Club VR4 to rescue again

[Atik]

/bananaroc /bananaroc /bananaroc /bananaroc /bananaroc /bananaroc

An hour - yes, a whole hour - after a broken engine diagnosis, got a replacement engine sourced and almost ready to be fitted :)

So my recent car trouble led to a headgasket issue on my car. The radiator breaking overheated the engine and now the water/coolant in the rad is being boiled to an inch of its life! Plus it stinks of fuel vapour etc etc. :violin:

So the options were:
1. replacement engine
2. headgasket works and skimming etc
3. break the car
4. sell it as is
5. keep off the road for the time being and buy a banger to get around in
6. option 3 or 4 and then buy a Skyline GTST which I've been lusting over recently :kiss:

Eventually after an hour or so, managed to locate a replacement engine so the decision was made for me.

Massive thanks before anything has even been done to my car to NJ for helping me source an engine so quick, to Nick for allowing me to leave the car at his and offer to take the job on, to Ross for the engine and understanding. And to Nev (and K) for going out of their way to drop me back home tonight.

Club VR4 ... [I'm just speechless]

Thank you :)

[White Lightning]

Jeez Atik, I didn't realise things were that bad. At least you have sourced another lump and it's now in Nicks capable hands. Good luck getting it sorted mate.

[foxdie]

Still stand by what I said, CVR4 is the best club ever :)

[Atik]

Neither did I Wayne.

I drove from Birmingham to Bracknell on Monday and on the return leg on Wednesday night, the rad cracked and I lost ALL coolant on the M40 (J5). Got recovered to Birmingham at a cost of 160pounds (I still cant find my pound logo on my keyboard - lol), replaced the radiator on Friday night, been driving carefully since, while monitoring coolant levels. But today on the way to Nick's went through 5 litres of water! And in the capable hands of some very VERY VERY capable people, got it diagnosed it as a headgasket failure.

[Davezj]

there is always someone to help, if you just know who to ask and this forum gives you that possibility.

[elnevio]

The smell of petrol fumes coming out of the rad top was somewhat of a giveaway! :rolleyes4


Yes, another amazing Club VR-4 turnaround - most excellent. I hope the rest of the week and the recommissioning is as painless as possible. /yes

And no problem at all in giving you a lift home, despite the initial confusion that we thought you were just going back to Nick's! /lol


We had fun on the way back, well until within a mile or so of K's house, although I feel that will form part of a Driver's Story shortly upcoming... :D

[Atik]

The smell of petrol fumes coming out of the rad top was somewhat of a giveaway! :rolleyes4
Thats the difference between experience and n00bie :drummer:

We had fun on the way back, well until within a mile or so of K's house, although I feel that will form part of a Driver's Story shortly upcoming... :D
Look forward to reading about it.

[crazyken76]

before you put the new engine in you should replace all the pipes to samco ones :)

[White Lightning]

I drove from Birmingham to Bracknell on Monday and on the return leg on Wednesday night

Didn't realise you were in Bracknell mate, you should have popped round for a cuppa. Anyway, best of the luck getting it sorted ... sounds like Nick will be busy over the next few days/weeks.

[AlanDITD]

atik this happened to me on a prelude, looked down temp gauge of the scale EML light on etc etc...blown rad and popped HG...gutted

Sounds like all in good hands though...as always.

[Nick Mann]

The car is in my garage on ramps, although work has not yet started. Nutter is delivering the engine in an hour or so - work will commence tomorrow morning!

Atik was initially concerned about getting the car to Japfest. That should be NO problem!

[ANTHONY]

looks like all is going well :mexicanwav CVR4

[White Lightning]

Atik was initially concerned about getting the car to Japfest. That should be NO problem!

:mexicanwav

Good luck with the swap mate ...

[Atik]

Woohoo! :D

[aboo]

Never cease's to amaze me how helpfull everyone from this club are.

Well done guys/GJ

[bradc]

Have you finished it yet?

[Wodjno]

Sheeeeeeeeeeeeesh Atik :(
Sorry to here this dude ... Nobody wants a busted engine..

But glad to here your been looked after /yes
Hope all go's well with the engine refit and your back up and running soon /yes
Cheers

Wodj

[Spirit]

Sheeeeeeeeeeeeesh Atik :(
Sorry to here this dude ... Nobody wants a busted engine..

But glad to here your been looked after /yes
Hope all go's well with the engine refit and your back up and running soon /yes
Cheers

Wodj

What the man said !

Good luck mate

[Atik]

Have you finished it yet?
Yeah Nick, have you finished yet? :givemebee :beatnik2:

Yup. Was a gutting diagnosis, but I'm actually not that upset about it. Its just one of those things. Ultimately its like any performance/super car. You will have to throw money at it for pretty much anything, and having spent so much in the 20+ months I've owned the car, I couldnt break it or get rid of it.

As much as a Skyline GTST appeals to me (midlife crisis?), I couldnt live with it day to day. The Legnum is the best car out there for me in more ways than one.

According to NJ, the new engine is a similarly nice low mileage unit as my old one (70k-ish in kms and 10k-is in miles).

Not sure what effect my reflashed ECU will have? It was obviously tuned for my old engine, so I assume it would need fine-tuning for the new engine? Also need a fine-tune on the EBC? But I'm hoping I can at least get the car up and running even on medium boost for Japfest.

Also need to decide what to do with the old engine :satan: Re-bored, bigger pistons, etc etc? Or is that just money down the :toilet:

[miller]

sad news but looks like a bright outcome! Good luck and godspeed engine fitters!!!

[Nutter_John]

Was going to PM you atik and suggest you take a copy of the rom image and put the stock one on for the first 1000 miles so that you don't push it too hard

[wer-4]

We're fairly new to the club and this just proves what we've said all along - this club is BRILLIANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Atik]

Was going to PM you atik and suggest you take a copy of the rom image and put the stock one on for the first 1000 miles so that you don't push it too hard
John, I'm planning to attend Japfest and get out on two track sessions. I'm not going to be cruising around at -10psi as a mobile chicane /catfight

I will be taking it easy on the engine until I can get to Eurospec on the RR day. The only hard driving I am anticipating is Japfest and even then I will be turning the boost well down to about 10psi which I'm hoping the new engine will manage to deal with comfortably.

[Wodjno]

Work musta started now ?

[Nick Mann]

Fluids are draining.

I forgot my car has an MOT this morning! /pan So real work will start after that...

[Nick Mann]

Okay - my car has MOT until May next year - LET BATTLE COMMENCE!!

[Atik]

/shakes head in disappointment

Leaving my car draining of vital bodily fluids while you get your rustbucket MOT'd

:D

Goes without saying, you'll be water pumping and cambelting me up Nick? And while the engine is out, if it makes it easier to diagnose the flex in the bulkhead on the brake pedal, could you have a look see? Pretty please :)

[Atik]

Feels good to have the car back! 'Thanks' just doesn't cut it for this one.

Nick, you are a star mate! :D
John, thanks for sorting the engine so quick for me. You have a 7201 ECU for your troubles ;)
Ross, I'll get in touch with you next week sometime mate :)

[AlanDITD]

christ that took long enough didnt it.......

Hows the new engine? simaler kinda power feel etc?

[psbarham]

How long?????

what did they Atik? rebuild the old one :p

Good work guys :beerbang:

[Atik]

Yeah, Nick decided to take on another job and leave me in the lurch without access to a car, the week before I get married :p

Nah, I actually didnt need the car this week and having the car outta action was fine. I had the diagnosis on the Sunday, engine delivered on the Monday, work started on Tuesday and car collected on Friday , so that is SUPER service once again from Nick Mann Services.

Power feels exactly the same as before. Nick mentioned he got fuel cut when he tested the car out and symptoms are consistent with the usual fuel cut point on the car/map.

Bonus is I had the car booked in with Nick for a cambelt change with the ancillary bits, I guess having the engine out made that job easier :D

Will keep an eye on the rad and coolant over the next few weeks just to make sure its all good.

[Kieran]

Well there you go - Broken to fixed in a week. Win! :D

[White Lightning]

Superb, I am very pleased for you Atik /yes

Top work Nick (and NJ!) :2thumbsup

[Jane]

What a fantastic result - I can't believe that this car was sitting sadly outside Nick's last Monday and is now back on the road with a new engine - well done /notworthy

[Nick Mann]

So far so good.

Like I said, Atik - please keep an eye on the water levels, in case the HG was the symptom and not the cause! I'd hate a leaky hose/rad to send this engine the same way.

And hopefully this will mean you have a very slightly bigger grin on your face today! Enjoy....

[miller]

well done chaps for turning this around within a week!

Club VR4 rules...simples!