S2 Avant -93

[Antsa]

It does not hit the rail, it's pretty close but doesn't touch. Maybe I will add a couple of shims under the right engine mount to raise it just a little bit.

It's a precision 5558 turbo with a 55mm compressor inducer and it's advertised horsepower rating is 650hp. We will see how this turbo works once everything is ready for tuning.

[rxl]

turbo looks amazing. and it does not hit the rail? what power can it make?

[Antsa]

Facebook group told me that SMFW's are not this thick usually. I still wanted to try if i could make it work. So I took the flywheel and pressure plate off the engine. Painted the inside of bellhousing black to make any scratch marks clearly visible.



20261015_104049.jpg


Pretty obvious now where the contact is happening. I ground some material off the bellhousing but I didn't want to go too far. Pressure plate still makes contact so I'm in for a new flywheel.


20261015_104410.jpg


Then I decided to cure my disappointment by drilling hole to the turbine housing! I tapped this to 1/8 npt so I can monitor exhaust back pressure or egt.


20261015_125502.jpg


Here's just a quick trial fit. The copper piping will be modified after the engine sits in the car.


20261015_124029.jpg


Now I will have to wait for the new flywheel to arrive and then give this another go. Hopefully then I can bolt the gearbox and engine together for good and put them in the car

[Antsa]

A black box arrived


1.jpg


It contains a turbo!


2.jpg



3.jpg


Here it is fitted


4.jpg

It clooooose to exhaust manifold


5.jpg


A 10mm T3 flange used as a spacer sorts it. Now I can fit stock heat shielding around the manifold and wastegate and turbo doesn't hit the chassis rail.


6.jpg


But I have another problem, my clutch hits the bellhousing. I used the tried and tested blu tack to verify that I have no clearance!


7.jpg


This is s little troubling, since I have a single mass flywheel (no idea where it is from) and it should fit with a Sachs707 pressure plate without using the spacer between the block and gearbox Even with the spacer installed I get a very light rubbing. No idea where it touches inside the bellhousing, but I will continue investigating tomorrow.


My SMFW seems to be 40mm thick. Does anyone remember aftermarket ABY/ADU flywheel thickness or can easily measure one? I'm thinking that this might be flywheel issue.

8.jpg

9.jpg

[rxl]

looking realy nice.

[Antsa]

Another little update. Rear main seal installed.


1.jpg

Then I corrected my mistake with the windage tray and fitted the sump

2.jpg


Last time I see the pistons for hopefully a long time.


3.jpg


Head on with cams and adjustable belt pulley and chain sprocket. Also new INA water pump, made in China. It seems that many items that are approaching the end of their life cycle are being made in China. We'll have to see how long it lasts.


5.jpg

4.jpg


Then it was time to take the engine out from the stand and install the flywheel and clutch. Exhaust manifold also in place. Now I have some serious thinking to do regarding what turbo to choose. The limiting factor size wise is the RS2 Evo exhaust manifold. I understand that Gtx3071 size turbo with .63 exhaust housing should fit? All input about what turbos work with this type of manifold is welcome


6.jpg


7.jpg

[Antsa]

Pistons were installed today. This tapered install tool is really handy

20260908_102634.jpg


All five in


20260908_123501.jpg


Next I will take the engine temporarily out of the stand, install the rear main seal and correct my mistake with the oil pickup.

[Antsa]

Yeah, I noticed the same when I picked up the oil pan gaskets today. Got too excited to bolt on parts that I had at hand

[rxl]

you need to put windage tray with one of the gaskets before the oil pick up tube goes

[Antsa]

I guess this is the best part of any project, putting the engine together! I started with a wash and brushing all oil channels. Glad I did, there was a fair amount of crud in that I don't want on my bearings.


1.jpg


2.jpg


A new non return valve was installed


3.jpg


Next was the oil squirters and new bolts installed with locking compound


4.jpg


5.jpg


Then it was time to measure bearing clearances. First the crank main journal diameter is taken with micrometer and then locked. Bore gauge is then zeroed in the mic and installed into the main bearing housing. The indicator then shows oil clearance. I got 0,07mm which is just a little bit more than the manual says for new bearing clearance. But they say that no one will know if you have a little extra but everyone knows if you don't have enough


6.jpg

I wanted to double check my readings with plastigauge. All good


7.jpg


8.jpg


All bearings got assembly lube before installing crankshaft and then main caps torqued.


9.jpg

10.jpg


Then oil pump and pickup tube


11.jpg


Finally it was time to check crank end float. This is on the tight side of spec, just enough at 0.07mm. I think some of this is due to the very thick assembly lube that I used in the thrust washers.


12.jpg


Then all pistons and conrods were assembled so I can continue tomorrow


13.jpg

[Antsa]

Gearbox now finished. There will be a small break from updates due to a small holiday trip and then back to work! Next time I hopefully will begin the engine build.


20260819_124116.jpg



I found a small section of 3" stainless pipe and had to try out my tig. Still a lot to learn, but I think a downpipe can be done with some practice.




20260821_120835.jpg

[Antsa]

Pretty scary task, I need to the same as my box has the same issues, swapped to a spare but want to get my original back to working condition

Surely feels like that at first, but with a well documented youtube video by JHM and a factory manual, it's not too bad. A few pullers and bearing puller plates and hydraulic press is needed.

[Antsa]

I purchased a rebuild kit from JHMotorsports, it comes with all seals, updated 1-2 synchro hub and all synchros and springs.

Then it was time for rebuild. I started with placing the tapered rollers on the pinion shaft. Vaseline helps here.


10.jpg


11.jpg


All shafts were put together and istalled in the housing.


12.jpg


Then the middle casing was installed back onto the front diff housing and then rest of the gears were put in. I made a mistake when installing the 5/6 synchro hub on the input shaft by putting it the wrong way round. Once the shaft was fully assebled the mistake caused the gearbox to lock up on some gears. After a bit of thinking and reading through the manuals the mistake was corrected and all gears can now be selected and shafts can be rotated while in gear.


13.jpg


Tomorrow is time to install the rear diff housing, change the output flange seal and put in the output flange. Then it's just a matter of changing the input shaft seal, putting the selector shaft and it's cover back in and that would complete the gearbox rebuild

[YELL MAN]

Pretty scary task, I need to the same as my box has the same issues, swapped to a spare but want to get my original back to working condition

[Antsa]

Well the bonnet is now sorted, no pictures of it unfortunately. It came out ok, not 100% carshow quality but good enough.


The head is at Kansiset to receive some mild porting and all other necessary head work.


While waiting for the head to be finished, I treated myself with a brand new welder! It can do AC and DC Tig plus stick. I plan to weld the exhaust myself when the time comes. It also came in handy when rebuilding my gearbox.


1.jpg


My first welding attempt was to make this gearbox casing separator using an old puller and some flat bar. Not pretty welds but the tool worked.


2.jpg



3.jpg



The the 5th and 6th gear were pulled out, then the cast iron middle casing can be separated from the differential housing.


4.jpg


5.jpg


5/6 selector fork can the be taken out followed by input shaft, 3/4 and reverse selector.


6.jpg


Then the reverse gear can be removed and the hollow shaft can be pressed out


7.jpg

This is the whole gearbox disassebled


9.jpg


The reason for this rebuild is that when fast shifting to 2nd gear I would get gear grind. Synchro rings or the synchro hub was my guess for fault. The 2nd synchro has seen better days.

8.jpg