Replacing the cam cover gasket for a AFH engine has got to be one of the most time consuming things I have done for the Polo so far...2 hours, may be a little more because I kept getting bored and doing other stuff. It is out now, just needs a little tidy up before I fit the new gasket.

 

One of the things I did was paint my G60 front calipers black. It is not very adventurous I know, but I like the way the current calipers fade into the background with the black wheels.

 

 

Also, this arrived....

 

 

Lightened flywheel, feels a lot lighter than old one. I haven't checked the weights, but I will!

 

Got a phone call at midday and my plating is already done, all I can say is that Allen Chrome in Pocklington work fast and I'll be picking it up tomorrow morning!

Collected my bits and pieces from the platers......so shiny!

 

 

 

 

 

Just not 100% sure where all these fit, add the fact some bolts are doubled up because they came from the scrapped Polo!!

 

Love the look of shiny bolts :)

Painted the rear carriers today, they were also plated for extra protection!

 

After about 30 minutes trying to clean up the rear calipers ready for painting I have realised that I am not a patient man!!

 

So I have taken them to a local engineering company, they make water tight doors for boats, but built themselves a blasting unit for there own needs and do bits for the public on the side. They don't advertise themselves as blaster, and just coincidence that I found them.

 

I should get the calipers back before the end of the week, they have quoted me a very (very) reasonable price and if they do a good job I can see myself never wire brushing/sanding anything again

keep it up amazing job so far... cant wait to get my gti 6n2 stripped plan on doing a similar job as you clean and restore

Been over a month since my last update, most of that time I have been on holiday. Drove around America for almost 3 weeks, had a really good time.

 

 

Some of you might recognise this, it is the town of Woodbury used in The Walking Dead. It's called Senoia in Georgia, and it is a really nice little town.

 

 

And the Alexandria Safe Zone

 

 

Back in the UK and collected all powder coated parts

 

 

 

 

Didn't get a picture of the bare beam, but i have started putting it back together now

 

 

 

The powder coating company managed to misplace an engine mount, I'm not best please..but I have managed to get my hands on a replacement from someone on here.

 

I rebuilt my rear calipers

 

 

 

And collected my engine

 

 

And tomorrow I am back offshore for work, so it'll be another month till my next update. Next time should be fitting all the parts and rebuilding the engine!!!

 

 

How the garage awaits my return!

 

Hopefully this will be my last trip of the year, as the weather gets worse work drys up and fingers crossed I am home til the new year....

Looks brilliant! Also love all the plated stuff...what did it set you back if you don't mind me asking?

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The second lot of the plating I got done was £80 (first was £35), but that was because they had to blast a lot of the pieces. If the bits had been clean it would have been £60.

 

The guy told me a takeaway container full is generally £35, and they work fast was told 10 days and got stuff back after 36 hours!!

Bargain! Might get my cam pulley and a few other bits done! Thanks. Keeping an eye on this too. Such an anal build but those are the best builds!

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Well, after 6 weeks at sea (was told the job was going to be 3!) and then a long weekend in Bruges I am finally at home and ready to start working on the Polo....so for those of you thinking this might be an update, sorry.

 

As long as the weather holds out, I will hopefully get the front and rear brakes sorted out by the end of the weekend.

 

Then onto the engine rebuild and fitting, I am giving myself until the end of February to get the new engine in and running.....if I struggle then I have to get some help.

Little update..

 

 

Who would have thought after almost 3 months sat outside the battery would have been flat?? So couldn't move the car in order to get room to start the brake swap.

 

So I started mocking up the engine to make sure I had all the parts and that I could figure out where all the freshly painted bolts are ment to go (the answer is no, no i don't know where they all go)

 

 

 

And fitted the new lifters and the camshafts. The lifers are a pain to fit, the tolerances are so tight that they only need to be slightly out of line for them to get bind in the holes. I found vibrating (tiny wiggles) was the best way to get them to slide in.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking good did you oil the camshaft bearings before fitting them in


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2 hours ago, mad-dean said:

Looking good did you oil the camshaft bearings before fitting them in
 

 

The camshafts don't have there own bearings like the crankshaft, it is just the caps........but not to worry I did oil everything, the engine builder gave me some assembly lube to use and so everythings is suitably coated.

 

 

So, today...battery charged and the car started first time, took it for a spin around the block and everythings seem to be okay.

 

Unfortunately we are apparently going to the in-laws for lunch today, so absolutley no progress on the brakes will be had today. I'll start tomorrow morning and hopefully it will stay dry all day!

 

 

Fitted the G60 front brakes today.

 

Before...

 

 

 

After...

 

 

 

I have a handy bleeding tool from when I had the Mini, uses the pressure from a tyre to force the fluid around the system. Very easy to use and great for when you are working on your own.

 

 

Unfortunately when I drove the car around the block to check everything, the steering felt very light, twitchy and pulling to the right...I think I haven't put something back together correctly? anyone got any ideas? (I'll probably post in the help section if I can't work it out tomorrow)

 

On the plus side, the brakes worked really well!

What an excellent project!

What did the weird steering turn out to be? A basic misalignment or something more fundamental?

 

:)

If truth be told I haven't looked at the steering properly yet or done anything on the car for ages. In the cold damp weather hasn't lent itself to grubbing under the car...ow for a large dry garage!

I haven't been completely lazy, lots of cleaning and painting many of the engine parts for the new engine. Which will be a separate post once I have taken pictures!!

Soon, I promise....

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As promised a little update....

 

I have mostly be cleaning and painting engine parts, so I'll let the pictures do the talking!

 

Cam Cover-

 

 

Steering Rack -

 

 

 

Alternator (not quite finished, it's had new bearings and waiting on some plating)

 

 

Three Power Steering Pumps - Anyone know which is the correct AFH item or which is the best?

 

 

 

Two Alternators - Which is the correct one?

 

 

 

 

Engine Bracket - (waiting on 2 bolts getting  plated)

 

 

Brilliant attention to detail, you blasting your own stuff? 

 

:)

Nope, all the aluminium stuff has been degreased, wire wheeled and Dremel'ed with coarse polish mops to get the oxide off.

But things I have had blasted have been done a local engineering firm.....so far only the rear calipers and Cam cover.

Chemicals and elbow grease!!

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The final finish is top notch regardless 

:-)

Cheers, there are imperfections in it....but I did the painting so know where to look and who is ever going to lol that close at a pas pump??

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Edited 4 February, 20179 yr by AveryCates

This is why I hate gloss!