S4s rolling restoration project

[Chillidoggy]

It looks like one of your chassis tubes has a crack in it where it it’s welded. Difficult to see, but you might want to check that’s OK. I'll have a look at mine later to see if it's the same.

[tomcattom]

13 minutes ago, Chillidoggy said:

It looks like one of your chassis tubes has a crack in it where it it’s welded. Difficult to see, but you might want to check that’s OK. I'll have a look at mine later to see if it's the same.

If you're looking at what I think you're looking at the I believe it's just a shadow being cast by the light I was using. I'll be interested to to confirm if it's the same though.

[Chillidoggy]

9 minutes ago, tomcattom said:

If you're looking at what I think you're looking at the I believe it's just a shadow being cast by the light I was using. I'll be interested to to confirm if it's the same though.

Yes, I see it now. I'll revert later to be sure.

[sailorbob]

I do not think it is a crack as that chassis tube is not welded around it's full circumference and at that point there is no weld.  That said, it does look like there is a gap between the tube and plate that I've not seen that in this location before.

[tomcattom]

Typical, I would get one with a Friday afternoon chassis! 🤣

[Barrykearley]

Nah - all the later cars were made with the previously rejected chassis I expect 

[Chillidoggy]

It’s as Derek said, not welded all the way round, same on my chassis.

 

 

[Barrykearley]

This is what those earth tags fix to

[tomcattom]

Thanks Barry. I'll shove the inspection camera down the side of the tank tomorrow and see if that tab is present on mine.
I'm sure it's there and the most likely issue is the tank is sat quite in the right spot.

 

[tomcattom]

Been out with the inspection camera and said earth strap mount is present on my tank but it seems either the hole is too far aft in the shell or the tank has been moved too far forwards for it not to align. Just about to look at the manuals to see how the tank is actually mounted because I couldn't feel any free movement the tank while I was laid under the car.

While I was out there I quickly fitted the new grommets for where the brake lines come up through the body to the master cylinder ready to finish the pipe bending when the pliers rock up in the post.

[Barrykearley]

Stick your hand up the big hole under the tank and see if you can shunt it into the right spot

[tomcattom]

13 minutes ago, Barrykearley said:

Stick your hand up the big hole under the tank and see if you can shunt it into the right spot

Tried that while I was out there but it didn't want to budge. Having looked at the parts list it doesn't appear that the tank is actually bolted in anywhere that I can see, so I wonder if it won't budge because the tank is pretty much full to the brim.

I've got to drain the tank anyway so I'll have another go at moving it after I've done that.

[Sparky]

If the wood is still bolted in over the tank, that'll do a good job of holding it in place.

[Barrykearley]

Foam below and dodgy bit of wood on top and bolted up as sparky says. The fuel adds a whack of weight to it. The bolt is only for earthing purposes - nothing else

[tomcattom]

20+ litres of nearly two year old fuel drained out of the drivers side tank and I didn't spill a drop of it, which was a bonus.

Having emptied the tank it still wouldn't budge despite the board on top missing all except one of its nuts/bolts, and the one that is there is only finger tight - no surprises there. I got the inspection camera in there again and found what I think was an old CD changer cable that was badly damaged and jammed down the side of the tank. I ripped that out and the tank now moves a bit but still can't get to move far enough back to line up the bolt hole. I think the issue is that the filler neck hose is causing the resistance. I slackened off the hose clamps on it but I can't get the hose to budge - any tips for freeing it up?

What I can see of the bolt hole in the tank now appears not to have any threads. @Barrykearley is there a nut welded on the back of that tab? I can't tell from your earlier photo.

[Barrykearley]

Hang on - I’ll go and have a look in the skip

It’s a nut welded in the back of the bracket 

[tomcattom]

Thanks @Barrykearley. In that case either the nut has sheared off the back of the tab - I hope not - or its full of paint/crap. I'll try and see if I can get a tap down it tomorrow.

[Barrykearley]

Just don’t pierce the tank 

[tomcattom]

Ha! No I wasn't planning to do that.

[tomcattom]

I must seem like I'm completely fickle and disorganised with this restoration because I decided to go back to the brakes again today. There is method in my apparent madness, really. I'm waiting on parts for the fuel tanks so I'm going to leave that until they arrive and now my pipe bending pliers have arrived I decided to go back to that unfinished job for an hour or so this evening; namely reconnecting the front left brake circuit to the master cylinder. Given the total lack of space afforded to me by choosing to do this job with the body on, I'm quite pleased with how its turned out.

Mine is the pipe on the left with the bit of tape around it, for those that were wondering.

 

While I was under the car I started peeling the tatty looking heat shielding back and promptly stopped upon discovert of this crack. More than likely caused by the same thing that bend he front crossmember. Another job onto the list 🙁

 

Also, I removed the spare wheel to give me more access to bend the pipes by the master cylinder whereupon I noticed the shell appears to be separating. I'm guessing this isn't a common issue with the bodies and is another issue caused by the knock its had. There is no evidence of this split on the underside so I present these parts are bonded together somehow perhaps?

 

One of these days I will add a post to this thread where I've actually finished a job and not found something else to fix in the process!

[tomcattom]

Ran a tap down the hole for the earth strap this evening. I dunno what was in there but I was getting showered in sh!t as I ran the tap through but on the plus side a bolt runs in smoothly now. But, and there was guaranteed to be a but with this car, the bolt that was hanging in the strap bottoms out on the side of the tank before it clamps the strap up, so I'll have to raid my bolt supply for something a touch shorter.

 

While I was under there I spotted a P-clip dangling on one of the power steering lines that had nowhere nearby to mount into. Without having looked at the parts list yet, would I be assuming correctly that it needs flipping over because there appears to be a vacant hole in the bottom of the chassis (near the fuel crossover pipe) that would seem to line up perfectly if I did. Apologies for the dodgy angle on the camera.

[tomcattom]

Checked the parts list this morning and the earth strap bolt is supposed to be M8 x 16 with a flat and spring washer. My bolt is easily twice that length so will raid my fixings supply for the right size bolt and the flat washer that's missing.

The power steering pipe along the bottom of the chassis appears to have been flipped for some reason looking at the parts list. What I'm not clear on now is how the HP hose to the pump should be routed to that pipe when correctly fitted. The parts list doesn't show that, so if anyone can tell me or has a photo of it that would be really helpful.

[tomcattom]

Parts orders have started arriving thick and fast. Today's delivery included a lot of parts to un-bodge the mess of parts at the front of the car.

I've got an enforced week off next week, so I shall be taking my holiday in the garage I think.

[tomcattom]

I've actually managed to complete something I set out to on the car today; the handbrake is now fully connected and adjusted as per the manual. I had a bit of a battle getting the remains of the screws from the grommet plate out so I could secure it properly, but otherwise it was pretty straightforward. Handbrake pulls nice and evenly now its all been renewed and properly adjusted.

New girder clips installed in place of the cable ties that were going round the entire arm previously. Thanks to @Barrykearley for the tip off on what the clips were called because I couldn't find them anywhere in the parts list. I used some Britclips CR210 clips to secure the handbrake cables. I had to buy a pack of 25, so if anyone needs some drop me a message and you're welcome to some if you cover the postage.

 As always though, no job on my Esprit would be complete without me finding something else that needs fixing. Not quite sure what has happened to cause this damage, but it's been added to the list of things to do at a later date.

Tomorrow's tasks will be to complete the work on the fuel system and sort the nackered bolts in the drivers seat runners.

[tomcattom]

Didn't actually get much time on the car today due to overrunning DIY work.

I had planned to put the grommets on the fuel tank crossover pipe openings in place, but unfortunately the pop rivets provided in the kit I got weren't long enough 🙁 I don't have any spares kicking about so that job is now on hold until suitable items arrive in the post.

I did manage to remove the old crossover pipe and replace it with a nice shiny new one I got from Axminster Specialist Panels when I visted them last time I was down in Devon to see the family. Turns out the old pipe wasn't actually in too bad shape, but a nice shiny new one in now in its place.

I'm glad I chose to replace the crossover hoses, the passenger side one in particular was looking quite ropey in places.