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28th February 2010.....Set off just before nine in torrential rain. It rained all the way. I got there at ten past ten. I didn't want anything at all this time so would be going home empty handed. I bought, 1 reverse light switch; 1 jack; 1 Omega interior light; 1 radiator cap; 1 wiper arm; 1 trickle charger; 1 OHC starter; 1 OHC bell housing; 1 OHC oil pickup pipe; 4 OHC cam shafts and wheels and 3 cam carriers. So for once I stuck to a plan. It's that bloody Stevie Warner...I meet him and buy something. I only wanted the starter and at the end of the day he gave me all the cams etc. I don't need them so I'll be storing them forever and a day I expect. I still had time for two hours work on SHW when I got home. A very productive weekend all in all.
27th February 2010.....Today I wanted to get on with SHW, I wanted to weld. So without further ado I set about the rear nearside pillar. The report on my progress can be seen by clicking here. When I went indoors for a cuppa in the afternoon Joanne asked what I was doing tomorrow. Something in the way she said this made me think I'd forgotten something, which is very unlike me!!!!! When I said "nothing, I'll be up the garage", she said "my calendar says it's spares day tomorrow". I'd totally forgotten and Flod had sent me a mail earlier in the week to remind me. Lucky she looked at the calendar!
21st February 2010…..I did some investigation on the estate today. First I removed the plugs and did a compression test on the cylinders. The results I got were brilliant so put my mind at rest about the head gasket. 1 = 128, 2 = 130, 3 = 122, 4 = 135, well inside the manuals recommended. I then cleaned, and set the points and plugs. I checked the oil and water then moved on to the timing which was out. It was retarded past TDC. After setting it at 9 degrees we then went for a run. She seemed fine, (although I’ve said that before). The temperature gauge is reading better no w but would  love to know what it reads when it’s to hot so I’d know? Don’t know a way round this at present, unless I take it out and put a blow torch to it? I then tided up the boot and interior and spent the rest of the day cleaning the Focus, then gave DHR a wash. I intend to give her some proper loving care in the evenings this week. I’ve added here a couple of photos of my home made tracking device, all finished and painted.
14th February 2010…..I had a bit of a tidy up in the garage and came across the half made tyre tracking tool that Spot had given me. Somehow I got carried away and started cutting out some legs for it, then made the sliding bar angle touch half way up the axle. Next I made and cut a solid bar to match the other side. After this I welded the legs and static bar in place. Testing my new tool on the car and it fit perfect, so next job was a rub down and paint. It looked very nice when I finished. I’ll get a picture on here shortly but the school have my camera again.
13th February 2010…..I set about the estate with a very positive attitude today and it paid off. First I tested the coil to check for 12 volts. There was, so I moved on to the plugs. I got a very good spark there so it wasn’t electrical. Using my great powers of deduction I decided the problem was fuel related so removed the carb. I did this for 2 reasons. One, it would be easier than taking it to bits on the car and two, it was bloody cold outside and I could do it standing by my heater in the garage. I stripped it, cleaned it and blew it out with an airline. Once back together I stuck it back on and hey pesto, she started first time. After a good 45 minutes drive I was happy so moved on to the temperature gauge. I did get one to sort of work, but as it hardly moves from cold I’ve decided to put a sender from a Ford V6 Cologne engine in, as Edd says his works fine.
8th February 2010…..The estate wouldn’t start! It was okay when I left it last night! Why, when I touch anything does it always bite me in the bum? I’m using the GT this week and have Friday off so will look at her then. Anyone want to buy an estate????????
7th February 2010…..Back up the garage and this time it was electrics. (Water one day electric the next, do you think disaster looms?). First I changed the heated rear screen to a fuse which works on the ignition switch, as I’d got a flat battery three times now after leaving it on over night. With this complete I wanted a working temperature gauge. The engine is a 1256 ‘Chuvit’ and the gauge wouldn’t work. Even testing by grounding the wire got no response. I then had a brainwave, which is always a worry in my case. I had a new SL dash so I could try that. A quick plug in and I had a working gauge, although the reading wasn’t accurate, but it might be better than nothing. But with this dash the interior dash lights wouldn’t work or the turn signal. Bugger! So brain wave number two. I stripped both down and put the temperature gauge in the existing dash. Clever hah! No it wouldn’t work! I plugged the other dash in and the original  gauge worked. This means that the circuit board must be dodgy. After numerous tries with different brainwaves and two calls to Spot, (I was very desperate), I decided to put a smiths gauge in. I asked Spot how to wire it and lying on the engine bay with assorted scattered wires it worked. So I plumbed it into a three pod gauge box I had. Took her for a ride and guess what….yep, the bloody thing didn’t work. I tried another gauge which did work, but went straight to hot after a few minutes. So, as usual, I took the car round the front and left the bloody thing.
6th February 2010…..Well folks I’m sorry the website hasn’t been updated as regularly as normal but I have still to shake off this cold. It’s clinging on worse than a teenager needing money and what with the weather being a bit on the cold side, I’ve steered  clear of the garage. Today I decided to knuckle down, stop being a wimp and spend the day in the garage. During the week the estate had a funny turn. On Monday of last week she spat most of her water out as I was going to work, making it look like I had the first steam powered Viva. I removed the thermostat, topped up the water and she finished the week, although I thought she now lacked power and I was very cold. She doesn’t have that much power anyway and if she loses some it’s quite noticeable. So today I added a new thermostat, flushed out the water system, put two new hoses on and put in my new heater radiator with its special addition. Removing the heater radiator wasn’t an easy job as it had been sealed all round with silicon sealer. I had previously soldered a tyre valve into the top of a spare heater radiator to help expel trapped air, so hopefully I can get some heat from the aptly named heater. I cut a small hole in the heater cover to allow acce ss and all my  carefully calculated angles and trajectories worked a treat. (Don’t stand to close to me I’m expecting a lightening strike any minute). It was also hidden, as planned, just under the bodywork. Okay it worked out okay but it was pure luck. At one point I thought I wasn’t going to be able to get to the newly installed valve! Once back together I started her up, bled the system, took her for a ride and hey presto have a nice working heater. Don’t you just love it when a plan comes together? A bottle of wine and a curry later and I went to bed a very happy bunny.
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