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Losh's VR Ute build thread

losh1971

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I know little about engines but what I have read by @delcowizzid is that if you spin a cam bearing you chew out the crank bearings pretty quickly and lose oil pressure not long after. I would have thought 300-400km would be enough time to kill the bearings all round?
What I'd like to know is where does that oil travel once it goes through the lifters, straight to the sump and through the filter or through the bearings first.
 

Skylarking

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If you’ve got an old HDD, rip it apart and tape the magnets to the side of your oil filter as i5 supposedly aids in catching any fero metallic crud :rolleyes:

Such tricks are not far removed from an brock’s energy polariser and may work even better with Castro’s magnatec oil :p:p

(just adding some humour as the issues you’re experiencing would have we in a semi violent rage)
 

losh1971

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I talked to the mech about my old lifters and they were buggard. I think that was the cause of my old high RPM rattle when overtaking a truck or car and boat or caravan.
 

losh1971

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Well the rattle is still there. It's either lifters, chain or a cam bearing. I have just changed the oil again. There was minimal shiny flecks this time. The mech has said probably just have to drive it and see how it goes. My concern is the engine will break down. Mech seemed to think the cam bearings failing will be hard to diagnose as it won't dump white metal through the big ends like I thought it would.
I'd love to find someone who could listen to the rattle and tell me what it is, then I'd know what I can do about it. We just don't seem to have anyone with that kind of skill in Launceston.
 

losh1971

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Well a few days on and the noise seems to be about the same, no better but no worse. I can't see it being a spun cam bearing, as I would think it should have become a whole lot worse, which it hasn't. The mech said it could be noisy lifters, even though they are new. At this stage I'm just going to keep driving it. I want to get it on the dyno, but I'm not sure that will be a safe move? If I was to blow it my concern is damaging my $1100 worth of heads.
 

losh1971

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20210213_191910_resized.jpg

Got the bar cover on today. I am short one bolt clip on the passenger side. It must have fallen off. I'm doubtful I have one lying around in Town so it may be a trip to the wreckers. I'm also short a couple of screws, and because they are specific to a VR/VS I will need the right ones or they won't fit in the ident in the bar cover.
I run out of time to fit the guard inners that I bought today. Wheels really need to come off so it may be another week before they go on. I also have to fit the bullbar but it's easier with two people to get it on, so that wil be a week or so before it's on.
 

losh1971

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Got the bullbar back on tonight, took me the best part of three hours, including a wash of the ute. I needed the father and mother in law to hold it up while I manouvred it into position. Also had to do some adjustment on the bar cover so it all lined up nice. See fitting the bullbar made the bar cover go slightly out of whack. I thought I could have had the bullbar on and everything else done in an under an hour, but nup.
Yesterday I got the lower rad support painted in enamel with hardener. I managed to get the worst of the dents out but it still has a bow in the centre. I can pull it down but I need to rig up a chain in the pit so I can hook up a hand winch and pull down on it.
I'm hoping this week to find some time after work to get the new guard inners on but I'm short one screw. I may have one in the garden shed but I may not either. I managed to get the bolt clip and then while cleaning out the ute I found the missing one on the passenger floor. Bloke charged me five bucks for it two. But he did say he would seek me a pair of wiper arms for 10 bucks, and I suspect that will be cheaper than the self serve wrecker. I have to grab the arms in a fortnight as I had to get back quickly today as the wife's biological dad passed away last night.
 

losh1971

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Thanks VC yeah it was pretty sudden and unexpected. Been a bit stressful, with other **** going wrong with the shed and then work and builders calling me at work and issues with the plans that meant the roller door openings are too narrow and the shed is basically finished.

On another note I managed to get the drivers side guard inner fitted tonight after work, gotta love Daylight Savings. Again I thought this was to be a 1hr job at the most. Nup, turns out I spent over two hours by the time I ceramic waxed the new plastic bumper and re-waxed the tub rails as I had to wipe them over with metho to clean them. I'm glad I pulled the inner out anyway, where the arch meets the bottom of the guard was full of dirt, and it would have rusted the bottom of the guard in years to come. I also managed to get the inner and the mudflap all perfect with all the clips and screws fitted whereas the old one was flogged out around the clip holes. I still have to fit the passenger side one but that won't happen until the weekend I don't think. I have to paint the sill panel at some point, and if I'm doing that I want the mudflap off, and getting the mudflap off means taking the wheel off, so it makes sense to make a 1.5hr job into a 4hr job and get it all done at once.
 

vc commodore

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Thanks VC yeah it was pretty sudden and unexpected. Been a bit stressful, with other **** going wrong with the shed and then work and builders calling me at work and issues with the plans that meant the roller door openings are too narrow and the shed is basically finished.

With all due respect, having someone pass away suddenly can be a good thing, as they're not suffering....

I say this as last week, a relative passed away after battling cancer.....She spend 7 days on pain killers...(Morphine I believe)...4 of those days, she didn't eat or drink before she actually passed on....

So please don't think I am being disrespectiful with my comments towards anyone.....That isn't my intensions
 
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