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[buznout]

I can't bring myself to mess too much with the mini so time for a side project!

 

Am recording this also at the AusLancer forum but want to share it here too. So, the build and prep of my rally cross car that I am hoping to be ready for the 2020 season. Aiming to be running by March for the first round but lets see how we go....

 

Rally cross is awesome. Find the cheapest car you can, long sleeves, fire extinguisher and a CAMS 2NS licence and you are away. They hold Rally Cross at the Raleigh raceway here in Coffs (they held a special stage of the WRC here) and it is really good fun. Last season I ran my wifes cousins spare CE 1.8 and was pretty happy but of course, wanted to run my own car and have more torque.

 

 

 

 

I like the CE chassis, tons of parts are available and having watched the 4G69 swap that MCM did, it seemed obvious to go down this path....

 

Found a car in Tamworth that already had the engine, gearbox and drive shafts installed but with 0 wiring. Same day I tracked down an entire CH Lancer with a supposed snapped timing belt for a wallet damaging $100. The donor car gives me all the wiring, pedals and other bits for the conversion. Not wanting to mess around with spicing looms, am intending to transplant the CH loom lock stock into the CE. Again lets see how that goes!

 

 

 

 

Edited by buznout, 12 February 2020 - 08:23 AM.

[buznout]

Started by trying to work out what the issue was with the CH. Removed the timing belt cover and to be honest, the belt looked fine. The car had a full service maybe 1000 km before it died along with a new clutch installed so oil, coolant and everything else were clean. Tried to turn it over while watching the cam and it did make some funny noises. Maybe a snapped balance shaft belt?? Will pull the engine and strip it one day to have a look.

 

So it didn't start so time to get stripping..

 

 

 

...and ended up removing all wiring with the exception of the cable inside the doors. Headlights, tail lights, both fuse boxes and everything. 

 

 

Also stripped out the throttle pedal, throttle body and air cleaner assembly ready for the transplant... 

 

If time permits this weekend, am intending to strip the CE down to a shell...

[buznout]

Big weekend stripping out the CE of interior and wiring then threw in the complete CH loom etc lock stock. 

 

 

For reference, a complete CH loom (minus door wiring is around 13kg). This is for the engine and the body..

 

Box of copper + broken CE coupe...

 

 

 

Plugged in the engine loom in all the original places, thank fully I didn't damage the retaining clips when I pulled it from the white car! 

 

 

 Annoyingly one of the pins in the alternator had corroded or been removed but luckily the white car had an alternator so swapped that over which finished the engine wiring. Body wiring is rough to say the least but I wanted to get as much connected as possible before simplifying the loom.

 

 

Got it together and was able to crank the motor over from the key. I have no history on this engine so at least it hasn't seized.

 

Next thing was to get the fuel pump running, and will be the first thing that requires a soldering iron. With a mate we gave the fuel pump power and checked that there was pressure in the rail. Next we tried to crank the engine but it didn't start.  Will save the fault finding stage for another day. May be as simple as a bad earth or the immobiliser playing up, which I hope it isn't as I have used the full everything (except door wiring) from the CH. 

 

Side note, took a pic of the CH manifold with cat vs the one modified to fit the CE. May be of use to someone at some point..