| ID: 1502 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: head gasket?? Question: on my way home from work the other day loads of steam started pouring out from under my bonnet. i managed to get it home and found that 1 of the hoses onto the water pump had bust. i took it to the garage and he has said the head gasket has gone and its going to cost 500 quid to fix!!!! why did my head gasket go and what can i do to prevent in the future??? cheers wiz Answer: Headgaskets usually go due to coolant leaks, pinking in the engine (caused by low quality or insufficient fuel) or incorrect timing. Buy a Haynes manual and do the job yourself! Make sure that you get the cylinder head pressure tested for cracks and skimmed flat before refitting. You could also take advantage of an uprated head gasket from someone like GDI or BB Tuning as they both have deals on at the moment. Replace the hose that split and any others that look perished to prevent this happening again. When it is all up and running again, use only real 4 star (rare but still around) Shell Optimax or super unleaded as these have a higher octain rating to prevent detonation. |
| ID: 1503 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: turbo trouble Question: hi wiz! Yet another question from me, ive just finished fitting my new turbo and it seems worse than the knakked one! its a turbo technics stage2, it seems to boost up veeery slooowly, as my old one would do nothing then go stright up to 1 bar in seconds, ive checked my hoses and there ok, it started happening with my old turbo before i changed it , but i put it down the the turbo as i could hear it screeching, could it be my intercooler, and how do i check it, also what it ""flowing"" the intercooler? thanks again for your help (i'll e-mail you a pint!) Answer: It sounds like your intercooler may be blocked. Did your old turbo throw out loads of oil? If so then the intercooler may be full. Remove it, drain any oil, flush with petrol and test. Flowing the intercooler involves taking it apart, removing the thermostat etc inside and holding the air flap open perminantly. If you are not sure about this then just ask. |
| ID: 1504 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: water pumps! Question: hey wizzard, do the water pumps differ between a phase 1 and phase 2 ? and thanks for answering all my previous questions top man! Answer: They are the same! |
| ID: 1505 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: me fans Question: dear wiz can you tell me when the raidator fan comes on should the perc fan come on at the same time. as mine used to before i had a small fire and i had it rewired. it comes on about two minutes after i turn the ignition off could this cause a problem. i do have a low temp fan switch just fitted and the perc didnt come on any earlier. anyway thanks wiz for all your wizdom cheers jack Answer: The perc fan is on a seperate circuit to the rad fan and comes on after the ignition is switched off if the sensors tell it to. The rad fan should come on, depending on the rating of your temp switch, somewhere between half and three quarters on the gauge. |
| ID: 1506 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: no more wires Question: Mr wiz, could you tell me where the wires from the perc fan sensor on the carb run to, as i have had my engine taken out to have a new cam put in, now they can't be found. cheers. Answer: They come from the front of the engine near the alternator and rad fan wires. When the rad is fitted they are hard to see. |
| ID: 1507 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: Wont start now!!!!!!! Question: Hi Wiz, Its me again....... i drilled out the old air compensator jet etc put all the carb back together and she was fine. It drove fine for 6 hours or so. Then out of nowhere it started running awfully. Shaking and being non responsive. I had a look at the engine and it seemed to be only firing on 3 cylinders because when i moved one of the ht leads it was all fine. So today i went and got some new ht leads, put them on, and now it turns over and wont start. All i get is a popping noise from the engine bay and from the exhaust. I put the old leads back on, played with the spark plugs etc and a whole host of combinations but nothing worked. I even took the carb back off and checked everything before putting it all back but still the same old thing. Sorry about the long essay but this is driving me dippy and i am nearly coming to the end of my tether with it!!! thanks. Answer: Have you looked at the dizzy cap and rotor arm? There may be a problem there. If not look at the timing sensor to see if it has broken or come loose. |
| ID: 1508 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: gearbox change Question: My gearbox has given up the ghost.What I want to know is when I change it which way is the easiest way to do it. ie, remove engine/gearbox as a whole or tilt engine and remove gearbox from underneath or is there another way. Answer: I would say to remove the lump complete and check/clean everything in the process. |
| ID: 1509 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: head gasket 2!!! Question: hi wiz, just an update on my engine. Took it to the garage to replace the hoses and head gasket. the guy now says there is a crack in the cylindar head and i need a new engine is this right???? can i still drive it with a crack in it??? cheers wiz Answer: Some cracks can be welded so take it to a local machine shop or engine remanufacturer and get a quote. If not then a new head can be bought for a couple of hundred quid or a second hand one for less than a hundred. No you cannot drive it with a crack in it unless the crack is just between the valves and this is actually normal/usual for the GT. |
| ID: 1510 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: Sumps Question: Wiz, I am re building my r5 and just about to replace the sump i noticed there were 4 holes on tiny brackets around the inside of sump and was wondering should there be a baffle attached to them,so i pulled the sump of a spare r5 block and it had no brackets but its a phase1 not a phase 2 like mine,is my original allright to use? also,the return pipe [next to sensor on sump]on original is smaller in diameter than the one on my spare block,why?Which sump out of the two would you use wiz? Answer: I would ask on the boards if anyone has a baffled sump and get them to send you the details to make the baffle. It will help to prevent oil starvation under hard cornering and is a good thing to have. |
| ID: 1511 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: the differ Question: hello again wizz, Can you please tell me what parts are different on the water works between phase1 and 2. thank you! Answer: Most of the pipework is different, due to the phase 1 not having a water cooled turbo or degassing pot. Buy a Haynes manual and it has the diagrams inside. |
| ID: 1512 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: battery charge Question: hello wizz happy easter and all that, can u help??? my battery wont hold a charge, thus messing with my immobiliser, ive checked the most simple things, i have no sounds in the car so its not none of that stuff, the battery was new just after xmas,ive charged the old one to keep me going that lasted 4 days, all the alternator has been checked and is ok,ive just put the new battery back on after chargeing for a few days, do you have any ideas, cheers glenn. Answer: Have you tried to measure if there is a current drain? Do this by fitting an ammeter (multimeter) between the positive terminal and the positive lead to the battery. If it reads more than a couple of milliamps then there is a problem. |
| ID: 1513 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: uh oh Question: dear wiz, all has been running sweet of recent, however when i changed the carb two weeks ago i noticed a small trickle of oil, coming from turbo outlet, i wiped it away, not wanting to think what it could mean, i had it tuned this week and it produced 155bhp, at 1 bar, well today i have noticed a new trickle about same length at same place coming out of silicon hose which connects to outlet. so my question is this, is the turbo gone, is there anything else this can mean, i haven't taken any pipes off coz i 'm scared what i'm gonna find out, how will i know if its fucked, thing is it dosen't smoke at all on full chat, and i have the reciept for the turbo its only done 18,000 miles tell us what you think Answer: When you say turbo outlet i assume you mean the pipe to the intercooler. If there is a lot of oil in this pipe it can only be from two places. 1) Turbo oil seals. 2) Breather system (assuming it is still connected to the turbo inlet) Can you give me a more detailed description of oyur plight? |
| ID: 1514 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: smelly!! Question: Hi wiz any ideas what could be causing a quite strong smell of petrol in the cockpit?? it only happens when i put me foot down,have overhauled the carb and no leaks seen there,also checked all the tank pipes etc!! i'm baffled can you point me in the right direction? cheers phil Answer: When you say the tank pipes, i assume you mean the ones on the top of the tank accessable from under the back seat. OK so how about the manifold gasket? |
| ID: 1515 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: uh oh pt2 Question: ok then yes its the pipe that goes to the intercooler, obviously i know oil seals mean new turbo but what if its from the breather. the pipe from turbo to intercooler, at turbo end theres a trickle of oil coming out past clip and hose and going down turbo, its only about 30mm long and 5mm wide, its not much i shiting it, as i don't want to buy a new turbo, the inlet and the air filter are dry, and the pipes from intercooler to carb are clean, i also afraid to take pipes off, but if its to prove whether its broke then i will do it. it also dosen't smoke at all (yet!)(touch wood) as for the breather system , i'm not sure about that, i've never looked for it, i never had to do much work under bonnet so i don't know what i'm looking for, so many pipes under bonnet Answer: I think you have answered your own question without knowing it. If oil is leaking out of this pipe then boost must be also. I would say that your turbo has been overboosting and has damadged the seals. It will read normal on the gauge because the boost is measured at the carb rather than at the turbo itself. Take off the turbo inlet pipe from the airfilter and wiggle the turbo shaft. In and out movement means the thrust bearing has worn and too much side to side (a little is normal) means the shaft bearings have worn. The best money you can ever spend on a GT Turbo is on a Haynes manual. Preferably the older blue one but if not then get the new type as it is better than nothing. |
| ID: 1516 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: New Clio Wheels Question: Hi Wizard, My mate is selling some 15"" alloys off a new clio 1.2 16V. Do all new renaults still have 35mm offset and will these wheels fit my 5 ok with 195/45 15's??? I am also worried about the excessive amount of negative camber my car has after lowering it 30mm. How can I alter this so that I dont wear out the inside edge on the new set of tyres I will be buying for these wheels? Answer: I am pretty sure the new Clio wheels will fit but the best thing to do is try them! To reduce the camber you could elongate the holes in the top suspension mounts outwards and get a laser alignment place to reset it to about 1-1.5 degrees. |
| ID: 1517 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: temp gauge not working Question: hi a friend has bought a 5gtt and his temp gauge doesnt work, nightmare i know - can u give me any clues? Cheers Jamie Answer: Look for the connection on the sender located towards the rear of the water pump. If this is ok, try swopping dashes with yours to see if it is the gauge itself. |
| ID: 1518 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: Wheel wobble Question: I have a steering wheel wobble that I can't solve. I have GT Tuning camber correctors which mean that the balance weights on the inner rim of the wheel can not be put on the absolute innermost point or they contact the correctors. Also, I have 285mm discs so the outside edge balance weight position is restricted too as I only have 15'' wheels and the weights can contact the callipers. My wheel guy has balanced them properly within the restrictions imposed by the above and I saw the results on the balance machine were ok. Is it true that the weights can be moved in or out on the wheel as long as they stay at the same point on the circumference and this will not affect the balance? Is there anything else I can check? The problem only arose when I put the new brake kit and the new wheels on so I am confident that the steering components are ok. It is a classic balance problem as it starts at 50-60mph. I await your pearls of wisdom. Answer: Try removing the wheels and turning them on the studs to see if it gets better or worse. Do it one wheel, one stud at a time and test drive in between. There are some companies that can balance the wheel station rather than just the wheel, if you can find one locally then try that. I would also look at the wheel bearings and suspension joints etc just in case it is a coincedental failure. |
| ID: 1519 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: another gauge Question: do you know if there is a boost sensor and gauge that i can buy to fit in between the turbo-intercooler hose. i want to measure boost from as close to the turbo as possible, my current gauge is wired to the carb base and i want to measure the pressure loss through the system, thanks wiz. Answer: You have two options here. 1) Drill and tap a thread into the turbo itself (some have a place especially for this) and take the reading from there. or 2) Remove the overboost switch and fit a take off pipe from there. There is no other specific way to do this. |
| ID: 1520 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: white smoke Question: Hi wiz, thanks for all your help so far. My car has been fine until the other day when thick white smoke and the smell of burning oil started coming out of the exhaust. Is it new turbo time or do you think something else has gone cos it still comes on boost and everything seems fine? Answer: White smoke is usually water so it could be a few things. Get a compression check done to see if it is a head gasket or liner gone and if it passes this then it could be turbo. |
| ID: 1521 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: oil temp Question: Wiz, i would like to fit an aftermarket oil temp gauge. I dont fancy drilling the sump, so any suggestions on the best place to fit the sensor????? Is there a pipe i could 't' into or something?? Many thanks. Answer: You could ""T"" into the oil feed pipe to the turbo where the standard pressure sender is. |
| ID: 1522 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: re smokin Question: hi wise one,i've now done a compression test and i have 150psi in each pot...they were done in short bursts. It's still smoking but not so much on a run! could it be the turbo and if yes how... please ta. pete:( Answer: I have heard that if there is a blockage in the oil return pipe to the sump then the backup of oil can leak through the seals. Try removing and checking the pipe. If this is clear then i am loosing the battle for it not being your turbo! I will keep my fingers crossed for you. |
| ID: 1523 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: volvo 480 turbo Question: I own a 1.7 monaco and I have just bought a 2L 480 turbo engine, box and wiring loom with ecu, its out of a F reg car, before i fit this in my 5 can u tell me if i can use my drive shafts? I want to tune the engine, wot boost do they run at standard and wot can i do?? wot about the fuel tank and pump will they need to be changed? Basically i want to tune it before i fit it. headwork etc?? CHEERS WIZARD!! Answer: If you use your GT Turbo box then the drive shafts are the same obviously but i am not 100% positive that the volvo ones will fit. Look at a Haynes manual or ask volvo about the boost level as again i am not sure. As long as you have an uprated fuel pump then i would say they are fine. Get any headwork etc done by a reputable company to be sure it is benificial to the engine. |
| ID: 1524 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: valve Question: how do i remove the one way valve in the manifold? cheers Graham Answer: Unscrew it with the correct size spanner! |
| ID: 1525 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: How much boost? Question: On the way back from Festival Park (Stoke) on a sunday night, i decided to see what boost the turbo would run. I have a filter, grp A carb, dump valve, in car adj boost, a full magnex system, and as far as i'm aware a standard turbo. A 45 degree turn normally puts the boost up to half way into the red. I turned the dial 1 full turn then floored it in second, the boost gauge without any hesitation flew round and bounced off the bottom of the dashboard, as soon as I saw that I backed off completely. I had no idea it would boost so high? Is that right? Thanks Phil Answer: If you have no max boost restriction then it will do up to about 28psi (ask Sparkie!) The end of the dash gauge is around 18-20psi |
| ID: 1526 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: rear torsion bar.....! Question: i have spent all day with a mate trying to lower the arse end of my five.after using the information and stuff off the website and spending 8 bloody hours on no luck in lowering my car not even my a 1mm.i cant get the torsion bar out and its not coming out.ive tried every thing and im well pissed of and i have given up.where can i get it done and for how much?or wher can i get a special tool so that i can go to town on it? cheers keith walker Answer: As far as i know there is no commercially available tool as most people make one themselves. Try getting one of the tuners to do it for you as they are bound to have a decent tool. |
| ID: 1527 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: re re smokin Question: wiz,the pipe your talking about is kinked , i notice this the other day and tried to unkink it but i failed.I'll get a new one and if that fails it looks likely it's the turbo? I'll probable buy a new hybride (S1) ,could you tell me what i need to change...ie what jets then i'll get the exhaust,c- head gasket,rollin road and i-cooler and any other bits i need to get it's full potential at a later date ££££ when i save up my paper round money! cheers wiz...pete Answer: You can run a hybrid at standard boost or up to about 14psi with standard componants. As you get a better intercooler etc then you can go higher. Up tp 18 psi then a 130-135 main and 90 air corrector should do the job and a decent 2 1/4"" exhaust. If your engine is in good condition then 18 psi shouldn't be too much of a problem but more than that and you have to think about a thicker head gasket etc. |
| ID: 1528 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: Turn It Up!!!! Question: Hi Wiz, I would like to increase my boost but dont want to change my turbo just yet.. What sort of boost can i get from my standard blower and how do i ""turn"" the boost up.....? Many thanks Steve Answer: A good condition standard blower can run 14psi day in day out and 18-20psi for a good while. Any more than that and it will be over stressed. ""Turn up"" the boost by shortening the actuator arm, getting an uprated actuator with stiffer spring or fit a bleed valve/in car boost valve. |
| ID: 1529 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: HEAD? Question: Hi wiz, I messaged you not long ago bout overheating, and on a nice ""little"" journey home from torquay to middlesbrough last week it resulted in white smoke belowing out my exhaust. wot im confused about tho is i dont think it was running hot enough for the head to blow. I was driving at 65 all the way and the temp gauge was reading just over the 2nd line and I had my fan on all the way. I was still having the problem with when going quicker the temp getting hotter and then itll drop when i slow right down, same as when i go up or down a hill. When I pulled over when it smoked and i took the coolant top off it spewed out so it was bout half full then it all drained empty,then after i got towed home and checked it again the bottle was on the min mark. could the turbo be the prob?, when i last got my head done and i got it back from the garage it was boosting bout 5/6 lines along on the shaded part of the gauge when it was boosting to the 1st line on the shady bit. hope u can shed some light and im sooo sorry for the essay cheers mate Answer: I would say that your head gasket has blown or maybe even the head cracked. The pressure in the cooling system is quite high when its hot anyway and you should never take the cap off until it has cooled as the pressurised coolant will instantly boil and gush out. It could be the extra boost that caused it to blow if the fuelling wasn't set up to match. Try getting a compression check to test the systems. |
| ID: 1530 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: Oil leaks Question: Hi there, Well, sorted out the last problem (snapped (!) gear linkage- looks like it hit a rock). Yet more problems to worry about now.... Basically the car is leaking oil. It only really happends after I've been basting the car, and then it drips about three or four times and seems to stop. Its not a major problem because I always keep a close eye on the dipstick, but its pissing me off. It all seems to come from the bottom of the engine somewhere, though were exactly is hard to tell because its splattered all over the shop. Could you give me some likely areas from which it might be leaking, and how best to address the problems in each case please. Ta very much TK P.S a fine play on words in your answer to my last question! Answer: I expect it is the sump. The end seals can leak and the rest is only sealed with a liquid sealant so a piece of this could be missing. Try steam cleaning the underside and taking it out for a run. |
| ID: 1531 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: Stalling at idle Question: Hi Wiz, Only me again-must be at least a week since i last asked u a question!! I have now got my 5 running again but its awful... I have put on an in car boost kit, changed the carb jet to a 135, renewed the plugs,ht leads,rotor arm and the distributor cap. It starts fine etc but when u come to a stop it dies. I have to drive everywhere with the choke on to stop it stalling. What do u think could be wrong? thanks again Liam. Answer: Have you tried adjusting the idle speed? It could be the idle screw is loose and leaking so check it out! |