First check in, in a while and happy to see a build still going - mines coming out of 'storage' soon so I'll have to get some pics up. Where do you find your parts these days? I want an engine!

Wheres the thread for yours?

Parts... hmmm... facebook groups I guess. It has dried up though. Luckily OEM style stuff for service items are still plentyful from motorfactors.

I'll soon be just a case of going to the remaining tuners for bits I reckon. Depending on what you're doing with it, of course.

I have the guts of a J4 in various pieces, just in case.
I'm sure I've seen some complete engines going for circa £400 over the past 12 months.

Awesome work man. Nice to see a project still actually being projected rather than the dobbers on facebook who take a Saxo, pull the seats out it for a track car m8 and then thats it.

I've been chipping away. No rush.

Engine is all timed up and belt cover is on.
I painted the block.
Then painted the cam covers and they look ace.



I sold my old 4 paddle and bought a new 6 paddle. I decided not to go for the extra expense of a lug drive and just turn the boost down, if this doesn't like it.



Will continue with the ancillaries and inlet this next week. I'm cleaning up all the bolts etc, just because I can. Might as well make it look half decent.

Then onto making a turbo support bracket.

The previous build of this engine maybe ran about 100 miles, if that.
Yet the water circuit was full of rust. Like a very fine bright orange dusting everywhere. Water pump, galleries, thermostat. The coolant was probably 75% antifreeze as well.



It was very bizarre. If you've bothered to read this far, you may recall there was constantly air in the coolant after a spirited drive. Not sure if that was a contributory issue to the corrosion. Anyway, the engine and head have been pressurised and cleaned, so maybe what was once there, is not now.

In the throws of making a support bracket for the turbo. It was previously just hanging from the collector and I'm sure it will break soon. This might help prolong it a little. I've also added a brace on the downpipe to attach to the gearbox. Although you can't see anything on this photo.

I wrapped the manifold and test fitted a turbo blanket.



Going to be running actuator pressure (8psi) for a few miles when the car is ready. So I've removed the MBC. Just to let the engine run in. Then, will switch to an EBC (already got it) when I want to creep up the boost back to it's heady power days of 270+ bhp.

The Turbo support bracket is also complete. It fits across where the mount point for the crankcase breather (bottom section) and dip-stick (bottom section) and then into the corner of the block, in a hole that was already there... but nothing ever went into!
The horizontal section mounts to the bottom two downpipe bolts and is welded to the support brace on the block. It is very rigid, so that is a concern, but it is taking some weight off the manifold, which has to a bonus.



Hopefully you can see it in the photo above.

The only issue with the bracket, is that when it came to fitting the crankcase breather (lower section), it is in the way. Luckily I've got another pipe - they must have changed the design. This has a different orientation, yet mounts to the same point. It doesn't meet the top section properly, but I'll just make an adapter. Should look OEM+.

Hoping to get the alternator fitted this week and then get the engine off the stand, to fit the loom, coolant pipes, clutch and gearbox.

Made a small heatshield with what I had left. Not ideal, but better than nothing.
Sufficient air gap left, hopefully combined with the heat wrap, it'll save the alty.



The crankcase breather took ages, had to make a 90 degree elbow for it to route properly.

Engine is off the stand, flywheel (skimmed) and new clutch has gone on.



Gearbox, coolant pipes & loom to attach next week.

Why not just put a support bracket at an angle down the the boss to the right (gearbox side) of the oil filter?

More vertical support, less likely to crack because the load is going down the bracket and not into the 'flat' part (loads should be sent along a panel, not into it) and out of the way of the case breather/head oil return.

Which bit is the boss? I can always add this, just need to see what you mean.

The sticky-out lump with a hole in it just above your oil return.

Still looking good and if you still want sell it I'm here hhaha but ye I love to have it back after all these years but epic progress

Haha, You'd need deep pockets mate. :P

It's safe to say, that I wouldn't have made either a good mechanic, nor a good paint sprayer.
However, I've been 'over' the engine bay and both wheel arches/tubs, in the last couple of months.

Wire wheel, screwdrivers, chisels etc.

Suprisingly the shell is solid. Even the bumper hangers have survived and although the metal is thinner in places, no welding at all, is required on the front.





Arches are now a few layers deep in Dinitrol, which seems to be excellent stuff. Any cavities have been filled with dynawax also. That should see it for another decade or so.

In other news, the engine now has it's loom attached and plumbing ready. I'm putting the ECU in the car, along with map sensor and injector relay plug thing.



The engine will be installed this coming weekend. Which leaves only the radiator and intercooler setup remaining to be completed.

The engine is in.

I've positioned the rad, where I want it and created the plumbing to/from the header tank.
ECU, map sensor, fuel injection relay are now inside the cabin.



Instead of running the extremely overly large intercooler, I have gone for a more simplistic solution from our oriental cousins.

It's billed as a side-mount for an MR2 and I'll mount it vertically next to the radiator.
It's a chunky thing, but being a single pass with a direct in-line route from the turbo to the inlet, I think it's actually going to work out great. Famous last words.



I had lofty ambitions of running the car this weekend, but I'm admitting defeat.

I'd love to sit in this, looks amazing mate. Don't forget to update in here cause I'm still keeping tabs

Some months on, how goes this with progress?

Funny you should say that. My dad said yesterday "want me to help get the Saxo going".

What happened was, I positioned everything where I thought it should go, then my old man said "no no no.. you don't want to do it like that" in a Harry Enfield voice. So I spat my dummy out, as I'd already cut and shaped the coolant pipes etc. Then left it and focused on other stuff.

It's now going to be winters project, as the motorcycles get put away.

Stil coming along treat this saxo build..

And.... we are back....
Well... not really.

Since the last actual update, I thought I'd made good progress. But my dad came round and suggested he make/improve the radiator and intercooler situation.

It took a while to get him back, but bless, he has done it.



Plenty of room now, away from the turbo - which was the issue since I put this turbo on! That it sat too close to the radiator.
The new intercooler looks perfect in it's new location also.
Proof is in the pudding, when I put it all back together, I guess.

Details of the bracketry:



Just a lick of paint, then onto re-assembly, to see what new hoses and joiners etc, I need.



Both wings are back on, suspension and brakes all back together.
New pads and discs have been skimmed.

Still plenty to do, but not reliant on anyone else now, so lets see how far I can get.

I've chipped away at this, each night. Finally it runs (again).

Ordered some silicone hoses for the intercooler pipework. Surprisingly not many at all. The pipe run is very short, which is great.

I had enough coolant pipes to fashion what was needed for the radiators new position and header tank inclusion.

Fresh gear oil, cheapo running in oil and fresh coolant... and we were ready to go.



After faffing around trying to figure out why the starter motor wouldn't engage, it turns out the battery wasn't charged properly. Granted, it has been off the car for over 3 years.



Started on the button, idles sweet, no smoke :)



Also used the Snap-on red brick, to help verify everything was OK.



There are a few things I need to remedy this week:

- Power steering pump seems to be permanently on
- Boat load of codes to clear and/or investigate (most probably legacy)
- Idle AFR never got above 12..even when warm
- Water leak from one of my homemade joiners
- The fan didn't kick in
- Fit the turbo blanket properly

As well as re-assemble the front end.

It should then be ready for testing in the street, running up to temp, getting the brakes scrubbed in, going through the gears etc.

I've also not re-fitted the oil cooler. Mainly as I didn't know where to put it, but also was waiting on the thermostatic sandwich plate. Typically this turned up just a few moments after the car was running. Need to make some brackets anyway.



I need it MOT'able for a dry spell in Spring, so I can set about running the engine in (again). As it's not got a boost controller plumbed, it's just on the actuator of 8psi or so.
Long term is to install an EBC, which I already have, so I can get it back to up to a comfortable power level. No doubt this may require a trip back to Sir Chipwizards' as at peak boost (pre-rebuild) it seemed to hit boost cut above 20psi. Coupled with the 'major' changes of better compression, shorter pipe work, clutch etc.. it probably might need a tweak anyway.

Anyway, that's miles away. Plenty of things to remedy.

I've kept a list of what has 'changed' or been added/completed since the car last ran, in 2018. Quite nuts really, how much of a money pit it is.

New piston rings - higher compression
ACL main and big end bearings
ARP head studs
Head skim
Block skim
New WRC spec 5 layer Head Gasket
New stem seals
Saxo Diesel header tank conversion
GMC (Pace) Radiator and SPAL fan
MR2 Intercooler
Shorter Intercooler pipe run + more direct
New Intercooler Silicone pipes
Exhaust manifold wrapped
Alternator head shield
Re-positioned radiator and cooler with custom brackets
Arches sealed
Crinkle paint cam covers
Re-routed PCV system
Custom Turbo support bracket
Turbo blanket
Downpipe support bracket
Extra lambda port added (for ECU and wideband)
Fuel cut-off switch removed
Brake Discs skimmed
New Mintex road pads
Helix 6 paddle clutch
Helix race pressure plate
*Rear door cards
*EBC to fit
ECU relocation to inside the car
*Thermostatic oil sandwich plate/cooler
Re-connected oil pressure and temperature to ECU
Map sensor relocated to cabin
Block painted

*to fit