Project Phoenix - VR Grange tribute/replica

[someguy360]

Can be. I did it. The top bolts are fun. Hugging the diff while double spanner ing the bolts. It's tight too.
Some bolts can be done with a breaker bar.
The Allen keys are easy if you use an impact socket. They have good length on it.

Great thanks, I do have hex style sockets so that will make it easier.

And I have a tall jack to hold the bottom of the diff while I attempt to do the bolts.

thanks for the advice, I have only ever done live axle diff's so this is all new to me.

 

[Wombles]

I cracked them all before placing jack.
Youll be laying directly under it and hugging it to crack them anyways.

 

[<RaBBiT>]

Anymore progress?

 

[someguy360]

Not really, would be lucky to even drive it once a week at the moment.

 

[someguy360]

No real updates just general maintenance,

Replaced the front hub's as the bearings were starting to get a little tired.

whacked a new heavy duty clutch fan in decided AU fans are definately the go (sick of the 3-4 minutes of extreme roar every time I start the engine), on the plus side it fixed my cooling issues just in time for summer, also ordered some front and rear KYB's to replace the worn pedders shocks.

Tried some new wax (Mothers california gold carnauba wax), came out half decent, really needs a good hit with the claybar though.

Land barge convoy at Street Machine cruise last weekend:

 

[someguy360]

Time for an update:

Last oil change I noticed a really small shimmer in the oil, didn't think much of it, most engines get that way a little bit as they get older, engine still had oil pressure, wasn't knocking etc.....carried on my way.

Until friday, the valve train started making severe grinding/rattling noises and what sounded like piston slap, pulled the oil filter to find the oil was now more glittery than a taiwanese hooker.

So this morning operation yank the bastard out began (excuse the shitty phone pic).

Got the wiring loom disconnected, rad/fan out, fuel rail, all plumbing etc disconnected, tailshaft out, p/s pump moved out the way hopefully almost ready to pull next weekend.

Just stuck on 2 things, getting the A/C off it's bracket and moving it aside (so I don't release the gas) but the bolts are a pain in the ass to get to, and to undo the bolts from the Y pipe to the exhaust manifold, which is also in a c*nt of a place to get to on the drivers side.
Have a backup engine lined up to drop in to get me by, then providing my current engine isn't in too rough shape I will begin stripping that one down for a fresh build (I have hopefully caught it at an early enough stage that the block/bottom end is ok).

 

[iChris]

ssl-304 is verynice's caprice isn't it? those caddy hubcaps look familiar.

so a rebuild is possibly on the cards - when you find out what the problem is?

 

[someguy360]

ssl-304 is verynice's caprice isn't it? those caddy hubcaps look familiar.

so a rebuild is possibly on the cards - when you find out what the problem is?

Yeah it's verynice's.

Rebuild will be on the cards down the track yes.

 

[VS 5.0]

Wiped a cam lobe ?

 

[someguy360]

Wiped a cam lobe ?

Possibly, but funnily enough the final week of the engines life, as rattley as it has been, it's been the smoothest it's ever run haha

Would have thought a lopped lobe would have the opposite result.