Busy day with the front end off..

[Ian Simmonds]

Replaced the oil cooler today

The old one was cream-crackered.

(many thanks Dan/CoupeWannabeS2, for the oil cooler pipes)...



Used a local hydraulic specialist to supply the adapters to the S2 pipes.



All plumbed in and running well.



Sorted out the Mark H Mod on the intercooler



And changed the alternator belt... Finally, had a go at flooding everything in waxoil...

Then...

Took it for a run and it went very well indeed, no oil leaks, no boost leaks either, which has clearly a novelty, because it's ripped off an exhaust rubber and it's now knocking.......

Oh well....

[Ian Simmonds]

Ordered up the back exhaust bracket from VAG today... Be with us tomorrow...

Hopefully it's £10 well spent....

[Al Wyn]

Is this the S2 avant Ian or the fire breather?

[Ian Simmonds]

Is this the S2 avant Ian or the fire breather?

It's the S2 Al...





I wish the front end came off Ur's as easily as the S2....

Incidentally, guess which spanner knocked the oil tray over...

[s2_wot]

Good work Ian

[Ian Simmonds]

Thanks Shane, I quite enjoyed tinkering about with the S2, cleaning bits up and wax oiling all the vulnerable bits... Started getting a bit OCD for a while, then remembered I needed it back on the road for work today.... The front end is so easy to get on and off though, it's laughable really... It literally takes 5 minutes.

[Ian Simmonds]

Incidentally, I notice the oil cooler is thermostatically controlled, not coming into circuit until the oil is hot... Any idea what temperature it opens at, just out of curiosity?

[Ian Simmonds]

Hmmm, the knocking noise wasn't cured by the exhaust mount.... Tightened up another of the mounts (the doughnut type) with a Jubilee Clip and the tendency to 'knock' is a lot less, but it's still there... So I'll tighten up the rest of the mounts with Jubilee clips tomorrow... But I have a horrible feeling the original exhaust is finally failing. Especially the rear silencer, where I could break bits off the side seams.... The build quality really isn't there is it?... I mean, it's only 18 years old?.

[newsh]

Ian I have a complete standard system in pretty good condition sitting in the garage and looking for a home.

[Ian Simmonds]

Ian I have a complete standard system in pretty good condition sitting in the garage and looking for a home.

For an Avant? 'viel kostet es'?

PM if you want John...

VBR
Ian

[s2_wot]

Ian, I had a thread on here about that thermostat previously, I'll have a look when I get back to a proper computer. I think it's quite close to 80 deg because that's where the temp seems to slow down it's rise in temperature.

Re the exhaust take a good close look at it before you write it off. The silencers are double skinned and the inner layer is stainless. The outer layer can get very tatty but inside it may be all good.

[Ian Simmonds]

Thanks Shane...

It doesn't appear to be blowing to be fair, it just knocks under load... Say very low rpm in 4th then power away, especially up hill. Then I get this donk-donk-donk-donk from what sounds like the back left corner of the car... As above fitted one new mount and jubilee clipped up one of the doughnuts and it appears to have 'changed' the way it 'donks' (don't laugh)... So I'll pick up a Jubilee clip on the way home from work later and see if I can screw the other side up a bit tighter.

[FRED]

Had to replace my oil cooler too. Fitted a Volvo 13 row cooler, same as the mocal ones? (from Jonnybravo, thanks James.)

Thought I'd post a few pics so people can see the difference. Hope Ian doesn't mind the hijack.



Replacement cooler in place.




Mounted at a slight angle, needed to be like that to get the undertray back on due to the increased size of the new unit.




Almost too big, close to the oil filter, but enough room to remove/replace the oil filter easily. It's been on for a week and a few hundred miles now, working great and no leaks!