Losh's VR Ute build thread

[losh1971]

Fitted the main switch for the driving lights this arvo. Tested and all is working well. Tomorrow i will mount the ballasts in the lower bumper vent. Then i just have to do a quck alignment and im good to go.

 

[losh1971]

On another note i seem to be using some oil. Not sure how much is being burned and how much is leaking. Sump is definitely leaking but it doesn't look oily enough to be using 150mls in less than 1000km. 50mls to me would be normal every 1000km.

 

[losh1971]

Hmmmm interesting, i just let it idle for a few mins and gave it some revs and no blue smoke or smoke of any kind. I took the oil cap off and no breathing unless it's sucking it back in. Haven't tried it with crank case vent disconnected.

 

[losh1971]

Driving lights are now fully installed and have been aligned. Probably won't get to use them for a couple of months as the days are still too long. But if last time is anything to go by i should have about 600m-700m of light in front of me. Once my H3s and H4s blow i will fit some new plus 100s, which will mean i have unreal lighting, he, he......

 

[losh1971]

On another note i am still having problems with the ute. Latest is finding a hole in the heater box that unfortunately is only 12mm above the floor on the trans tunnel. Pumped a mass amount of silicone in the gap and up into the hole. Hopefully it will stop my carpet getting wet. If i still have the ute in a few years i might slip the box out and fit a new one. $500 job doing it myself with the regas so I won't be in a hurry to get it done. Hoping that i might get out to the wreckers at some point in the next two weeks a pull the extractors off the VP they have in the yard, unless some other bugger has noticed they are pacemakers and pulled them before i can.

 

[losh1971]

Pics of HID's when done thanks (on and off)

here you go Pete.

 

[losh1971]

More dramas with the ute. Been playing around a bit only to find a hole in the heater box a few weeks ago. Short of it I filled the hole with silicone because it either put up with wet carpet or pull the dash out; neither I wanted to do. Sorted the hole and then a few days ago the darn box is chocka with water than it's coming out from like 8-10cm from the bottom edge on the drivers side. Not sure why it keeps blocking up unless there is a fair amount of crud inside it. I'm actually considering fitting a thin hose into the drain hole and forcing water up inside with the hose and letting it run out a few times to see if that cleans it out. On the forum it says only use a zip tie and not wire in case you pierce the core. Unfortunately that's good in theory but I found it really does not unblock the drain, even with a big wide zip tie. In the end I used a coat hanger and folded about 6"s over so I had a smooth end. This worked and drained out the box great. I will keep the new tool in my ute box as I think it's going to be a once a week job unless I can wash out the box properly.
I've been having heater issues since I bought the HOS.... I had the cooling system flushed a few months back and everything seemed fine. Heater core was pretty blocked and clearing it made the heater work. Until a month or so ago. I think it was being caused by the core being covered or at least partially covered in water. Drained it this eve and now my heater works mostly but if the aircond is switched on it blows cool air, turn the air switch off and the air warms up again. FIIK why it does the former but I'm hoping to get to the bottom of it and fairly quickly if I can...... I really want to start doing some upgrades but the damn thing keeps me flat out just ironing out the creases.... I want to grab a set of extractors off a wreck but way things are going they will be sold before I can pull them off. Also want a Mace memcal but want to do the headers and memcal at the same time so the improvements are more noticeable from the word go.

On the bright side my new father in law was a car detailer and he is going to polish and buff the ute. That is once we both have a couple of spare hours on a weekend. This coming long weekend would have worked but I'm heading to the house I'm building with the wife for a few days and will be flat out working on balustrade wires and what ever else I end up having time to do. Last 3 or 4 times I have been home the damn ute has needed my attention this weekend better be an exception.

 

[Lex]

Hi
If the heater is not stopping you driving it, bite the bullet & just go get the extractors & put them in the shed until you have the time to fit them.
If you you had put another heater box in the car,when this problem first arose, you would be doing something else now & not having to keep coming back to it. Some times we have to do things we don't want to do.
Bastards like to keep us on our toes. ha ha ha.
Good luck.

 

[losh1971]

I would have fitted a new heater box if I knew the cond of my core and evap were going to last the distance but I've already spent close to $2k in fixing a heap of problems; that I'm now reluctant to spend another 600-700 pulling the dash apart. Especially after only finding the hole a couple of months after spending a sht load on the aircond

 

[Lex]

Yes l understand. Same with my vt.
When saying new hvac, you mean used?
By taking it out yourself, finding out whether you can fix it or replace it will be cheaper. Then refit it. Your only up for coolant. Get the heater going, then get the a/c going later in the year. Before starting, ask the people who gassed the a/c, if they degas it, how much & then regas it later in year, how much. Ask a few places & explain what has happened.
With what the guys are saying in the other thread, l suspect its one of the hvac doors or vacuum hoses or actuators. I believe the vacuum tank is under the inner front guard
When taking out the hvac unit from under the dash, l put a bypass hose in at the tap, so as l can still drive.
Anyway good luck with whatever you decide.