Yes, Norway !

[BobFromNorway]

Interestingly, no perished hoses, no sign of any leaks, so no idea.

The rubber on the fuel cap had dried out and hardened a bit, so replaced it and seems to have cut the smell, so here's hoping.
Really need to spend some more time on the car this coming year.

Only done about 20 miles in it this year and feel really guilty for it just standing there, been restoring the Alfa this year which has taken up a lot of time, so hope to get that finished off, sell the T-Bird, then I can focus on the poor GTA.
I know it's a recurring theme around these 'ere parts that GTA's rebel if they aren't used enough.

The hoses do not perish from the outside any more, the ethanol melts them from the inside the jelly then moves and clogs the filters jets or injectors. When it's bad the rubber just melts it's really impressive on fibreglass tanks. I think it's all been done on purpose to get rid of old stuff, cars,bikes,boats,garden equipment, ect

[BobFromNorway]

3 years to the day since this one left the UK.
Many more grey hairs, much more stress, much less skin on my knuckles, much less money in my wallet and a very full swear box.

If only it wasn't so glorious to drive I could hate it more.

Looking forward to digging it out for summer.
Even tho at the moment it's like Schrödinger's car. Until I open the garage it's neither working, nor broken........

Seen here on a quick beer stop before the ferry

Zen and the art of GTA maintenance

[BobFromNorway]

Car is EU approved (Norwegian MOT) today for another 2 years..
Thankfully the wonky speedo worked long enough to get it through and the guy was more interested in talking about the car instead of actually checking it, so he never noticed that one of the doors doesn't open from the inside and that it has non-stock coilovers and brake parts on it.............

Realising that the car has done just a shade over 400 miles in two and a half years, think I only drove it once last year.
Really need to bring it out to play more often.

[BobFromNorway]

Took the car to work today for a blast in the sun.
Didn't end well, didn't end well at all.

Heard a slight knock which quickly degenerated into a very UNslight knock.
Oil pressure and level was good, water level and temperatures good, nursed it home the 5 miles or so for a look, with a knock like that, I figured damage is already done, so 5 more miles isn't going to make it much worse.
Sounds very like it's thrown a big end bearing, so at very least, a bottom end rebuild, if not a full teardown.

Will do some costing up, machine shop labour is damn expensive here, although PRV parts shouldn't be too hard to find.
Like I say, at very least, likely a crank regrind and some oversize bearings, but on a teardown there's always the "while I'm in there" jobs.

Realistic option at the moment, however might be to start sniffing around to see if anyone in Blighty has a complete motor, planning a trip over next year sometime.
Clee, maybe I'll talk to you when I've done some costing to see how practical it is to strap it to a pallet & ship it to you for a rebuild, Alternatively if you have any ready to go units, maybe can cut a deal where I take a nice shiny one and leave my crappy one to be rebuilt for you to rebuild and sell.
Would also be interested to hear if you have any usable crankshafts lying around, no rush tho, be autumn at least before I get into the guts of it.

It's all a bit up in the air, and I need to go have 100 beers now and cry gently............

Sorry to hear that Bob

I've seen a few of late with dodgy oilpumps/housings but sounds like you may be 'lucky' if it's just thrown a bearing. ...It's just an age thing I think as all the pump gears show the same signs of wear.
I have a bare crossbolt block is all I think but let me know when you've had time to grieve properly
Custom bearings on a regrind I'm afraid as not ever available for turbo.Not sure what cranks I have.

[BobFromNorway]

Cheers, will be parked up till autumn I think, then I'll star to tear it down.

[BobFromNorway]

Seen some talk on here that the Z7X bottom ends from the Laguna can be used with the Z7U heads and it lowers the compression enough to run it with the turbo.

Easy enough for me to source a Z7X and parts to refurbish it.
Then I'll just make the Z7U into a coffee table, or flowerpot or something....

Is anyone able to confirm that is the case before I start spending ?

[mettersl]

Clee should be able to tell you definitively.
I'd expect the crank to be the same but there may be issues with the liners having a different bore size. There was a set of new 3l liners to fit the 2.5 block, not sure if the reverse is possible.
Later blocks have a different oil pump too, it taken as a set they should be ok.
I think you can use the block from any engine, but the crank has to be evenfire.
If you have access to z7x, then getting one as a parts source will definitely reduce the parts bill, unless it's just shells you need....
You could just drop the sump for a quick assessment with the engine in the car,

[Miles]

Richard Walsh,
Does this conversion complete and the price was good.
I'd suggest you give him a bell.
You can run it with a turbo, but unless you change pistons you need to run at reduced boost.

David

[BobFromNorway]

Diagnosis confirmed.
Whipped off the oil pan today and the big end bearing on no 3 has spun.
Hard to see it properly, the crank looks like it might be ok, but the rod is pretty scored.

Tbh, without getting all Plastigage scientific, they all feel a bit looser than I would expect, so it was only a matter of time, I fear.
I've only covered 1500 fairly sedate miles in it in 3 years, so it's probably just been a ticking bomb.
Oil isn't too bad for visible metal flakes, not as bad as when I lost a cam on the Ford V8 a few years back anyway !!

Major surgery required then, need to try to get my Alfa finished first, I don't have room to have 2 cars in pieces, so will roll it to the back of the garage and forget about it till next year......

Still willing to listen if anyone has a complete and good condition complete motor they are thinking of parting with next summer.
Gonna cost me £1000-1500 minimum to convert a 7zx, so that's my ballpark.
I'd consider a complete, running and driving rustbucket with a decent motor if the price were right

.

Hi Bob,

Having done exactly all the things you are talking and a lot more... my advice would be stick to the 2.5ltr, a lot less heart ache, cost a great deal less to sort, and will work with out modifications to the hardware you have... I have done them all, and conversions back and forth bring a number of issues you won't be able to sort mail order...

The 93mm liners that are for sale are for the later 3ltr block or cross bolt 2.5, they won't fit the earlier 2.5 non-cross bolt block. I know the history on how ordered etc, and have the full spec on those liners, and they are not finished.

You will need to inspect your oil pump housing to check if your block is reusable, hopefully you will be ok, depending how much debris and how long. If good, suggest hunting out a good teplacement crank, talk to CLee. If you want power adders, 280hp can be had with cams, turbo, and tune on standard heads without any modification, again CLee can sort you out. In fact anything around 250hp is really sweet in a GTA on OE brakes, and you will be definitely knowing their limits around 280 with fancy pads. I personally would keep it simple... done it the hard way, and these days can't see the point... to go the block, liner, head swops etc route, I have the bloody knuckles.. I also have the power having been there, and put hard money where my mouth was , but I know what I would do now, and it wouldn't be that again... Just my humble point of view..

Martin

[BobFromNorway]

Thanks, I'm not so fussed about making extra power, Norwegian speed limits are lower, and fines are higher, so standard hp is fair enough for me.

All I want is a reliable car I can trust to get me from A to B.
Putting it as politely as I can, this car has been the most unreliable piece of crap I have ever owned.
I have had nothing but trouble with it since day one. Every time I have driven it, something has either broken or fallen off.

Giving some serious consideration to throwing in an engine, giving it a coat of paint and just getting shot. I think I've had enough of it.

Go 3lt normally aspirated can get the same Hp no problem.
My Atmo is super reliable compared to my turbo, but it is all down to you must use it.