chasinthemirage

Hello again. Been an interesting couple of weeks for this thing recently. As I mentioned in my last post I got the car running after sorting the cooling system and it was running on 5. Long story short I ended up swapping the CAS, AFM, coil, distributor cap and leads with my Berlina in an attempt to isolate the fault. None of that fixed the rough running so I borrowed a compression tester off the OSGC that is @h4nd. As it turns out the compression is fine, within 10psi across all six cylinders but it runs like shite until you fit a battery that isn't cooched. Oops. 

I also finally did something with the diff, I've retained the OE 25 spline single spinner because as average as it is for traction at least it doesn't limit the already small choice of 5x120 wheels any further. I changed the oil, fitted new shoes and wheel cylinders and made some new brake hardlines. I had a few issues with the hardlines leaking but last night I finally got them to seal up and after bleeding the brakes I took it for it's first drive in my almost year long ownership.

Here's a potato spec photo to prove it actually left the garage. I need to bleed the brakes again as they are absolutely awful and I didn't manage any doses as it wouldn't rev past about 3500rpm (battery related I think) but I guess slow progress is still progress. Gotta admit though, as much as I want a lush street car this thing has got me pretty beat. 

@Lump Thank you, I've got one sorted now though! Cheers anyway!

Thanks dudes, hoping to find one locally though! Otherwise Brian will be back next week and I'll just grab his one

Hey boes,

Does anyone have a brake tube flaring tool and a cutter that I could borrow? Finally have all the parts required to finish the brakes on the VL but my workmate who was going to loan me a tool is away sick and I'd like to get it done while I'm an a bit of a roll. Will pay in firm handshakes/cold beverages etc.

Thanks,

Chaz

No worries at all! Good to see everyone last night!

All sorted now thanks guys

All sorted now thanks guys

G'day you jokers, does anyone have a compression tester that I could borrow? Having some trouble with the VL turbo and I'd like to rule out core engine trouble. Can pay in firm handshakes/beers

Fanks, 

Chaz

@Dell'orto the previous owner has first option on it but I'll let you know if it does/is going up for sale.

@igor it sure does, it was actually quite exciting hearing it fire up again!

So this thing has been languishing at my folks place for far too long. I took all the nasty old hoses off the engine eight months, (yes you read that correctly) ago and finally finished assembling everything a few nights back. 

Overall the cooling system was pretty rough,  all the hoses appeared to be OEM and were pretty cooched. When I first got this thing home it was loosing coolant about as fast as I could top it up so I rang around and managed to track down the last Gates cooling hose set in NZ at the time. Long story short I've removed and cleaned the inlet manifold, replaced the injector hoses, fitted a recored radiator, a new thermostat and radiator cap and replaced every coolant hose in the engine bay with the exception of the overflow bottle hoses (foamers may be able to spot the incorrect hose?)

Last week sometime I gave the thing a wash, filled it with coolant, disconnected the HT lead and cranked it until I had oil pressure and then kicked it in the guts. It started on the third try which I was quite surprised about. I'm not really that happy with the engine bay and there's still a few things to sort, namely the rough running and the noisy clutch release bearing but at least it's running again and one step closer to being a road legal car or someone else's problem.

What sort of truck is it? Big block, slam and duallies plz

Man this is looking awesome, well done!

It's a pretty cool feature imo!

What does the hatch in the centre of the hood give you access to? Fuel tank? 

Anything planned for the next few days/weeks? Keen to catch up with you fellas for a feed/some beers/etc. Promise I'll actually turn up this time (unless I'm working?)

Looking good! OS working bee to "decorate" the ramp?

I've got no idea on where to source parts for one of these things sorry man, I'm sure there will be someone here who has an idea though. If you can't get NOS or repro bushes I've used small bits of heater hose before. It'll depend on the style of arm and bush though. 

Swoon. No whitewalls I reckon. Also if you haven't done it yet, replace all the gear linkage bushes if you can get them. I haven't got experience with Mazda column shifts but I had a nightmare with my Zephyr and my Kingswood until I replaced the bushes, you're forever trying to take up the play otherwise and fixing an issue with selecting one gear seems to create one with another. 

Spotted these by the inlaws place a couple weeks back. 

Thanks guys, just been reading on the internet that it can cause issues with aluminum so wanted to make sure. Yeah thought I'd posted it in tech spam, sorry!

Finally got my VL churbo back together and I've encountered a problem I haven't faced before. I need to mix some coolant up but we have chlorine in our water now, what do you fellas who've had chlorinated water for awhile do? Am I best to just buy some distilled water from Repco etc?

@AllTorque choice thanks m8!

Getting my VL sorted so I can put it up for sale, the trip meter & odometer have packed up (surprise surprise). Is this going to be an issue come wof time? It's petrol so I'm not cheating the government out of any RUC's so I can't see any reason it'd be an issue? 

Edit: the speedometer and all other gauges still work.

@Postie 14x7 tridents with 245/50R14 Eagers. According to the declaration paper anyway, I never put tyres on the car.

@Postie I have seen a few patch panels for the Zephyrs on trademe but I've never looked into them anywhere else. Les has done a few of the cars in the club and everyone speaks very highly of his work so he's been taking care of all the repairs. I'm sure that anything can be recreated if someone is skilled enough!