MK2 XR2 Zetec Track Car Project Diary

Coil Pack

Coil pack and leads arrived today, plugged them both in, started the car, the misfiring is exactly the same. I had a fiddle with the TPS moved it slightly as it didnt look square on the bodies, that didnt do anything apart from just make the revs rise on its own, it's still running on 3 cylinders, so I've put that back to as it was. I cant see it being anything else other than the Spark plugs, so went to Euro Car Parts got 4 Bosch spark plugs for 5.59 lol, got back fitted them and happy days, its running on 4 cylinders again! As ive rounded the bolts off on the coil pack, i need to replace the coil pack and bracket together, the new one came with a bracket but i can't be bothered removing the thermostat housing to get to the coil pack bracket bolts, so for now im still running on the old coil pack with the new plugs and leads. Hope its running smooth now and with adjusting the TPS it hasnt altered the map!? as i say its back to exactly how it looked and when revving the car on my drive it feels exactly how it was.

Poor MPG

I drove the car last night, used around 1/4 tank in about 30miles which is worse than what i was getting before i messed around with the TPS, so I'm going to Ring Mikeanics on Monday, get it booked in this week, leave the car with him overnight so he can check the map, do the final tweaks to it and do the Cold map for me as he said i should've left it with him last time but the 'base' map was that far out i just needed it doing there and then plus i was there on my own so a friend is going to follow me down then take me back to collect it the following day when I can get it booked in. I was going to get a new 2.25" custom system made but at this moment in time im not in the place to be spending money on it specially when there's no need atm as the 2" system is perfect for now, plus im still not 100% I'll be getting cams in this yet.

Car collected

Just got back from collecting the car, TPS settings adjusted back to how it was and the cold maps alot better now too, not to mention the good MPG again now with the TPS set correctly.

Snakes Pass drive

Nothing to update on really, just went for a drive upto snakes pass at the weekend and got these couple of pics when we got back to Manchester

Knocking

I cleaned the XR2, then went to the meet yesterday:

Got a really bad knocking on this, I think its coming from the nearside ball joint, will take a look over the next few days. I'm currently on the lookout for a 2nd hand full cage, need one ideally before the first trackday of the year which ive just booked and is on the 5th March at Oulton!

Rollcage

Got a cage, the main hoop/rear section is just wedged in for now and just put one seat back in ready for when i take a trip upto Andy's

I also picked this up too which the seller needed rid of, a fibreglass single skinned carbon wrapped bonnet with 5 bonnet pins ready to be fitted to car, its like a feather must be at least 10-15kgs weight saving over the standard item:

I cant wait to get them both fitted

To-Do list

Note there are no door bars in yet, due to the ones I got with the cage are rubbish and dont fit, well they do, but at chest height so going to sort some proper ones once I've had a few words with my friend, also going to add one or two more bars into the cage too for more strength.

To do list

• Replace all the nuts on the bolts that hold the cage to the floor pan with Nylock ones
• Paint over all the welds inside and out
• Turn the bolts around in the rear arches so the threads not to close the the rear wheels as they are atm
• Paint the interior floor in gloss black
• Sort door bars, may take a while, think we're going to do them cup racer style, sure f0xy will post a pic up for me

Tidying up

This week with little time after work, I've removed the seat again, removed the rest of the sound deadening cleaned that up, painted over all the welds inside the car with 2 coats of hammerite and painted the front footwells, cleaned all the filings off the bumpers skirts, hoovered all the car out then refitted the seats again.

I'm going to swap all the nuts with Nylock nuts tommorow and try fit the Fibreglass bonnet.