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Go Back   Madabout Kitcars Forum > Mad Build Area > Marlin Sportster, Cabrio, Berlinetta and Roadster builds

Marlin Sportster, Cabrio, Berlinetta and Roadster builds Enthused or Confused about your vintage Marlin build? Ask away here or show off your build.

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  #41  
Old 14th October 2011, 13:47
Mike Mike is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NigelB View Post
Hi Mike,



I like the wooden dash. I plan to have an oak or cherry dash with a dark mahogoney stain that should work well with my white faced instruments. My worry has been the need to create a 19mm radius on the bottom edge to meet IVA requirements. How are you planning to overcome that. Have you got a seperate IVA dashboard as a tempoary fit..............!!

Nigel
I plan to use something like Simon used along the straight edge, covered in vinyl.


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  #42  
Old 14th October 2011, 14:36
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Default More progress

Column Out


I have removed the main light switch, and hazard warning button to allow the column to be pushed in closer to the dash, and be adjusted higher to give more lap room.
I had to make an additional column support bracket for the Marlin support to hold the standard angles in a fixed location: this then allowed the standard Sierra column adjuster to work both for and aft, and up/down.

Column In
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  #43  
Old 9th January 2012, 01:00
Mike Mike is offline
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Talking Engine Started!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

With many many thanks to Nigel I have wired up and started my engine First Time after lying dormant for 5 years.

I have taken a video of it spluttering in to life (rather noisily) at the first attempt: it does get quieter honestly!

It was with mixed feelings when it struck up. I had primed the oil filter housing, but it still took an age for the oil pressure to build up. Even then it sounded like a bag of nails, which was really disappointing given that I heard it run the day before it was removed and it was silky smooth. It was so noisy I thought it was not running on all 6 cylinders. There was a horrible mechanical ticking sound - more than tappets? So I was quite concerned.
However, letting it tick over for a few minutes and get hot obviously helped and noticably quietened down.
I've now run it several times just for a few minutes each time, as the electric fan has not been wired in, and it soon starts to boil. Each time it has become quieter, so now it seems to purr just like I hoped it would. 6 cylinder engines are so silky smooth.


Whooopppppeee! - another M50 engine brought back to life.

Special thanks must go to Nigel for the guidance and directions on the wiring.
And thanks to you all for the support and general knowledge and ideas that I have cribbed along the way. It is greatly appreciated.



Yours,
Happy Boy Mike
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  #44  
Old 9th January 2012, 07:33
mashtun mashtun is offline
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Fantastic! Well done Mike - a great milestone! It sounds really smooth in the last section of the video
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  #45  
Old 9th January 2012, 09:21
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GreatOldOne GreatOldOne is offline
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Waaaaahhheeeyyyy!

I'm guessing it sounded bad on first startup as the ECU was re-learning everything... But like Mash said, it's sounds great by the end.
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  #46  
Old 9th January 2012, 12:11
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Default Another M50 running

Yes, it is interesting.
I was aware the ECU had to re-learn its settings and that I would have to run the engine up to temperature before it would settle down, but I was not ready for how rough it sounded until it had re-set itself.

What's interesting is that I removed the battery Earth over night as my temporary wiring loom has so many exposed potentially live wires I didn't want to run any unnecessary risks.

I couldn't resisit going out this morning and re-connecting it again and firing it up. This time it ran sweetly straight away. So does the ECU hold memory for a period even without being powered up, but loses it over a longer period?
I don't fully understand, but it runs sweetly now and that's what matters.

"On the road this year", is now looking possible!

Mike

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Originally Posted by GreatOldOne View Post
Waaaaahhheeeyyyy!

I'm guessing it sounded bad on first startup as the ECU was re-learning everything... But like Mash said, it's sounds great by the end.
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  #47  
Old 9th January 2012, 13:02
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Default Another M50 running

Yes, it is interesting.
I was aware the ECU had to re-learn its settings and that I would have to run the engine up to temperature before it would settle down, but I was not ready for how rough it sounded until it had re-set itself.

What's interesting is that I removed the battery Earth over night as my temporary wiring loom has so many exposed potentially live wires I didn't want to run any unnecessary risks.

I couldn't resist going out this morning and re-connecting it again and firing it up. This time it ran sweetly straight away. So does the ECU hold memory for a period even without being powered up, but loses it over a longer period?
I don't fully understand, but it runs sweetly now and that's what matters.

"On the road this year", is now looking possible!

Mike

Quote:
Originally Posted by GreatOldOne View Post
Waaaaahhheeeyyyy!

I'm guessing it sounded bad on first startup as the ECU was re-learning everything... But like Mash said, it's sounds great by the end.
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  #48  
Old 9th January 2012, 13:23
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike View Post
Yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

With many many thanks to Nigel I have wired up and started my engine First Time after lying dormant for 5 years.

Well done Mike!! It's great milestone when you get the engine back to life!

I'm sure now with the confidence in your engine wiring you can get the rest finished.

When's the IVA, then ??
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  #49  
Old 9th January 2012, 13:26
oaktree11 oaktree11 is offline
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Mike,

Let me add my congratulations! That is real progress. Having seen your build so far I can tell everyone that it is superb with everything done to a really high standard. Let me know when it gets rolling, I would love to take another look!
John
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  #50  
Old 9th January 2012, 16:41
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Congrats Mike, sounds great towards the end.

I really must get out in my garage this year!

John
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  #51  
Old 9th January 2012, 19:14
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Great stuff! once the initial noise died down it sounded just like my M54, which is not a great surprise really. I suspect that it was noisy first off simply because it was not well lubricated after all that time. It's going to take quite a while for the oil to warm up and find its way to all the parts. Before I attempt to restart my engine I'm going to whip the rocker cover off and douse the top end and chains with oil.

An engine always runs a little rough even if the battery's been off for half an hour but not like that and not for more than a minute as it's still got a factory map. the learning bit comes in over a longer period of driving dependant on your style and fuel etc and they are pretty minor at that.

The other thing is the water needs time to find its way round (or rather the air in the water). whenever I change the coolant in a car it sounds rubbish until it's been thoroughly burped.
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  #52  
Old 9th January 2012, 20:43
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Excellent stuff well done
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  #53  
Old 10th January 2012, 07:53
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Default Engine

Congratulations mike,it's a great feeling when the heart starts beating! Interesting point about the ecu memory.I have fitted a cut off switch which cuts my live feed at battery level.I remove this after all work on the car....could this affect or be a cause for my rough idle on start up...shouldnI keep a separate live to the ecu, even when all else is cut off?
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  #54  
Old 10th January 2012, 10:17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jeremy View Post
Congratulations mike,it's a great feeling when the heart starts beating! Interesting point about the ecu memory.I have fitted a cut off switch which cuts my live feed at battery level.I remove this after all work on the car....could this affect or be a cause for my rough idle on start up...shouldnI keep a separate live to the ecu, even when all else is cut off?
Hi Jeremy

I have disconnected my earth several times since the first start up procedure, and it seems to start and run very well immediately, so may be there is no learning process? However, my first start up clearly shows there is more than just oil pressure build up involved, as you can hear that come in after just 5 seconds: it continued to sound awful for the first 2-3 minutes, becoming progressively quieter as it warmed up. I suspect it was down to the Vanos starting to work as the oil temperature warmed up, as it is actuated through oil pressure. But the truth is I do not really know!
However, it now starts from cold and purrs beautifully straight away, just as you would wish.

Did your auto electrician wire in your coolant original senders, plus the data links, and use the Instrument cluster "brain"? It would be very useful to know, if you can find out?

The BMW wiring diagrams show the ECU/DME fitted with a permanent live so I plan to take this direct to the battery. I will also take a lightly fused supply for the clock and radio. I then plan to fit an isolator switch in the main starter feed as an anti theft deterrent, and reduced risk of a major short.

But, please don't take a lot of note of my electrical plans as I know nothing!
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  #55  
Old 22nd January 2012, 15:18
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Default Another Big Day - First Drive




Bambi is now stood on all four wheels for the first time! Until today it had always been on chassis stands.

First impressions are:
1. Wow!
2. What a gorgeous sound
3. Exhaust fumes are a problem
4 Smells as though it is running very rich - why?
5. The brakes are soft - the servo is great
6. The brakes need to bed in as they are rusty on the surface through never being used
7. Stay with the 22mm Master Cylinder - the pedal travel is more on the road than in the garage.
8. The castor, camber and Toe in all need looking at.
9. The ride height needs adjusting
10 The diff movement seems ok on gentle starts, but is still suspect..........
11. Engine paint smells horrible when it gets to engine temperature
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  #56  
Old 22nd January 2012, 16:30
oaktree11 oaktree11 is offline
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Mike,
It looks great! Anothe step forward!
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  #57  
Old 22nd January 2012, 21:18
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Default Wheel Alignment

One step forward and ten small ones backwards.

There is a fair bit to do to set the wheel alignment, both front and rear:



Camber must be 5-8 degrees! This is the first time the car has stood on its wheels, and it shows! The steering has no self centering.
I have been advised the following works well in the Cabrio:

Front
Castor : 2 degrees
Camber : -0.5 degrees
Toe in : 0.2 degrees

Rear
Camber : -0.5 degrees
Toe in : 0.2 degrees

So will aim to set mine up to this setting and then see how it goes.
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  #58  
Old 22nd January 2012, 21:41
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Default Rear Diff Mount - shot?

Another job to do:



The original read diff support D bracket looks as though it has perished. There is clear evidence of the rubber parting company from the steel bracket. Mashtun has kindly lent me his brand new polyflex bush to test and compare against the old D bracket.

The new one is so much neater, and will without doubt reduce the diff wind up. The unknown is will it increase vibration through the chassis?

Removing the tank is the only way to get access to the two bolts which secure the mount to the diff directly.
One other option is to source a new D bracket, and reinforce it with additional hard rubber in the voided area at the bottom. This could ensure soft vibration free general running, whilst helping reduce the degree of diff wind up. However, there is some debate as to whether new Ford D brackets are available?
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  #59  
Old 23rd January 2012, 08:27
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Were you able to compare the two diff mounts or was there just one test so far with the Sierra mount fitted?

Mark.
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  #60  
Old 23rd January 2012, 09:01
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Were you able to compare the two diff mounts or was there just one test so far with the Sierra mount fitted?

Mark.

Mark

Sorry - I ran out of time (and daylight). I had to remove the fueltank to gain access to the diff bracket, so it is not a quick job. And then I wanted to test my fuel pump as close as possible to the fuel rail to see if it reduced the noise - and it didn't!
Changing D brackets is two thirds done, in that I've got as far as the photo shows: I just have to put the fuel system back together now before I can go for another test.
I may get it done over lunchtime, if not some time tomorrow.
Mike
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