Project Beatrice. (1999 Birkin S3)

[Jackal]

Tonight and this weekend:

 

- connect the coolant T electrics for the dash gauge

- Pressurize the rear brakes and get them fully bled

- Install the new manifold and gaskets for the intake

 

Go to comic con on Sunday.......

 

 

I'm looking at one of these to feed the speedometer instead of the hall effect sensor I had origionally thought I'd use. I have the wires where I need them, but not the sensor.

 

http://www.vdo-instruments.com/sensors/speed-rpm-and-rotational-sensors/gps-speed-sender.html

Edited April 26, 2013 by Jackal

[Jackal]

Well about the only success I had today was filling the coolant.

 

The rear brakes are still not fully bled. I'm not understanding the trouble here. I have tried pressure bleeding them, vacuum bleeding them and the traditional euphemism filled "pump, pump hold" method. I get fluid through, but not the pressure I need and it is very frustrating. :cuss:

 

The manifold got swapped today though, but it was not without it's own challenges.

 

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/nivaguy/9376DF50-A4A4-41BC-901A-68EF5F42ED93-9454-00000A14B52DCD2E_zps40a0ed27.jpg

 

I was aggravated to find that after buying all new hardware for the manifold and using them before sending it off to the shop, when I revisited it today the hardware was missing and mixed up. Not a huge deal, but it's the idea that I have all new hardware in, and I got a mixed bag back.

 

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/nivaguy/48333BB2-E969-4EC0-A30D-3E8CB47686B1-9454-00000A14F93008F1_zps29aacd9f.jpg

 

One of the short bolts I had to make to fit in a tight area was missing as well. So that I don't go crazy knowing of the mismatched cap bolts, and the one that is missing, I'll be off to Triad again to get more and modify the one I need again

 

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/nivaguy/BAAE0E04-F7F1-4A69-BEE1-B5F095579D41-9454-00000A1498B822D5_zpsdfdc6ed4.jpg

[Jackal]

The most disappointing thing I noticed today was the sensors.

 

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/nivaguy/29DF567B-52ED-4616-8520-D198D6BCE78D-9454-00000A14CDEB736D_zpsf3e7c439.jpg

 

Both sensors are pictured as I found them. No retaining nuts holding them in, just a hole drilled and thread lock to hold one in. After pulling the sensors I found the one that was thread locked in has been buggered by stripped threads. Pretty annoying that now the sensor won't even take a retaining nut now. I'll have to find another or run a dye over it and find a retaining nut to properly set it in the new back plate.

 

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/nivaguy/A3A06462-4E96-4DF1-B93B-E5860EDE65A5-9454-00000A14A870AFE3_zps2f14e6a8.jpg

[lancylad]

Ooh my, who did all this for you, some one needs a return visit and some strong words. So sorry to hear that you are having more agro....so disappointing for you. Chin up lad.

[Jackal]

So I got out into the garage and corrected the challenges with the backplate.

 

First I rethreaded the temp sensor.

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/nivaguy/F7510B77-FF60-43F6-BB17-F609B04ACF5E-13087-00000EB0E2FED263_zps60296ff4.jpg

 

Then I was off to my local Auto Value to get the fittings I needed to replace the BSP ones as shown below.

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/nivaguy/IMG_4064_zpsdc073547.jpg

[Jackal]

The threads are a little wierd on the fittings that I had to purchase, but fortunately there was a reall easy solution. Use the fitting themselves as the nut. To that end I just needed some washers to shore up the small coupler fitting on the backside of the plate, and provide the needed spacing for the sensor. Seal all of the connection points and it's sorted.

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/nivaguy/IMG_4086_zps422e205f.jpg

It was a little time consuming to get the parts from Autovalue, but the effort requred was pretty minimal. I'm happy with the way it is assembled now.

Before:

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/nivaguy/29DF567B-52ED-4616-8520-D198D6BCE78D-9454-00000A14CDEB736D_zpsf3e7c439.jpg

After:

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/nivaguy/IMG_4090_zps10fd4fcb.jpg

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/nivaguy/IMG_4092_zps8d4857c7.jpg

[Jackal]

All that work to make the hood fit correctly. I'm glad I went through the exercise though, otherwise I may ahve missed remounting the sensors properly.

 

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/nivaguy/IMG_9416.jpg

 

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/nivaguy/IMG_4094_zps753ae040.jpg

[lancylad]

Congrats Duane, another hurdle done with. Keep posting, really enjoying seeing the progress, not far now.. Got to have that photo of your grin on that first ride out!!

[slomove]

Hello Duane,

I know it is quite common to install a temperature sensor in the air intake. However, I finally moved mine to another place in the outside air stream because there was serious heat soak when the engine was turned off for short time to the point the engine barely ran until the sensor cooled down again. Nothing serious but keep it in mind if the car won't run well after a short stop.

[wemtd]

I encountered this issue also.

My current fix was to enlarge the sensor hole in the aluminum plate to accept a rubber grommet from my local hardware store. The ATS snugly screws into the rubber which holds it in place without the need for a retaining nut.

So far this is working for me.

[Jackal]

Back in running form.

 

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/nivaguy/th_IMG_4125_zpsbe2dc20c.jpg

Edited May 5, 2013 by Jackal

[lancylad]

Ready for the road yet?

[XR4Bill]

How did you make out with the master brake cylinder Duane?

[Jackal]

How did you make out with the master brake cylinder Duane?

 

I called every british car shop and race shop within a couple hundred kilometers to find a rebuild kit. Unfortunately nobody sells them. During the hunt for the rebuild kit it was suggested that Mopac may have the Wilwood equivalent to the Girling, and after cheking the threads and the dimensions, I settled on ordering a pair of them.

 

I didn't need to buy both, but my reasoning is a couple fold. If one of these brake cylinders has failed, then it is a gamble on the other one from the same history. I'm also a little crazy when it comes to symmetry and having hardware match. At under $50 each, the choice to replace both is easy. I receive the second one Tuesday.

[Jackal]

Finally an update.

 

After working out the intake I needed to finish the brakes before getting it on the dyno. I was having some issues with the rear brake assembly leaking in certain spots and decided to start from fresh. I headed over to Green Line and had them fab up a set of three lines for the rear axle. After a slight miscommunication and a couple visits the rear assembly is ready to go in……again.

 

The first time I was putting the new rear brake assembly in, there were a few issues, and I felt rushed to swap the lines in and get moving. Big mistake. I didn’t realize that despite giving the fellow at Green Line the T fitting that everything was to be based on, he put the wrong ends on the hose. It turns out that 3/8 24, and 10mm 1mm are extremely close in fit, and you don’t end up stripping the thread until you go to tighten everything up. I was rushing to get the rear brakes in and didn’t notice that I was jamming a 3/8 into the 10mm, and ended up stripping the T. A couple of new T’s, and some adaptors and I’m ready to reassemble.

 

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/nivaguy/7492FA68-E1C8-464D-92D3-CB98D0593EB4-4957-000004ED19D3FD7D_zpsa6a7126b.jpg

 

The same night I was rushing through the rear brake build and apparently stripping parts, We concluded that the master cylinder to the rear was failing. I have always been able to pull fluid from the reservoir to the calipers with a vacuum bleeder, but was never able to build pressure on the pedal or to the caliper. Coming to the harsh realization that the fronts needed to be disassembled to prove this, we proceeded to swap the master cylinders and the front stopped functioning while the rear built pressure. Being that I needed a new master cylinder and I’m crazy about things matching, I had to find a couple of these to install.

 

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/nivaguy/66EE72D5-BEEF-4E16-BFBB-D990F89B6814-11693-00000A737D0DD4B7_zpsac7bcc58.jpg

 

Tonight I’ll be getting the whole thing assembled and with any luck the brakes will be bled too.

[Jackal]

There have been little projects that have kept me busy as well though. One that has been bugging me is the wiper arms. The guy that sold me the kit sent two opposing wiper arms. This meant a bodgy mismatched set, as one would need modifications that would make them look unequal.

 

I went to a local VW shop I used to deal with waaaaaaaaay long ago in another life, and picked up some of the shortest wiper arms and blades I could find.

 

I am thoroughly surprised at how difficult it is to take them apart to shorten. Just to remove the extended portion of the arm there is delicate work with the rotary tool. Finally after shortening and reforming the arm and redrilling holes for the rivet and the spring, I am left with this:

 

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/nivaguy/ABC1E05B-2381-453F-888F-98F5AB1564D7-11693-00000A738F668E69_zpsce2a4a33.jpg

 

Repeat one more time and a fresh lick of paint and I’ll have two almost identical wiper arms that won’t drive me nutty to look at.

[XR4Bill]

Any progress Duane?

 

Bill.

[Jackal]

Well Bill, I'm glad you asked. The new master cylinders are in, the front and rear brakes have been bled, and last night I did a full system check for lights, washers, brakes and the lot.

 

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l294/nivaguy/8D52498C-21E8-47B5-B231-F6F1B0DE6D4D-19770-0000105FA0F9BDB0_zpsf45eb586.jpg

:party:

 

Tomorrow I bring the car to Sports Car Parts for the Tune, inspection and the Appraisal. I have little things left of course, like the trunk, doors tops and weather gear, but those are weekend projects I can get to while I'm still enjoying the car on the road.

Edited May 29, 2013 by Jackal

[Z3 Stalker]

Washers???

 

I will check mine out tonight when I do my laundry

 

Looking forward to seeing you on the road blatting.

[Jackal]

Washers???

 

I will check mine out tonight when I do my laundry

 

Looking forward to seeing you on the road blatting.

 

 

The only major thing I am still missing is the sensor for the speedometer. I am intending on getting a VDO GPS feed for the Electronic Speedo I have, but the product is still a couple weeks away from being on shelves.