point and I somehow needed to tow this home from essex, so called up a mate, he's working, called up another mate, he's been drinking, called up another mate, he's wifes got the car????? I need some new decent mates, anyone want to be my friend!

Then a bit of amazing luck a trailor pulls up with a rally looking suzuki swift on it? He was there to get it mapped by these guys so they ask him if they would drop me off across the water....he says no problem!



Turns out these guys are 586 group rally team! They race a mg zr at the moment and are gonna run the swift in the next championship, I think he said he was leading at the moment - cheers guys really appreciate the get-me-out-of-jail card

Got the car home about 5pm and had a good look round, started off with the gaitor aftermath, this **** gets everywhere!











Also after a bit of investigation I found out what happened with the cambelt, the bolt that caused the mayhem was actually a bolt thats housed inside the cambelt cover



Its worked it way loose and gone for a little trip around the belt making a spectacle of itself and got lodged in the top corner of the lower belt cover (belt cover is in two parts) You can see the marks where it got caught



It was my mistake, I remember when I changed the belt I 'dry fitted' some bolts as I didn't have my belt come through at that point, obviously when the belt turned up I forgot and carried on.....nice one Kam ******* idiot

I was feeling low at this point, real low not just of the cambelt scenario but the whole mapping malarky, driveshaft gaitors, the lot......

Never let it be said I will throw in the towel, I was proper pi****ed I missed taking this car to Le Mans in june and knew I how I would be if I can't take it to germany next week with TMF so cue typical Kam, I thought I aint sitting here moping around about the car, that aint me!.....

5.20, call up local honda for a cambelt, none in stock but can get one in for tomorrow, no good to me as I don't do tomorrows in this mood! I'm a man on a mission! called up another honda dealer a bit of a travel away considering the time, yep they got one but shut at 6, jump on bike get there with minutes to spare......

Got home and thought theres no way I'm giving up now so off I go!



To whoever thought up pull away front ends on cars I would just like to give a BIG thumbs up!

Belt off



Time to inspect.......interesting.....







New belt is on, and majority of the grease in the bay is cleaned up, couldn't start it up to try as it was gone midnight, so will in the morning.....

I'm getting some new steel cables ties tomorrow and doing them up even tighter! I mean one side held so its not like they don't work, they do but I'm guessing one side was not as tight as the other?

Not sure whats happening with the rest of mapping? I got no VTEC engaging but to be honest I don't really care at this point, it hit 127mph before it let go so at this moment in time I'm still taking it to germany next wednesday, not bothered about going on track, I'm going for the banter

[Mini-Mad-Craig]

Hmm, not good matey.

Well keep your head up high... look towards the end because it will be brilliant!

Good luck with starting in the morn.

[GreaseMonkey]

Gutted to hear the mapping session didn't go too well, Kambelt ( ) was a lucky escape, hope it goes well from now on

Edited by GreaseMonkey, 25 August 2010 - 10:30 AM.

[Kam]

Latest update: I just bought myself a lottery ticket

As for the car, I seem to be eating, sleeping, sh****** mini at the moment, got up this morning and straight into the garage, took off the VTEC solenoid switch which is only held on by 3 10mm bolts



And then, well I don't know really? not really sure what I'm looking for??? So just 'cleaned' it up a bit and chucked it back on I blame lack of sleep

Was a little early to try and start it up as everytime I start the mini up the whole garage 'shakes' and you obviously have a constant high drone.....

So started on cleaning up the rest of the grease everywhere in the bay and hub area, and tried again on sorting out this driveshaft gaitor issues.....

Now, one side held so AFAIC it does work so I presumed the other side was not as tight, managed to find a longer steel cable tie (fold over bend tab type) and stuck a small tack weld on the underside the same as I done before to prevent the initial bit from coming undone, pic is from before but did same thing



On looking at the one that came off, it had not prised apart, it had mearly slid off, when I first got the allspeed heavy duty cv joints I did ponder about how 'deep' the groove is where the ties would sit on the pots?



End of the day this is an engineered piece and I'm not an engineer, but I'm guessing theres been alot of people that have had issues with gaitors sliding off and not mentioning it.....Track n road said they have lost count on how many honda minis they have had this happen to, they reckon the angle the cv sits looking from above (lateral) is not helping

Either way I got a job to do so just got on with double wrapping my new steel cable tie and done it up super super tight, last time was super tight but now its had two supers put into it

Also, by luck when I was chatting to the rally team yesterday when they helped get me home he gave me a little tip they use on there cars regarding the driveshaft gaitors, they tie them up as normal (twisted wire method, ties etc) but then run a small bead of sikaflex/tigerseal on the end to stop the gator from sliding off

I happen to have some tigerseal lying around during my 'fiberglass' era so put it on after, don't worry wheel is on full lock in the picture



All I can do is try?

Time to try and start it up, could go either way as I put the cambelt in myself





Thats a 10-4 then

Took it out for a little spin, alls fine expect whenever you let off the throttle (any rev) it pops a bit, not too bothered as main thing is cambelt doolally is taken care of, remember kids never let a dingbat change your cambelt, or me!

Incase your wondering why I went a little balls out with getting this back on the road asap, its because the original plan was after the rollers yesterday it would go back to the bodyshop so he can finish off his work before he goes away for the weekend and does not have anytime after then before we go away on wednesday, he only had yesterday and today, I dropped off the car to him an hour ago, should get it back later today

After the cambelt going yesterday I do feel I have a bit of luck on my side, might try and go swimming with sharks later? Or maybe just wait for the lottery results tonight.....

[GreaseMonkey]

Latest update: I just bought myself a lottery ticket

50/50 yeah?!

[GreaseMonkey]

Good stuff soldiering on as well, I would probably thrown a spanner at it and started crying by now

[Kam]

Just a quick update really (proper quick, not like my usual quick ones!)

Got the car back from the bodyshop a little while ago, front end looks sweet
I'll post up pics when I've added my secret weapon to it which will help me get round a track....
Got a blow from the exhaust, link pipe to manifold, it was never a good fit, thought it would hold up, obviously not
Will tackle this next as I reckon this is reason for all the popping off throttle, engine aint tuned either so I don't reckon its overrun, does it even at 2000 rpm.....

I'm on it!

[cptkirk]

Good old 'Teething Problems', I am currently going through some myself.

Keep at it and they will all be sorted in no time, top work.

[ginger_monkey]

well KAM me old buddy I can't believe how much bad luck you are having. I also can't believe you haven't burnt the car and gone and cried in a corner. Think I would of by now. Nice to hear it fire up again after changing the belt. You were so so lucky that happened at the RR and not blatting down the motorway or it could of been game over. Keep up the fighting spirit and get the bad boy working. I know what your feeling with the vtec not working. I still havent got mine sorted. If you want to know if your solenoid is working get a switch and feed a 12v to it then straight to the solenoid like I did. Get the car up to temp and revs and press it. You'll know what to expect then and it proves the problem is elsewhere.

[The Matt]

Are you using an aftermarket ECU to control when the VTEC kicks in? If so, does that switch an earth or switch a live? Maybe you need a constant live to the solenoid with a fuse, then the ECU will switch the earth on?

[THE STIG]

my vtec pops on overrun after letting off throttle since i changed the rear silencer from the standard honda silencer to a after market straight through

so might be down that on yours depending on how free flowing your exhaust is

i have a spare vtec solinod is you find yours is faulty

Edited by THE STIG, 26 August 2010 - 02:59 PM.