April 2001
Sunday 29th April 2001
Assembled the fuel tank during the week. I need to get some low profile 90° -6 connectors for the supply and return pipes, as these are on the side of the tank, and theres not much clearance between the tank and the rear valance.
No news on the water pipe from Raceparts. I called them during the week, and they'd had no reply from the manufacturers.
Still plenty to be getting on with. Removed the fuel rail from the throttle bodies, and cleaned it, as I spotted some small flecks of metal in the rail when fitting some fuel hose to it. Can't have bits of metal entering the injectors, as that'll ruin them.
Jenvey now sell an Air Control Valve kit for the throttle bodies, so if I need to fit them, I dont have to drill the manifolds, as the kit makes use of the small bleed holes in the tops of the bodies. Basically, the ACV kit allows air directly in to the bodies, bypassing the throttles. The ECU can be preset with a minimum RPM value, and if it senses that the revs are dropping below that value, the ACV opens and allows air in to the bodies. This is useful on road cars fitted with powersteering for example. If you turn the steering while whilst the engine is idling, then the rev's automatically rise to compensate for the extra load from the power steering pump. Thats the ACV working.
Another slow week, and next weeks not going to be much better as I'm busy with a training course at work. Oh well, after three years, what does it matter if I have to wait another week or two before she runs for the first time?
Friday 27th April 2001
I've altered the artwork for the Zetecinside stickers this week. New 'smooth style' stickers will be available from next Friday. Also available soon are windscreen sun-strips.
Friday 20th April 2001
As ever, progress is a little slower this week than I would have liked. However, I have sourced an alternator drive belt which fits. It's an 887mm belt (part number HB887e), from Halfords, with three grooves, so it doesn't quite fit the full width of the pulleys, but it should be OK. At least I can adjust the tension now ;-)
Good news on the water-plumbing side too. I visited the breakers again yesterday, and found a 34mm pipe that now sits between the two blue hoses on the top of the rad. It's from the same VW Golf I took the header tank from. The pipe has an extra 'bleed' takeoff, which'll help with getting rid of any air trapped in the top of the rad.
I've also fabricated a pipe that runs from the bottom of the rad, round the top, and across to the thermostat housing. I used 15mm copper pipe, with pre-soldered 90° joints. When completed, I covered it with black heatshrink, so it blends in with the surroundings. Looks pretty good. Hope it works! I still need to finalise the hose lengths, so a little fine tuning is called for, just to tidy things up.
I've called Raceparts this morning, and they're going to see if a silicon hose can be made to fit the water pump. I need a 45mm - 32mm reducing pipe, 150mm long, with a slight bend in it to allow for movement. They're going to give me a call later to see if its possible. Fingers crossed.
Sunday 15th April 2001
OK, so the 875mm drive belt I bought is a little on the short side. I changed it for a 913mm belt, but thats too long now. I'll have to see if I can get a 895mm belt.
Made the bracket to fit the header tank to the inner wing. Cut the Samco hoses to the right length. Just need some 34mm tubing to join the two together.
I've got this Thursday and Friday off, so I can get the plumbing completed. I'll see if I can get some fuel pipe ordered for delivery Thursday, so I can get the engine running, maybe this weekend if all goes to plan. Can't wait to hear it running. Its been soooo long. Just in case, the Champagne is on ice.... I still need to upload the Zetec ECU map in to the ECU, but thats only a 10 minute job.
Received my first stickers order from Japan! Wow, Zetecinside stickers in Japan. Cool.
Wednesday 11th April 2001
The ATL fuel cell has arrived. Lowered it in to the spare wheel well, and it fits "Like a glove". Good, I'm really pleased it fits ;) I just need to get some fuel lines ordered and installed now.
Jim Hearne has machined me a brass adaptor, which allows the Greengauges.com temperature gauge to fit in the thermostat housing. Thanks Jim. The temperature sensor has a tapered thread, and needs the adaptor to fit in to the original water temperature sensor hole.
Had a 'Y'-reg Focus 1.6 Zetec-SE 3-door today. Still can't quite believe the ride and handling that the Focus has. I'm becoming a real fan of this wonderful car. The 1.6 is definitely underpowered though. Needs a 2.0 in there. Hmm, a new project maybe?
Tuesday 10th April 2001
Found a drive belt, from Halfords. Looks like its just the right size. And the ally block has been machined so I can finish off the alternator bracketry over the next few nights.
Monday 9th April 2001
Fitted the alternator to the engine. I just need a 14.5mm x 25 x 60 block of aluminium, to fit to the bracket to bridge a small gap between the Powermaster alloy bracket and the RS1800i alternator mounting casting. I'll try to get it fabricated at work tomorrow.
Measured the length of the waterpump/alternator/crank drive belt. I need a belt of 860mm-895mm long, and with a multi-V profile. I'll go for a 3 or 4 V-belt, which will save a bit of power.
Sunday 8th April 2001
Panhard Rod hasn't arrived, but I do now have 2 very nicely made adjustable rose-jointed trailing arms. Hmm, methinks TAS don't know what a Panhard Rod is. Quite worrying. Anyway, these look really nice so I've fitted them anyway.
Throttle cable is now fitted and adjusted, so I get full throttle from the standard pedal, without any modifications.
Obtained a radiator header tank off a Mk3 VW Golf on Friday afternoon. I just need to plumb it in now. On the Zetec, water is pumped in to the block from the water pump, and then returns to the water pump, via an external pipe, until the thermostat opens. At that point, water exits the engine through the radiator, and cool water is pumped back through the engine again. So I need to fix a water pipe from the thermostat housing, back down to the water pump pipe, which I've yet to source. The radiator has a pipe on the side, above the point where the hose goes to the pump, so I may just feed the water back in there.
Wednesday 4th April 2001
Painted some more of the underside of the car last night. Removed the U bracket from the spare wheel well, ready for the fuel tank.
Ordered an inlet manifold gasket from Burtons, and two right angle 32mm (E90-32) hoses for the top of the radiator. I need to find a way of fitting a hose on the water pump, as thats 45mm diameter and the pipe on the rad is 32mm. Samco sell a 45-32 reducer, but its not long enough to reach, so I'll have to see if I can find another way of connecting it up.
I've some wheels/tyres for sale if anyone's interested. Look on the For Sale page.
Tuesday 3rd April 2001
Slight change of spec with the fuel cell. I've gone for a 30 litre D-Cell, as the 20 litre cell didn't have a fuel return pipe, and only has one pickup pipe. The D-Cell (108S) is slightly more expensive, but has two pickup pipes, an internal collector, and a return pipe. Plus should fit perfectly inside the wheel well. Delivery is due next Monday/Tuesday. Demon Tweeks are still very expensive. I called them at lunch time for a price, and they were charging £75 more than ATL for the same product, and that was before adding local Taxes.
Called TAS again. They're saying 10 working days now for the adjustable panhard rod.
Monday 2nd April 2001
Ordered the fuel cell from ATL today. 20 litre, with an aluminium container. It'll go in the boot floor, where the spare wheel used to sit. I did try to get some discount, but they wouldn't budge!
No sign of my adjustable panhard rod from TAS. They're not returning my phone calls either!
Sunday 1st April 2001
The Zetecinside site is three years old today. How time flies...
Painted the underside of the car with a 2nd coat of Dinitrol. Looking a lot tidier underneath now.
Fabricated a bracket, and mounted the fuel pressure regulator to the side of the servo bracket.
Removed the steering rack. I'll get a rebuild kit and make one good rack from the three that I have in the garage.
Fitted the Greengauges oil pressure sender unit to the back of the engine. Also made a plate to cover the hole where the starter motor fits on the Mondeo, ie on the back of the engine. I dont want any foreign objects working their way in to the flywheel housing now do I?